Music Themes for Campaigns Risk Legal Tangles

Today's political campaigns are set to music. Media-savvy candidates choreograph appearances with theme tunes for their signature messages and styles. And sometimes those music choices land them in legal trouble. Ask Donald Trump. The New York Times recently reported on the thorny issue of political music use, noting as examples R.E.M.'s early complaint about Donald Trump using “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” and the more recent demand from Steven Tyler of Aerosmith that Trump stop using his band’s 1973 hit “Dream On” at campaign events. The disputes highlight a legal gray area over licensing rules for music in political campaigns, experts explained in the NYT article. For example, when Neil Young complained in June that Trump had used his song “Rockin’ in the Free World” without permission, Trump’s campaign responded that it had obtained a so-called public performance license from Ascap, the music rights agency. In addition, venues where most major campaign events are held (convention halls, hotels, and sports arenas) often carry their own licenses from Ascap and BMI, another rights agency, that allow play of millions of songs in those agencies’ catalogs. Of course, the issue is complicated when the song use at an event is broadcast on TV and shared on social media. The protest letter from Steven Tyler’s lawyer to the Trump campaign even cited the Lanham Act, a federal law covering trademark and false advertising, claiming the song could be seen as a false endorsement. However, lawyers and copyright experts interviewed cited the difficulties of proving people actually thought of the music as an endorsement. In any case, campaigns will want to brush up on the legal nuances of music use. A starting point can be the Recording Industry Association of America's guidelines on copyright issues in music for political campaigns. With expanding media channels, legal confusion and polarized politics, campaigns don't want to risk having a lawsuit call the final tune. See http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/13/us/politics/in-choreographed-campaigns-candidates-stumble-over-choice-of-music.html?_r=0

2013 Fundraiser Review: Beyonce, Gators and Guns

On the last day of 2013, it seems appropriate to review the year's political fundraising events, with some raising more eyebrows than cash. An AlterNet.com article by Kurt Walters took a party-agnostic approach in choosing its categories for "The 7 Weirdest Political Money Raising Events of 2013." One popular trend was the high-priced concert fundraiser: At up to $5,000 a ticket, no wonder Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) were happy to whoop it up with Beyonce at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., for example. Several events played to the new national fascination with swamp folk, some successfully like a bayou weekend with Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and some stepping into media jaws like Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott's $25,000-per-person private gator hunt, which was cancelled when questions arose over how he intended to get legal hunting licenses. Illinois wins the prize for doing more with less, with a $1,000-hot-dog party thrown by Rep. Mike Quigley (D) and a "Teeni Weeni Bikini Martini" bash by State Rep. Barbara Wheeler (R), where a "one piece" rated $250, a "Speedo" merited $1,000, and bikinis (suggested guest choice) ran for $500. Notable among the 110 gun-themed fundraisers in 2013 was the BYOG (Bring Your Own Gun) target practice event (but no shotguns, please) of Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.). But the greatest irony in voters' eyes may be fundraisers held by the National Marine Manufacturers' Association PAC aboard a boat dubbed "Unfinished Business" to benefit seven members of a Congress called "the most unproductive in modern history." Unfinished business, indeed. For more political fundraising bashes and busts, see http://www.alternet.org/7-weirdest-political-fundraisers-2013

Events Demand Multi-Channel, Multi-Touch Effort

Event promotion is a common but sometimes challenging activity for campaigns and causes. A recent blog post by Lori Halley of Wild Apricot, the membership software firm, had some cogent advice for a multi-touch, multi-channel strategy -- adding new communications tools to traditional ones, like direct mail, for a more potent marketing mix. Part of a "multi-touch" approach starts by leveraging staff and volunteer social networks. Your organization can provide staff, volunteers, and fans with suggested guest posts, tweets, and draft text/visuals with links to event information, for example. Then make sure the formal event promotion plan also effectively includes online and social channels. For example, besides putting the event on the homepage and in the events calendar, create a dedicated web page with online registration capability and auto confirmations. Besides direct mail announcements, send coordinated, automated e-mail event promotions and reminders to your database. Maximize social media by enabling social sharing buttons/widgets wherever possible -- on your website, social media pages, blogs and e-mails. Create event pages for your social communities (on Facebook, for example), put event hashtags on tweets, use the LinkedIn event application, and everywhere don't be shy about asking for "likes" and sharing. And what about a video on the event or the cause for YouTube or Flickr? For more ideas, see the blog post at http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2013/02/13/5-tips-for-getting-your-event-message-out

'Tis the Season to Connect With Supporters

With 2012 election campaigning completed, it's tempting to just relax for the holidays. But the festive year-end season is a great time for candidates and nonprofit-cause promoters to connect with, and give back to, supporters and donors -- creating positive momentum for 2013 fundraising and fans. A recent article in "Campaigns and Elections" suggests some simple ideas: send out holiday cards with thanks and good wishes; volunteer at holiday events and personally give back to the community; create your own event to spread holiday cheer; and use social media to share the warm, personal side of a candidate, campaign or cause celebrating the holidays. For more, see the article at http://www.campaignsandelections.com/campaign-insider/344862/politicking-during-the-holidays.thtml