Don't Do Ads Now

I once met an ad guy who laughed at political campaigners who do everything by the numbers. He said that it is not the way to win an election. It was like a red flag to me because here was an ad guy saying there is another way of winning, when all along winning political campaigns is all about having 50.1 percent of the votes. Again, I repeat, elections are all about having the numbers to win and the ads are mere tools to increase awareness. They do not win elections.read more

Political Marketing: Battle of products and not advertisements

Selling Candidates is a title of the book launched on 13 May 2008 during the First Campaigners-Media Interface at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila. The Ateneo School of Government, Newsbreak, and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) should be congratulated for their effort to bring together the heavyweights in the political consulting, campaigns, and political party establishment. KAS even brought in, straight from Germany, Dr. Helmut Jung, GMS Managing Director.read more

Ads Do Not Win Political Campaigns

In 2004, I was part of an effort where political advertisements played a vital role in the senatorial campaign of then candidate Mar Roxas. That campaign heavily relied on surveys, focus group discussions, and frequency maps that combined air and ground wars. It also relied heavily on organization. Many questions have been asked about that campaign. Many stories remained untold, more particularly the behind-the-scenes ones and backroom maneuverings. But I guess that would be told in fondness when campaigners try to recollect the shared experience we’ve had in making our then candidate be number one. read more

Linking with The LOBBYiST

I have been gone for quite sometime not because I do not want to continue this blog but because I have been busy with another product of my company, PUBLiCUS (www.publicusltd.com). We have launched three successive products last quarter of 2007 up to this June 2008. These are our Vox Opinion Research, our online magazine known as The LOBBYiST and our political risk assessment service known as PRISA to be launched by end of June 2008.

I hope you enjoy reading the various issues we have considered and please do leave your comments here or at The LOBBYiST. Cheers!