Projections range from $6.7 to $10 billion in political ad spending this year. That’s for an estimated 8 million ads in 2,000 elections. That means the media market has been saturated and, as we close in on November 3rd, it will get even more crowded.
Elections, particularly in years when the presidency is on the line, give advertising folks a belly ache. They consume astronomical amounts of ad time and take up vast amounts of ad space. Political ads deliberately create more heat than light to draw attention. Elections also give us permission to procrastinate when it comes to purchases. Especially big ones.
So, what should your brand do? Should you sit things out until the first Wednesday in November? Should you take advantage of increased interest in the horse race by buying commercial time on talk radio, newscasts or column inches in local papers?
The best way to answer those questions is with another. Have you stopped doing business until after the election?
The Show Should Go On
Forgive the double negative but your brand should never not advertise. That’s something you’d expect an advertising agency to say, but there is empirical evidence. Multiple studies have shown that a consumer forgets about 75% of what they’ve been exposed to after a week, and after 3 weeks, it’s 90%. It doesn’t take long for the marketplace to forget you, and then replace you. Sure, there are times when going dark is appropriate but those are usually connected in some way to tragic or dangerous circumstances. Try not to sit on the sidelines, but feel free to make temporary adjustments.
Special Treatment
Remember what you are up against. Campaigns will spend like there’s no tomorrow. They aren’t worried about a December budget. There isn’t one. On broadcast media, candidate ads get the lowest rate a business pays for the same length commercial in the same time frame. On the other hand, those 3rd party ads from parties, political action committees and advocacy groups pay “normal” rates. They all need to blow the budget before election day, the lower cost incentives and add the fact that no one has figured out a way to add more hours to the day, all contribute to the clutter. And now there is another factor.
COVID Adds to Clutter
The COVID pandemic means large campaign events and crowds are no longer viable. That means political campaigns will be relying on media buys even more.
Creativity Over Clutter
It’s not easy to stand out in a crowd. In terms of advertising, the only way you can is by being creative, be different. On the other hand, you don’t want to drift too far from the branding you’ve established. Don’t try to create a commercial that mimics political ads. Having an owner end a commercial with, “I’m John, I own this business and I approved this ad,” is a cliché and some might think John is really running for something. Don’t hire voices to imitate Joe or Don either. Don’t take sides. Many of your customers will vote for the other guy.
Navigating through an election cycle can be a challenge but challenges often present opportunities. If you need some help finding your way, we give great directions.