Free McKilt
03-09-2008, 11:59 AM
I posted this at the bottom of another thread (sorry for the double post) but thought it might be worthy of a thread of its own.
Like many others here, I agree that the national campaign did a horrible job. The idea of fighting the MSM and then handing them millions in TV ads was a perfect example of the cognitive dissonance of the campaign staff.
Nevertheless, it's time to move on. I think the national campaign would have spent their money much more wisely had they focused on local newspaper advertising, coordinated letters to the editor, and training folks/meetups how to write intelligent and runnable press releases.
The argument was that older voters weren't hip to the RP message. However, older folks still actually read the local newspapers. Also the local rags are desperate for ad revenue. And local papers are very sympathetic to their advertisers. For a fraction of the cost of the failed TV ads, we could have ran 1/4 page ads for weeks in primary state local newspapers.
So here's a recipe to make a media impact for the rest of this campaign and the continuing revolution:
1. Learn how to write press releases.
2. Coordinate letters to the editor. Especially when the book comes out.
3. Become involved in local groups. I'm running for the local food co-op board of directors. Local food security, local business. Consider turning your local, moribund chamber of commerce (which are usually little more than a group of GOP syncophants and toadies) into a hotbed of RP support. Then use this as leverage to get the local media to listen to you.
4. When canvassing the neighborhood, don't be afraid to ask people to make a commitment (including money) in order to purchase ads.
5. Buy ads in local newspapers. The more ads you buy, the more sympathetic the local paper will be to our cause. They need the dough, and we need their support.
6. Consider running the odd classified ad (they are cheap). Control the message on Craigslist. Use whatever free/guerrilla media you can, including university newspapers, etc. Be creative with the media--there is more than the internet, youtube, and TV.
Remember--the more complex the problem, the more local the solution.
Forward!
Like many others here, I agree that the national campaign did a horrible job. The idea of fighting the MSM and then handing them millions in TV ads was a perfect example of the cognitive dissonance of the campaign staff.
Nevertheless, it's time to move on. I think the national campaign would have spent their money much more wisely had they focused on local newspaper advertising, coordinated letters to the editor, and training folks/meetups how to write intelligent and runnable press releases.
The argument was that older voters weren't hip to the RP message. However, older folks still actually read the local newspapers. Also the local rags are desperate for ad revenue. And local papers are very sympathetic to their advertisers. For a fraction of the cost of the failed TV ads, we could have ran 1/4 page ads for weeks in primary state local newspapers.
So here's a recipe to make a media impact for the rest of this campaign and the continuing revolution:
1. Learn how to write press releases.
2. Coordinate letters to the editor. Especially when the book comes out.
3. Become involved in local groups. I'm running for the local food co-op board of directors. Local food security, local business. Consider turning your local, moribund chamber of commerce (which are usually little more than a group of GOP syncophants and toadies) into a hotbed of RP support. Then use this as leverage to get the local media to listen to you.
4. When canvassing the neighborhood, don't be afraid to ask people to make a commitment (including money) in order to purchase ads.
5. Buy ads in local newspapers. The more ads you buy, the more sympathetic the local paper will be to our cause. They need the dough, and we need their support.
6. Consider running the odd classified ad (they are cheap). Control the message on Craigslist. Use whatever free/guerrilla media you can, including university newspapers, etc. Be creative with the media--there is more than the internet, youtube, and TV.
Remember--the more complex the problem, the more local the solution.
Forward!