New GOP Digital Effort Hopes to Leapfrog Dems

Republican operatives have launched a digital enterprise they hope will "leapfrog" the Democrats' 2012 high-tech data-mining success, according to a recent story by the National Journal. The new Media Group of America (MGA) LLC includes a digital consulting firm, a center-right news site with over 3.5 million monthly visitors, and an online technology tool called the Central Organizing Responder (COR). COR can merge data into one platform to create detailed targeting profiles of voters and supporters. GOP campaigners will be able to integrate canvassing lists, phone banks, fundraising reports, event sign-ins and social networks with outside data for real-time insights. Democrats interviewed expressed skepticism about the potential of the Republican digital initiative, but some experts saw a key advantage: The GOP digital technology will be for sale. The Obama campaign developed a proprietary machine whose operatives have since split up into various lobbying, party and for-profit efforts, but the GOP system is built for continuity and adaptability, to be shared online by multiple campaigns with different systems and budgets. MGA is already signing clients, ranging from the Republican Congressional Committee to the Boeing Company. For the full story, see http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/why-democrats-are-laughing-at-the-republican-digital-strategy-and-why-they-shouldn-t-be-20130729

Celebrating 30 Years As a List Professional

Today marks my 30th consecutive year as a list professional. I began my apprenticeship at Mike Wilson List Council, Inc. on August 22, 1983. Now, as CEO and president of AccuList, Inc., parent company of AccuList USA and Beyond Voter Lists, I can look back on a career that has grown with the direct marketing industry, expanding from traditional direct mail list and insert media brokerage and management to include e-mail marketing, online advertising, mobile marketing and social media. Today the Direct Marketing Association refers to me and a few others as "Data Innovators" or "List Leaders." My thanks to the thousands of clients and direct marketing industry colleagues who have made my 30-year journey so rewarding! For a synopsis of my career highlights, see my LinkedIn profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/dkanter

2016 Hopefuls Provide Useful Campaign Checklist

A checklist of campaign tasks derived from 2016 presidential hopefuls provides useful insights for any candidate or campaign. An article by Associated Press journalist Calvin Woodward recently summarized the tasks: get to know donors, get the public to know you on TV and social media, visit big primary states (or top cities or neighborhoods in the case of more local campaigns and candidates), network with the activists and ideologues, produce a vanity book, polish a record, deflect personal baggage, take a stand, develop a world view (or a state or local view), scout for advisers and political organizations that can power up a campaign team. Then the article shows what national political players are doing: For the Democrats, Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley; and for the Republicans, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal; Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. There are some nuggets to mine from these major political players! Take a look at the full article at http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/08/19/5090573/2016-campaign-checklist-whos-doing.html

Social Media Politics: Get There Ahead of the Pack

Since social media is a required component in today's political campaigning, candidates and campaigns readying for 2014 may want to look at a recent socialmediatoday.com post for tips on effective social media politicking. And at the top of the recommendations is to "Get there first."  An example of how effective it is to get your message out ahead of the noisy pack is provided by Congressional Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, who made news, and gained fans, by being the first-ever Congressman to broadcast his vote using Vine, Twitter's video-sharing app. The six-second clip showed Swalwell voting “nay” to what he deemed a GOP attempt to decrease health protection for women. Swalwell garnered more than normal attention simply because he posted impactful content in a low-competition area. Ten Senators also have posted on Vine since the Senate officially approved its use. For other tips on politically savvy use of social media, see the article at http://socialmediatoday.com/anqicong/1650081/how-use-social-media-your-political-campaign

More Reasons Than Ever to Champion Political Mail

With most political marketing stories focusing on digital and TV targeting, it's refreshing to see an article reminding campaigns and candidates of the power of direct mail. A recent Campaigns & Elections piece cites several reasons "why political mail is more indispensable than ever." After all, the revolution in political "big data" analytics has improved the targeting ability of direct mail as well as digital channels, including enhanced voter files, use of commercial data, and issue-specific modeling. Meanwhile, mail creative can now leverage variable data printing to translate that targeting into personalized, individualized and issue-specific content. Targeting efficiency also has been enhanced by improved data quality, with better change of address technology as well as improved deceased and deliverability hygiene. With digital, broadcast and phone messages fighting for attention in noisier channels with increased filtering, the ability to put a targeted, eye-catching statement into an individual voter's unique mailbox is more attractive than ever. For more on the topic, including mailing success stories, see the article at http://www.campaignsandelections.com/magazine/us-edition/386667/why-political-mail-is-more-indispensable-than-ever.thtml