Biden, Trump ads see a sharp turn, go positive as election nears, shows data

President Donald Trump's hospitalisation for Covid-19 rumbled through the 2020 race in one noticeable way: a sharp, if temporary, drop in negative campaign ads.

Advertisements from Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden have shifted toward more positive spots over the past week since the president's diagnosis, according to data compiled by Advertising Analytics.

Biden's campaign ads were already remarkably positive compared to previous elections, with less than 10% of his ads qualifying as the 30-second attack ad genre that's become a staple of modern campaigns.


Perhaps even more surprising is that Trump, too, has become more positive in recent days. Since his hospitalization, the Trump campaign has slowly and quietly replaced its own attack ads with spots that emphasize his economic record, his commitment to seniors, and his “boundless optimism.” As of Thursday, about 77% of Trump's ads this week were entirely positive.

All told, the presidential campaigns and their allies are now running ads that are 68% positive the most upbeat tone since June, according to the data. That's a sharp contrast to the vitriol exchanged by the candidates themselves.