Changing Things Up: Where to work this summer as a GOP consultant
Doomscroll 6.23.2024
Happy Sunday, Doomscroll readers, and welcome to another edition of the best digital newsletter around!
I’m Kate Holliday, and assisting me is Jordan Lieberman. We are both part of Powers Interactive, a digital media company with a strong focus on SPO. Fun fact: we previously collaborated at Campaigns & Elections when it was still a print magazine. This truly feels like a full-circle moment for us!
Let’s dive in.
This week’s newsletter is sponsored by RumbleUp!
One Question
Here is a tricky one for all of you. By reading Doomscroll, you are by definition a high-value target for lots of vendors. They want you to like them. You are in their Salesforce pipeline. They want your money. In the pre-covid times, they would show up at your office with swag and take you for crabs at Joe’s.
Now, they cannot find you. There’s no easy way to send you all the things. Many resorted to gift cards or alcohol which don’t always land. Others flat out ask for your home address and give you the choice of gourmet jelly beans, another hydroflask, or one more piece of corporate chazerei that nobody in the NYC home office finds objectionable.
So here we are, five months before election day, and five months before a couple billion dollars will flow through our collective pipes. How do you want to receive your corporate swag, election survival kits, and extra Yeti (or is it Stanley now) mugs? We’d love to hear if that stuff matters and if it feels weird to hand out your home address to a company.
Who’s Doing What
—The Law of the Land
In our industry, we frequently rely on the expertise of lawyers to navigate complex regulations and avoid legal pitfalls. Recently, we interviewed four of the brightest minds in election law to discuss the future of political regulation and the evolving landscape of digital political advertising. Highlights from these discussions include Jessica Johnson’s insights on campaign finance reform and the impact of recent Supreme Court decisions. Jason Torchinsky provides detailed analysis of the challenges in maintaining election integrity amidst cybersecurity threats. Their perspectives offer a comprehensive look at the multifaceted issues shaping the future of political regulation. Read more here!
—Top Places To Work From This Summer As A Republican Consultant
Casey Phillips’ farm: why watch Yellowstone when you can just be friends with creative consultant Casey Phillips and see firsthand what #ranchlife is all about. His South Dakota ranch has been in his family for over a hundred years. From branding calves to mending fences, Casey does it all while taking client calls from the field, literally. Follow his influencer wife Sarah (@fiftytwothursdays) for all the ranch content you can handle this summer.
The Jersey Shore: not just for Chris Christie, Springsteen or our most famous NJ native in the biz, Eric Frenchman, the Shore is what summer is all about. It’s packed Jersey style high culture: boardwalk people watching, live music, fantastic beaches, and the best pizza slice ever at the Saw Mill.
Northern MI: highly recommended if you are not adjacent to an ocean. You’ll find yourself splashing through the sandbar and talking by the campfire. Really, it's the simple things in life like when and where. You don’t have no internet. But man, you never will forget the way the moonlight shines upon her hair. The MI Republican political crew can attest!
New England: finally part of the elite! Think Bar Harbor, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. This isn’t exclusively a summer playground for wealthy Democrats and former presidents. Conservatives can also enjoy Lightning sailboat regattas, clambakes, and tennis, all while wearing Nantucket reds and sipping Mount Gay Rum. If it’s good enough for the Kennedys, it’s good enough for us.
Hilton Head/Kiawah Island: tired of the OBX crowds and it’s one lane highway? Want to visit South of the Border and wonder “who actually goes there?!” (JL did once!) South Carolina is your vacation destination! Here’s your Instagram home for vacationing in HHI. These are the semi-secret beach hideaways of at least one governor and countless operatives. Just a few hours down 95 you will find yourself in the land of golf, gators, and fried goodness. You may even be lucky enough to have an Amanda Elliott sighting.
Cannon Beach (AKA Goonie Beach): Oregon has a number of competitive races this year. Despite the likelihood that you work in digital, you might find a reason to make a personal visit to Portland. Head west to the beach for the iconic Goonies view, then up to town for some ice cream and other locally grown produce. We recommend Rocky Road for the full effect.
The Mountains: Our CO GOP friends insist they won’t be taking a summer vacation. But just in case, most will head into the mountains seeking cooler climates. Mountain towns like Vail and Steamboat Springs that are well-known for great skiing in the winter also boast fantastic summer activities such as mountain biking, tubing, and fly fishing.
Your home (but tell people you are out of pocket): stay home but tell everyone you are in the Swiss Alps. If a generation of workers can succeed as digital nomads, you can survive as a digital homebody. Tell no one you are home. Post a photo of a hiking trail outside of Grindelwald. Live like you are on vacation and do so in Central European time. Colleagues will think you are an early bird and clients will believe they are your favorite zoom of the day.
Honorable Mention- The Hamptons: no explanation necessary. Just fly your PJ direct. :-)
—Team Trump’s Lit Copywriting
I’m loving the copywriting I’m seeing right now. It’s all a game of getting people to look twice at a text, and this one worked.
Help Wanted
As the saying goes, "Good help is hard to find," especially during the dog days of summer before the whirlwind of election season. If you’re on the lookout for a talented media buyer or account manager to join your team, consider the National Media Scholars! The annual media case competition and fundraiser, held last week, showcased some truly exceptional talent.
This stellar bipartisan organization, co-chaired by National Media (hats off to Ben Angle and Jaime Bowers) and GMMB, is a treasure trove of future industry leaders. As a board member, I’ve had the privilege of meeting dozens of incredibly hardworking, sharp, and super motivated college students and recent graduates. I was super impressed with this year's case competition winners Shelby Moore and Abby Jeson from BYU. Not only do these young professionals bring impressive skills to the table, but their fresh perspectives and innovative ideas are exactly what we need to invigorate our campaign strategies- I’m looking at you, banal social media line item!
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Who’s Spending Where
No real surprises here. Nice to see Senator Rick Scott on the board for Google ads. He’s seeking a 2nd term in the Senate after eking out a narrow victory six years ago. The former FL governor is facing primary challenges from two other Republicans - Keith Gross and John Columbus, but he’s heavily favored to win the GOP nomination in August.
Deep Thoughts
Over the past year, we've reflected on our role as digital strategists and consultants in supporting American democracy. Our relentless drive to win can sometimes undermine the unity of our nation. The rapid rise of digital media and its influence on politics adds complexity to this challenge.
While we don't have all the answers, we believe in asking the right questions. For the past year, we've included a democracy-related question in every panel discussion. Most often our fellow industry friends are happy to pause and provide a thoughtful response. Jordan recently explored this topic in an article for AdExchanger:
Part of this polarization is on us as advertisers. The political advertising industry, from consultants and political agencies to commercial DSPs and SSPs, must take aggressive steps to self-regulate potential misuses of their technology.
This is not just a reminder to a handful of DSPs and SSPs; anyone downstream facilitating ad targeting has something to think about. If you are in the Lumascape, if you read AdExchanger, I am talking to you.
As you watch the Fourth of July fireworks, consider this: How are we, as digital operators, ensuring that future generations benefit from our impact on this industry? Are we contributing to the Great Conversation or undermining it? Let’s reflect on our practices and consider changes that shape a future for digital communications without compromising our democracy (or our jobs!).
The Grapevine
Got plans this Thursday? Join National Media’s Adam Wise for a webinar about our cookieless future…details here.
Got a tip for The Grapevine? Job announcement? Job opening? Email ‘em to me at itsthedoomscroll@gmail.com
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading! Did you like it? Consider forwarding to your friends!