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View Full Version : ~Super Bowl Sunday Ads Cancelled--100 % refund $ in progress~




Mckarnin
01-27-2008, 08:19 PM
This is Katharine Memole, project manager of the Ron Paul Blimp. After extensive review with our FEC lawyer it has become clear that we are not currently set up to legally run Super Bowl ads. There is another organizational model under which we can do so in the future and we plan to pursue this but there is no time to set ourselves up properly in time for the Super Bowl ads. All ad time purchased for the Ron Paul Super Bowl Sunday ads is in the process of being refunded in full...

I will release more details tomorrow on our website www.ronpaulblimp.com/superbowl and in the forums in response to questions. I will be available on my Justin.tv/blimpette show starting at 9:30pm EST tonight to answer your questions as well.

Thank you all.

Katharine


(P.S. If you are interested in taking over one of the ad slots we have already reserved as an independent expenditure please PM me through my profile and I can provide you with further information on how you can do this independently.)

literatim
01-27-2008, 08:23 PM
Gotta do a PAC, I am sure all those people would donate to it.

dante
01-27-2008, 08:30 PM
Everyone please donate this money to the official campaign once you get it back!

hueylong
01-27-2008, 08:32 PM
Surprise surprise.

deedles
01-27-2008, 08:36 PM
Everyone please donate this money to the official campaign once you get it back!

I'm in! Great idea!:D

deedles
01-27-2008, 08:38 PM
Everyone please donate this money to the official campaign once you get it back!

I'm in! Great idea!:D

er... maybe could I get a couple bucks for this:

http://foxvalleywisconsin.chipin.com/mypages/view/id/e97eb4e25b15998c

I've made sure that this WILL happen!

alienpyro
01-27-2008, 08:40 PM
hmmm

hueylong
01-27-2008, 08:40 PM
The official campaign is running targeted local Super Bowl ads. Give the money to Dr. Paul!

bucfish
01-27-2008, 08:42 PM
Get the Money to the Campaign Guys Why have not more of you gone ALL IN?

LibertyEagle
01-27-2008, 08:45 PM
... in the Super Tuesday states.

This is how we did well in a couple of areas in Iowa. Think of it this way. If you live in a small town, your newspaper is small and you read every bit of it. I should know, I was born and raised in a small town and I remember doing just that same thing.

Don't go for the full page ads. The people in Iowa placed consecutive day, smaller issue ads, one right after another.

What about it folks? There are some ads that people have put together in the Campaign Materials section of this forum, to at least get you started. You may even find one that will fit perfectly. If not, there will be someone who can help finish up the layout for you. Just ask.

You know the hot issues. Let's do it. :)

Mckarnin
01-27-2008, 08:48 PM
Katharine:

I'm kind of shocked that it got this far without checking the viability of this with the FEC lawyer.

Tell me, was Trevor on Alex Jones' show today? Was he scheduled to go on tomorrow? Just curious.


We had checked. It's just that as we started to fill him in on exactly what states and what ad it became apparent that because of the proximity of the primaries our legal designation was very different than what we had thought.

yongrel
01-27-2008, 08:52 PM
Donate To The Campaign!

Opulen
01-27-2008, 08:53 PM
maybe we can use the collected money to fund grassroots project like the bus ads or local tv ads.

syborius
01-27-2008, 08:53 PM
This is Katharine Memole, project manager of the Ron Paul Blimp. After extensive review with our FEC lawyer it has become clear that we are not currently set up to legally run Super Bowl ads. There is another organizational model under which we can do so in the future and we plan to pursue this but there is no time to set ourselves up properly in time for the Super Bowl ads. All ad time purchased for the Ron Paul Super Bowl Sunday ads is in the process of being refunded in full...

I will release more details tomorrow on our website www.ronpaulblimp.com/superbowl and in the forums in response to questions. I will be available on my Justin.tv/blimpette show starting at 9:30pm EST tonight to answer your questions as well.

Thank you all.

Katharine



(P.S. If you are interested in taking over one of the ad slots we have already reserved as an independent expenditure please PM me through my profile and I can provide you with further information on how you can do this independently.)


Was a second opinion even sought in the decision making here?

virginiakid
01-27-2008, 08:58 PM
Give the Money To the Campaign. If you have maxed out, get someone who supports RP to donate the money for you. They can give a few bucks and you can to.

ItsTime
01-27-2008, 09:03 PM
you needed to set it up so people could by fractions of a second of air time right? I do not see how buying fractions of a second of air time is any different than buying fractions of time in the air... Are you sure your lawyers are on the up and up?

Of course the only thing I was for, that the blimp team comes up with, their lawyers tells them its not ok LOL...

Mckarnin
01-27-2008, 09:12 PM
Gotta do a PAC, I am sure all those people would donate to it.


We'll update everyone on how we can run ads in future after consulting with our FEC lawyer further.

K

Mckarnin
01-27-2008, 09:13 PM
you needed to set it up so people could by fractions of a second of air time right? I do not see how buying fractions of a second of air time is any different than buying fractions of time in the air... Are you sure your lawyers are on the up and up?

Of course the only thing I was for, that the blimp team comes up with, their lawyers tells them its not ok LOL...

Come over to my justin.tv with your questions. It's easier to explain in person.


www.justin.tv/blimpette

Mckarnin
01-27-2008, 09:52 PM
you needed to set it up so people could by fractions of a second of air time right? I do not see how buying fractions of a second of air time is any different than buying fractions of time in the air... Are you sure your lawyers are on the up and up?

Of course the only thing I was for, that the blimp team comes up with, their lawyers tells them its not ok LOL...

Come over to my justin.tv with your questions. It's easier to explain in person.


www.justin.tv/blimpette


Once I'm off I'll come in here and type answers out. :)

literatim
01-27-2008, 09:56 PM
We'll update everyone on how we can run ads in future after consulting with our FEC lawyer further.

K

Why not just work with Operation Broadcast Freedom? You don't need a lawyer if their PAC handles it. You have all the time slot reservations already.

hueylong
01-27-2008, 10:04 PM
I sincerely think it's time for the Liberty Political Advertising to step aside and work with other people.

Mckarnin
01-27-2008, 10:11 PM
Why not just work with Operation Broadcast Freedom? You don't need a lawyer if their PAC handles it. You have all the time slot reservations already.


We have been working with them for several days and we were trying to solve problems that we have both encountered together. We have also worked with Ron Paul Air Corps.

CaliforniaAndre
01-27-2008, 10:14 PM
blimp bump!

Revolutn
01-27-2008, 10:14 PM
Gee. Let me put on my Shock face.

Oh yeah, that's right I'm not shocked.

Sometimes I wonder how we're gonna make it when stuff from months ago resurfaces as if it's new and draws people's time, interest, and financial resources into it....only for it to whoops end up not working out just like it was said x amount of time prior.

Oh well.....on to 8.4m by the 5th and winning Maine.

Rev

Knightskye
01-27-2008, 10:19 PM
:(

ChipIn's, the campaign, non-superbowl TV ads...

FacelessJoe
01-27-2008, 10:24 PM
Wait, the campaign is doing there own superbowl ads? I want to know where these are airing, if anyone could provide that info. I want to know when to watch so I can tell people to watch.

hueylong
01-27-2008, 10:28 PM
It's targeted -- market by market in key Super Tuesday states. Do you live in a Super Tuesday state?

wd4freedom
01-27-2008, 10:29 PM
Just sent refunds to the campaign

CaliforniaAndre
01-27-2008, 10:48 PM
blimp bump!

Mckarnin
01-27-2008, 10:56 PM
Just sent refunds to the campaign

As we are a business we cannot transfer money in that amount to the campaign. I certainly hope that people take their refunds to other worthy endeavors...or the campaign itself ;-).

K

Mckarnin
01-28-2008, 12:42 AM
Was a second opinion even sought in the decision making here?


Our second opinion is the reason we canceled. Our first opinion gave it the ok bnut we kept checking to make sure.

Mckarnin
01-28-2008, 03:00 AM
you needed to set it up so people could by fractions of a second of air time right? I do not see how buying fractions of a second of air time is any different than buying fractions of time in the air... Are you sure your lawyers are on the up and up?

Of course the only thing I was for, that the blimp team comes up with, their lawyers tells them its not ok LOL...


These legal distinctions are..wow...but basically the point our lawyer made is that the blimp "message" is intact for the 30 seconds or 30 minutes, etc... that an individual pays for. If we try to divide the tv ads into fractions of a second the ad is not there in its "complete" form during that .25 second or what have you. That and the fact that independent expenditures on television ads require that each individual who buys ad time have their name displayed at 4% of the screen height for 4 seconds and read aloud. When we have 40 people paying for pieces of a single ad the entire ad would be their names, emails and reading their names. I actually pitched doing an ad that was just names but that still doesn't take care of the wholeness of the message issue.

ASayre
01-28-2008, 03:20 AM
If they're already max'd out to the campaign, I encourage everyone who had their donation refunded to put it towards:

Call for paul: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=103245

literatim
01-28-2008, 03:22 AM
These legal distinctions are..wow...but basically the point our lawyer made is that the blimp "message" is intact for the 30 seconds or 30 minutes, etc... that an individual pays for. If we try to divide the tv ads into fractions of a second the ad is not there in its "complete" form during that .25 second or what have you. That and the fact that independent expenditures on television ads require that each individual who buys ad time have their name displayed at 4% of the screen height for 4 seconds and read aloud. When we have 40 people paying for pieces of a single ad the entire ad would be their names, emails and reading their names. I actually pitched doing an ad that was just names but that still doesn't take care of the wholeness of the message issue.

Why don't you make an option to allow only high contributors to contribute? It is better than nothing and you may get a few Superbowl ads in.

devil21
01-28-2008, 03:27 AM
By the way, who is the official accounting firm or accountant for Liberty Political Advertising? At this point there should be an accurate and accountable ledger of donations and refunds. No such mentions on ronpaulblimp.com.

Mckarnin
01-28-2008, 04:02 AM
By the way, who is the official accounting firm or accountant for Liberty Political Advertising? At this point there should be an accurate and accountable ledger of donations and refunds. No such mentions on ronpaulblimp.com.


I'm not about to put people's names and the amount they spent up. All monies paid for Super Bowl Ads have now been refunded.

Mckarnin
01-28-2008, 04:04 AM
Aren't people just hiring an advertising agency anyway with the money?

Point being, LPA pays salaries and expenses. All of the money spent to buy ads or fly the blimp is sold as buying time, yet,
not all of the money is spent only on ads.

If I sell you and apple, and take a bite out of it, I'm only giving you a part of what you bought.

If you tell people they're buying $100 worth of ad time, and you take $10 dollars out to pay salaries and expenses,
they're only receiving $90 worth of ad time.

So basically, you're telling people you're selling ad time when you're really hiring yourself out as an ad agency.

Same as any ad agency. Someone hires an agency, gives them enough money to buy the ad and cover the fees.

Shouldn't LPA say, "hire us to run the ads", instead of "buy ad time"?

Mark. like I said before...the prices the television stations quoted us are what we added up to get the totals. There was no mark up.

Mckarnin
01-28-2008, 04:06 AM
Why don't you make an option to allow only high contributors to contribute? It is better than nothing and you may get a few Superbowl ads in.


I can ask our lawyer about this.

Regardless, I would be happy to help anyone who PM's me or who emails me: inquiries@ronpaulblimp.com get hooked up with Ron Paul ad tapes and a station with a slot in a Super Tuesday state. I should be able to help anyone who has more than $500 to spend find a good slot but they'll have to be able to send out a certified check tomorrow or at least fax a copy of one to the station.

hueylong
01-28-2008, 04:07 AM
Glad to hear all the money has been refunded.

LibertyEagle
01-28-2008, 04:08 AM
So, I'm not getting all the hostility, here.

I am disappointed, but I understand McKarnin's explanation. If some of you missed it, you can go back and listen to the discussion that happened last night on justin.tv.

Mckarnin
01-28-2008, 04:11 AM
Glad to hear all the money has been refunded.

You betcha...lots of good Ron Paul initiatives for that $$ and no time to lose.

DisabledCombatVet4change
01-28-2008, 12:07 PM
i actually think this may be a blessing in disguise! way more cost effective ways of getting supporters.... although A+ for creativity

Mckarnin
01-28-2008, 12:41 PM
i actually think this may be a blessing in disguise! way more cost effective ways of getting supporters.... although A+ for creativity

Thanks for the good grade. I just wish that we had brought more than $12k out of the woodwork...lol

noztnac
02-03-2008, 12:32 PM
Fuck the FEC. This is a gross infringement of free speech. It's ok if frontrunner McCain gets matching funds. It's ok if the mainstream media marginalizes us at every turn. But it's not ok if Americans band together to advocate freedom on the airwaves we own?!!!! BULLSHIT!