attack ads
Opponent-bashing commercials
Attack ads are political advertisements that focus on criticizing an opponent rather than promoting the sponsoring candidate.
They highlight scandals, unpopular votes, or unflattering footage to damage the target's reputation: The campaign ran attack ads linking her opponent to corporate lobbyists.
Common in American elections, especially in the final weeks before voting.
- negativeOpposite of affirmative
- smearSpread or defame
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- mudslingingMalicious personal attacks
- slanderSpoken false defamation
opponent · political · television · dirty · hit piece · low blow · propaganda · defamation · opposition research · accusation · distortion · rival · election · October surprise · broadcast · fear · misleading · candidate
- politicsdemocracy, campaigning, campaigns, democrats, bill
- campaigningcandidate, campaign signs, canvassing, campaign manager, fundraising
- Campaign AdsTV spots, radio spots, ad buys, airtime
- campaign costscampaign spending, ad buys, direct mail, staff salaries, travel expenses
- campaign jargonstump speech, talking points, sound bites, soundbite, soundbites
- political mediaCNN, MSNBC, NPR, PBS, Fox News
attack, ads, attacks, attacked, attacking, attacker, attackers, counterattack, counterattacks