In the 1950's Dwight Eisenhower realized the appeal and power of ads on television; Adlai Stevenson did not (or did not approve of their impact on the process). Ike also knew the power of "star power"; "the broad-based systematic use of celebrities started in 1952 with Eisenhower". Even before that date there was recognition of the value of star endorsements; Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge got help from Al Jolson and a song he performed at the time. Some of Ike's GOP rivals (Robert Taft for one) charged that Ike was trying to use "sex appeal" to win an election. Taft called Ike a "good-liking mortician". Adlai Stevenson-Ike's opponent in both of his races in the 50's-noted that Eisenhower was "running a Corn Flakes" campaign" by trying to sell himself like a breakfast cereal. From this developed the GE approach of presenting to the public the benefits of business in America; of this they created the General Electric Theater and used Ronald Reagan to be their pitch man (we all know where that led). The source notes that JFK used Marylyn Monroe (take that as you wish) to give him star power. (Singing "Happy Birthday" will never be the same again).
(Source: "Don't Want to turn the party over to a good-looking mortician" by Renee Olson. A review of Liking Ike: Eisenhower, Advertising and the rise of Celebrity Politics by David Blake. Reviewed in TCNJ Magazine of the College of New Jersey, Fall 2016 edition.)
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