hatch2006.org

In examining advertisement this time, I chose to look at a multi-modal form of advertisements. With the upcoming midterm elections, I analyzed Mike Hatch's campaign website. I consistently hear rumors that Hatch is far ahead in the polls. As much as I want to believe it, based on the politics, both national and state, of the past few years, it seems unlikely. Hatch's website is a amalgamation of media promoting his campaign. While Hatch himself is probably not responsible for the exact content of his website, his advertising directors know what the are doing. From the home page welcome that exclaims "Welcome Friend," you can tell that Hatch is trying to sell a particular style of politics. Throughout the site, Hatch markets himself as the "guy next door," trying to show that he is accessible to all voters. While approachability is important to win votes for any candidate, it is especially important for a DFL endorsed candidate. A large part of Hatch's campaign rests on criticizing the esoteric style of government that the incumbant governor endorses, serving the interests of big business and not those of the everyday person (according to Hatch). Throughout the website you see other media propaganda promoting this same approach. For instance, in the "family photo album," Hatch includes pictures of his golden retriever (what all-American family doesn't have a golden retriever) with her nine newborn puppies. Who doesn't love puppies?

Hatch also plays into the hands of his reliable voter base in his biography and history outlined on his website. He highlights aspects of his daughter's public and community service work. He knows, rightly, that many liberals will be swayed to his side by knowing that his family has a personal commitment to the survival of the community as a whole. Likewise, another important voter bloc for the DFL is teachers. In describing his family, one of the first things he notes is that he was educated in Duluth public schools and that his wife has taught elementary school for over twenty years. Aside from teachers, many people are issue voters who vote based on who has the greatest commitment to the public schools, which he makes clear even without detailing his policy.

The website also includes videos of all of his television campaign advertisements, which highlight his commitment to public health care and education, two very important issues to most DFL voters and to all espcially in the upcoming elections. Hatch is able to bring people into his website through anecdotal stories and information that helps him appeal to the general voter and then cna drive his message home through the media that the voter is able to download once hooked into the website. In terms of advertising strategy, the website uses the multimodality of the internet to its extreme advantage.