The Democratic and Republican national conventions concluded this week, with former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed as their parties’ nominees.
But the atmosphere of the convention, with its partisan speeches and celebrity appearances, created by the stage design where each candidate spoke and the signs held by the audience, highlighted each party’s priorities ahead of this year’s hotly contested elections.
One political scientist told Business Insider that the staging and audience participation at conventions revealed a stark difference between voters and the candidates themselves.
“Harris’ background was a more traditional American image, whereas Trump’s background was a Trump image,” Christian Gross, a professor of political science and public policy at the University of Southern California, told BI. “It’s an important contrast.”
Members of the Republican National Convention wore bandaged ears as a symbol of support for Trump, who survived an assassination attempt days earlier, and his raised fist in defiance moments after being shot was featured on posters and T-shirts throughout the convention grounds.
Perhaps the most striking difference is each candidate’s stage design: Harris stood in front of a row of American flags at the Democratic National Convention on August 22, while Trump stood in front of a stage with his name lit up in a Broadway-style display at the Republican National Convention on July 18.
Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump stands in front of a light with his name on it at the Republican National Convention. Photo by Associated Press/Carolyn Custer
“Sure, there was imagery of the American flag and the Republican National Convention, but it was mostly about Trump himself,” Gross said.
Gross said this was in keeping with Trump’s overall brand and reminiscent of his first presidential campaign, when Trump said he was the only one who could save America and “clean up the swamp” in Washington DC.
Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee’s approach has leaned heavily toward American exceptionalism, and the party appears to be “reclaiming” flag imagery that has historically been popular at Republican events, Gross said.
Kamala Harris stood on stage at the Democratic National Convention with an American flag hanging behind her. Photo by Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
“Liberty and the flag 20 years ago could have been used at the 2004 Republican National Convention. I wouldn’t be surprised if that terminology and jargon was used from a symbolic standpoint,” Gross said. “I think the Democrats did a really good job with that presentation.”
The contrasting signs held up by audience members at each rally also drew attention on social media and coverage in the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post.
On the third day of the 2024 Republican National Convention, a protester holds a sign that reads “Mass Deportations Now!” Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/via Getty Images
Audience members at the Republican National Convention held up signs with slogans like “Make America Strong Again!” and “America’s Oil Comes From American Soil” as well as more ominous messages like “Mass Deportations Now!” and “Stop Biden’s Border Bloodshed!”
Overall, the messaging was focused on issues that rile up Republicans, like immigration and putting America first on job creation, but “the tone was more negative, whether people agreed with it or not,” Gross told BI.
A protester holds a sign reading “Stop Biden’s Border Bloodbath” during the second day of the Republican National Convention. Leon Neal/Getty Images
“The theme of the Democratic National Convention was about increasing joy, hope and the future,” Gross said, “and whenever signs were up, they were usually pointing in that direction, even when they were trying to debate policy.”
Delegates and party members at the Democratic National Convention held up signs bearing phrases like “Yes to the Union!” and “We Love Joe Biden.” Many simply said “USA.”
Delegates and attendees cheer and hold signs that read “Yes, Unions!” on the first day of the Democratic National Convention. Andrew Caballero Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Harris’s face was much less visible at the Democratic National Convention than Trump’s at the Republican National Convention, but it wasn’t completely absent: Where her face appeared on posters, it was often accompanied by the caption “Move Forward” or in colors similar to Barack Obama’s iconic “Hope” poster.
Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, also had his own posters with phrases like “Put Doug First,” but BI could not find any examples of posters or billboards featuring Melania Trump alone.
Voters respond to both negative and positive signs and messages, but audiences generally want positive messages at conventions, Gross said. This year’s Republican National Convention emphasized a theme of unity more than past conventions, but Democrats overall were more in favor of positive messaging this year.
Signs reading “USA” and posters of Kamala Harris with the word “Forward” were seen among delegates on the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention. Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images
“Positive signs and positive messages can make voters feel good and motivate them,” Gross said. “If you think about the small number of undecided voters, or people who aren’t all that interested in either candidate, positive imagery and positive signs can move people in that direction.”
