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From Analogue to Digital Negativity: Attacks and Counterattacks, Satire, and Absurdism on Election Posters Offline and Online

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Visual Political Communication

Abstract

Negative campaigning, with its focus on the shortcomings of the policies/ideologies or the character of political opponent(s), has always been a part of political campaigning. Technological developments and digitalization have also taken negativity online. This chapter analyzes the development of campaigning using election posters in Germany and Sweden as empirical illustrations of how digitalization changes the prerequisites and use of negative campaigning. The results show how old campaign tools like election posters do not disappear, but rather adapt to digitalization, both in terms of production and dissemination. The conclusion highlights that there are good reasons to expect an increase of negativity in (online) electoral campaigning. Negative appeals can strategically be used to mobilize target groups in social media, without the risk of putting off other voters. The web and social network sites have also increased the possibility of counterattacks when being attacked by opponents. Negativity might also increase when voters have the possibility to change, replace, or comment on the messages.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The sticker shows two joints and the text says: “Don’t forget us.”, signed by “Die Kiffis”, which is a name and probably means“The potheads”.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Journalism, Media & Communication, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Bengt Johansson

  2. School of Business and Economics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany

    Christina Holtz-Bacha

Authors
  1. Bengt Johansson
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  2. Christina Holtz-Bacha
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Correspondence to Bengt Johansson .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Media and Communication, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK

    Anastasia Veneti , Daniel Jackson  & Darren G. Lilleker ,  & 

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Johansson, B., Holtz-Bacha, C. (2019). From Analogue to Digital Negativity: Attacks and Counterattacks, Satire, and Absurdism on Election Posters Offline and Online. In: Veneti, A., Jackson, D., Lilleker, D.G. (eds) Visual Political Communication. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18729-3_6

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