Today’s technology allows campaigns to target voters in ways that seemed unimaginable even five years ago.
The debate over TV vs Digital vs Mail vs Radio is over.
The answer is all of the above.
Successful persuasion campaigns utilize ALL layers of communication. We live in a world where voters receive their information from many, many different sources. In this world, you need the right paid media mix to win.
At Strother Nuckels Strategies, we’ve been fortunate to work on media campaigns with the desire and resources to experiment with the latest technologies, allowing us to measure the effectiveness of various paid communications and discover which combinations work best in which situations. Below is an overview of some of the most cutting-edge methods available to campaigns:
Advanced TV and Cable Targeting
One of the more significant advances in TV targeting is the availability of set-top box data. You can now match a voter file against actual set-top box data. This allows you to determine who is watching, what and when they’re watching, and how to place ads most effectively in front of their eyeballs. Because set-top boxes record actual viewing behavior, their data is much more accurate and useful than the self-reported data of old-fashioned, survey-driven rating systems.
Working with the nation’s top cable providers, we are at the forefront of analyzing new television data to locate, understand, and connect with targeted voters.
As technology and techniques improve with cable television, we can target smaller and smaller cable micro-zones. By purchasing more precise cable micro-zones, we laser in on the most critical areas, guaranteeing that you reach key voters and get the most for your money. Additionally, in some areas, cable providers offer “addressable” cable. In these media markets, we use voter-file data to target the individual voters whose profiles best match your campaign’s key voters.
AI-Powered Optimization and Audience Identification
One of the biggest developments in campaign targeting is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to drive a campaign’s digital/social analytics, optimization, and voter audience identification.
Last cycle (2022-23), through advanced A.I., we learned what messages and messengers voters responded to best– and A.I. allowed us to make adjustments to creative delivery in real-time. A.I. helped optimize products and creative to individual attributes and models within our persuadable audiences to serve the most likely ad a voter would engage with. With the use of A.I. optimization technology, we saw a 9-17% bump in our key performance indicators across products in some of our larger campaigns. A.I. tools also helped us analyze television (offline) viewing habits and target programs to reach voters who were not responding online.
AI can identify which voters are responding to various creative presentations (and what voters aren’t responding) and identify new pockets of voters that would also be receptive to your ads. This allows a campaign to allocate resources to the targeted voters that are responding most, exclude those that are unresponsive, and find new audiences based on real-time data. SNS has been a leader in AI-powered optimizations and won multiple awards, including Campaigns & Election’s Reed Award for “Best Use of Data Analytics and Machine Learning” for our work electing the first Democratic Mayor of Green Bay in 16 years, Eric Genrich and, more recently in 2023 we won the AAPC Pollie Award for, “Best use of Data Analytics / Machine Learning” for our work to re-elect Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.
Take a deep dive into how we use AI-powered technology to help campaigns win by clicking this link.
Voter-file-Matched Satellite Targeting
Voter-file-targeted satellite allows for more precise ad placements than traditional television. With traditional TV, we utilize the voter data and viewing patterns to determine which spots will most likely deliver your ads to your targeted voters. However, with satellite it doesn’t matter what your targets are watching. We deliver a set number of ads (whatever frequency you purchase) that run whenever your targeted voters turn on the television. Whether your targeted voters are watching “Mr. Ed”, “The View” or the MLB playoffs – they will receive your advertising.
By matching your voter-file targets with specific satellite subscribers, we can achieve something like “direct mail for TV.” Last cycle we used addressable (voter-file-matched) satellite very effectively in races across the country.
Voter-File Targeted Digital and Social Advertising
Long gone are the days of running 1,000 points of broadcast television and calling it a day. Winning campaigns utilize the latest digital and social media targeting in their persuasion programs. Period.
Today’s media environment is highly fractured, and voters get their information from many different places.
That’s why you need a strong digital and social media buy – with custom video, animated display ads, programmatic digital audio, and longer-form native content – to deliver your message.
We utilize the latest voter data, technology, and methodology to reach voters on whatever screen they’re on. Access to models such as the “low TV watchers” and the “low mail readership” help us create a layered persuasion program that ensures your targeted voters receive your message.
Voter-File Targeted Digital and Social Advertising
Winning campaigns utilize the latest in digital and social media targeting in their persuasion programs. Period. Long gone are the days of running 1,000 points of broadcast television and calling it a day.
Today’s media environment is highly fractured, and voters get their information from many, many different places.
That’s why you need a robust digital and social media buy – with custom video, animated display ads, programmatic digital audio, and longer-form native content – to deliver your message.
We utilize the latest voter data, technology, and methodology to reach voters on whatever screen they’re on. Access to models such as the “low TV watchers” and the “low mail readership” helps us create a layered persuasion program that ensures your targeted voters receive your message
Connected TV & Streaming
When it comes to digital persuasion advertising, streaming content is king. It allows you to put your video ads (targeted with precision through the voter file) in front of voters who are often hard to reach.
In fact, more voters than ever before have turned to streaming services to get their content. Some voters have “cut the cord” entirely by ending service with traditional television providers and instead relying on a combination of services served through their Smart TV’s, Roku’s, Apple TV’s, etc. There’s also a generation of voters that are not just “Cord Cutters” they are “Cord Nevers” having never purchased traditional cable services.
Competitive campaigns must reach these voters when they’re watching content at home or on the road and Connected TV, OTT, and other streaming services are key. At SNS, we take the polling and modeling of the campaign and use it to best target ads to the right voters for the best possible cost.
When all these elements sing together, they create a powerful “surround sound” experience, wrapping your voters in your message.