As Election Day approaches and political tensions rise, so do the missteps of our industry’s top brands. To keep your brand from stepping in it, we tapped Strategy Director Telisha Galizio, Media Director Rob Travis, and Social Creative Director Anthony Trimpe to spill their wisdom on navigating political season and beyond with grace and growth.
*Queue the roundtable*
Why should brands approach political season differently?
Telisha (Strategy):
In our current political climate where everything is especially divisive and a new controversy is around every corner, practicing extreme vigilance when it comes to monitoring culture and using those insights (or common sense) to assess creative work is crucial. We’re seeing some clients dedicate a team or agency member to do this monitoring full-time or add it as an agenda item in key meetings.
Rob (Media):
Political season is a dominant force especially in digital media given the sheer tidal wave of spend associated with candidate promotion and slander. As such, brands should approach the political season with a heightened sense of placement awareness to ensure your brand’s political values and ad exposure are aligned. Every brand has a different take on politics, so it’s imperative that your brand’s media doesn’t end up somewhere it shouldn’t.
Trimpe (Social):
Know the platforms and audiences, first and foremost. The only thing you need to do differently is be aware of all the conversations and controversies percolating on social media and make sure you are not tone deaf.
What are some red-flag behaviors brands should avoid?
Rob (Media):
Brands should avoid trying to compete or “out-bid” the wave of political spend – the pools that fund political ads run deep and are reserved for specific messaging pushes leading up to the election. Media should be planned accordingly to find a lane to swim in during this time instead of competing with it head-on.
Also, brands should avoid stagnation when political headwinds pick up. Yesterday’s (CPM) price is not today’s (CPM) price. Said otherwise, you may be paying or bidding at a CPM level before the political season that may not be as competitive during the political season. Don’t be afraid to test slightly higher bids to maintain consistent impression share.
Telisha (Strategy):
Joining a trending conversation because it’s relevant and you have a cool idea is not the way to win. Brands need to consider how competitive the conversation is when it comes to the share of voice and clicks. Are you going to make an impact that yields return or are you just going to add to the noise?
Trimpe (Social):
Stay true to your brand’s values and why you exist – know your why for being on social in the first place. Are you there to inform, educate, entertain? Don’t pull a bait and switch on your audiences for a couple months only then to revert back.
If your brand is truly in line with a particular party or candidate or policy that ties strategically to your brand, have at it. Join and start the conversation. Own it.
If you are not, steer clear because social audiences are fatigued and you don’t need to be just another voice in an overstimulated crowd.
What’s your number one piece of advice for brands right now?
Trimpe (Social):
Stick to your brand’s beliefs and drown out the attacks of others. It’s not a good look to enter a fight, you’ll both get flagged for penalties if you punch back.
Telisha (Strategy):
Don’t feel like your brand needs to announce a stance – but be prepared to denounce. In other words, it’s unreasonable to expect brands to announce affiliation with a political side or issue. More and more consumers don’t want brands to be overtly political. But as soon as you get caught up in the mix of something controversial you should be prepared to take a stance that denounces anything harmful to society. What consumers do want to know is that your brand has a soul and that real people are running it who care about their consumers.
Rob (Media): Stay in your lane, and read the room. If a strong political stance wasn’t a cornerstone of your brand yesterday, don’t force yourselves to make it one today. While political season is intense and powered by significant budgets, it doesn’t last forever. Eventually, the marketplace stabilizes and things go back to the way they were. Focus on the areas/tactics that made you successful, embrace the premium tide that comes with the political season by maneuvering dollars/objectives accordingly, and button up your post-political season strategy because it’ll be here sooner than you think.
