With just one year to go until the 2012 elections, candidates are already setting up campaign headquarters and producing new advertising campaigns to lure voters to their side of the political line. Although just 42 percent of all eligible American voters turned out in last year’s Mid-term election, with next year being a General Election year, voter turnout will undoubtedly be higher, especially if youth voters turnout in the high numbers we saw in 2008.

With more young people reveling in digital communications and using social networks to stay up-to-date on issues, more campaigns are reaching out to these voters by speaking to them through online chat platforms and social media debates.

Just last week, Mashable reported that Fox News will be hosting a series of debates through Google+ Hangouts, something sure to resonate with younger, digital voters. Previous Google+ Hangout debates have garnered more than 6.1 million viewers according to Nielsen and received more than 18,000 questions for the candidates.

Digital political engagement doesn’t end there, though. Individually, several candidates have realized the influence of social networks not only on the under 30 segment, but also on those digitally active boomers. As a result, several candidates like Mitt Romney and John Thune  have set up active accounts on spaces like Twitter and Facebook and may consider further moves into places like Google+ or Pinterest. Other platforms are also under development to connect voters with the issues that matter most to them in a more streamlined, mobile way.

With the average American population spending 21.7 hours online every week and the expected increase of mobile devices over the next year, the opportunities to reach potential voters in newer, more robust online spaces are huge. Candidates who connect with their audience not only through similar issues and causes, but also the evolving mediums will garner the most respect from their followers and possibly increase their political reach across several social and digital spheres in just a short time.

If you haven’t been keeping up, a host of presidential hopefuls have been duking it out in debates and, more passively, through television advertisements. So, how does one position them self as capable of leading the free world? Let’s breakdown some of the current political ads and see what candidates are doing right and what they should be doing differently if they hope to be living on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Mitt Romney

Seeing as how Mitt Romney is considered a front-runner for the Republican nomination, let’s take a look at one of his campaign ads first:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz3XgYLqCjg&feature=player_embedded

The spot itself is hopeful: inspirational string instruments, swooping aerial shots of wheat fields and a speech sprinkled with the word “freedom.” The ad is surprisingly void of any slams on the current administration, which is commendable (though his website has a slew of videos that aren’t as non-confrontational).

My ADvice: Differentiate. Romney certainly looks the part, which is a really big problem. He looks like anybody who has ran for president in the last 75 years. If Mitt wants to win he is going to have to stand out from the pack. I’d prescribe a fun, memorable catchphrase. Something like “Mitt’s Legit” or “dotRom.”

Rick Perry

Perry shot on to the election scene with a substantial following and a significant, though somewhat controversial, record as Governor of Texas. However, the Perry buzz has fizzled a bit since officially announcing his run for the White House. Here’s a recent spot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8EL5Atp_vF0

If this ad does anything well it’s the painting of the current administration as a failure that has produced disastrous (did you hear those wailing sirens?) consequences. The ad loses a bit of steam during the second half by resorting to the expected shots of the Statue of Liberty, flags and roaring fighter jets.

My ADvice: Lighten up. First, lighten up on the advertising production costs. The spot looks cool, but it probably cost more than what a lot of people have made in wages this year. And it doesn’t even let viewers know much about you. Secondly, have some fun Rick Perry. Your state may be infamous for its capital punishment record, but that doesn’t mean you can’t clown around a bit while you’re out campaigning!

Jon Huntsman

Governor Huntsman is further back in the polls but has a loyal following and a strong record as the leader of Utah. A longtime motocross racer, Huntsman is considered by many to be a Republican long shot. Below is one of his early ads:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biqIuX3uX0U

The best part about this ad is probably the scenery. Everything else is a bit…clunky? The disconnect starts with the narrator. His script tries to balance a vision, accomplishments and a jovial tone, but just comes off as silly (I can’t say I’ve ever heard the colloquialism “…not in it for the balloons.”). Strange copy paired with music you would hear floating out of a piano store in the mall doesn’t bode well for a would-be President…

My ADvice: Governor Huntsman needs to figure out who he is. What is the Huntsman brand? Is he Huntsman the diplomat? Huntsman the businessman? Or Huntsman the former member of high school band “Wizard?” It’s obvious he wants to appeal to a broad range of voters, but what isn’t obvious is who Huntsman wants to be.

The Presidential race is heating up, and as media consumers brace to be inundated with a brutal amount of political advertising, I have a final point for all candidates regarding their inevitable and invasive advertising: Be to the point. Be candid. And spend heavily on memorable catchphrases and well-designed buttons, because those are the things that really stick.

What did you #AskObama?

Did you ask him about economics and the job market? Did you ask him about clean energy? Did you ask him where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?

If you didn’t tweet any of these questions, rest assured, someone else did. On Wednesday, July 6, Twitter was bombarded with thousands of #AskObama questions, and the President responded to them in real time on TV.

According to Mashable, more than 61,000 questions were asked and a total of 94,000 tweets were sent to President Obama’s first Twitter Town Hall. Twitter Co-founder and Executive Chairman Jack Dorsey moderated, and the event lasted only an hour.

Now that’s a lot of tweets and questions to get through in a short amount of time, but think for a minute. What’s Twitter’s core mission?

To get to the point in 140 characters or less.

Speaking of character numbers and trending topics, did Obama answer the questions effectively and quickly last Wednesday? This issue is being debated by columnists at The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times. Two of the three sources are skeptical of his ability to be short-and-sweet, Twitter style, and the other believes the long-winded answers were unavoidable. Even at an event of this nature.

We all know politicians are good at expounding. They’re good at explaining in full and adding extra stuff, so maybe this is a time to once again remind ourselves of the beauty of brevity.

In a world that’s constantly on information overload, people can only handle so much. Remember that.

Being brief is not easy. It forces speakers and writers to focus on key points. It forces them to think about take-home value and the one thing people will remember in 15 minutes. Ragan’s PR Daily posted the 8 Steps to More Concise Writing, and they’re tips all politicians, public relations professionals, copywriters and the general public should live by in this world of excess information.

Maybe it’s time to start communicating on Twitter’s terms. What is it that you really want to say? What is your point? During the next town hall I may have to ask, “How would you put that in 140 characters, Mr. President? #AskObama”

As digital media and highly defined metrics become a larger part of delivering marketing messages, advertisers are looking for ways to relate the metrics of digital media to traditional media.

There are digital ways to track traditional media, but the over-arching metric among all media is still  impressions. This leads to the question, if digital metrics are more detailed, is digital better than the traditional? Not at all! They are meant to work together to target consumers throughout the purchase cycle. This makes knowing when and how to reach your audience essential.

Tara Payne Mueller, digital & media strategist, and Laura Mitchell, digital strategist, discussed how goals and messaging are important in evaluating your campaign metrics in May’s L&S Boot Camp Webinar – Message Delivery: Metrics Across Digital and Traditional Media.

The Internet and social media have fundamentally changed the pace of business, compressing time and rewarding speed. News breaks over minutes, not days. Companies can develop or refine products and services instantly based on customer feedback or events in the marketplace.

As a result, public relations has changed forever. Traditional media outlets are no longer the inpenetrable gatekeepers. Citizen journalists (whether they think of themselves that way or not) are reporting more updates from more locations than professional journalists could ever hope to cover. And businesses have an unprecented freedom to share their stories directly with key audiences – customers and potential clients.

This shifting landscape provides business with an opportunity never before seen. It’s called Real-Time PR… the mindset of finding and engaging with emerging story lines before they become old news.

Real-time PR was the topic of April’s L&S Boot Camp Webinar. Lawrence & Schiller’s Dave Haan, Director of Public Relations, and Lindsey Philips, PR Coordinator, presented the three “D”s at the foundation of real-time PR:

• Detect conversations about your brand
• Deliver the right messages to the right audiences
• Decrease your response time

What’s more important? Winning awards or reaching business goals?

At Lawrence & Schiller we love holding the hardware, but our emphasis has always been delivering results for our clients. Which makes this award season such a treat. Clients are seeing positive results and earning accolades.

Telly Awards

It started with “Hey Sara”, winner of a Silver Telly award for Midcontinent Business Solutions. The spot is part of a series produced for Midcontinent’s Phone & Data Services and Television Advertising Sales. The campaign has been so effective and recognizable, Midcontinent has extended it into 2011.

Pollie Awards

Billed as the “Oscars of political advertising”, the Pollie Awards are presented by the American Association of Political Consultants. Big budget commercials for campaigns in large states compete along small budget efforts from rural areas. Going up against the best in the business, two different commercials created by Lawrence & Schiller for the 2010 election earned special recognition.

• Gold Pollie – Television Ad, More Than 60 Seconds, “Meet Dennis Daugaard” – Dennis Daugaard for Governor
• Silver Pollie – Statewide, Republican, Non-Gubernatorial Race, “Elevator Speech” – Dusty Johnson for P.U.C.
• Honorable Mention – Governor, “Meet Dennis Daugaard”

Of course, the best result came in November when both Dennis Daugaard and Dusty Johnson won by large margins. If you’d like to hear more about the Pollie Awards, listen to this interview with John Pohlman and Micah Aberson who had the honor of walking on stage in Washington, D.C. to pick up the awards.

Addy Awards

Each year, ad agencies around the country enter their best work in hopes of winning an ADDY® award – one of the industry’s most recognizable honors. This year, Lawrence & Schiller’s clients won a total of 35 different awards.

Best of Show – Electronic
Great Western Bank | National TV Campaign | “Best of Both TV Campaign”

Best of Class – Non-Traditional Marketing
South Dakota Tourism | Non-Traditional Advertising | “Mt. Rushmore Macy’s Day Parade Float”

Best of Class – Television
Great Western Bank | National TV Campaign | “Best of Both TV Campaign”

Best of Class – Public Service
South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – TV | “Marked For Life TV”

Best of Class – Radio
Workplace Technology Center | Local Radio | “Sucky I.T.”

Gold Addy Awards

1. Great Western Bank | National TV Campaign | “Best of Both TV Campaign”
2. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – TV | “Texting TV”
3. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – TV | “Rollover TV”
4. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – TV | “Marked For Life TV”
5. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – Out-of-Home | “DUI/DOA Billboard”
6. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – Non-Traditional | “Helmet Tattoo Street Graphics”
7. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – Campaign | “Helmet Tattoo Street Graphics”
8. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – Non-Traditional | “Marked For Life Street Team”
9. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – Mixed Media Campaign | “Marked For Life”
10. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Elements of Advertising, Sound | “At The Scene Radio”
11. South Dakota Tourism | Non-Traditional Advertising | “Mt. Rushmore Macy’s Day Parade Float”
12. South Dakota Tourism | Consumer or Trade Publication | “Every picture tells a story”
13. South Dakota Tourism | Interactive Media: Online Campaigns | “Web banners/Website”
14. University of South Dakota | National TV Campaign | “USD – One Smart Move Campaign”
15. Workplace Technology Center | Local Radio | “Sucky I.T.”
16. Lawrence & Schiller | Self-Promotion Invitation | “Friday Evening HoHo”
17. Lawrence & Schiller | Self-Promotion Mixed Media Campaign | “Friday Evening HoHo”

Silver Addy Awards

1. Great Western Bank | National TV, Consumer Services | “Best of Both – Business TV”
2. Lowell Hanson | Interactive Media: Website, Consumer HTML, Products | “Flying A Ranch for Sale”
3. Sanford Health | Newspaper Campaign, Color | “Sanford Strip Ads”
4. Sanford Health | Local Radio | “When you’re ready for baby”
5. Sanford Health | Local TV: 60 seconds or Less | “When you’re ready for baby”
6. Sanford Health | Local TV: 60 seconds or Less | “This is what you do”
7. Sanford Health | National TV, Consumer Services | “Sanford Cancer Center – Never Fight Alone”
8. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – Poster | “Stomach Pump”
9. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Public Service – Campaign | “Someone Needs You Mom/Dad Billboards”
10. South Dakota Office of Highway Safety | Elements of Advertising, Cinematography | “Rollover TV”
11. South Dakota Tourism | Campaign: Consumer or Trade Publication | “Every picture tells a story”
12. South Dakota Tourism | Interactive Media: Website, Consumer HTML, Products | “TravelSD.com”
13. Vance Thompson Vision | Local Television, :30 or Less | “Masterpiece TV”

But best of all, are the stories reporting a drop in S.D. highway fatalities, and knowing the Office of Highway Safety’s campaign is playing a role. Or hearing how many people are noticing Great Western Bank’s Best of Both campaign. Or seeing all of the buzz generated after Mount Rushmore float appeared in the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Day Parade. Because in the end, results for our clients are what matter most.

When one of my teachers from Sioux Falls Christian High School, Mrs. Wieking, asked if I would be interested in talking to some of her classes about Lawrence & Schiller’s work with public service announcements, I was initially hesitant. But as I thought about the opportunity, I felt honored she would even ask me as well as excited to go back to my old high school - so I accepted.

At work the next day, I started pulling some talking points together and a thought struck me – just talking about the campaigns would be interesting enough, but really digging into the strategic thinking that builds our campaigns would be more influential and helpful for the students in understanding the “why” behind what we do.

After talking with Scott Erickson, an account executive who works on many of our public service campaigns, I received a lot of valuable, insider knowledge on our team’s thought process, such as what drove the creative and why we chose certain mediums to get our message into the right hands.

As much fun as it was visiting my old high school, the best part was being able to peel back some of the layers surrounding our campaigns and shed some light on how we go ‘the extra mile’ with our messaging tactics.

The students of SFC have been instructed to create their own PSAs for a class assignment and the finished products will be showcased on their internal TV channel. I hope by showing the students some of our work and exposing them to the thinking behind our campaigns, they will use that knowledge when creating their own PSAs and make something to truly be proud of.