Bow ties-Simon, Paul Martin-[Democratic], 1988

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Identifier: P-111-1292

I was running for the Illinois House of Representatives. The newspaper identified me as a candidate with a bow tie. And now it is more than a symbol for me. Because the public relations specialists tell me, get rid of the bow tie, get rid of the horn-rimmed glasses, change your views to accommodate the public opinion polls. My bow tie, in a sense, is my declaration of independence. I'm going to be my own person. You have to take me for what I am.

Scope and Contents

In this 1988 political advertisement, Democratic presidential candidate Paul Martin Simon symbolically presented his bow tie as an act of defiance against political public relations norms, linking it to his commitment to authenticity. The advertisement conveyed these themes through various caricatured images of Simon featuring his characteristic bow tie and glasses.