Log Cabin Hard Cider Campaign:

In the election of 1840 Martin Van Buren, notoriously knows as Martin Van Ruin, was re-nominated by the Democrats. No Vice President was chosen on the Democrats behalf. Henry Clay believed he was to receive the nomination for the opposing party, the Whig party, but instead William Henry Harrison was nominated for the Whigs. Clay was not chosen mainly because had accumulated a good amount of enemies in the past years. Harrison was a greatly appreciated American war hero, much like Jackson. In order to relieve some of the stress from sectionalism, John Tyler of Virginia was elected to run for Vice President alongside William Henry Harrison. The campaign of 1840 was mainly influenced by image-making rather than brains.

For example, one Democrat stated that Harrison would probably be perfectly content drinking some hard cider in front of his log cabin while serving as president. The Whigs then turned this statement to their advantage and started the "Log Cabin and Hard Cider" campaign. This boosted Harrison's appeal to the population, and they began to serve large quantities of hard cider at rallies. Of course all this while bashing the opposing candidate, by calling him an elitist; he was a well-dressed gentlemen and loved to enjoy fine foods. 

SOURCES:http://history1800s.about.com/b/2008/07/24/the-log-cabin-and-hard-cider-campaign.htm

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