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This article appeared in the February 2, 2005  issue of the Local Victory Newsletter.

Often, as I am watching a political ad or reading a campaign mailer, I find myself analyzing the quality of the work: Does the headline get my attention?  How are the pictures?  Does the speaker look sincere?  What about the text… is the piece easy to read? All of these things matter, and a good television ad or an effective direct mail piece will address each of these items in turn.

The most important part of any piece of political communication, however, whether it is on TV, the radio, or sent through the mail, is the message: the overall theme of the piece.  What topic or issue do we most want the voter to come away with?  While those of us in the political business may analyze and re-analyze the political pieces we get in the mail or the ads we hear on the radio, everyday voters only look at your piece for a few seconds…. What is the message they come away with?

So often, the central theme of a campaign mail piece or TV ad is what I call an “impotent issue.”  Usually, the creative process for a piece goes like this: The campaign has its list of issues that the candidate wants to talk about.  The campaign staff designs a mailer for each one (or TV ad, or newspaper ad…).  The first mailer gets sent out to the voters, then the second, then the third.

What’s missing in this picture?  Do you see what happened?  In most campaigns, the staff designs ads based on what the candidate (or the campaign manager, or a big donor) thinks is important.  This is a mistake.  The campaign shouldn’t be worrying about what the staff thinks is important to the voters, it should be worrying about what the voters think is important to the voters. 

Of course, big campaigns like congressional races or statewide office-seekers can afford to take polls, then design ads based around that research.  (Of course, candidates should never use polling to change their views on various issues.  Instead, the campaign should use polling to figure out which issues to highlight, based on those areas in which the electorate sees eye to eye with the candidate and feels passionate about the issue).

Smaller campaigns, on the other hand, can’t afford this luxury.  Instead, they have to rely on anecdotal evidence and volunteer poll operations to determine the mood of the electorate.  Small campaigns should be mindful, though, that there are some issues which sway elections (potent issues) and some which don’t (impotent issues).

Let me give you an example.  Over the past campaign cycle, I saw many, many ads by candidates in our local area touting their position on medical malpractice reform (currently a hot topic in a number of states).  These candidates had worked hard on the issue, as elected officials, doctors, attorneys, etc.  Thus, their campaigns produced ads highlighting the candidates’ work and position on this issue.

Big mistake.  While there are people who care passionately about medical malpractice reform, the number is very limited (generally, the only groups who get emotional over this issue are doctors and trial lawyers).  For most people, medical malpractice reform is not a potent issue.  It doesn’t “grab” them… it doesn’t sway their vote.  Campaigns need to highlight issues on which voters can get passionate, emotional, and which define their values… these are the issues that sway everyday voters.  These are the potent issues

What issues most often get voters excited?  Which issues truly sway votes?  The following are, generally speaking, the most potent issues (in no particular order):

-         Money and Jobs: Does my family have enough money for the things we need and/or want?

-         Security: Is my family safe?  Are my kids safe?

-         Kids: Are my kids going to get ahead?  Are they being well educated?  Will they have a better life than me?

-         Patriotism and Freedom: Is America safe?  Is America headed in the right direction?  Am I as free as I want to be?  Civil rights.

-         Personal Values & God

No matter what office you are running for, from President of the United States down to the local school board, your campaign needs to appeal to one of these basic issues in order to make your message matter to everyday voters.  There is no candidate at any level who can’t fit his or her issues into one or more of these messages.