Kaitlin Foley Political Science, Communication and Media Studies
Mark Glantz Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies
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Abstract
This research study explores visual communication elements in politics. For decades, campaign logos have been at the forefront of running a well-planned and successful political campaign; party logos have symbolized entire ideologies. This study looks at what elements make these logos effective and ineffective. It was found that these logos subconsciously add or subtract to a politician’s brand and the overall campaign message they are attempting to present. Also, logos may have a much larger impact in local races, where candidate name recognition alone is not enough to trigger any particularly strong feelings toward a candidate. In higher profile elections, the candidates’ names may trigger other associations that would overpower what’s conveyed in a logo. This study explores this topic and discovers more indicators as to what makes branded politics and visual rhetoric effective and impactful.
