Get out the Vote: a metaphorical approach to Rock the Vote

Political CommunicationRWT 3

Bev Knudsen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QnjsHEvaaI

Hear the 2010 Rock the Vote theme Patterns...while you view these slides.

http://www.rockthevote.com building political power for young

people

the Rock The Vote website... a breakdown•home - passive activity at top of page (video and logo), with active activity at bottom (donating, helping).

•about us - general information on Rock the Vote and its history.

•election center - information on elections, state-by state. Noted as being bi-partisan yet pages are sponsored by partisan groups.

•events - active participation requests: asking viewers to be "part of the movement."

•music - strong element of Rock The Vote, concert dates, and RTV artists.

•store - youthful t-shirts and wristbands with Rock The Vote logos.

•research - The who, what, where, when, and why of young voters.

•blog - edited posts on the latest and greatest of young voter interest.

•press - limited information including press releases and media coverage

•register to vote - online registration for first-time and registered voters.

Rock metaphorsSolid, foundation

Rock-n-Roll music

Rock the world - upset the status quo, political movement

Target audience: 18 - 29 age group, urban(RED words on the following slides are noted as metaphors)

From the About Us home page tab - the metaphors that bind the audience

"Rock the Vote's mission is to engage and build political power for young people in our country. Founded twenty years ago at the intersection of popular culture and politics, Rock the Vote is growing its team and its campaigns in 2010, to support the tidal wave of young people who want to get involved in elections and seize the power of the youth vote to create political and social change. Over the last two decades, Rock the Vote has registered more young people to vote than any other organization or campaign, and we intend to register and turn out millions more in 2010 – and to be the best-informed place online where young people can find out what they need to know before casting a ballot. After years of declining participation at the polls, a new generation of young voters has arrived. Millions of new voters between the ages of 18 – 29 cast ballots in 2004, 2006, and 2008.  Rock the Vote is dedicated to building the political power and clout of the Millennial Generation by registering and turning out young people, by forcing the candidates to campaign to them, and by making politicians pay attention to youth and the issues they care about once in office."

•"more power, less fear" implies a sense of present powerlessness

OR•begs the question "Fear of what?"

•Use of color:black (rebellion and sophistication) and red (power and passion) in forefront, blue (calm and passive) and white (purity and innocence) in background.

•Use of male face:black and white, angry, menacing, partially obscured.

•Use of ALL CAPITAL LETTERS suggests a statement of power and intensity.

the 2010 Rock The Vote logo

Rock The Vote video transcripthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4gZe0qsZ8g Set to the tune Patterns by Band of

Skulls  Flashing words, in urban font,

behind actors: Democracy, Justice,

Freedom, Idiot, Yes, Participation, Quality, Action, Urgent, Vote, Fearlessly, Other People, Can't Complain, You Didn't Do Anything About It, Go Go

Go. Wayne Brady(texting): Dear

Superballs 8307.Casey Affleck: What does democracy mean to you?(male 1): What does justice mean to

you?(male 2): What does freedom mean to

you?Wayne Brady: No man, I'm not gonna

vote.

It doesn't make any difference.Dane Cook: Then you're an idiot.

Kate Walsh: (finger snap x 2)JoJo: More participation.(male 3): More freedom.(female 2): More equality.Jesse Tyler Ferguson: More action.Joaquin Phoenix: More democracy.David Banner: Know what you want.Kate Walsh: Listen man it's urgent.JoJo: Vote fearlessly.(female 3): Otherwise you're just kinda

counting on other people to do the work for you and

Kate Walsh: You can't complain if you didn't vote.

Wayne Brady: He's gonna suck. Well you didn't do anything about it.

Snoop Dog: Get out there and go.(whispered): Rock the Vote November

2nd.

There's one for the sorrow, and two for the joy, and three for the girls, and four for the boys. There's five for the silver, and six for the gold, and seven for the secrets that are never to be told. There's eight in the river and nine in my head, and ten of the worst kind sleeping in my bed.

There's a pattern, there's a pattern, there's a pattern there to follow, A pattern, there's a pattern, there's a pattern there to follow.

There's one for the money, and two for the sin, and three for the time when authority kicks in. There's four for the reason, and five for the tricks, but nothing's gonna save you from the six, six, six. There's seven for the days, and seven for the nights, seven for the heavens, and the tunnels and the lights.

There's a pattern, there's a pattern, there's a pattern there to follow, A pattern, there's a pattern, there's a pattern there to follow.

Metaphor of the Music - Patterns by Band of Skulls(music behind video)

Urban font styles and designs

visual to

ols to

reach a target

audience...

Political boot camp 101 and

the military metaphor.

So you invited them (to the polls)... but will they come? RTV research says YES!"Winning Young Voters: New Media Tactics""How to Mobilize Young Voters"

ROCK THE VOTE

A political movement, or an apolitical movement?