Audience signs and chants at the DNC were all about America. At the RNC, it was the Trump show.

• The Democratic and Republican national conventions concluded this week.
• Between party speeches and celebrity appearances, audience members held signs and led chants.
• A political scientist told BI that DNC signs were more positive, while RNC imagery was all about Trump.

The Democratic and Republican National Conventions concluded this week, solidifying former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris as their party's respective nominees.

But between the partisan speeches and celebrity appearances, the ambiance of the convention — created in part by the design of the stage each candidate spoke on and the signs held by audience members — underscored each party's priorities headed into this year's contentious election.

A political scientist told Business Insider the stagecraft and audience participation at the conventions revealed significant differences among both the voters and the candidates themselves.

"Harris' backdrop was more traditional American imagery while Trump's was Trump imagery," Christian Grose, a professor of political science and public policy at the University of Southern California, told BI. "That's an important contrast."

Audience members at the RNC wore bandages on their ears as a symbol of support for Trump, who had survived an assassination attempt days prior. His defiant, fist-in-the-air pose from just after being shot was seen on posters and t-shirts around the convention hall.

Perhaps the most striking difference was each candidate's stage design. Harris, at the DNC on August 22, stood in front of a row of American flags. When Trump took the stage at the RNC on July 18, he stood in front of a Broadway-style display of his name in lights.

"There were definitely American flags and imagery of that sort of the Republican Convention, but there was more about Trump himself," Grose said.

Grose noted that this appeared in keeping with Trump's brand in general and was reminiscent of his first presidential run when he said he was the only candidate who could save America and "drain the swamp" in Washington, DC.

On the other hand, the DNC's approach leaned hard into American exceptionalism, and Grose said the party seemed to be "reclaiming" flag imagery that historically has been popular at Republican events.

"I mean freedom and flags 20 years ago could have been the 2004 Republican convention, and it wouldn't surprise you know that that that jargon and lingo would be there from a symbolic standpoint," Grose said. "I thought the Democrats did really well in terms of that presentation."

The signs held by audience members at each convention also stood in stark contrast, garnering viral attention on social media and coverage from the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post.

Audience members at the RNC held signs with slogans like "Make America Strong Again!" and "American Oil From American Soil," as well as more ominous messaging, including "Mass Deportation Now!" and "Stop Biden's Border Bloodbath."

Overall, while the messaging was honed into issues that galvanize Republican voters — such as immigration and America-first job creation — "regardless of if people agree or not, it was just more negative in tone," Grose told BI.

"The theme that came up in the Democratic Convention was one of more joy or hope or future," Grose said. "And you saw that anytime the signage was there, it was usually in that direction — even when they're trying to discuss policy."

DNC signs held by delegates and party loyalists included phrases like "Union Yes!" and "We Love Joe Biden." Many simply read, "USA."

Harris' face was far less prevalent at the DNC than Trump's was at the RNC. However, it wasn't absent entirely — where she did appear on posters, she was often depicted with the caption "Forward" or in similar colors to Barack Obama's iconic "Hope" poster.

Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, also had his own posters with phrases like "Doug for First Mensch," though BI could not find any instance of Melania Trump being featured solo on any posters or signs.

While voters respond to both negative and positive signage and messaging, Grose said, audiences generally want a positive message at conventions. While the RNC this year did highlight themes of unity more than past conventions, the Democrats were more aligned with positive messaging this year overall.

"The positive signage and the positive message can make voters feel better and more motivated," Grose said. "When you're thinking about the sliver of undecided voters, or maybe the people that aren't that excited about either candidate, the positive imagery and the positive signage can potentially move people in that direction."