The next big thing.
I was having a conversation with Senator Brock Greenfield several few weeks back and he brought up an idea for a new type of campaign advertising - something that would grab attention because it was unusual. It was based on an existing item, which had not yet been prostituted... er, adopted for political purposes.
It's actually a novel idea, and if he or I can figure out how to make it work, you may see it in yards in South Dakota. I'm not sharing what it is, because it's his idea, and if he can make it work, more power (and maybe a little cash to him) to him.
Underlying all of this, is that something new and different in campaigns can gain attention, and maybe a headline for candidates seeking office.
Paper yard signs? Seen it, done it; they fall apart after a couple weeks in the elements. Coroplast? Randy Austad used the first coroplast signs I'd ever seen in the state, and they were REALLY expensive at the time (at least $6-10 each for a yard sign). Randy said he could save them and use them for multiple elections. I don't think they got much use after that first one. Anyway, coroplast is fairly common anymore.
I've got a couple ideas for something with PVC pipes, etc., but it remains to be seen if it's anything that could be mass produced. Heck, I taught myself screen printing so I could utilize it in making home made campaign materials (and the Official SD War College t-shirt will be available soon, thank you very much). All it takes is a little elbow grease and ingenuity.
It's the need to be different and to stand out from the crowd.
Remember the Rounds Movie Theatre ads? (One of my close friends and I debate over who came up with the idea first, he or I.) Those movie ads are actually super cheap advertising on a per impression basis. Although, Spider Man 2 was a better buy than "Gigli".
In the early days of the 2002 general election, it frankly had to suck being in the Abbott campaign and all anyone cared about at the moment were the stupid movie ads. If you recall the media frenzy at the time, Jim Abbott was trying to make hay out of some issue, and all the media could do was go "Oooooo... movie ads. Tell us about the movie ads. Mr. Abbot, we really don't care about your issues, but we'd like your reaction on the movie ads.. What does the average person on the street think about the movie ads?" And on, and on.
Since the time Governor Rounds got all the attention on it, I used it in a county campaign, and it did the job well. One one occasion during that county race, it gave me a good chuckle. I was going into the local theatre for last summer's big movie - Spider Man 2 - and there was actually one of the opposing primary candidates there. As we were waiting for the movie to start, every few minutes, he had to watch his opponent's face and name pop up on the theatre screen as big as a house. And the other couple hundred people in the theatre saw it too. This was one of the guys who didn't want to spend $1000 on a campaign. It had to be like a punch in the gut every single time.
Some of what has to be the next big thing has to do with novelty. Is ANYONE else doing it?
My favorite new one? I was attending State Auditor Rich Sattgast's 40th Birthday party a little while back, and for his birthday, his wife got him an awesome gift. The gift of campaign advertising.
She handed Rich a picture that was gift wrapped. As he opened it, he had a picture of his logo of sponsorship on a stock car. So, every night they are racing at the Huron Speedway, they announce this car, along with the sponsors - including State Auditor Rich Sattgast.
To me, this is just cool. And the neat thing is there's an infinite number of possibilities remaining out there. Just come up with an idea and "punt." One of those ideas might just be the next big thing.
And for those out there trying to innovate for 2006 - Just don't sponsor the car that's co-branded with Enzyte.
It's actually a novel idea, and if he or I can figure out how to make it work, you may see it in yards in South Dakota. I'm not sharing what it is, because it's his idea, and if he can make it work, more power (and maybe a little cash to him) to him.
Underlying all of this, is that something new and different in campaigns can gain attention, and maybe a headline for candidates seeking office.
Paper yard signs? Seen it, done it; they fall apart after a couple weeks in the elements. Coroplast? Randy Austad used the first coroplast signs I'd ever seen in the state, and they were REALLY expensive at the time (at least $6-10 each for a yard sign). Randy said he could save them and use them for multiple elections. I don't think they got much use after that first one. Anyway, coroplast is fairly common anymore.
I've got a couple ideas for something with PVC pipes, etc., but it remains to be seen if it's anything that could be mass produced. Heck, I taught myself screen printing so I could utilize it in making home made campaign materials (and the Official SD War College t-shirt will be available soon, thank you very much). All it takes is a little elbow grease and ingenuity.
It's the need to be different and to stand out from the crowd.
Remember the Rounds Movie Theatre ads? (One of my close friends and I debate over who came up with the idea first, he or I.) Those movie ads are actually super cheap advertising on a per impression basis. Although, Spider Man 2 was a better buy than "Gigli".
In the early days of the 2002 general election, it frankly had to suck being in the Abbott campaign and all anyone cared about at the moment were the stupid movie ads. If you recall the media frenzy at the time, Jim Abbott was trying to make hay out of some issue, and all the media could do was go "Oooooo... movie ads. Tell us about the movie ads. Mr. Abbot, we really don't care about your issues, but we'd like your reaction on the movie ads.. What does the average person on the street think about the movie ads?" And on, and on.
Since the time Governor Rounds got all the attention on it, I used it in a county campaign, and it did the job well. One one occasion during that county race, it gave me a good chuckle. I was going into the local theatre for last summer's big movie - Spider Man 2 - and there was actually one of the opposing primary candidates there. As we were waiting for the movie to start, every few minutes, he had to watch his opponent's face and name pop up on the theatre screen as big as a house. And the other couple hundred people in the theatre saw it too. This was one of the guys who didn't want to spend $1000 on a campaign. It had to be like a punch in the gut every single time.
Some of what has to be the next big thing has to do with novelty. Is ANYONE else doing it?
My favorite new one? I was attending State Auditor Rich Sattgast's 40th Birthday party a little while back, and for his birthday, his wife got him an awesome gift. The gift of campaign advertising.
To me, this is just cool. And the neat thing is there's an infinite number of possibilities remaining out there. Just come up with an idea and "punt." One of those ideas might just be the next big thing.
And for those out there trying to innovate for 2006 - Just don't sponsor the car that's co-branded with Enzyte.
Comments