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This file contains:
From Strachan to Haldeman RE: Peter Dailey's campaign advertising presentation. 8 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/15/1972
From Strachan to Higby RE: an unnamed project. 1 pg. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 8/1/1972
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WHSF: Contested, 7-63
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WHSF: Contested, 7-63
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This file contains:
From Strachan to Haldeman RE: Peter Dailey's campaign advertising presentation. 8 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/15/1972
From Strachan to Higby RE: an unnamed project. 1 pg. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 8/1/1972
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
Contested Materials Files
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
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Document Description
7
63
8/15/1972
Campaign
Memo
From Strachan to Haldeman RE: Peter
Dailey's campaign advertising presentation. 8
pgs.
7
63
8/1/1972
Domestic Policy
Memo
From Strachan to Higby RE: an unnamed
project. 1 pg.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Page 1 of 1
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
ADMINISTRATIVELY CONFIDENTIAL
August 15, 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H. R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
GORDON STRACHAN
4
SUBJECT:
Peter Dailey's Campaign
Advertising Presentation
On August 14 Dwight Chapin, Ray Price, Frank Shakespeare,
Tex McCrary, and Ron Ziegler participated in a two and
one-half hour presentation by Peter Dailey, Bill Taylor,
and Phil Joanou of the campaign advertising and media
plan. After an introduction by Dailey, Taylor presented
the 16 5-minute and 60 second TV spots. Taylor then
presented the print advertisements, and Joanou concluded
with a brief description of the media plan. In addition
to the memoranda submitted by Price, McCrary, Ziegler,
and Shakespeare (attached at Tab A), notes taken during
the discussion covered several points. The comments by
each individual are listed under each advertisement:
1) "The Record" - 5-minute TV spot
Chapin - The economy is not mentioned.
McCrary - Very poor; quite unuseable;
- Don't show President in any way but at
strong points; some scenes show him
fumbling and in ungraceful movements;
- The President lights up during his strong
handshake; can't we use the handshake with
Chou in China? -- that's the highlight of
the whole trip;
- What about the use of animated charts,
newsreels, and news headlines?
Shakespeare
- Completely unuseable;
- Concept is excellent but the execution
is unacceptable.
- 2 -
1) "The Record" (cont.)
Ziegler - Try to get better footage of the President's
appearance;
- There must be better footage of the President
signing the SALT agreement - Breshnev appears
stronger;
- Change the 39,000 men left in VN to "with-
drawal of 500,000 men in 4 years" and "no
more combat ground troops";
- Get better China footage - where is the
handshake?
- Why not finish with the President's return?
2) "Property Taxes" - 60 second TV spot
Chapin - Looks stagey.
McCrary - Approved of the force of conversation with
Mr. Ehrlichman; should have scenes of the
President working with his staff.
Price - Prejudiced against it but that's an in-house
feeling;
- It's an effective topic but he doesn't trust
public reaction to it - could be negative.
Shakespeare - Opposed to staging the President;
- The concept of the advertisement (staged)
could be negative with the public.
Ziegler - President appears to be "chewing out"
Mr. Ehrlichman;
- Did not find it stagey.
3) "China Trip" - 5-Minute TV spot
Chapin - Liked the plane shot;
- Should show more shots with Mao;
- Too quick on sightseeing parts;
- Omit the picture of Mrs. Nixon in fur coat;
- Possibly add the pictures from the sporting
event;
- Add the President's return;
- Dr. Kissinger has tremendous credibility.
- 3 -
3) "China Trip" (cont.)
McCrary - Scene of President throwing food to fish
much too awkward - don't ever picture
President with a limp wrist; show him
only at his best;
- Why not shift from color to black & white
news headlines, brings back the impact of
the trip to the public; use Reston's
New York Times banner line "President's
Finest Hour";
- The tempo of the advertisement is much too
slow;
- Why not a recurring music theme in background? -
"Hail to the Chief" (after all he is the
President) or "Pomp and Circumstance";
- "Name of the game is that he's the President"
Price - Very good; liked it very much;
- Will make interesting TV; will hold the audience;
- Good point about the President's feeling about
the future with China made in 1967;
- Gives you the feeling of "Our President" --
nothing crystallizes the President's support
more than this point.
Shakespeare - Liked it very much;
- Very effective;
- Are there better shots of the President
at diplomatic negotiation functions?
- Scene of President throwing food to fish
much too awkward.
Ziegler
- The President does not appear at ease at
the planeside troop inspection - do not
include it;
- Have more shots of him with Chou alone -
possibly at the Hall of the People;
- Get some good shots at the banquet with
"America the Beautiful" being played;
- Less sightseeing shots and more diplomatic
meetings - need a higher setting;
- Including Dr. Kissinger is a terrible waste
of film.
Dailey - Not satisfied with announcer's voice;
- There should be a balance of shots of President
at diplomatic events and people-to-people
meetings.
- 4 -
4) "Environmental Protection Agency" -
Chapin - Drop the T.S. Eliot quote;
- We're doing the ad for the young yet we
don't seem to be promoting them (the young)
in it.
McCrary
-
Liked it;
- Show some real traffic - Long Island Expressway
crowded-type traffic;
- Really emphasize the "Now" and "President Nixon";
- Use some arresting music;
- Use some National Geographic-type shots at end;
- This is a big youth topic -- why not use
Julie's voice?
Price - Shows a decisive President;
- Can get better footage of America's beauty from
Department of Interior.
Shakespeare - Liked it much better at the end than
at the beginning;
- The beginning is boring - will not hold
an audience; the shots are very pedestrian;
not interesting;
- President has an extraordinary voice; it
should be used as a voiceover; use less
shots of the President giving the speech -
use his voice as background.
Ziegler
- Does not like the scenes of the President
finishing the signing of a bill with a great
flourish of his hand - tone it down;
- Copy is very good;
- Try to get better footage of the President
in the environmental context; maybe Chicago/
Great Lakes trip.
5) "POWs" - 60 second TV spot
McCrary
-
Highly emotional subject which could change
any day - "5th Ace up someone's sleeve";
- POWs appear much too healthy in opening scenes -
"they look like camp counselors" - looks as
though Hanoi is treating them well;
- 5 -
5) "POWs" (cont.)
McCrary - It's a gut punch issue - hit the public
hard or don't use it;
- Stay loose on this one - hold it open -
wait until later in the campaign - you
might have to use it.
Price - Very well done;
- Subject could work against you;
- We must stress the difference in the President's
policy of meeting terms and getting the POWs
back and McGovern's getting out and expecting
the POWs returned.
Shakespeare
- Should it be run at all?
- If you use it, wait until late into the
campaign;
- Shots of POWs at the beginning show them
much too well taken care of. If you're
going to use such an emotional idea, go
all the way;
- Possibly have alternate advertisements
prepared as War situation might change in
closing days of campaign;
- CIA has very tough shots of POWs but they
would have to be used judiciously.
6) "The Record" - 60 second TV spot
Chapin - Why not drugs and crime?
- Does not like draft shot.
McCrary - - - Tempo of voice must be faster;
- How about more headlines?
- Good stills;
- Why not include drugs and crime and what
the President has achieved in these areas?
- Last still of President very weak;
- Personalize more with the use of the President's
voice in background;
- Why not use the First Family?
- Why always make President look like a loner -
get shots of him as a team leader with staff,
as a family man, friend;
- 6 -
6) "The Record" (cont.)
McCrary - Why not shots of the President at Camp
David relaxing?
- Show the President as a forceful leader in
comparison to McGovern's disorganized command;
- Push the morality of the President.
Shakespeare - Make up different versions using the
President's many achievements;
- Bring in the fact that there are "no
combat troops in Vietnam";
- Why not more First Family shots -- an
extraordinary family;
- Underline the morality of the Nixon
approach to life;
- "There's nothing wrong with being square."
Ziegler
-
Damn good;
- Keep loose on war figures.
Dailey
- The war is a tough issue to present;
- The missing element which must be included
is the President's strong moral message -
his perception of America's future.
7) "Youth" - 60 second TV spot
Chapin - The only scene with blacks is concerning
drugs, which must be changed.
Price
-
Very good;
- At the beginning all the young look grubby,
include some more normal looking young people -
non-demonstrators.
8) "Older Americans" - 60 second TV spot
Chapin - There are some awkward portions - example,
where the President reaches into the crowd.
- 7 -
8) "Older Americans" (cont.)
McCrary - The segment where the woman discusses the
rise in the cost of onions will go great
in New York - the Jewish vote;
- Should you possibly have a dialogue -
maybe between a man and a woman as commentators;
- You're not reaching the female vote;
- Need for contrast.
Price - Stress the "usefulness" theme.
9) "China Trip" - 60 second TV spot
Chapin - There are no scenes with Mao.
10) "Russia Trip" - 5-minute TV spot
Chapin - Play up Rogers, cut back Kissinger.
Everyone was very enthusiastic about it.
11) "Welfare - Construction Worker" - 60 second TV spot
Chapin - Show many more people on the streets to emphasize
the numbers.
Everyone was very enthusiastic about it.
12) Layouts, Newspaper, Magazine ads (General Comments)
McCrary - Israeli ad - Italicize McGovern - give it punch;
-
Did not like the defense cut ad with carrier
disappearing into the sunset;
- Very enthusiastic about the "Senator McGovern
Meet Senator McGovern" ad.
Price - Uncomfortable with the Supreme Court ad -
remove the "can" - make it "All American Respect".
13) "Passport" - 60 second TV spot
Shakespeare - Great!
- 8 -
Random Comments ---
McCrary - Why is the President always seen at a
3/4 angle in his campaign pictures? Why
only profile shots? No eye contact? Does
not remember ever seeing a candidate
completely at angles;
- There must be more emphasis on the word
"Now" and "President Nixon";
- Very poor announcer;
- Is there an urban ad?
- Make Agnew a more prominent force in the
campaign; there's a very positive feeling
for him (as well as very negative) and
especially after the Eagleton issue Agnew
grows stronger; he's a big plus - include
him.
Shakespeare - Generally liked the campaign songs;
his only question was with the clarity
of the words. The November Group assured
him that what he had heard was only a trial
run and that it would be much improved in
the final version.
Dailey - Campaign songs ("After these two, everything
else pales") ;
- "We on the outside have great awe and respect
for the President and the Office of the
Presidency so this is the way we want to
present him -- the impressive man at work."
- Comments on Agnew ("There is either positive
or negative reaction to him, and we're after
the marginal voter.")
Dailey also has two focus group sessions with 11 participants
each conducted to assess reaction to six commercials. The
results, which Dailey emphasizes is not "research", is
attached at Tab B.
F
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
ADMINISTRATIVELY CONFIDENTIAL
August 1, 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR:
LARRY HIGBY
FROM:
GORDON STRACHAN
G
SUBJECT:
Third Party
It is my understanding that this project is being handled
entirely separately and without written records. You may
recall the meeting that Bob had with Mitchell and John
Rollins. When the subject was re-raised with Bob, he
indicated that no follow up was necessary. If you need
more information, one of us should cover it with him
orally.