Choosing the Right Ad Types To Reach Voters

As we enter another major election cycle, voters are getting more information than ever from digital platforms. Americans are researching and interacting with candidates long before the polls, and political parties are quick to utilize digital media to disseminate their stances in an effort to influence voters. While there are multiple ways to reach this captive audience, messaging must be carefully curated throughout the campaign for maximum effectiveness. Elections are a game of strategy, and we walk through the various message types to develop each one’s role in the election process. 

Introduction Ads

First impressions are everything and the introduction ad does just that. It is designed to show the public the name and face of the candidate, making their official announcement to run for office. Ads are intended to provide the candidate’s personal and professional bio, emphasizing why they are passionate about running for office and qualifications to make them successful. These ads are meant to create support for the candidate’s campaign through volunteers and financial contributions.

Notable Endorsement Ads

Political candidates can increase name recognition and establish credibility with endorsements ads. Endorsements can aid in securing additional financial support, volunteers, and outreach and can come from a variety of sources such as local unions, community groups, or political parties. While endorsements may not directly equate to an influx in votes, they do better align the candidate with a larger party or set of political ideologies. 

Endorsement ads naturally follow an official announcement and are particularly effective when done in a video format, allowing the endorsing party to articulate their backing and enthusiasm for a candidate. 

Positive Ads

A positive impression of a candidate conveys an image of trustworthiness and authenticity. Positive ads focus on the candidate’s primary platform stances in a relatable setting to gain voter confidence. These can be used as a recurring message throughout the election cycle as a reminder of the candidates qualifications and eagerness to gain votes. 

Negative Ads

In general, people tend to remember negative events more than positive. Negative ads invoke emotion which causes them to be recalled more vividly, leaving a lasting impression. These ads tend to be most effective when voters are passionate about a candidate or specific issues. The purpose of negative ads are to show contrast in views and to deter voting for other issues or candidates. 

Voter Testimonial Ads

Rather than hearing from a candidate with a clear goal of earning votes, images and messaging from average citizens helps voters connect to their own lives. Testimonial ads offer relatable faces and stories of triumph in the face of adversity that tug at the heartstrings of the public. These messages humanize the candidate or platform and position them as a subject matter expert, lending increased credibility. Testimonial ads are particularly useful for issues that go against a voter’s natural inclinations. This may be related to things like local economy, historic voting history, or religious affiliation. 

While all of these ads are effective across platforms, they should be strategically used throughout the election process to align with your goals. Each has a specific intention to be considered and carefully curated based on where voters are in the process. Voters are looking for guidance as they approach Election Day and it’s up to political marketers to provide that information in order to influence the vote.