{"id":13016,"date":"2024-04-15T10:37:26","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T17:37:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tegnacorpstage.wpengine.com\/advertise\/?p=13016"},"modified":"2024-04-15T12:24:53","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T19:24:53","slug":"political-advertising-at-the-state-level-4-questions-to-ask","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/political-advertising-at-state-level","title":{"rendered":"Political Advertising at the State Level: 5 Questions to Ask\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jeff Brown, TEGNA\u2019s VP of Political Revenue and General Sales Manager<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. What is Political Advertising? <\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Political advertising focuses on promoting a person or an issue rather than a product, usually on a deadline dictated by an upcoming election or other time-sensitive event. As a result, political advertising often requires rapid decision-making<\/span>\u00a0and an ability to pivot messaging faster than is required for a commercial advertising campaign.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Products are tested before hitting the market, and non-political advertisers earn revenue every year based on the success of their products and\/or services. They develop <\/span>media plans<\/span><\/a> and budgets for the following year based on how much money they made the previous year, and they typically have an entire quarter or year to plan their campaigns.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, political advertising is typically very last-minute, and a few driving forces make campaign timelines much shorter. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, an element of surprise can completely change the messaging and direction of a campaign on a dime. For example, a candidate may ad-lib while on the campaign and say something they never intended to say. Opposing candidates<\/span>\u00a0will respond to these comments, which can affect their position in the polls.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Second is how campaigns are funded. Political advertisers rely on fundraising and don\u2019t necessarily know their budget for the year or month, as traditional advertisers do. Political advertisers need to know how much they have raised before they know how much they can spend. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike other forms of business that can more easily operate on credit, political advertising typically is bought on a \u201ccash in advance\u201d basis. This doesn\u2019t mean a candidate (or the agency for that candidate) can\u2019t establish credit. Still, in most cases, the plan for a campaign is to spend every last dollar allocated to media to maximize reach and frequency.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

TEGNA\u2019s political ad sales team has been in the business for decades. With more than 100 years of combined experience, we are used to managing the quick turnaround needs of political advertisers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Millennial<\/a><\/p>\n

Goals of Political Ad Campaigns<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Every campaign’s ultimate goal is to get elected (or to progress their cause), but before candidates reach that goal, there are other targets to hit. The beginning of the cycle is typically geared to meeting fundraising goals, a critical piece of every campaign. As the cycle progresses, campaigns evolve to be more persuasive because it\u2019s not just about raising money, it\u2019s about <\/span>trying to sway enough people to vote for your candidate or issue and ultimately to win the election.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This will continue until much closer to the election, likely around September. At this point, fundraising continues to be a priority, but then it becomes continuous persuasion and mobilization, which is the \u201cget-out-the-vote\u201d messaging.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Political campaigns are also different because ROI is measured by one factor: The election results. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how the election is won; it is just the win that matters.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. What Should I Know About Political Advertising at the State Level?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The current climate in Washington has been characterized as polarized and paralyzed, which is preventing action at the federal level. Therefore, we\u2019re seeing more money and resources funneling to state and local races as interest and awareness explode, and voters come to understand how much local elections matter and have a direct impact on their day-to-day lives.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Races for governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, and school board <\/span>are just a few of the offices and roles that <\/span>have become more critical as local issues dominate the conversation. In fact, <\/span>Madhive reports<\/span><\/a> that t<\/span>he political races driving the most CTV ad <\/span>impressions are<\/span><\/p>\n