Campaign videos weren’t always part of presidential cycles. When only 9 percent of Americans had televisions in 1950, commercials weren’t a top priority for candidates. But as television sets began to pop up in homes across the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower saw an opportunity for his 1952 bid for the presidency. He met with legendary advertiser Rosser Reeves, who persuaded him to make short ads for television. Eisenhower did so, begrudgingly.
The Fact Checker’s guide to campaign ads
September 3, 2019
