Message. Delivery.
Doomscroll 9.22.2024
Hello, and welcome to another edition of your favorite newsletter, where we complain incessantly about the weather. And republican digital. Let’s get to it.
This week’s Doomscroll is sponsored by X!
Yes, Doomscroll is on X! Do me a favor and follow. Yes, it’s been a while since your girl has posted. That’s gonna change! I’m as addicted to X as the next digital operative, and I’m super grateful to them for sponsoring this week’s newsletter!!!!!!
One Question
Thanks to everyone who responded to last week’s One Question. I mean, I KNEW you guys were on my side. A full ⅔ of you agree that Donald Trump should debate Kamala Harris again. I mean, duh. That’s pretty much where things end. Most of the comments were along the lines “he should, but he won’t!” That’s the spirit! I like the cynicism.
MOVING ON…This week’s One Question is more serious. A couple weeks ago we discussed whether or not we care about donor fatigue and the fact that voters seem fed up with being asked for money non-stop - mostly via P2P texting. I was surprised by how many of you said you simply do not care, if it didn’t work you wouldn’t be doing it, etc etc. I appreciate the honesty, but WOOF. So today I want to ask something that’s on the flip side of that: what ARE you actually doing, if anything, to protect your donor lists? What are you doing to make sure the ROI is there day after day? To those who ARE being more cautious with your fundraising tactics this cycle: I’d especially love for you to answer this question. If we want to cultivate good relationships with donors, what’s the best way to do that when it comes to list maintenance?
Who’s Doing What
—Talking to the NYT
Several people sent me this New York Times piece about the massive digital spending disparity between the Harris and Trump campaigns. Yes, I have thoughts. I’ve written ad nauseam in recent weeks about how frustrating the lack of digital spending on our side has been, and it’s good to see that the Times actually got Trump campaign officials to talk, on the record, about why they’re not investing in digital! That said, I’m not, shall we say, loving the explanations. Here’s spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt:
The Harris campaign must spend an enormous amount on digital advertising, and we don’t because our campaign’s greatest asset is President Donald J. Trump. Millions of people want to organically watch and engage with President Trump - you can’t put a dollar value on that.
I’m sorry, but uh, yes you can.
I appreciate the spin, but you absolutely can - and should - put a dollar value on eyeballs during a campaign. Pardon my french, but WTAF. It gets worse. Here’s Chris LaCivita, a dude I generally admire (which is partly what makes this so painful):
The collective experience in message delivery in the Trump for President campaign exceeds over 100 years. And it also includes the timing of the onset of the internet as to where it is today. We’ve been part of that growth the entire time.
Translation: Spending decisions are being made by dinosaur consultants who cut their teeth on TV and don’t feel the need to do anything different simply because they’ve been around for so long. THEY WERE THERE WHEN THE INTERNET FIRST GOT STARTED, DAMMIT, SO DON’T QUESTION THEM. Are you effing kidding me. Again, pardon my french, but our “message delivery” needs a refresh.
There’s a lot - a lot - I could say about this mindset. Most of it I’ve said already. I even predicted a few weeks ago that the excuse - as Leavitt laid out - would likely be that Trump himself IS the campaign’s digital strategy. I can appreciate that to some extent, but when we’re talking about a competitive presidential election, it just doesn’t totally fly. Leavitt doesn’t see the point in assigning a dollar value to a voter’s eyeball because she - and the Trump campaign at large - are apparently only interested in playing the short game. What kind of data and digital infrastructure are we going to have when the dust settles on November 6? Nothing awesome, that’s for sure. What kind of digital talent pool will we have? Zilch.
You HAVE to spend money to reach voters where they are. You CAN’T cede platforms to the opposing side just because millions of Trump fans, who will vote for him regardless, want to “organically watch” him. The podcast interviews are great. The WWE appearances are cool. But my 30-year-old apolitical sister in Baltimore doesn’t have a clue those things are happening. And for some reason, Trump World seems to have decided - despite all evidence to the contrary - that digital doesn’t move the needle and TV and direct mail do. I’m just looking at the tea leaves here, but if this kind of mentality continues, then the digital industry on the right is in for a rude awakening.
Anywho, let’s end this on a positive note. Yes, it’s possible! I’m pleased to see the Trump campaign does have some persuasion running on YouTube. They’re pretty good, attention-grabbing ads. Like this one, and this one, and this one. The “Do you want more babies? Trump does!” ad is kinda weird, but if it works it works! I’m just glad to see ads that aren’t all hard fundraising asks.
—Wholesome content
I don’t even remember how I stumbled across this guy’s reel, but bless you, Stephen Kent, who’s running for City Council in Manassas, Virginia. First of all, I love it when I can write about local candidates. Second of all, this is good, wholesome content and easy to do! If you’re in charge of doing content for a local race, make something like this.
—Best or worst email ever? You decide.
This is quite something:
The links take you to a WinRed page with what is probably the LONGEST above-the-form body text I’ve seen in quite some time. I’m always curious whether these bare-bones, ugly AF emails actually work (no offense to whoever is behind this one). But I guess in this day and age, you gotta try everything.
—NC Stands for NOT COOL
What is there to say about Mark Robinson, except what a total utter embarrassment for the Republican Party. How did we let this guy become the nominee. The “we don’t play in primaries” excuse doesn’t really hold water anymore, right? So…yeah. That’s all I have to say about THAT.
From a digital/tactical standpoint I guess I could give the Robinson' campaign props for the video they put on X out denying the allegations. It may be B.S., but I’m generally in favor of candidates not hiding or running away from scandal. Address it head-on! Still, notice how he says they’re “not the words of Mark Robinson.” Yeah, because they’re the words of some guy named “minisoldr”?? 🙄🙄🙄
Who’s Spending Where
P2P
This week’s awesome text comes from RON PAC. Here’s why I like it:
The graphic has a great CTA.
I like the use of emojis
The copy is just really well composed and engaging.
It has opt-out instructions
Nicely done!
Industry Watch
Housekeeping note: I typically use this section to pass along news about what’s going on in the digital/tech space. I still plan to do that, but I will ALSO, from time to time, use it as a place to feature experts in our industry as well, which I LOVE doing! (See: Adam Wise’s Q&A last week if you missed it!) This week I turned to Daniella Propati, Chief Creative Officer at Direct Persuasion, to talk about AI. If you’d like to share something in Industry Watch that you have a unique take on, slide into my DM’s or HMU at itsthedoomscroll@gmail.com!
Doomscroll: Gavin Newsom is super worried about AI, apparently! Can you give us a quick rundown of the bills he just signed - and your thoughts on them?
Basically tech platforms will now have to disclose any content significantly altered or created by AI and take on a watchdog role, spotting and pulling down AI-crafted content that could mislead voters. It tries to protect "parody and satire,” but of course they don't define that, so good luck with free speech. As it stands, this legislation allows someone to be sued civilly just for reposting something the state deems to be "AI produced" and "misleading." No one wants to circulate complete and total misinformation or deep fakes of candidates, but we all love a good campaign meme.
Doomscroll: As chief creative officer at DP, how much - and in what ways - do you use AI in your day-to-day?
AI has become integral to our daily operations, particularly in copywriting. We've partnered with Inferred Mind (kudos to Tom Toomey and Bennett Thompson for their fantastic tool), which has revolutionized our process. With this AI platform, we've doubled our copy output while halving the time it takes, and the results sound authentically human, not robotic. While AI is a game-changer for scaling up and enhancing efficiency in copywriting, we're probably about five years away from it being able to generate complete ad campaigns. For now, it's an invaluable tool for certain aspects of our work, but human creativity and oversight remain essential in the overall creative process.
Doomscroll: Are concerns over deepfakes or the use of AI in political ads overblown? Or do you think voters are smart enough to know the difference between real and AI-altered material?
Many voters are savvy, but AI's getting too good. There's a fine line between protecting voters from misinformation and infringing on free speech. The digital marketer in me wouldn't touch deep fakes with a ten-foot pole for advertising. There's an abundance of real, authentic clips out there if you dig. But we're in a digital age where the tech exists, and not everyone plays by the same ethical standards. Just because I wouldn't do it doesn't mean others won't.
Precision is key. The focus should be on intent and potential harm, not broadly stifling creativity or humor. While there's genuine concern about AI misuse in politics, the response shouldn't blanket all forms of digital content. Legislation must target intent and the potential for harm, not the everyday user.
Doomscroll: Prediction time! Will digital operatives be using AI tools after 2024, or will it be regulated out of existence?
I'd say 'yes,' but with a big 'but'... Campaign legal teams are notoriously cautious, so adoption will vary. Politics typically lags behind the corporate world in adopting new tech. Long-term though, completely avoiding AI is a fast track to irrelevance. Success will depend on strategic integration, ethical considerations, and regulatory compliance. Bottom line? As with most tech in politics, it's all about finding the right balance. The future of AI in campaigns isn't just about using it—it's about using it wisely.
Thank you, Daniella!
2024 Watch
This is where I make note of a few other things that caught my eye this week.
The Washington Post asks: Is 2024 the year of the pro-choice Republican? I’ve been wondering that too. Read about it here.
The Michigan “I voted” sticker is pretty awesome. Ha! Read about it here. (h/t Yello)
Love this ad from Dave McCormick. Watch it here.
Nikki Haley is going to SiriousXM?! Read about it here.
Our favorite public servant, Rob Pyer, dug through FEC reports so we don’t have to. For example: The RNC’s top expense in August was $3.2 million for postage. Postage.
This week’s edition of Doomscroll is sponsored by X! As such, we have a very special Q&A! Keep reading…
Doomscroll: Ok first of all: What’s your name and what do you do?
Matt Madrazo, Lead Client Partner. I lead Right of Center Political and Advocacy Ad Sales
Doomscroll Let’s start with some basics. What kind of audience and platform growth trends are you seeing on X these days?
Well according to legacy media headlines on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays X is dead. Then after a few days of frantic scrolling Thursday through Sunday pivots to X is too powerful, we are scared of memes and it needs to be regulated.
The data tells the real story. X is as vibrant as ever. In August, the platform brought in 907 million global visitors, including over 100 million in the US. Users are spending an average of nearly 40 minutes a day on the platform, and both Monthly Active Users and Total Time Spent are up 13% year over year.
For context, The 6/27/24 Presidential Debate between Trump and Biden, The First Trump Assassination Attempt, and the Biden Withdrawal Letter all broke Platform Usage records. In terms of demographics, X is 99% 18+, and 85% 18-44. The audience skews about 65% male and 35% female. In recent models conducted by Causeway and HarrisX, X is roughly 37M Democrats, 34M Swing, 32M Republicans.
Doomscroll: How should digital operatives be thinking about their X strategy in this final stretch leading up to Election Day? Either from a paid or organic standpoint?
Engage, persuade, register, and mobilize the M18-44 audience. The demographic lives on X, and the only other medium that even comes close is live sports on TV. College Football Saturdays and NFL Sundays, X is the perfect second screen, especially as TV gets overpriced.
Given M18-44 are breaking toward President Trump, it’s critical to ensure they are not only registered but also energized to support down-ballot. The key challenge is delivering creative that truly resonates. This audience isn’t here for traditional 30s ads; they’re here for the memes, the banter, and the hot takes. Successful campaigns on X understand how to speak this language and deliver it in native formats.
(Major shout out to our friends at IMGE)
Doomscroll: Ok so here’s a (not-so) hypothetical. We’re nearing Election Day. Budgets are getting cut or are already pretty limited. CTV and P2P are taking over. Make the case for why X should comprise more of our ad mix in the last few weeks.
Big picture: X—and dare I say, TikTok—create momentum that simply can’t be done anywhere else. Take the recent debate, for example: Trump won because “They’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats,” is still being shared 2 weeks later. The lines from the debate are blur, but the beat is still in your head.
Tactically, excitement and energy is needed to turn out and win. A traditional media mix can no longer achieve that alone. CTV and P2P cater to the 45+ audience leaving a major gap with the 18-44 demo. This audience is incredibly hard to reach through traditional channels. For example, 52% of X users aren’t on Hulu or Disney+, 70% aren’t on Peacock, and 72% aren’t on Paramount+. (Side note, The XTV App Beta is live on Samsung, Amazon and a few others. We are decoupling DMs from the X App. Add in payments, and we are a one stop shop for midterms 2026).
Doomscroll: Back to the organic side of things…One question I get from candidates I work with - WITHOUT FAIL - is how they can build up a following on X quickly, knowing their campaign is a finite thing and may not even last past a primary election. What would you tell those candidates?
It's simple, just consistently post bangers…The algorithm favors user time spent per post and authentic engagement. Quickest growth hack I've seen is frequently engaging with other accounts, both big and small, in an authentic way. Drop replies vs. quote tweeting, respond to users in your replies (even the trolls) use new native tools like articles, long form video, live streaming, video spaces. Leverage the influencer network as well to boost you.
Doomscroll: Two things I think will always be synonymous with Election 2024 is A) Ron DeSantis’ campaign launch and B) Donald Trump’s conversation with Elon Musk. I’d consider those HUGE moments for X, for better or for worse. How are you - and the company - thinking about those events now that they’re in the rearview mirror and what should we all learn from them?
X is indispensable during the world’s most pivotal moments. When DeSantis and Trump took to Spaces, they connected directly with millions unfiltered, and without edits. Not much room for error in the format … just a few scaling hiccups on our end, a good problem I guess!
In Butler, PA, as shots rang out, citizen journalists on X immediately brought the truth to the world while The Washington Post ran headlines of “loud noises at rally”. And when the Biden withdrawal letter broke, it was on X for over 20 minutes before it reached TV screens. We’ve built a conduit where information can flow freely and authentically, bringing us all closer to the truth.
Doomscroll: Last question: What am I NOT asking you that I should be?
How can you make a splash on X 6 weeks out!
Takeovers: Own the masthead, top trending hashtag and the first ad slot in every daily active unique users timeline. This is the best real estate on the platform and a provocative hashtag always packs a punch. The unit is available nationally and at the state level. 110M Impressions in 24 hours nationally, states scale accordingly. Pricing varies based on daily demand.
Pre Roll with premium Publishers like The NFL, Fox Sports, UFC and more. For a fraction of the cost of TV, own targeted pre roll in real time game highlights and shoulder content from the biggest NFL Games, Big Noon and The World Series leading up to election day.
Bring your 1st party data and voter files. X is live programmatically via Google SSP and IQM.
Inventory: Home Timeline Only, no Pre Roll yet
Creative: Labeled "Native" includes display and video up to 30 seconds
Deal Structuring: Preferred / PMP
Competitive pricing: $10 CPM floor
Match Rates: 25-50% depending on the audience + extensions through the IQM graph
Thank you, Matt! And thank you again to X for sponsoring this week’s Doomscroll!
The Grapevine
Kate Holliday has another great piece in C&E about transparency in digital advertising.
Speaking of Powers Interactive, the team over there is calling out Resonate for pushing data insights about who or what swing voters are blaming the Trump assassination attempts on.
I thoroughly enjoyed Eric Wilson’s latest podcast discussion with Katie Harbath. Super relevant stuff about how the left and right are approaching digital this cycle.
A friend (ok, it was Mullins. Andrew Mullins) sent me this video of his sister scrolling through all the direct mail she’s gotten in the last two weeks from the Trump campaign. So THIS is where the digital budget has been going!
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:
S/o to the loyal reader who sent me these screenshots. Apparently some Dem group is recruiting DJ’s to play at polling places on Election Day? Weird one.
From the other side of the tracks:
Apparently the Nutter Butter TikTok account is absolutely bananas. This is a great(?) example of a corporate social media account letting its freak flag fly. To the extreme. Should campaigns embrace this approach? I don’t know, but I definitely chuckled at this theory in the brobible piece:
My best guess is whoever is running these TikTok accounts is an admin who has been posting memes since the earliest days of memes. They are probably operating at such a high level of memery at this point that nobody in the organization questions what they are doing and they only care about results and in this instance, results means reach and views which the Nutter Butter TikTok account is raking in by the millions.
Reach and views are great, but how many of us are going out and buying Nutter Butters during our weekly Wegman’s runs? Be honest. This is why I’m not freaking out over the Kamala VIBES. Vibes are great, but votes are better.
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading! Did you like it? Consider forwarding to your friends!