The Man from Libertyville: Adlai Stevenson’s Reluctant 1956 TV Campaign
If the 1952 election was the moment television entered American politics, the 1956 rematch was when the battle lines of modern political advertising were truly drawn.
Adlai Stevenson II, the intellectual former Governor of Illinois, famously disliked the “selling” of candidates like soap. But facing the immensely popular Dwight D. Eisenhower for a second time, the Stevenson-Kefauver campaign knew they couldn’t survive on speeches alone.
Their solution was a mix of “reality TV” style visits to Stevenson’s farm and a battle over commercial length that defined the campaign’s struggles.
“Another Visit” to Libertyville
Stevenson’s team knew he had an image problem. To many voters, he was brilliant but aloof—a wealthy intellectual who spoke in complex paragraphs rather than soundbites.
To fix this, they filmed a recurring series of spots titled “The Man from Libertyville.” Unlike the polished studio ads of today, these were designed as episodic visits to Stevenson’s actual farm in Libertyville, Illinois.
The commercials you see on this page—like “Another Visit from the Man from Libertyville”—were an early attempt to create a serial narrative. They showed Stevenson in his library, walking his grounds, or bringing in groceries. The goal was to invite the viewer into his home, turning the “egghead” politician into a relatable neighbor sharing his concerns about the country.
The Battle of the Clock: 5 Minutes vs. 60 Seconds
One of the most fascinating aspects of the 1956 campaign was Stevenson’s war against the 60-second commercial.
Stevenson despised short ads, believing it was impossible (and insulting) to explain complex policy issues in under a minute. He insisted on buying five-minute blocks of airtime, often pre-empting the last five minutes of popular entertainment shows like I Love Lucy.
This strategy backfired. Instead of educating voters, it often annoyed them by cutting off the end of their favorite programs.
However, his advertising agency knew they needed shorter, punchier spots to compete with Eisenhower’s catchy cartoons. As a concession, they produced the one-minute spots featured in our archive below. These were often edited down from Stevenson’s longer shoots, forcing the candidate to make his point quickly—something he hated doing, but which was essential for the modern TV era.
Attack Ads: “How’s That Again, General?”
While Stevenson wanted to be high-minded, his campaign didn’t pull every punch. They rolled out a series of biting spots titled “How’s That Again, General?”
These commercials were effective because they used Eisenhower’s own words against him. The editors would splice in footage of Eisenhower making a promise in 1952 (like lowering the cost of living) and then cut to Stevenson or his running mate, Senator Estes Kefauver, explaining how the promise was broken.
Final Summary
Stevenson’s 1956 commercials serve as a fascinating lesson in political marketing. You can see the tension in every frame: a candidate who wanted to give a lecture, forced into a medium that demanded a sales pitch.