Political advertising in the United States / Erika Franklin Fowler, Wesleyan University ; Michael M. Franz, Bowdoin College ; Travis N. Ridout, Washington State University.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- The regulation of advertising -- The volume and content of political advertising -- How ads are created and tested -- Buying and targeting political advertising on television -- The Internet, social media, and advertising -- Influence and persuasion : studying the intended effects of advertising -- The unintended effects of advertising -- The future of political advertising and its role in our society.

"Political advertising is as important as ever--ad spending records are broken each election cycle, and the volume of ads aired continues to increase. Political Advertising in the United States is a comprehensive survey of the political advertising landscape and its influence on voters. The authors, co-directors of the Wesleyan Media Project, draw from the latest data to analyze how campaign finance laws have affected the sponsorship and content of political advertising, how "big data" has allowed for more sophisticated targeting, and how the Internet and social media has changed the distribution of ads. With detailed analysis of presidential and congressional campaign ads and discussion questions in each chapter, this accessibly written book is a must-read for students, scholars and practitioners who want to understand the ins and outs of political advertising"--Provided by publisher.