Local Versus External Issue Group Advertising: A Content Analysis of Political Advertisements in Minnesota Elections

Abstract

Spending on political advertising in U.S. elections has surged to unprecedented levels, yet its impact on voter behavior appears minimal, prompting questions about its efficacy. This study investigates one significant contributor to election advertising, issue groups, which have been understudied due to their lack of transparency and the dynamic nature of their legislation. By better understanding the advertising strategies behind issue groups, this research can yield insights for campaigns, guiding more impactful spending. Specifically, this study focuses on examining the relationship between the registered location of issue groups and the types of ad content they generate, offering a more nuanced perspective on their campaign strategies. Through a content analysis of 200 issue group advertisements, half originating from issue groups within the state of Minnesota and the other half from issue groups outside the state, the data analysis revealed statistically significant relationships between issue group location and several components of advertising content, including ad emphasis, ad nature, appeal tactics, issue focus, communication strategies, and regional references. This study concludes that a strong relationship exists between the location of issue groups and the specific types of advertising content they generate. These results help distinguish among issue groups, indicating that investing in issue groups from certain locations can result in the creation of certain advertising messages, thus offering the potential to reach voters more effectively.