About a week ago I was talking with my good friend Ryan about possible 'non-conventional' methods for combating Bush's multi-million ad buys at low cost with wide reach. The most obvious solution? Flash ads.
Over the next hour or so we talked through possible scenarios and strategies for how to use Flash Ads effectively to accomplish three distinct goals:
- Counter Bush's negative message.
- Relate our true position on the issues.
- Keep the message short, sweet, and simple so as not to lose people's attention.
The Kerry Campaign is currently using a messaging tool called DBunker, which published print responses to the false allegations of the Republican Smear Machine and Bush's 'Weapons of Mass Deception.' The problem is that these responses are often quite lengthy, and truthfully the average voter is not going to go to JohnKerry.com and look up our candidate's response, we need to give it to them. The DBunker, is nice, but we need more.
Flash Ads, if used effectively, have the potential to be a potent campaign messaging tool. In our discussion we developed a two pronged plan on how to effectively use online flash ads to counter multi-million dollar ad buys. The plan works as follows:
- Send out the flash in mass email directed at all registered supporters.
- Place the ad prominently on the frontpage of JohnKerry.com, in the center where the latest news image goes, and set it so that it auto-plays when the page loads.
By following these two courses of action, the ad has the potential to spread across The Internet very rapidly, and potentially be picked up by CNN like the current ads were. But again, the effectiveness of this plan is dependent on a number of variables.
- The ads should be made using integrated video footage as well as flash animation. A purely animated ad appears to viewers as cheap and/or unprofessional, as the latest DNC ad does.
- The message needs to be clear, concise, and positive.
Flash Ads can work, but they require real planning, strategy, and foresight. They also require talent and experience - something that the creators of the latest DNC Ad apparently were lacking.