175 Years of Presidential PR [Infographic]
Campaign slogans are an indelible part of U.S. presidential elections. Throughout American history, campaigns have used slogans to distill complex campaign goals into short and easily digestible messages.
Slogans historically either focus on a positive attribute of the candidate or give a glimpse of the candidate’s goals for the presidency. They are woven throughout the campaign in speeches, signs, advertisements and other writing, reinforcing the message through repetition. For example, the first slogan detailed in the infographic below, “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too,” referred to the candidate William Henry Harrison’s nickname and his choice for vice president, John Tyler.
This year, the slogans of failed 2016 contenders ranged from the simple, such as Jim Gilmore’s “For America,” to Rand Paul’s rhyming “Defeat the Washington Machine. Unleash the American Dream.” Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton rose above the crowded fields of presidential hopefuls to gain their major party nominations.
Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again” implicitly refers to a time before the presidency of Barack Obama, which he criticizes throughout his speeches. Trump has characterized the potential presidency of Clinton as a third Obama term, and contrasts that with a more successful vision of his own presidency.
Clinton’s slogan “Stronger Together” serves as an invitation to potential supporters to come together and create a stronger future. The slogan creates a foundation for messages of inclusivity and cooperation. Clinton’s secondary slogan, “I’m with Her,” serves as a reminder that she is the first female major party nominee in U.S. history.
Which historical slogan stands out as being particularly effective (or ridiculous)? Share the following infographic and let us know your thoughts.
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1840: William Henry Harrison (Whig), “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too”
1844: James K. Polk (Democrat), “54-40 or Fight”
1848: Zachary Taylor (Whig), “For President of the People”
1852: Franklin Pierce (Democrat), “We Polked You in ’44, We Shall Pierce you in ‘52”
1860: Abraham Lincoln (Republican), “Vote Yourself a Farm”
1864: Abraham Lincoln (Republican), “Don’t Swap Horses In Midstream”
1868: Ulysses S. Grant (Republican), “Let Us Have Peace”
1872: Ulysses S. Grant (Republican), “Grant Us Another Term”
1888: Benjamin Harrison (Republican), “Rejuvenated Republicanism”
1896: William McKinley (Republican), “Patriotism, Protection, and Prosperity”
1900: William McKinley (Republican), “Let Well Enough Alone”
1916: Woodrow Wilson (Democrat), “He Kept Us out of War”
1920: Warren G. Harding (Republican), “Return to Normalcy”
1924: Calvin Coolidge (Republican), “Keep Cool and Keep Coolidge”
1928: Herbert Hoover (Republican), “Who But Hoover?”
1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat), “Happy Days Are Here Again”
1936: Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat), “Remember Hoover”
1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat), “Better a Third Term Than a Third Rater”
1944: Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat), “We are Going to Win This War and the Peace That Follows”
1948: Harry S. Truman (Democrat), “I’m Just Wild About Harry”
1952: Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican), “I Like Ike”
1956: Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican), “I Still Like Ike”
1960: John F. Kennedy (Democrat), “A Time for Greatness”
1964: Lyndon B. Johnson (Democrat), “All the Way With LBJ”
1968: Richard Nixon (Republican), “This Time, Vote Like Your Whole World Depended on It”
1972: Richard Nixon (Republican), “President Nixon. Now More than Ever”
1976: Jimmy Carter (Democrat), “A Leader, For a Change”
1980: Ronald Reagan (Republican), “Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?”
1984: Ronald Reagan (Republican), “It’s Morning Again in America”
1988: George Bush (Republican), “Kinder, Gentler Nation”
1992: Bill Clinton (Democrat), “For People, For a Change”
1996: Bill Clinton (Democrat), “Building a Bridge to the 21st Century”
2000: George W. Bush (Republican), “A Reformer with Results”
2004: George W. Bush (Republican), “Building a Safer World and a More Hopeful America”
2008: Barack Obama (Democrat), “Change We Can Believe In”
2012: Barack Obama (Democrat), “Forward”
2016 Campaign Slogans:
Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democrat), “I’m with Her”; “Stronger Together”
Donald J. Trump (Republican), “Make America Great Again”
The Rest from 2016:
Lincoln Chafee (Democrat), “Fresh Ideas for America”
Lawrence Lessig (Democrat), “Fixing Democracy Can’t Wait”
Martin O’Malley (Democrat), “Rebuild the American Dream”
Bernie Sanders (Democrat), “A Political Revolution Is Coming”
Jim Webb (Democrat), “Leadership You Can Trust”
Jeb Bush (Republican), “All In for Jeb”
Ben Carson (Republican), “Heal. Inspire. Revive.”
Chris Christie (Republican), “Telling It Like It Is”
Ted Cruz (Republican), “Reigniting the Promise of America”
Carly Fiorina (Republican), “New Possibilities. Real Leadership”
Jim Gilmore (Republican), “For America”
Lindsey Graham (Republican), “Ready to be Commander-In-Chief on Day One”
Mike Huckabee (Republican), “From Hope to Higher Ground”
Bobby Jindal (Republican), “Tanned, Rested, Ready”
John Kasich (Republican), “Building a Better Country”
George Pataki (Republican), “People Over Politics”
Rand Paul (Republican), “Defeat the Washington Machine. Unleash the American Dream.”
Marco Rubio (Republican), “A New American Century”
Rick Santorum (Republican), “Restore the American Dream for Hardworking Families”
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