Making America Red Again
Doomscroll 11.10.2024
Credit: AP
Happy Sunday! Welcome to the first post-Election edition of Doomscroll! When I first launched this newsletter in January 2023, it was with the intention of chronicling the Republican digital ecosystem for the 2024 election cycle. Beyond that, I had no plans. I still don’t, really, except to keep plugging away and do what I can to give you guys something interesting to read on Sunday evenings. I said a few weeks ago that I thought our industry would go through a massive shift post-2024. So I’ll be here to monitor THAT situation, while as always, soaking up all the gossip, tips, strategies, and trends that I can. And just remember: DM’s are always open!
In the meantime, go ahead and read Jordan Leiberman’s piece in C&E about the post-election slump, if you haven’t already. It’s a weird industry we work in, so take the next few weeks to recalibrate. Or in Jordan’s words: “Get on Tinder, Grindr. Whatever.” 😄
Another note before we get down to business: I want to give a huge congratulations to the teams at the NRSC, NRCC, RNC, CLF, SLF, and RGA. Way to go, compadres. And not to leave anyone out - high fives all around to those of you who work at agencies and contributed to our big wins this year. I wish I could name them all, but you know who you are!
This Post-Election Day edition of Doomscroll is sponsored by Frontline Strategies! Keep scrolling for a Q&A with Mike Hahn!
One Question
Thanks to everyone who answered last week’s One Question about lessons learned from the 2024 cycle! I get maybe it was a tiny bit early to ask such a thing, but some of you came through with some interesting thoughts! Here’s a few.
1. The Trade Desk has competition this cycle.
2. Vertical video social is the future, not CTV
3. Organic and earned media strategies still matter. A LOT.I’ve learned that Ryan Zinke has A LOT of curtains. (Amanda’s note: I would love to know more about this?)
People still don't understand how bad the bias is for inboxing on Gmail. Things will get much worse as Apple Intelligence rolls out. Tech companies stopping voters from receiving election information will continue to benefit Democrat and hurt Republicans.
The Trump-Vance 'bro' podcast strategy was completely vindicated. Spending time—sometimes over three hours per sitdown—on a slew of conversations with Rogan, Theo Von, Tim Dillon, the Nelk Boys, and others paid off significantly for their campaign, highlighting the impact that devoting resources and energy to alternative media (in a well-targeted, strategic fashion) can have. Trump's Rogan interview alone has over 46 million views on YouTube. Talk about reach!
Ok. This week’s One Question is this: Given the massive GOP victory we just experienced, should there still be a “digital reckoning” on our side about what we did or didn’t do wrong? If so, what should it look like? It’s going to be really, really, really easy to revel in this victory. It’s going to be really, really, really easy to say what we did obviously worked, goshdarnit, and we’re all mad geniuses. I would say: Yes! Let’s enjoy the win! But let’s not forget that no two cycles are the same and if we want to continue to build Republican victories, majorities, and coalitions, we still need to be honest about what we did well and what we didn’t do well.
I’ll be the first to admit: Maybe I spent too much time kvetching about being underspent by the left. Maybe at the end of the day, we did make our money “work harder,” so all my criticism was misplaced mumbo jumbo. Then again, Kamala Harris had, in many ways, an excellent digital/online campaign presence. And yet she lost in a spectacular fashion. Despite the fact that we’re glad she lost, should that give us pause about any of the conventional wisdom out there when it comes to digital, the use of organic social media, and online advertising? Is there room for improvement or at least some introspection on our side right now? Let me know!
P.S. Not gonna lie, I do feel a little vindicated in preaching that you don’t have to live on TikTok to win elections 🙂
Who’s Doing What
—Saw it coming, right?
LOL was anyone surprised that Facebook decided at the last minute to extend its political ad blackout period? Also, Google is lifting its restrictions on November 11.
—Making it Official
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is running for NRSC chair. Woo! I kid you not, I was prepping a blurb about how I noticed Scott was pretty much first out of the gate on Wednesday (that I saw) sending surveys and other list-building solicitations. Now we know why. Also super curious to see what a potential Scott chairmanship would do for the vendor world…If you’ve got any thoughts or insights, HMU at itsthedoomscroll@gmail.com.
— Best ad ever?
Uh, probably. Even the New York Times is basically saying it is, so let’s all take 30 seconds and revel in its mastery for the millionth time.
—Red Meat
I lol’ed at this Kelly Armstrong ad. Full disclosure: I worked for his primary opponent last spring, Tammy Miller (she’s awesome), but I do love this ad and the fact that he put it out after the election. It’s a good idea. If you’ve got content that didn’t get posted before Election Day and you can use it now…why not? Major props for creativity.
—MAXIMum effort
Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna is ::checks notes:: on the cover of MAXIM, and she’s fundraising off of it. Interesting choice. Initially, I was full-on ready to criticize this move. You’re a member of Congress! It’s MAXIM! No! This is why donors aren’t donating! We’re not giving them a real cause to donate to! MAXIM covers don’t count!!
OK, I’m going to stop yelling. It’s just that now I’m in my “second-guessing-my-priors era” so …yeah. Did it work? Even if it did, should we be glad it did? I’m full of questions on this one, but will probably ultimately fall down on the side of it’s a bad move and no, it did not work as a fundraising ask. If anyone out there knows differently, feel free to set me straight.
Who’s Spending Where
P2P
This week’s text shout-out goes to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. This is a great thank-you message, and fwiw, I appreciate that it doesn’t include any CTA. No survey. No money ask. Give the people a break! Nice job.
This edition of Doomscroll is sponsored by Frontline Strategies! The team over there is some of the best of the best! Seriously. If you’re in the market for a fundraising partner, give them a shout!
1. First off, what’s your name and what do you do?
My name is Mike Hahn. I am the President of Digital Strategy and Operations at Frontline Strategies. While many know Frontline for our robust prospecting business, I oversee the agency side of the company which is almost a year old.
2. Ok, that was easy. Let’s start with some hot takes. What are 1 or 2 you’ve already taken from this election cycle?
First hot take: Clients are finally starting to scrutinize digital vendors, moving past what I call “vanity metrics” to evaluate real performance. Many are recognizing that high vendor fees don’t necessarily translate to better results. Instead of focusing on “vanity metrics” like messages sent and gross funds raised, clients are prioritizing list growth and net revenue—factors that truly impact success. This shift is evident in recent GOP performance, where meaningful results outweighed flashy, misleading reports that hide overspending.
Second hot take: Expect further consolidations at the top, and a lot of smaller players on the scene. At the top, I think you’re going to see further trimming of the fat. There's such an inflexibility at some of the bigger firms to change the calculus on fundraising that I would not be surprised to see some further thinning there. Conversely, a lot of smaller shops have popped up during ‘24 that have explicitly bled off clients from larger firms. I would be shocked if that didn't continue. If you didn’t thrive in ‘24, don't expect to in ‘25 without some serious adjustments.
3. You guys aren’t shy about celebrating wins (which I love). What’s the secret sauce to Frontline’s fundraising success? Spill the tea!
Call me biased, but Frontline’s prospecting and data operation, overseen by Dave Haas and Justin Kemp respectively, is second to none. Dave is one of the most competitive people I’ve ever worked for and it’s part of the reason he founded Frontline – to literally be on the front lines of digital offering the best services we can for our clients top to bottom. Our clients have premier access to curated donor lists and are building houseflies of active and engaged users that will last them years to come. With that leverage, it’s easy to see why we’re a cut above the rest. We want everyone to know if you come to Frontline, you’re getting some serious bragging rights amongst peers. Expect the best.
4. There’s been a lot of talk this election cycle - in Doomscroll and elsewhere - about the right’s online fundraising machine (or lack thereof). What’s your take? Are we treating donors badly? Why are we struggling to keep up with the Dems?
There is a lot of talk from a lot of people, none of whom offer real solutions. Folks are really good at identifying the problem, but have done nothing to solve it. All I can do is talk about our philosophy at Frontline which is about honoring opt outs, moderation and segmentation. I often hear that Republicans need to do a better job at “fostering long-term relationships” with donors which is next to impossible most of the time in digital. I think that overlooks the fundamentals of what a digital is: very fast paced, very much capitalizing on breaking news etc. We’re not direct mail for a reason, no matter how much the critics want us to be.
However, that also is the inherent curse of digital fundraising: our donors churn and burn so dramatically that tactics must shift from cycle to cycle. The kind of operation we ran in ‘24 is getting a scalpel treatment this month in anticipation of the next cycle. There will be new battles and new avenues of approach that some ‘24 donors won’t be receptive to and we know that. And, frankly, something has to be said about the obstacles exclusive to the right. I have received more texts and emails from the left than ever before. Nobody who is honest will claim the right isn’t being arbitrarily called out.
5. Got any predictions for 2025 and beyond? Where is the Republican online fundraising space headed? Anything you’re keeping an eye on?
Who the hell knows! This is going to be the first real cycle where folks won’t be competing with the behemoth that is President Trump on digital which I have mixed thoughts about. It is quite literally the end of an era! I do suspect the GOP’s ongoing battles with Google / inboxing will continue as they show no sign of letting up. I also think we need to have a conversation about the future of online advertising, which is certainly harder to talk about after being outspent 20:1 online and still winning. Lastly, I have a lot of worries about the texting industry and pending regulation. It looks like ios18 is going to be a huge issue next year - Apple is opening up a Pandora's box of legal and First Amendment challenges with AI generated previews for text and email which will alter our industry.
Thank you, Mike! And Thank you Frontline for sponsoring this edition of Doomscroll!
Industry Watch
Ok, ya’ll, I have a huge treat for you. Several weeks ago I said I wanted to include more industry experts (aka you guys!) in this section to share industry expertise. Since then, several of you have reached out (#blessed), but this week we’ve got Pat Wronkiewicz, who led the online fundraising team at Launchpad Strategies for the Trump campaign. So…yeah…let’s just say he knows a thing or two.
His big takeaway from this cycle when it comes to online fundraising? CONTENT IS KING. “We spend a lot of time talking about things like list segmentation, reporting, WinRed features, etc, but if you’re not giving people engaging content, it’s all kind of useless,” Pat told me. “Some people have this idea that digital is down for Republicans, but I think it’s up for people who have good content.”
Music to my ears.
Here’s what Pat had to say when it comes to the kind of content that did well for the campaign:
“One thing we learned is it’s always better to be clever than crass or intense. People like to laugh and be entertained. If it’s witty or clever, people are more likely to engage.” Also? Tying some premier policy points to fundraising really worked for the campaign. Case in point: The no tax on tips stickers.
That’s not all to say the technical stuff doesn’t matter. In fact, when WinRed rolled out its bulk page duplication feature, it was a direct result of Pat and the team at Launchpad requesting it to make their day-to-day operation more efficient.
Another takeaway from 2024? Advertising on X was “fantastic.” Engagement on ads there, especially towards the end, was “through the roof.” Merch also did well on X - especially the Dark MAGA hat.
When I asked him what he thought of the criticism that the campaign was running too many direct fundraising asks and soiling the donor pool for everyone else, he was pretty blunt: “We found at the end that asking directly for dollars performed the best, but that’s not something you can necessarily replicate among other clients. Trump is special.” He continued: “Yes Democrats did outspend us online massively, but judging by the result of the election and the content they were running, their ads obviously weren't landing. Their content sucked. It was just spending for the sake of spending. Through tons of testing, the Trump digital team had a surefire system that got the right message in front of the right person. We did more way more with way with less, netted the campaign millions of dollars, while Kamala lost and ended the campaign with $20 million in debt.”
Word. Thank you, Pat!!
2024 Watch
RIP. Will probably introduce a new section here. Stay tuned!
The Grapevine
Alright so here’s the deal. Last week I included a small line in Grapevine about a Daily Beast article that reported on a “whistleblower” email from a recently-fired employee in the Trump campaign. I’m sure many of you read it. The email alleged that Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita were funneling millions of dollars into their own pockets and overcharging the campaign. THAT story came on the heels of another Daily Beast article (same reporter) alleging that LaCivita had paid himself $22 million while the campaign was strapped for cash.
Ok. That’s the backdrop. A couple days after I wrote what I wrote, said ex-employee reached out to refute my characterization that they “ran” to the Daily Beast. This person insists that their email was leaked without their consent and when they were contacted by the Daily Beast, they did not talk to the reporter.
Look, I don’t know what’s true or not true here. I’ve always made clear that this section is 100% gossip, pure and simple. I’m not a journo (thank goodness, amirite?!). But who doesn’t love this kind of palace intrigue? At this point though, who knows what’s true. I sure don’t, and you all should decide for yourselves what you think - or if you even care!Actually, the saga continues…According to Playbook, Trump world insiders think Corey Lewandowski is responsible for planting negative oppo about LaCivita in the press. Here’s Playbook:
Before he left this year’s campaign, Trump officials believe Lewandowski planted a slew of negative stories about LaCivita, including one in the Daily Beast that suggested he personally banked $22 million off Trump campaign entities in two years. When Trump saw the story, he reportedly flipped out and confronted LaCivita, who pulled up bank statements and FEC reports to argue that the story was wrong, he wasn’t swindling Trump and that the money sent to his business overwhelmingly went to pay for campaign ads.
Now it looks like lawyers are getting involved. Fun times.
Got a tip for The Grapevine? Job announcement? Job opening? Email ‘em to me at itsthedoomscroll@gmail.com
Last But Not Least
From the other side of the aisle:
Ok, let’s do some rapid-fire stuff here. I’m sure you guys have already seen these headlines, but they’re TOO GOOD not to share here.
Harris campaign spent more than $1.4 billion on ads and still lost. Read more here.
Harris campaign is $20 million in debt, and they’re looking to sell their email list to help. See here.
Apparently the campaign spent six figures to “build” the “set” for Kamala’s appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast. Read more here.
From the other side of the tracks:
Full disclosure: This really has nothing to do with a digital/marketing/advertising strategy from corporate America, but since I know many of us have a special place in our hearts for Waffle House on Election Day (IYKYK), here’s a link to the Waffle House museum in Georgia.
May your pilgrimage be all you ever dreamed of.
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading! Did you like it? Consider forwarding to your friends!