Are bumper sticker/astroturf campaigns effective?

I think to a certain extent these things, particularly bumper stickers, are means of personal expression rather than means to actually effect the outcome of an election, but to me the bottom line is, and I know you asked for evidence and I don’t have any, but the people who run campaigns are incredibly savvy, they have a lot of resources, PR firms, focus groups, market research, psychological and demographic research and profiles and if this crap didn’t work they would do it, they wouldn’t put the money into it. Everyone complains about mudslinging and negative campaign ads but if they weren’t effective and productive and beneficial, i.e. if people, the electorate, didn’t respond to them on some level, the campaigns, the candidates wouldn’t put the money into them.

Yes I agree with the above post at least when it comes to bumper stickers. It is a way to present a desired image of oneself rather than have any bearing on the outcome of an election. Many far left liberals and (where I live) many far right conservatives will usually paste a shitload of stickers on their oversized pickup trucks they don’t need and oversized toolboxes they never use as a way to express their image as a certain political label. People want to be percieved in a certain image to others and bumper stickers (even political ones) are a way they do this.

I live in a state that votes by mail. There are barely any signs or stickers. I walked 15 blocks tonight to get some spicy chicken and biscuits from Popeye’s. I didn’t see a single sign. We can sit at home with our 200 page voters pamphlet and read about each thing before we vote on it. We tend to make informed decisions since we have a week to fill out the ballot.

In a state where you stand in line for hours you might be voting for shit you know nothing about based on the last sticker you saw. There is a reason polling places don’t allow you to wear political shirts.

They help with name recognition. Some voters are so ignorant about the candidates and the issues that they vote by name.

Bumper stickers can display slogans for both grassroots and also Astroturf campaigns, as well as many other things. I guess I don’t understand the question, it’s like saying, “Are books or propaganda legitimate?”

Since elections are decided by what I call the “marshmallow center”—the wishy-washy, politically uninformed, easily hoodwinked, slogan loving, bandwagon joining voters—heck yes bumper stickers, 30 second sound bites, and yard signs do “work”.

@laureth I mean, when people put campaign bumper stickers on their cars and campaign signs on their laws, does that actually have any sway over voters? Or is it just a way to feel like you’re having an effect?

I was thinking about this yesterday. Signs in someone’s front yard, yes but I don’t “get” signs on street corners.

@papayalily – Ah, I see. Well, a candidate that nobody knows is not going to win. That’s why it matters how much money (and from what sources) can be pumped into campaigns. That money buys things like bumper stickers, signs, TV airtime, “junk” mail, things that get the word out. That’s why in 2008, McCain’s campaign feared Obama’s fundraising prowess, and why in 2010 we’re concerned about who’s funding all those campaigns.