Morning in America
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"Morning in America" is the common name of an effective political campaign television commercial formally titled "Prouder, Stronger, Better" and featuring the opening line "It's morning again in America." The ad was part of the 1984 U.S. presidential campaign of Republican Party candidate Ronald Reagan. It featured a montage of images of Americans going to work and a calm, optimistic narration that suggested the improvements to the U.S. economy since his 1980 election were due to Reagan's policies and asked voters why they would want to return to the pre-Reagan policies of Democrats like his opponent Walter Mondale. It ends with a picture of Reagan and the tagline "Ronald Reagan — Leadership That's Working."
It is generally considered one of the most effective political campaign ads ever, mainly for its simple, optimistic message.[citation needed] The phrase "It's morning again in America" is used both as a literal statement (people are shown going to work) and to bring to mind other common sayings such as "a new day has dawned" and "wake up and smell the coffee."
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[edit] Details
Full text of the ad:
- It's morning again in America. Today more men and women will go to work than ever before in our country's history. With interest rates at about half the record highs of 1980, nearly 2,000 families today will buy new homes, more than at any time in the past four years. This afternoon 6,500 young men and women will be married, and with inflation at less than half of what it was just four years ago, they can look forward with confidence to the future. It's morning again in America, and under the leadership of President Reagan, our country is prouder and stronger and better. Why would we ever want to return to where we were less than four short years ago?
The ad was written and narrated by ad man Hal Riney, who also wrote and narrated Reagan's resonant "Bear in the woods" ad (titled "Bear") as well as his "America's Back" ad. To many, his rich, avuncular voice represented wholesomeness and authenticity. [1]
[edit] Resonance
This advertisement won industry awards and praise from the political and advertising world. Republican strategist Dan Schnur said of Riney's work: "Most political advertising hits viewers over the head, while his work makes just as strong a point but in a less confrontational and a more soothing manner." [1]
"Bill Bennett's Morning in America" is the name of prominent conservative William Bennett's radio talk show, a direct reference to the ad.
"It's morning [again] in America" continues to be a popular phrase to invoke when a situation has changed for the better or when a situation should be changed for the better. Ironically, this is essentially the opposite of its original meaning, which sought to assure voters that the economic situation was good and no change (to the presidency) should be made.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- CNN AllPolitics Ad Archive — archive of political ads, including "Bear in the Woods" and "Morning in America"
- "Creating Reagan's image" — the story of how Hal Riney developed the ad campaign
- "Reagan's Paid Political Advertisements, Page Two"
- "Morning in America: The Reagan Election" — background of 1984 election
- Review of the book Morning in America: How Ronald Reagan Invented the 1980's
- Ad Age: "Top 100 Advertising Campaigns" — "Morning in America" is 43.
- USA Today: "Voters in Ohio give political ads a thumbs down" uses "Prouder, Stronger, Better" as an expert's example of an ad that strikes a compelling theme.
- 'boards magazine: "Why political TV ads suck so hard" cites "Bear" and "Prouder, Stronger, Better" as examples of effective and significant ads in contrast to recent ads.
- ReaganKnight blog includes compilation of links to 1984 'Morning in America' videos.
- Democrats Need 'Conviction Politics' Advocates "Morning in America" type ads for Democrats in 2008.
