[EAI Opinion Review] The One-Line Copy War: Round 1 Scorecard for Presidential Slogans

Focusing on the results of a focus group discussion (FGD) with undecided voters in their 30s and 40s in the Seoul metropolitan area

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1. Characteristics of Presidential Slogans: From Creating a New Korea to A Life with Evenings

The 2012 presidential election began with a different kind of battle than previous elections. The unprecedented attention drawn by the presidential slogan war was undeniably due to the shock(?) delivered by candidate Sohn Hak-kyu's "A Life with Evenings." It has sparked debates about imitation and plagiarism. A major characteristic of the presidential slogans released so far is their significant departure from the conventional grammar of past presidential slogans. Post-democratization presidential slogans often featured the 'nation' as the subject or object (e.g., Creating a New Korea - Kim Young-sam, A New Republic of Korea - Roh Moo-hyun, A Nation Worthy of the Name - Lee Hoi-chang, A Nation Where Families Are Happy - Jeong Dong-young), or combined the candidate's characteristics with the era's challenges (e.g., Ordinary People, Stability Now - Roh Tae-woo, Kim Dae-jung You Can Count On, Let's Revitalize the Economy - Kim Dae-jung). These slogans strongly conveyed the sense of public service announcements emphasizing the values, vision, and candidate identity pursued by each campaign.

In the 17th presidential election in 2007, the subject shifted from the nation to the people (e.g., An Era of Successful People - Lee Myung-bak). Furthermore, in the current election, the 'individual's life' has emerged as the subject of presidential slogans (e.g., A Life with Evenings, A Nation Where My Dreams Come True). Another significant characteristic is the full-fledged emergence of language that stimulates voters' emotions, such as 'evenings' and 'dreams.' During the slogan war, Sohn Hak-kyu's campaign was evaluated as gaining over 5% in approval ratings with the six characters "A Life with Evenings," while Moon Jae-in's campaign had to withdraw its ambitious slogan "Men of Korea" amidst public criticism.

The slogan war has emerged as a variable in the presidential race. How do voters perceive this? Does it have such a specific impact that elicits such sensitive reactions? What is the scorecard for the first round of the presidential slogan war? To find answers to these questions, in-depth focus group interviews (FGI) were conducted with six undecided voters in their 30s and 40s in the Seoul metropolitan area, a generation that plays a crucial role in balancing polarized public opinion. The interviews were conducted on July 20th from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM in the small conference room of the East Asia Institute, after the publication of Ahn Cheol-soo's book. A general assessment of the presidential slogans from all major party candidates was conducted, followed by a detailed evaluation of the official slogans of Park Geun-hye, and the 'Big 3' opposition candidates: Kim Du-gwan, Sohn Hak-kyu, and Moon Jae-in. For Ahn Cheol-soo, an external candidate who holds the second-highest overall approval rating and is in a virtual tie with Park Geun-hye in one-on-one matchups, opinions were gathered on his keywords emphasized externally: "A Society with Common Sense, Welfare, Justice, and Peace."

[Table 1] Characteristics of FGD Participants

2. Overall Assessment of 2012 Presidential Slogans

Insufficient to Capture the Interest of Cynical Undecided Voters

The selection of undecided voters in their 30s and 40s in the Seoul metropolitan area was based on the fact that this region has a larger number of swing voters compared to other regions, and this generation serves as the backbone of our society, acting as a balancing force amidst polarized public opinion. The specific selection of undecided voters was made because, in cases where individuals have a preferred party, it is difficult to objectively evaluate the slogans of opposing candidates, and the direction of undecided public sentiment often determines the election outcome. However, despite being undecided, due to their generational characteristics and residential area, these individuals hold critical views of the current government and ruling party, and are a vulnerable demographic for Park Geun-hye, who currently leads in approval ratings. In fact, among the interviewees, there were 3 supporters of Ahn Cheol-soo, 2 supporters of Moon Jae-in, and 1 supporter of Park Geun-hye.

The in-depth survey revealed that, first and foremost, the recognition of the presidential slogans was not high. When provided with a list of slogans from the 12 presidential candidates and asked to identify them, only about one participant correctly matched Park Geun-hye's "A Nation Where My Dreams Come True" and Sohn Hak-kyu's "A Life with Evenings." Other candidates' slogans were not correctly identified. While the timing, with the election just entering the primary phase, is a factor, distrust and cynicism towards existing political parties appear to be hindering active engagement with the election. Those who possessed relatively accurate information about the attention-grabbing presidential slogans were, as expected, those who had a deep interest in the election.

A: "In the past, there were politicians like Roh Moo-hyun who offered hope and anticipation, and when President Lee Myung-bak was elected, I thought the economy would do well. Honestly, these days, for presidential elections, I don't see anyone who brings a sense of novelty, so I'm not very interested."

F: "I'm not very interested in politics either. No matter who wins, the results are always somewhat unsatisfactory, so I've become cynical."

B: "I'm keeping an eye on about three candidates, carefully observing their policies and how they respond to opposing views, so I am interested."

Empathy for 'Life with Evenings,' 'Dreams,' and 'Common Sense'

After being provided with a list of slogans without prior information, most participants were asked to select the slogans that resonated with them, regardless of their political affiliation. Among the official slogans, Sohn Hak-kyu's "A Life with Evenings," Park Geun-hye's "A Nation Where My Dreams Come True," and Ahn Cheol-soo's keyword "A Society Where Common Sense Prevails: Welfare, Justice, Peace" (though not an official slogan) were chosen as the most appealing. Other slogans, such as Moon Jae-in's "People First. Men of Korea" and Kim Du-gwan's "A Nation That Empowers Me, An Egalitarian Nation," received relatively lukewarm evaluations.

3. Detailed Evaluation of Leading Candidates' Slogans

Park Geun-hye

"A Nation Where My Dreams Come True" - Evokes segmented policies based on social strata

"At some point, the reality of not being able to dream hurts."

The evaluation of Park Geun-hye's slogan, "A Nation Where My Dreams Come True," was also positive. The word 'dream' resonated because it reflects a reality where people are immersed in daily life without hope or vision for the future, and particularly the perceived blockage of dreams (possibilities) for social mobility leads to a pessimistic outlook, which in turn makes the word 'dream' relatable. Furthermore, the concept of 'dream' has multiple meanings depending on age and occupation, making it a strength as it allows for various policy associations across different social strata and age groups. That is, for the younger generation, it evokes associations with education; for office workers, with social mobility and income policies; and for housewives, with family welfare. This allows for relatively natural associations between the abstract concept of 'dream' and specific policies. It is noteworthy that this slogan was accepted without significant resistance not only by Park Geun-hye's supporters but also by supporters of Ahn Cheol-soo and Moon Jae-in.

F: "At some point, I stopped dreaming altogether. I was too busy earning money and worrying about employment. Just looking at the slogan, it gives me an idealistic feeling that my dreams might come true, which I liked."

B: "It gives the impression that she has considered how to help people dream from childhood. Also, you can't dream when you're hungry. I believe this slogan was created with the idea of implementing policies for the underprivileged and vulnerable. If I had to choose a second favorite after 'A Life with Evenings,' this would be it."

D: "The word 'dream' is just one character, but it encompasses everything. For students, the dream of studying well; for housewives, the dream of a happy family. With the broad theme of 'dream,' I expect detailed policies to emerge. Although I didn't pick this slogan, I find it quite appealing. I'm curious to see how these dreams will be realized."

Sohn Hak-kyu

"A Life with Evenings" - Visually depicts the joys and sorrows of life poetically, eliciting a strong emotional response

"The whole family gathers for dinner only two or three times a month." "Knowing the meaning, it's truly wonderful."

Overall, "A Life with Evenings" received high praise. Most notably, it was evaluated as accurately capturing the reality of long working hours, which have become commonplace for office workers, and the resulting breakdown of family life. Many felt it effectively conveyed voters' longing for a leisurely daily life and normal family functioning through its poetic and visual imagery. Women, in particular, seemed to resonate more strongly with it. The discussion demonstrated its potential to influence political attitudes, even causing shifts in participants' political leanings. A supporter of Moon Jae-in indicated that after encountering this slogan, they began to consider Sohn Hak-kyu as a potential choice, and a 30-something female participant, initially cynical, expressed strong empathy after the discussion.

D: "When the children were young, I thought the family always ate together. Now, the four of us can only eat dinner together two or three times a month. Sometimes, as a family of four, I have to prepare meals four times... I miss the scenes from foreign movies where people go for a walk with their children after work, a life with evenings."

B: "We're so busy just making a living that I come home at 11 or 12 every night, and the children are already asleep. Looking at it, I felt that Sohn Hak-kyu really hit the nail on the head. It's poetic, like looking at a watercolor painting, and not too aggressive, which is why I chose it first."

E: "Honestly, I didn't know what it meant. In a way, it seemed sad. But knowing the meaning, it's truly wonderful."

Moon Jae-in

"People First. Men of Korea"

Empathy for "People First," but negative reaction to "Men of Korea"

Reactions to Moon Jae-in's slogan were mixed. The "Men of Korea" slogan was recently officially withdrawn by Moon Jae-in's campaign, but it was discussed prominently in this survey conducted prior to that decision. For "People First," there was empathy for the reality where people are often sidelined in laws, systems, and various policies. However, the majority expressed negative opinions about "Men of Korea." This appeared to hinder the focus on the main slogan, "People First," by drawing undue attention to "Men of Korea." The in-depth interview content clearly indicates the necessity of Moon's campaign's swift withdrawal of the slogan.

A: "The idea that people come first is fundamental, so I can accept that, but ultimately, it seems like an attempt to criticize and belittle other competitors to elevate oneself."

D: "When you hear 'People First,' you feel like, 'That's right.' But sometimes, while claiming to prioritize people, you question whose laws or policies they are. 'Men of Korea' can evoke a negative reaction."

C: "When you say 'Men of Korea,' most of the people in politics these days haven't served in the military. It seems like they're trying to emphasize that aspect, but what about women? Even if that wasn't the intention..."

Kim Du-gwan

"A Nation That Empowers Me"

"A Nation That Empowers Me" is reassuring, but "An Egalitarian Nation" is too direct

For Kim Du-gwan's slogan, "A Nation That Empowers Me, An Egalitarian Nation," while the intention and the first part received mostly positive evaluations, the expression "An Egalitarian Nation" drew many negative opinions. In other words, the expression of empowering individuals' lives and livelihoods, along with strengthening national power on an international level, provided a sense of reassurance. However, despite agreeing with the intention of an egalitarian nation, the directness of the expression was perceived as cliché, diminishing its resonance.

F: "Up to 'A Nation That Empowers Me,' it feels like it will empower me and support me, which is good. But 'An Egalitarian Nation' is stated so directly that it doesn't quite resonate..."

D: "There are times when our country can't provide support during international incidents. Also, at work or at home, you wonder, 'Am I being treated fairly?' You wish for a country where you can proudly say, 'I am a citizen of Korea.'"

E: "I wish it were a country like that, but the phrase itself sounds like something learned from a morality textbook, a cliché that doesn't stick in your mind."

4. The Impact of Presidential Slogans

It is important to avoid both underestimating and overestimating the effect of a single slogan. Despite various discussions and controversies stemming from the first round of the presidential slogan war, triggered by "A Life with Evenings," it does not appear to have led to short-term shifts in approval ratings. Recent opinion polls suggest that the evaluation of a 5% increase in approval ratings solely due to one slogan is an exaggeration.

First, voters' choices are the result of a comprehensive interplay of various factors, including long-term evaluations of candidate and party identities, as well as current issues, not just short-term campaign efforts. Therefore, the pure effect that a single slogan can create is less significant than it might seem. Second, even when focusing solely on election campaigns, particularly slogans, individuals who support a particular candidate tend to selectively acquire information that reinforces their existing judgments (the so-called 'mobilization of bias effect'), unless there are persistent factors causing them to defect.

However, the importance of presidential slogans cannot be overlooked. Above all, voters often lack sufficient information for their choices and do not have the time to invest in making sound judgments. They may not possess sufficient expertise to evaluate specific policy areas. In such cases, they often make their decisions based on symbols that represent the identity of their preferred party or candidate. A one-line presidential copy serves as a crucial channel that concisely and symbolically conveys the values, vision, and identity of the candidate and their campaign, making it an essential element of the election campaign. It is difficult to win voters' support without consistently and resonantly communicating the candidate's identity, core values, and vision. In other words, while the pure effect of a single slogan may not be substantial, a successful slogan that reinforces the candidate's policies and identity after its introduction can wield significant power for the winning candidate. This suggests that the second half of the slogan war is yet to come.

Based on the results of this survey, it is anticipated that Sohn Hak-kyu and Park Geun-hye gained points in the first round of the slogan war. However, the true value of slogans will become more apparent in the upcoming campaign, which will be a battle of packages encompassing campaigns, values, visions, and candidate identities. A well-crafted presidential slogan will act as a tailwind. A hastily created slogan, unprepared and inconsistent with the candidate's policies and identity, will fragment the image and ultimately erode the candidate's campaign effectiveness. While the first round concluded as a slogan war, the final scorecard for the upcoming second round remains a subject of keen interest. ■

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