Political Advertising Spotlight: Fundraising Campaigns

Current Local Media Projections for Political Advertising Spend

The last update from BIA Advisory Services on local political advertising has the number at $11.1 billion, up 15.5% from 2020. That number could increase, depending on the final names on race ballots and the desire to influence that small pool of independent voters.

Throughout all of this, candidates, parties and PACs need money, and they’ll continue to ask for donations at every turn. This call to donate should be a cross-media campaign using traditional and digital channels. As a local media expert, you can provide them with radio spots as a good foundation and then expand to target specific audiences with digital media by geography, demographics or interests.

Which Tactics Work Best for Political Advertising Fundraising Campaigns?

What should you recommend for fundraising campaigns?

Email Marketing

The go-to for fundraising campaigns has always been email. Groups looking for donations typically have a database to target for these communications. You can help them expand on that with an email marketing solution. Choose a platform with features that ensure quality metrics, including:

• Open and click-through rate guarantees
• Matchback options for their CRM (customer relationship management) system
• Optimization of mobile, as most opens happen on these devices
• Advanced targeting attributes for demographics, location, income level and interests
• Bot-free guarantees that identify and filter them in real time

Programmatic

Programmatic ad buys can also perform well. First, you have to make sure the DSP (demand-side platform) that will traffic the ads is compliant. Political advertising is a restricted category. Even though it may be legally permissible in your state, DSPs can have different rules and compliance requirements.

Some of the most impactful tactics could include:

• Geofencing: Fence areas where supporters may be able to see these ads on their devices and take action.
• OTT/CTV: Broadcast TV budgets have been shifting to OTT/CTV to reach consumers who stream more. These tactics have been a huge driver of political advertising revenue. Since they have targeting capabilities, they can serve ads to the “right” voters.
• Streaming audio: Adding another type of audio ad to the mix could get voters’ attention. It helps reach those who are heavy listeners of podcasts and digital radio.

Radio

Beyond digital tactics, AM/FM radio should always be part of a fundraising buy. BIA’s local political revenue estimates give radio a 16% increase over 2020, and candidates, parties and PACs realize its value in reaching voters.

Data supports that radio delivers the best reach of any channel in political advertising. Because it’s auditory, people experience it differently and often have better recall. It sticks with them and can cause them to act on the information.

Keep in mind that any political advertising on the radio must abide by Federal Communications Commission rules. This applies to candidates and parties but not PACs.

Ideas for Fundraising Ads: Share Insights with Media Buyers

Candidates, PACs and parties have their own messaging and angles on how to elicit more donations. There are still valuable insights you can share with them, as you have expertise in your area and its consumers.

Some things you could provide include:

• Show them comparable campaigns for fundraising you’ve booked, including the results.
• Discuss general sentiment about political donations with context around the market’s economics.
• Explain how to target segments in programmatic and email campaigns to group cohorts into messaging groups. People will be more likely to act when the message is personalized based on their attributes and attitudes.
• Ensure they are consistent with messaging and transparent across all media types.
• Advise them on creative best practices and if any rules exist about using AI content. (Some platforms have requested that ads using AI must disclose this.)
• Encourage them to do A/B testing on messaging. The ad could be more positive in one set, while another could be more of an attack on the opponent. FYI, 52% of people say that attack-based ads make them like the attacking candidate or party less.
• Build trust with facts about where the donation goes. This is difficult to achieve, as 83% of people said they find it difficult to trust anything in a political ad.
• Remind them to give people options for donations. This could be the amount, the frequency and how people pay.