As marketers, we often feel like we’re walking through a minefield, meticulously reviewing analytics and responding to data insights while trying to get the most out of our clients’ ad budgets.
Throw in the chaos of the election year, which has already delivered unprecedented surprises, and it’s like adding juggling torches to the mix.
It seems as though nowhere is safe from the messaging dominating TV slots, social media feeds and digital billboards. This saturation can make it challenging for nonpolitical messages to break through on any channel, but a few places are especially dominated by political ads.
TV and radio ads are some of the worst offenders. Political campaigns often snap up primetime slots, leaving brands with fewer options and higher costs to boot. According to Reuters, TV media takes “the lion’s share,” accounting for 71.9% of all political ad spend.
Reuters also reports that digital platforms, which historically have fewer political ads, are likely to see a spike of 156% in spending this year.
With political ads flooding every channel, how can brands remain relevant and connect with their audience without adding to the noise?
Customer sentiment mapping can help
In this era, a marketer’s job is to watch the audience’s mood like a hawk. You need to know what matters to them and how they feel amid the political climate.
That’s where customer sentiment mapping becomes critical. It offers a road map for when to pivot your marketing strategy to ensure you’re not sending out tone-deaf messaging.
Monitor keywords, hashtags and social analytics to gauge your audience’s mood and tailor your messages accordingly.
Also, pay close attention to your engagement metrics. Are you seeing spikes in activity around specific issues? Note that engagement spikes can lean positive or negative.
Once you have these insights, don’t just sit on them; take action to refine your campaign. If your audience is concerned about health care, subtly highlight your brand’s health benefits or community initiatives related to this issue.
Crafting nonpartisan messages
Staying neutral is a delicate balance; you don’t want to be insensitive or alienate potential customers.
Highlight your brand’s foundational values that resonate universally – like honesty, quality and community. These themes transcend red and blue while keeping your brand front and center.
Prioritizing authenticity can also help reduce risks related to misinformation; nearly 100% of advertisers agree that generative AI has the potential to create content that is not only misleading but also reputation-damning. Staying true to your brand’s core values will make it easier for your audience to weed out the truth.
Remaining neutral doesn’t necessarily mean always staying silent. Instead, it’s about maintaining a consistent brand voice that resonates with your audience regardless of the political climate.
Don’t shift your messaging based on what’s trendy. When your audience knows what to expect from you, they’re more likely to stay loyal, even during turbulent times.
Real-world examples of agile marketing
While you shouldn’t change the core message your brand puts out into the world during an election year, you should be flexible enough to pivot when messaging isn’t working.
Nike is a master of this. During election seasons, it maintains its core message of empowerment but pivots its campaigns to align with current events. This agility keeps the company relevant and engaged with its audience.
Coca-Cola often highlights unity and togetherness in its campaigns, especially during divisive times. By focusing on universal values and tweaking them slightly to address current events, the brand stays relevant without alienating any segment of its audience. “Share a Coke,” “Enjoy” and “Happiness” never go out of style, but they can be tweaked to resonate more deeply depending on prevailing sentiments. Consider how the brand tweaked its messaging during the pandemic to highlight the beauty of sharing a Coke with loved ones after prolonged periods of quarantine.
Similarly, Patagonia is committed to environmental sustainability, and that’s always a core part of its brand identity, regardless of the season. During election years, it highlights its sustainability efforts without taking a direct political stance.
Stay authentic to stay successful
Marketing during a presidential election season is always a whirlwind, but brands can still thrive by getting creative and staying agile.
Develop multiple media strategies that can be deployed as needed – that way, if a particular message or target isn’t resonating, you can switch gears and stay relevant without appearing reactive.
Remember: The goal is authenticity and connection. Stay true to your brand, and you’ll ride above the waves of political chaos.
“Data-Driven Thinking” is written by members of the media community and contains fresh ideas on the digital revolution in media.
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