Ad Dollars and Health Care Reform

Guest on the Digital Politics podcast this week is Evan Tracey, founder and president of the Washington, DC based Campaign Media Analysis Group.  With over $170 million spent so far on television ads, Evan has seen the wide spectrum of messages and partnerships.  He expects now that the Senate is taking up the vote on the health care bill, we will see even more advertising from all sides as interest groups continue identify issues that resonate with voters.  Evan raises the question of how eager voters will be to watch these ads in the midst of the upcoming holiday season which traditionally has not been a time for political and advocacy ads.

What will campaign ads focus on in 2010 races?  Evan says that health care will be a constant theme which will be tied to unemployment and government spending.  He also reminds us that 2010 races have already begun.  I suggested that those in 2012 have as well.

List to this informative interview with an insider who is keeping his finger on the pulse of political and advocacy media buys.

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Influencing Public Opinion

Guest this week on the Digital Politics podcast was Paul Goodwin, partner, Goodwin Simon Strategic Research talking about rapid response and how candidates and advocates can influence public opinion.  We also talk about President Obama’s speech last night on health care reform and the rapid response from all interested parties.

Paul points out that there are many more ways for people to get information which might influence their opinions, which makes it increasingly hard to respond to myths and untruths.   He also suggests that social nets are a proxy for the old face-2-face techniques candidates used in the past.

Listen to this thoughtful discussion.

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Grassroots and Astro-Turf

Guest on the Digital Politics podcast this week is David All, president, the David All Group.  David’s TweetTheWhiteHouse initiative is a great example of online activism with a current focus on health care reform.  We talk about how valuable passive activists can be when encouraged to use web tools like Twitter. Just spending 5 minutes posting a tweet or retweeting something of interest can have a huge multiplier effect and costs the campaign nothing.  David is ahead of the curve.

Listen to the interview.

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Health Care Reform Advertising

Digital Politics podcast this week with guest Glenn Kessler, CEO, HCD Research, looks at the question of anti and pro health care reform advertising.  Are the advertisers missing an opportunity by not encouraging viewers to take more action such as texting or sending email to their elected representatives? Will consumers get further clarification of the issues by competing ads or turned off by extreme claims? How effective are those official efforts by the DNC and grassroots Twitter campaigns representing all sides? What about those Harry and Louise ads?

Listen to the interview with Glenn about this timely topic:

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