techPresident - The Rationality Gap: Campaigns Way Behind the Online Advertising Curve - Comments

Searching for Understanding

Alan Rosenblatt — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:16:12 -0500

Eric, I am struggling to wrap my head around your comments.

When I posted the piece on Obama running a Nevada ad in South Carolina, you complained that "Post like this do nothing to help campaigns want to run online advertising."

Now that I have made a strong pitch for the campaigns to spend more on online advertising, you are taking issue with me again, suggesting they (at least two) are doing enough, even with only 1% of the ad budgets being spent.

Where are you going with this line of reasoning?

Alan Rosenblatt
AKA DrDigiPol (drdigipol.com)

Clarifying Point 4

Read Scott Martin — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:26:45 -0500

Fair point. I could have been a lot clearer - Point 4 was reference to the quantity, not the quality of the effort, which was (as many others have also judged) adept in McCain's case. Only, when folks look back and benchmark for future GOP presidential efforts, did interactive get adequate resources to be seen as one of the main reasons McCain wins? If the answer is "yes" then you re right, and Point 4 is only half correct (again arguably, the HRC half). The philosophical commitment to paid display advertising should not be questioned. It was unquestionably high.

Read Scott Martin
Partner
WIT Americas, LLC

Proof?

EricFrenchman — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:04:36 -0500

What data do you base #4 on? Your point #3 contradicts point #4 at least for half of it.

Eric Frenchman
Chief Internet Strategist
Connell Donatelli Inc

quick observations

Read Scott Martin — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:55:02 -0500

For your consideration:

1. Obama is visibly using interactive (with display ads) to fundraise and to organize.

2. HRC is not going the display route. If the measure is online display advertising of any kind, she is invisible.

3. McCain and Romney are also users of online display; McCain more so. But his level of spend is dwarfed by Obama even if it surpasses the rest of the field in both parties.

4. McCain v. HRC as the winners of their parties' respective nominations will generally make things harder, not easier, for efforts to advance the use of interactive advertising in politics.

Discuss.

Read Scott Martin
Partner
WIT Americas, LLC

How Much Are They Spending

EricFrenchman — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:28:12 -0500

Alan,

Since I've been working in online advertising (1998) every prediction I've seen for online spending has been way off. It is to the point where I don't believe any of them - political or otherwise. I only read them when I need a laugh.

Who's to say what the correct number is? Why 10%? So if someone spends 1% of their ad budget online but accomplishes their goals than what does that mean? Does that mean they don't get it as he title of your post suggests? Experienced advertisers spend their valuable marketing dollars based on which channel can deliver their goals and who the target market is.

Sadly the correct answer will be based on who wins the nominations and then who wins the Presidency. Whatever number is spent online for a successful Presidential run will be the correct number going forward (it won't be 0%).

Based on what I know for two campaigns, I know they get it more than you give them credit for and especially in search which is well documented in numerous publications, but sadly few of them are picked up on Techpresident.

Eric Frenchman
Chief Internet Strategist
Connell Donatelli Inc

So How Much Are They Spending?

Alan Rosenblatt — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:57:05 -0500

Eric, these campaigns that are not behind the curve... what percentage of their ad budgets are being spent online. Just placing the right type of ads is not enough to say they get it. There is getting what types of ads to use and then there is getting how much to spend. My point is about spending in relation to total ad budget and media consumption patterns.

Here is another article with slightly higher predictions for presidential campaign online ad spending, but lower estimates for total ad spending. It also gives some breakdown for candidate versus non-candidate spending.

Alan Rosenblatt
Executive Director, Internet Advocacy Center
AKA DrDigiPol (drdigipol.com)

Some Campaigns Get It

EricFrenchman — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:41:45 -0500

and they are not behind the advertising curve. I know of two that are very active in persuasion, GOTV, and targeted search ads. In fact, I'm very surprised regarding your search comment since a simple search would turn up articles written about presidential campaigns using search very effectively. Finally, all campaigns needs to balance what % of the budget to devote online. 10% is an overall average and not necessarily the correct # for all marketing objectives, private sector or not.

Eric Frenchman
Chief Internet Strategist
Connell Donatelli Inc
www.connelldonatelli.com

The Rationality Gap: Campaigns Way Behind the Online Advertising Curve

Alan Rosenblatt — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:24:40 -0500

The big news in this campaign cycle is that online ads by the campaigns are expected to hit $20 million. Woo hoo. That is a lot of money, isn't it? Well, actually, it is not.