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fandomhigh2006-04-04 10:52 am
professor-lyman.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2006-04-04 10:52 am
Political Campaigning (Tuesday, April 4, 4th period)
Josh had his feet up on his desk when the campaigning class began arriving.
"Today we talk about paid media, which for the most part these days means television ads. It's the fastest way to reach the most people and in states like California where there are insane numbers of voters and no shot in hell of hitting them all door to door, the only way you'll get your message out."
He began ticking points off on his hand as he paced around the classroom. "And television, especially prime time television time, is expensive. Sure, the federal government has worked it so that the stations are required to give you the least expensive advertising prices, but that will buy you ads at 11:30 on a Tuesday night, which is pretty much useless. And once all of the time blocked for political ads is bought, then you have to pay commercial rates."
He looked at the students. "Other than staff salaries, most of the funding your campaign raises will be going into TV time. The more you raise, the more ads you can buy. You can target your audiences, too--radio ads, ads on cable, ads in Spanish--tailor your message based on the voters your targeting data has told you to, well, target."
He sat back down. "Okay. Last week you saw some of the most effective campaign ads that have ever been produced in this country. Good, bad, doesn't matter. What matters is that they got the voters' attention. Today, try to come up with an ad concept that would get voters' attention if you were running for office. Pair up, chat, brainstorm. Have fun with it. After all, someone's already done the Daisy Ad--you'd be hard-pressed to come up with something more shocking."
"Today we talk about paid media, which for the most part these days means television ads. It's the fastest way to reach the most people and in states like California where there are insane numbers of voters and no shot in hell of hitting them all door to door, the only way you'll get your message out."
He began ticking points off on his hand as he paced around the classroom. "And television, especially prime time television time, is expensive. Sure, the federal government has worked it so that the stations are required to give you the least expensive advertising prices, but that will buy you ads at 11:30 on a Tuesday night, which is pretty much useless. And once all of the time blocked for political ads is bought, then you have to pay commercial rates."
He looked at the students. "Other than staff salaries, most of the funding your campaign raises will be going into TV time. The more you raise, the more ads you can buy. You can target your audiences, too--radio ads, ads on cable, ads in Spanish--tailor your message based on the voters your targeting data has told you to, well, target."
He sat back down. "Okay. Last week you saw some of the most effective campaign ads that have ever been produced in this country. Good, bad, doesn't matter. What matters is that they got the voters' attention. Today, try to come up with an ad concept that would get voters' attention if you were running for office. Pair up, chat, brainstorm. Have fun with it. After all, someone's already done the Daisy Ad--you'd be hard-pressed to come up with something more shocking."