«Musical persuasion in Donald Trump’s campaign advertising»
Título completo: Musical persuasion in Donald Trump’s campaign advertising: Juxtaposition resources in contrast spots with production music.
Autor: Aleix Herreras Carrera
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.n39a2093
Revista: Doxa Comunicación: Revista interdisciplinar de estudios de comunicación y ciencias sociales.
Universidad: San Pablo CEU (Madrid).
Idioma: Español/Inglés
Fecha: 14/02/2024
Año de publicación: 2024
Temáticas: Comunicación política; Música publicitaria; Campañas electorales; Donald Trump, Armonía musical.
Nº de páginas: 21
Palabras clave: Campaign ad; musical syntax; harmony; presidential campaign; Donald Trump.
Cómo citar: Herreras Carrera, A. (2024). Musical persuasion in Donald Trump’s campaign advertising. Juxtaposition resources in contrast spots with production music. Doxa Comunicación, 39.
Resumen: This paper studies the soundtrack of some Donald Trump contrast ads that include resources of musical juxtaposition. Adverts that used pre-existing production music during the 2016 and 2020 US presidential campaigns. The preferred technique is to reduce the number of instruments used to a minimum when talking about the adversary and bringing in full orchestration when speaking of the advertiser. Expressive silence is the most powerful musical device for signposting those words or phrases that, due to the information they transmit, summarise the advertising and campaign message in the ad. The Republican candidate opts for alternating and combining harmonious and textural changes to project himself with a tough profile in the second part of the spot, in contrast with the weakness of the Democrat candidates, as represented in the first, negative part. The application of harmonic changes while maintaining the instruments, rhythm and pace of the music strengthens the narrative cohesion of all the audio-visual components. The methodology utilised in this study can be applied to observe music in the audio-visual field outside the context of political campaigns, and even outside advertising.