In the wake of a hot mid-term election, pundits and advertising professionals are in the midst of evaluating the myriad of political advertisements generated for this year’s campaign season.  Though attack ads dominated the airwaves yet again, governor-elect, John Hickenlooper, took a different approach with his campaign messages.

Bucking the attack ad trend employed by candidates across the nation, Hickenlooper vowed to run a “clean campaign” that touted job creation and economic development.  According to Hickenlooper, “With all the challenges we face, Colorado needs a governor who brings people together to create jobs and cut government spending. Pitting one group against another or one part of Colorado against another doesn’t help anyone”.  Hickenlooper’s refreshing campaign tactic provides advertisers with a cogent example of how decision framing can influence the decision-making process in high-effort situations.

When preparing for Election Day, voters are highly motivated to learn more about the candidates to ensure that their selection meets their goals, attitudes, and values for the next four years.  Furthermore, the voter’s ability and opportunity to process information is also high.  As a result of a voter’s increased motivation, ability, and opportunity (known as MAO) to process information, voters put a lot of effort into deciding the ideal candidate for political office.

Though candidates utilize a variety of messaging tactics, political advertisements influence a voter’s decision to include a candidate in his or her consideration set.   Six gubernatorial candidates sought election as the governor of Colorado.  Because Coloradans faced a variety of political options, a candidate’s main objective was to be included in a voter’s consideration set.  A consideration set is a subset of top-of-mind items that are evaluated when making a choice.   Consideration sets allow items to be easily recalled, compared, and evaluated when making a decision.  If an item receives a lot of attention, people are more likely to select it. In the Colorado gubernatorial race, voters were more likely to include Hickenlooper in their consideration set because of the amount of attention his campaign received.

But the question remains – how does a voter determine the selection criteria that will help develop his or her consideration set?   The relevance and importance of decision criteria depend a variety of factors that includes a voter’s goals, the decision timeframe, and how the decision is framed or represented.

Decision framing is a tactic used by political advertisers that help shape a voter’s decision. Decision framing is the initial reference point, or anchor, in the decision process.  In his campaign, Hickenlooper’s anchor was integrity.  Through his “clean campaign” vow, Hickenlooper cast a positive light on his campaign and assured voters that his messages were going to be about the campaign and nothing else.

Although framing can be utilized in a variety of ways, most political advertisements rely heavily on high elaboration and framing in the context of gains or losses.   For example, a political message that highlights a gain could be phrased, “Vote for Jane Doe because she will increase jobs by 5% in the next four years”.  A political message that highlights a loss could be phrased, “Vote for John Doe to avoid the harmful effects of Jane Doe’s tax polices”.

The use of positive or negative message frames depends heavily on a candidate’s competition and the voter’s attitude toward the candidate or the candidate’s campaign.   However, based on consumer research, individuals are less likely to choose a candidate that employs negative message frames with high elaboration because they conclude that the tactics utilized in the message are unfair.   In light of this research, attack advertisements that employ negative message frames and high elaboration remain controversial because the message’s efficacy is suspect.

Consumer behavior research also indicates that messages framed in terms of gains are more persuasive when people are in a bad mood.   The inherent nature of attack ads incites frustration and negative attitudes amount voters.   Therefore, candidates who want to take the high road should consider positive message framing when the political advertising landscape becomes mired in attack ads.

When his competition started to use attack ads, Hickenlooper’s campaign capitalized on positive message framing.  Because most attack ads make voters uneasy and frustrated, Hickenlooper emphasized gains in his messages and elaborated upon ways he would create jobs, cut government spending, and bring people together.   As a result, Hickenlooper’s advertisements garnered substantial media attention and ultimately won Hickenlooper the election.

In his opening comments at a “get out the vote” house party, Hickenlooper acknowledged the power his “clean campaign” advertising frame had over on the voter’s choice. Hickenlooper explained that, “When you attack a product or a candidate, you dismiss the people that support the candidate. You can’t always win them back”. Because consumers face a number of decisions in high-effort situations such as political campaigns, decision framing helps voters easily identify information that is important to their choice of a political candidate.  Perhaps Hickerlooper’s victory will substantiate the viability of positive message frames in political advertising.