Branding Politix, Fundraising, Messaging, New Media, Report from the Field, Research & Ideas • April 8th, 2008

It’s a millennium thing. Get used to it.

by Greg Batiansila

For years, American culture – from politics to entertainment to our interpretation of law – has been under the influence of the Baby Boom generation. Boomers will continue to enjoy considerable power and sway even while they gray and retire. But Americans will now have to reckon with a new force – the Millennial Generation.

Millennials – the name given to those born between 1978 and 1996 – boast Boomer-like numbers, education and clout. Researchers are finding this new generation is very different from previous generations in their view of the world and how they vote. For example, almost 50% of Millennials identify themselves with the Democrat party while only 35% align themselves with Republicans.

Laying claim to the media platforms where Millennials communicate, shop and visit is an essential part of today’s and all future campaigns. McCain’s may be the last of the dinosaur campaigns that ascend almost solely through traditional fundraising and media. Look for all campaigns in the future to use the web – perhaps exclusively – create and enhance community, and raise money.

In 2008, close to 50 million Millenials will be eligible to vote. How many actually vote, and how they vote, and what moves them remains to be seen. But you’re already seeing the beginning salvos…like here and here and here…in a battle for the heart, soul and vote of the Millennial generation.

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2008 Primaries, Branding Politix, Creative, Messaging, wispundits • March 18th, 2008

Who are you?

by Greg Batiansila

It’s a question the electorate asks of a candidate, a question campaigns work to answer. It’s a question Romney and Hillary haven’t answered clearly - and it’s cost them.

One local adman, Steve Eichenbaum, has shown proven excellence in showing his candidates as a man of the people. It was Eichenbaum who showed Democratic Senator Russ Feingold as a suburban underdog with little money but a lot of honesty and integrity. This election year, he’s developing similar folksy charm for Steve Novick, a Democratic underdog in Oregon.

Should every candidate be cast as a man or woman of the people? Hillary’s handlers have tried it with sometimes damaging consequences. Clearly Barack’s people are comfortable with depicting him as something beyond “everyday.”

In John McCain’s latest advertisement, his campaign has positioned him as a timeless figure – quite the opposite of the everyday man. In the ad, McCain’s words are intercut with images and speeches of some of the greatest leaders in Western history.

The advertisement is brilliantly crafted. Who is John McCain? The ad answers: McCain is Churchill of this era. Where Obama’s strengths focus on his oratory, this advertisement says much without words. Time flies by, the cosmos undulate, it says. Greatness transcends these things. The wonderful shots at the close of the advertisement shot - in lush, cinematic saturated glory, and then melting to what looks like the cosmos - are brilliant.

I give the ad tremendous props for swinging for the fence and answering the age-old political question with gusto. Sometimes when you swing for the fences, however, you just miss.
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2008 Primaries, Branding Politix, Creative, Grass Roots Organization, New Media • March 17th, 2008

MoveOn beckons Web 2.0 to race

by Greg Batiansila

MoveOn.org, the outspoken left-leaning political website, is showing just how much the political grassroots landscape has changed in just one election cycle.

The site is calling on filmmakers, writers, directors, actors, editors, composers, graphic artists, and animators to use their creativity and create an ad supporting Barack Obama. MoveOn has even YouTubed their call to creative arms.

What you’re seeing and will continue to see is a move on the Internet toward social media, one where the audience creates content and essentially contributes in a conversation with itself and a website. The result is powerful – you give contributors their minutes of fame and priceless exposure, get free content, and engage the audience to share and contribute.

Politically, this is the first major step toward audience-created media that skirts campaign rules and campaign-driven “talking points.” If MoveOn.org posts its top 100 videos, and one or more are risky or take avant garde stabs at the opponent, both MoveOn and Obama can simply disassociate itself from the ad as something made by a novice and not from their campaign – even while displaying the ad under the context of a contest. But if something is truly moving and great, Obama or MoveOn can snatch the ad up and give it national play.

Locally, politicians could use the same platform to engage the electorate. more »

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Branding Politix, Creative, Messaging • March 14th, 2008

Different ads for different eras

by Chris Lato

My post on Thursday included a YouTube video of a hilarious 1984 ad from the Mondale/Ferraro campaign that took Ronald Reagan to task for exploring the ‘Star Wars’ missile defense system.

It got me thinking, and searching out some old campaign ads. I love these old spots, and I found this gem from the 1960 Kennedy campaign. Watch and then we’ll discuss:

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Messaging, New Media, wispundits • March 11th, 2008

Hmmm…

by Chris Lato

If this is true, then why do we even bother? Because we love the sound of our own voices crying in the wilderness?

Yep. That’s probably it.

Anyway, 56 percent of the American people never read political blogs. 22 percent read them regularly, and 23 percent read them ‘several times a year.’ I would have thought the ‘never read’ number was actually a bit higher. Of course, those numbers will only increase as time goes on and blogs continue to gain acceptance in the mainstream of political news ‘n’ views.

What is the appeal of blogging? I’ve only been doing it for a short time, but so far I’ve enjoyed it. And, it is a great leveler. Anyone can have one. And if you have interesting things to say, then you too can generate some heat. You can post anytime, anywhere, and others have that same 24-hour-a-day access.

Blogs are good for disseminating news ‘the mainstream media doesn’t want you to see/hear/read about.’ (I use the quotation marks only half-jokingly.) Blogs have broken some big stories locally, statewide and nationally, that left some egg on the ‘mainstream’ media’s collective face. Some blogs, admittedly, are little more than gossip/innuendo/half-truths, but the observant among us are sharp enough to separate the good ones from the pretenders.

For campaigns, it is a great way to communicate without the media filter. Of course, you have to feed the beast and keep posting regularly, giving folks a reason to keep coming back. If you establish an audience, it is a tool that is definitely worth using.

Your thoughts? Do you blog on politics and issues, and if so, why? In the face of this new poll, will you just shrug and give up, or will you (I assume) hang tough and keep on bloggin’?

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Branding Politix, Messaging, New Media, Views on News • March 6th, 2008

I’ve Seen The Future & It Will Be…

by Greg Batiansila

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has made some headlines for creating his first web-specific video ads. As commented earlier on this blog, Mr. Walker has undoubtedly turned to the future of local and regional politics – messaging using the web platform.

In today’s world, no other platform matches the web’s ability to get your message out instantly and cheaply. Even in the smallest, least-funded races, candidates will continue to warm to web communications – from Utterz voice messages to web video – over almost every other medium.

The danger is that while candidates are employing “cheap” methods of messaging, their message shouldn’t be cheap. Or cheapened. Walker’s web videos reflect some of his intrinsic characteristics – frugality, self-reliance, an everyday man quality. But the videos also have bad audio, bad shot composition, and some ad-lib issues that might not reflect Walker’s oratory abilities.

It pays to understand social media. Candidates should know that YouTube lists its videos as “thumbnails” using the middle frame of the uploaded video. Our video editor here makes certain our video’s middle frame has a great shot so that the thumbnail is a little ad in itself. Even in the world of shoestring budgets and “do-it-yourself” media, leaning on experts will elevate you and your message.

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Branding Politix, Messaging, New Media, Promotions • March 3rd, 2008

Walker on the web

by Chris Lato

Voters in Milwaukee County will be choosing their County Executive for the next four years April 1, and incumbent Scott Walker is using the Internet as a way to spread his message.

In a series of three no-budget ‘ads’, Walker covers taxes, transit and parks – three hot button issues in Milwaukee County politics.

It’s just Scott Walker standing on the sidewalk talking directly to the camera – no cutaways that I recall, all single-camera, very obviously done on the cheap. Walker even stumbles a bit once or twice, but the camera keeps on rolling.
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Branding Politix, Creative • February 25th, 2008

7 ads that win

by Jon Tingley

One of the most crucial things to a campaign these days is a great ad campaign. In the business world, the ultimate goal of most ads is to increase revenue, but political ads lead to something much more powerful…votes. Listed below are some ads that win. Some of these ads may not be political, but they are creative, innovative and sometimes inspiring; these values certainly relate to advertising in the political arena.

• Lexus “the letter h” campaign for their hybrid line. Watch the spots here and here, read the whole post including the press release via Autoblog.com

• Leo Burnett’s Arcor Bubblegum ad via thecoolhunter.net

• Christy Mihos for Governor of Massachusetts

• Dove’s “Evolution” ad promoting its Real Beauty Workshops

• The classic “Daisy” ad for Lyndon Johnson

• Bill Richardson’s presidential campaign ad, “Interview”

• And another from thecoolhunter.net from Australian police…here.

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2008 Primaries, Creative, Messaging, public relations • February 25th, 2008

Huckabee brings the funny

by Chris Lato

Mike Huckabee has suddenly raised his stock, just a tiny bit, after his amusing bit on Saturday Night Live over the weekend.

At least he’s self-aware enough to do something like this, and as I’ve said before, as long as he’s enjoying the run of free press attention, the guy has no reason to drop out of the race (except for all the Republicans he’s annoying by not stepping aside).

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2008 Primaries, Grass Roots Organization, New Media • February 18th, 2008

New tech on the campaign trek

by Jon Tingley

Many people may not have decided on a presidential candidate, even this close to the Wisconsin primary. But they would likely agree that the 2008 election has spawned an entirely new style of political campaigning. There are several key reasons for this.

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