The Washington Independent » political advertising

Political Ad Spending Defies Bad Economy

Jesse Zwick — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 21:29:30 +0000

Tell your children to get a degree in advertising — political advertising, to be exact. Despite the economic downturn, and despite the fact that we’re not in a presidential election cycle, Adweek is reporting that spending on political advertising sales are predicted to break records:

According to Borrell Associates, political ad spending will reach $4.2 billion this year, double the $2.1 billion the firm estimated was spent in 2008.

And Campaign Media Analysis Group (CMAG), a unit of WPP’s Kantar, also expects a record total, with up to $2.8 billion being spent by candidates and various special interest groups, vs. the $2.6 billion it said was spent two years ago.

Political spending this year is eye opening given that general market advertisers aren’t expected to return to pre-recession spending levels until at least 2013, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The two estimates provided seem pretty divergent, but both prove the same point. Political advertising, even more so than federal government jobs, appear immune to the economic downturn. It begs an interesting question as to how effective election spending is as a means of stimulating the economy compared to, say, state aid or infrastructure spending? My guess is it ranks a lot lower in terms of bang for your buck.

Wertheimer Calls New FEC Coordination Rules ‘Contrary to Law’

Jesse Zwick — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:27:26 +0000

In an interview with BNA (subscription required), campaign finance reformer Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21 went on the offensive against the FEC’s new coordination rules finalized last week, charging that it “is different from the old regulation in name only — and…is yet again is contrary to law.” The new standard determines what type of work might fall under funding regulations for ads coordinated with campaigns; Wertheimer called it far too narrow. He also argued that the time frame in which the regulations are in effect effectively opens up a “donut hole” for coordination to still take place:

“Under the new FEC regulation, a Representative or Senator, or other congressional candidate, will be able to sit down with a corporate executive, draft an ad promoting his or her campaign and have the executive’s corporation pay for broadcasting the ad when and where the candidate wants—and none of this constitutes ‘coordination’ in the view of the FEC, so long as the ad is run after the candidate’s primary and more than 90 days before the election, and does not expressly say ‘vote for’ the candidate or its functional equivalent,” Wertheimer’s statement said. “The FEC’s regulation, in short, defies common sense.” [...]

The effect of the FEC rule is to leave a “donut hole” for coordination in congressional campaigns that “even the agency recognizes is inappropriate and impermissible for presidential elections,” Wertheimer said. “That distinction makes no sense and there is no legal rationale for authorizing coordination in congressional races that is made illegal in presidential races.”

Wertheimer stopped short of indicating that Democracy 21 would file a legal challenge, telling BNA that the group is keeping its options open. The new FEC rule won’t take effect until after the current election cycle, but it represents yet another setback for campaign finance groups in regulating election spending in the post-Citizens United world.

Political Ad Campaigns Go Big, Go Negative, or Go Home

Jesse Zwick — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:25:50 +0000

The economy might still be suffering, but political advertising expenditures — both by candidates, political parties, and outside groups — are way up, reports the Associated Press. Candidates have spent $395 million on ads for the November elections thus far, compared to $286 million during the last midterm election cycle. Political parties and outside groups have spent $150 million thus far, $41 million more than at this point in 2006.

Most of ads — surprise, surprise — have been negative, and they’re proving crucial to a number of races:

The numbers — compiled by Evan Tracey, who tracks political ads as president of CMAG, a division of Kantar Media — reflect a need by candidates and their allies to define opponents quickly to an increasingly engaged electorate. Those who don’t have paid the price.

Bill McCollum, running for Florida governor, and Lisa Murkowski, running for re-election as senator from Alaska, may have fought back too late in their respective Republican primaries. Their opponents attacked them early and often, costing McCollum the election Tuesday and leaving a stunned Murkowski on the edge of defeat.

Two candidates who seem to have taken this advice to heart are Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.). Both have spent early and often and haven’t been afraid to go negative against their upstart political challengers. McCain was rewarded with a smashing primary victory over former Rep. J. D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday, and Reid now looks in better shape vis-à-vis Republican Sharron Angle than he did in months prior.

The only high profile candidate who seems to be content, thus far, to avoid going negative is Colorado gubernatorial hopeful, John Hickenlooper (D), who’s enjoying a comfortable lead over conservatives Dan Maes and Tom Tancredo. Hickenlooper is up with an ad that shows him jumping into the shower, repeatedly and fully clothed, to cleanse himself of all the attack ads being aired in the state.

Seattle Fish-Throwers Tout Obama on YouTube

Ari Melber — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:00:33 +0000

The Republicans may have the wolf-hunting vote locked down, but the Obama campaign is burnishing its own frontier credentials with a new video from the fish throwers at the famous Pike Place Market in Seattle.

Will this Pacific Northwestern YouTube outreach move anyone? Well, count this blogger in. As a lifelong Seattlite, I grew up following my parents around the historic market — a community-supported zone that favors local farmers and artisans — as they bought fruit and vegetables from friendly shops like Manzo’s, or nabbed some fresh halibut. Naturally, the fish have some airborne cameos in one of the quirkier Obama videos this season: