PSG Consulting and Innovating for the Public Good joined together to learn about and examine the impact of the bombardment of ads during the last months of this year’s campaign season.

The question at the center of this research was:

What do voters experience or process during the last months of the presidential campaign when they are being inundated with ads?

Not only from presidential candidates but all candidates on the ballot.

This undertaking was remarkable in its approach, and two perspectives were taken: one by TargetSmart and another by Hart Research. However, both used a unique research design — most of the questions were open-ended. The purpose of this aspect was to hear in voters’ own words what they saw, understood and processed and to capture their emotional responses, ultimately revealing what impact the ads had on candidate choice.

For the full survey findings and takeaways, you can download the slide decks below, along with a press release related to this survey.