15 Most Underrated People In New Media
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
With the campaign getting a bit surreal, I thought I might highlight some people you should know. Today I got inspired when Marc Lamont Hill published a piece at the Huffington Post entitled “The 15 Most Overrated White People.” So, then local radio show host Michael Berry on NewsTalk 750am , decided to take calls to list the “15 Most Overrated Black People.”
It was all so pathetic, I thought I needed to go positive, so I decided to give you this. Many on this list may be pretty well known, but they are still underrated because they should be stars.
15 Most Underrated People In New Media (In no particular order)
David Burge at IowaHawk is one of the funniest writers on the net. If you don’t follow him on twitter you missing a daily laugh.
Jim Hoft at GateWayPundit breaks stories way before the networks, and even before twitter. He breaks stories the MSM ignore. Every story you want to read about. He has it with details no one else has, and with video and pictures. Here is his twitter page
Emily Zanotti at Naked DC. It just doesn’t get any funnier. Smart and hilarious. She is @emzanotti on twitter
Noel Sheppard at Newsbusters. Not only does he break stories on media bias, but his analysis is always right on. He does amazing work. You can find him on twitter here.
SmartGirlPolitics. This site is run by many conservative women, including my good buddy who co-founded it, Teri Christophe. This organization is not your Mom’s Republican Women’s Club. Oh no, there are no quaint teas here. It’s gun toting, hard working, sexy confident conservative chicks. They modernized the conservative woman’s movement.
Ben Domench and Brad Jackson of Coffee and Markets. They are pretty well known, I know, but no one does a better more informed podcast with great guests, and you should be listening. On twitter Ben is here. Brad is here.
SooperMexican calls himself a businessman, wise Latino, and cartoonist. He gives his conservative “mexy” take on everything, and he’s just good. Find him on twitter here.
Peter Ingemi at DaTechGuy has to be the hardworking guy in New Media. Every event I go to I see him in the corner working away, and when the rest of us are partying at a bar, there he is again in the corner working hard. The hard work pays off with great content.
Jimmie Bise Jr at The Sundries Shack. His writings are great, but his podcasts just cover everything with great people in new media, and it’s always entertaining. @jimmiebjr
Thomas LaDuke, Fingers Malloy, and all the people who broadcast on FTR Radio. They are at every convention, every conservative event, everywhere anything good is going on. It’s amazing radio.
Jim Geraghty at National Review. Yes, Jim is a distinguished well known writer at National Review, but he is truly involved in new Media, and his “Morning Jolt” is an absolute must to get sent to your inbox each morning. He is also hilarious. Even though is a star, he is still underreated. You must follow him on twitter. @jimgeraghty
Michelle Malkin. Yes, she is already a conservative star, but she is underrated by not having her own show on a network or cable news. No one works harder. No one has done more for New Media than this woman. She was a pioneer with her own blog and her HotAir blog. She showed us all how to do it. @michellemalkin
Andrew Kaczynski at Buzzfeed. Andrew kept this list from being “conservative people in New Media.” He’s not conservative, he is just about the best new media guy out there. He makes Buzzfeed funny, and keeps it from being nothing more than the mutant child of Huffington Post and Politico. He researches things no one else does. He is unique and funny, especially on twitter.
You might have noticed that many of these people I have described as funny. I like funny. I think it helps GREATLY in politics. When you can make a great point AND make me laugh, you have my love forever. Being funny is underrated in politics.
So, go enjoy these great people. I know I do. My twitter page can be found here.
]]>In case you haven’t heard, fellow women, we are at war. Barack Obama’s new ad tells us that “it’s a scary time to be a woman.” According to President Obama, we should vote to give him a second term on the sole ground that under a President Mitt Romney, we may not get free birth control. The fact-free nature of these claims aside, it is my hope and confident belief that the American woman of 2012 will stop and think for a moment about how demeaning it is for the President to suggest that a substance available for $9 per month is somehow a stronger indicator of her vote than her economic welfare, her level of opportunity in the job market, and her ability to live out the American Dream.
Let’s take a look at some of the rhetoric from the left:
First off, haven’t we been hearing from the Left for years that Mitt Romney is a terrible, slippery flip-flopper when it comes to abortion? What happened to that? Even accepting the premise that a President Romney would be in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade (something he would need the Supreme Court that upheld Obamacare to accomplish), I’m guessing the majority of American women – certainly the swing voters that will decide this election – find 8.2 percent unemployment and $4/gallon gasoline more ‘extreme’ than a potential president supporting a potential Supreme Court decision.
Now for my personal favorite:
No need to mourn the level of political discourse in this country, given the Lincoln-Douglas-worthy eloquence on display here. American Bridge is a liberal PAC supporting President Obama by…trying to help him lock up that coveted “lesbian mom” vote? No, what is really insidious about this ad is that it comes from the antiquated assumption that all you have to do to get a woman’s attention is mention another woman. Obama’s ad touting the Lilly Ledbetter Act uses the same tactic in its intro, “Son of a single mother. Proud father of two daughters.” It’s tantamount to waving his hands in the air and shouting, “I know women! My mother was a woman!”
In the above American Bridge ad, it’s as if a bunch of (male) copywriters sat in a room and picked the two most “woman-identified” words they could think of and figured it would thus appeal to all women. You know, sisterhood and all that jazz. Someone cue the Chaka Khan.
Okay, you may say, but hasn’t the Right has used ‘war on women’ rhetoric as well? Yes, the RNC released a video using Obama adviser David Axelrod’s own words defending big Obama donor Bill Maher’s reprehensible statements about women, and footage of mainstream journalists reporting on the Obama White House as a “hostile workplace for women.” Republican-aligned Super PAC American Crossroads pointed out that the number of unemployed women has grown by 780,000 and the number of women living below the poverty line by 800,000 since Obama took office. A bit more substance there.
The RNC spot brings us to what is perhaps most troubling about the beating of (male) breasts we are seeing from Obama and the Democrats, which is that for all their Gloria Steinem-esque rhetoric, they come up woefully short when its time to put their money where their collective mouth is. In the Obama White House, female employees earn an average of $10,000 per year less than their male colleagues. Democratic female Senators Patty Murray, Barbara Boxer, and Diane Feinstein – all of whom have been quick to declare their outrage about unequal pay for women – have similar compensation gaps that favor men in their Hill offices.
This rhetoric vs. reality gap begs the question: Does Obama and his ilk almost, in their heart of hearts, want women to be confined to some Gloria Steinem stereotype for the sake of keeping them as single issue voters?
At the very least, given this revelation its hardly surprising that the nearly all-male Obama campaign seems to be getting its information on what women care about from a 1970s Berkley College Women’s Studies textbook. It is patronizing and insulting for the President of the United State to try to stuff every American with two X chromosomes into the same narrow, tiny, virtually nonexistent box.
We’ve won that war. Women are CEOs, entrepreneurs, world leaders, power brokers, and, in 2008, viable and credible presidential and vice-presidential candidates. As a young, professional woman living in 2012 America, I don’t need to burn my bra. What I do need is an economy flourishing, one that lets me capitalize on the educational and professional opportunities available, or one that allows me to provide and care for my family if that is the path I choose. As Obama’s own ad says, “There’s so much to do, we need to attack our problems,” not hear another verse of “I am woman, hear me roar” sung by an all-male chorus.
Amelia Chassé is a Republican communications consultant. She advises candidates, political committees, advocacy organizations, and corporations on new media strategy as at Hynes Communications.
]]>
Celebrates Successful CPAC 2012 as Co-Sponsors of BlogBash in Support of Online Bloggers and Reporters
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. – Hynes Communications today congratulated the firm’s own Emily Zanotti, whose blog, “Naked DC,” was awarded Best New Blog of 2011 by CPAC and TheTeaParty.net.
“Hynes is proud to honor Emily for winning Best New Blog at CPAC,” said Patrick Hynes. “As co-sponsors of BlogBash, Hynes Communications was proud to represent a host of clients at CPAC, and to support the blogging community.”
The CPAC award rounded out a successful presence by Hynes Communications at last week’s CPAC, 2012. The firm hosted hundreds of bloggers at key events throughout the three-day event, serving as co-sponsors of this year’s BlogBash, and managing the co-sponsorship of CPAC by Hynes client American Crossroads.
During CPAC, Hynes coordinated a cocktail reception for American Crossroads. Over 100 bloggers and reporters attended the event, where Crossroads President & CEO Steven Law and Chairman Mike Duncan discussed the organization’s 2012 agenda. Hynes also assisted with management of American Crossroads’ CPAC co-sponsorship throughout the three-day conference.
Hynes Communications also served as a co-sponsor of BlogBash, a yearly event for CPAC bloggers and new media professionals, which each year celebrates the hard-working members of the conservative media who promote limited government and conservative principles.
About Hynes Communications
Hynes Communications is the nation’s premier agency focused on new media and online communications strategy for public affairs clients. Founded by Patrick Hynes and Paul Young in 2006, the Hynes team comprises the brightest minds and most successful operatives working in this space. Hynes serves a diverse group of clients ranging from candidates for national public office to major trade associations and corporations facing significant legislative and regulatory issues. Hynes offers a focused, aggressive approach to new media strategy, the foundation of which comes from our extensive experience, creativity and passion.
For more information visit www.HynesCommunications.com.
How to stop rival surrogates from disrupting your campaign events, causing a scene, and stealing the spotlight.
There’s nothing more annoying than hecklers or protestors disrupting a campaign event except, maybe, when those hecklers are high-profile surrogates for your opponent. It was a strategy Mitt Romney recently deployed in Florida, dispatching big-name backers – including Reps. Connie Mack (Fla.), Mary Bono Mack (Ca.) and Jason Chaffetz (Utah) – to attend rival Newt Gingrich’s campaign events.
Even Sen. John McCain and former Sen. George LeMieux (Fla.) considered the Romney camp’s antics bad form, but the crashers successfully forced the Gingrich campaign off message and garnered massive media attention. Down-ballot candidates took note, and the crashing tactic is sure to be imitated later this cycle.
Going forward, your campaign is better off figuring out how to mitigate your opponent’s tactics than whining about the unfairness of it all. Here are some rules to live by when confronting campaign crashers:
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I previously discussed the importance of a strong advance operation for any campaign, whether it be paid staff or a volunteer force. It’s situations like this that make advance crucial. A key task of your advance team should be to note any VIPs — friend and foe — in attendance and communicate that information back to the traveling staff. More often than not this simply allows your candidate to give some local dignitary or other a shout out, but in the case of a rival’s surrogate in attendance, being forewarned allows you to prep your candidate, arm your press secretary with relevant talking points and formulate a plan to neutralize the opposition and prevent disruption of the event.
A crasher should be able to surprise your campaign exactly once. If your campaign is being routinely caught off guard by opponents’ surrogates—as the Gingrich team was—the first thing to do is tighten your advance operation.
Know thy enemy. Knowledge is power, and you can be sure that any campaign crasher will be well armed with talking points to use against your candidate and will target reporters attending the event. It’s essential that your campaign, particularly anyone talking to the press, have opposition research at his or her fingertips to be deployed in the event of a confrontation. Arm your press secretary with one-pagers to distribute to assembled reporters that debunk your opponents’ claims and highlight your candidate’s competitive advantages.
Keep your eye on the ball. Your campaign’s public events have two target audiences: undecided voters and the press. With rare exceptions, no one else matters—to focus firepower elsewhere is wasted time and effort. When your campaign is facing a challenging situation like this one, your field team should focus solely on ensuring assembled voters have a positive interaction with your candidate, and your press team should move to corral reporters and avoid process talk. Reporters rarely write about issues when they can write a juicy process story instead.
Case in point: the Gingrich campaign won nothing but an embarrassing news cycle when a campaign spokesman engaged directly with one of the Romney crashers, providing a sort of spectator sport for reporters. The media coverage focused wholly on the confrontation rather than on either campaign’s message.
Keep calm and carry on. The worst possible outcome for your campaign is for your candidate to directly engage with the crashers in any way. As a rule, the only person your candidate should ever confront in an adversarial way is a fellow candidate. You can be assured that the crashers will be taking video, and they’d love nothing more than some footage of your candidate getting down and dirty.
Now, if your boss is the famously bombastic Newt, you many not have a choice. But most of us aren’t shepherding presidential contenders and American political icons, and thus should be able to school candidates to keep their cool, do their best to ignore any disruption, and if the situation becomes un-ignorable, be friendly and treat the crasher as just another attendee, and then get on with the program.
Frame it your way. The Romney run-ins were endlessly dissected in the media, and the armchair quarterbacking occupied the punditry for days. So you can be sure that your campaign will get its chance to respond in the press, which you can use to your advantage. The proper response depends on the identity of the crasher and the campaign that sent them. The most effective of the Gingrich camp’s varied responses were those that scoffed at the desperation of a supposed frontrunner sending polo shirt-clad members of Congress to stir up trouble at suburban rallies.
Unfortunately, the famously inconsistent Gingrich campaign undercut that message when their own surrogate subsequently crashed a Romney event, but that’s another story. The takeaway remains that if the crashers represent a true rival, then the spin is that the campaign must be in trouble to be trying Hail Mary tactics.
If, as more often is the case, the invaders are representing a lesser-known candidate trying to punch his or her way up, get some valuable earned media, and spook your candidate, then its time to be gracious and take the line that you welcome so-and-so to the conversation, you look forward to seeing him or her on the campaign trail, and you hope you can proceed with civility and respect.
When rival campaigns use asymmetrical tactics like sending in high-profile crashers, it’s easy to feel outraged and want to go to war, and that’s exactly what your opponent wants you to do. Instead, keep your cool, run a tight ship and stay focused on what matters. Like a schoolyard bully, they will quickly lose interest when they fail to get a rise out of your team.
Amelia Chassé is an account director at Hynes Communications, where she advises political campaigns, corporations and advocacy organizations on new media strategy. A veteran of campaigns at the state, local and presidential levels, she currently resides in New Hampshire.
Newt Gingrich is trying to leverage Twitter in his fight to overtake Mitt Romney.
Twitter was a novelty in 2008 but it has grown into a force that drives the national debate and shapes the way reporters and campaign media operatives do their jobs. The micro-blogging site now has 100 million active users, according to the New York Times.
So how are the campaigns of Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich trying to take advantage of the pithy publishing platform? Their styles are decidedly different. In many ways, the Gingrich camp is the more advanced user. Through Twitter, the campaign has reached out to supporters, tweeted more often than Romney, interacted with other users and made it easier for users to post Gingrich’s content.
Gingrich has always been an underdog and Twitter, with its grassroots feel and insurgent-friendly atmosphere, may be friendlier to him than it is to Romney.
But Romney’s campaign has decided to use Twitter in a less vocal, more strategic way. By encouraging supporters to follow certain handles during debates the Romney team may hope that its supporters will create buzz on Twitter for them while the campaign keeps an eye on what reporters are saying to prevent any bad press.
Here’s a closer look at their differing strategies:
Romney (Approx. 300,000 followers) Romney enjoys playing the role of cool, collected frontrunner, and his Twitter handle reflects it. He’s tweeted an average of twice a day since the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary, a relatively tame amount. By comparison, Gingrich has tweeted twice as much in the same time period.
Moreover, Romney’s tweets are bland, like this one from Jan. 31: “Today is the FL Primary. As we’ve seen so far, every single vote counts.” They contain the measured message that we’ve come to expect from his hyper-organized campaign.
It might seem that Romney is not taking aggressive enough advantage of Twitter. But social media usage is only as good as the reasoning behind it—Romney doesn’t have to be a star on Twitter. The conversation on the ground is—for now—moving his way.
The Romney camp has, however, taken advantage of Twitter in two key respects. First, Romney’s team has actually used Twitter to listen more than talk. Romney staffers regularly keep tabs on what reporters tweet out after Romney events in order to predict what will be written and try to suppress or counter a bad story before it surfaces, according to the Times.
Secondly, Romney’s campaign handle is catering to active (and probably loud) Twitter users who already support him. By repeatedly urging his supporters to follow Romney staffers and surrogates during debate nights (Andrea Saul, Gail Gitcho, etc.), Romney’s campaign is trying to capitalize on Twitter buzz, disseminate their message, and make sure the candidate wins the debate on Twitter before it’s over on stage.
The campaign has also created some clever hashtags (most recently #GrandioseNewt) to encourage supporters to mock the former speaker’s more far-fetched ideas.
Gingrich (Approx. 1.4 million followers) The Gingrich camp has followed a different path. Gingrich’s own handle tweets twice as often as Romney’s, and is more adept at tagging other prominent handles (Hermain Cain and Sarah Palin, most recently). Fred Thompson even got a retweet from @NewtGingrich after his endorsement.
Tagging and retweets are basic, fun Twitter features that Romney’s campaign has failed to capitalize on.
Gingrich’s campaign also has been far more interactive with other Twitter users than Romney’s has through its second handle, @Newt2012HQ, based in Atlanta. It almost seems the sole purpose of the handle is to find vocal supporters on Twitter throughout the day and tweet at them a thank you for support. The value of this cannot be emphasized enough—everyone knows a visit from the candidate can energize and gratify tired phone-banking volunteers. The Gingrich campaign appears to be attempting to carry that strategy into the social media realm.
The Gingrich campaign has also tried to capitalize on energized Twitter supporters by signing them up as “social influencers,” automatically disseminating information and positive stories to users who can then post it to their Twitter (or Facebook) accounts with a simple click.
Andrew Clark is an account director for Hynes Communications, where he works with political campaigns, corporations and advocacy groups on new media messaging. He previously worked on the McCain 2008 presidential campaign.
Based in Boston, Alcivar will lead the agency’s Public Affairs department. In addition to developing and evaluating top-line strategy for meeting client deliverables, Alcivar will assume responsibility for online communications staff management and recruitment, and play a key role in the performance and profitability of the agency. Alcivar has been running national and statewide communications campaigns for more than ten years, most recently he served as Communications Director for Bill Brady’s gubernatorial campaign in Illinois, and consultant to the Republican Governors Association. In 2004’s successful re-election of President George W. Bush, Alcivar served the Republican National Committee as Press Secretary for the Republican National Convention in New York City, and later as Field Director in Miami, Florida. Alcivar began his career with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, first as Deputy Press Secretary to the Mayor, then as Director of Press Operations at the New York City Police Department. He subsequently served as a Manager of Public Affairs for Burson-Marsteller.
Clark is a social media specialist who will help Hynes clients assess the virtual landscape, reach target audiences online, and utilize rapid response strategies to help clients drive messages. A native of Southern California, Clark is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in media and public affairs at the George Washington University, where he also achieved his undergraduate degrees in political communication and public policy. Prior to accepting his role at Hynes, Clark previously worked at CRAFT | Media/Digital, Engage, and served in the John McCain 2008 presidential campaign war room. Writing as a conservative columnist for the G.W. Hatchet throughout his college tenure, he also has contributed pieces to Campaigns & Elections, Politics Daily, and The Daily Caller.
A veteran of political campaigns at the state and national levels, Chasse began working for Hynes during the summer of 2010 as an account executive serving clients across multiple industries and working collaboratively with the Hynes team in all phases of account management. Her ability to communicate with senior level clients and advanced-level writing skills and new media relations, earned her a promotion to Senior Account Director. In her new role she will be responsible for uncovering new media outlets and placement opportunities for Hynes clients and continually aid in improving the firm’s research, analysis, and reporting. Chasse is based at Hynes headquarter offices in New Hampshire.
About Hynes Communications
Hynes Communications is the nation’s premier agency focused on new media and online communications strategy for public affairs clients. Founded by Patrick Hynes and Paul Young in 2006, the Hynes team comprises the brightest minds and most successful operatives working in this space. Hynes serves a diverse group of clients ranging from candidates for national public office to major trade associations and corporations facing significant legislative and regulatory issues. Hynes offers a focused, aggressive approach to new media strategy, the foundation of which comes from our extensive experience, creativity and passion.
According to Business NH Magazine, these are the top five common mistakes made by young professionals:
1. Poor Communication Skills
Some young professionals lack proper verbal writing and presentation skills which influence how they are perceived. Particularly in the public relations industry, poor writing can make or break your career.
Good rule of thumb: Always spell check a document, email, letter, or presentation or ask a peer to review. If in doubt about your writing abilities, explore taking certificate courses or one day seminars to shore up these skills—on your own dime, don’t expect the company to pay for it—if you’ve graduated from college with any kind of degree, this skill is assumed.
2. Impatience and Entitlement
Today’s young professional is highly adept at multi-tasking at a high rate of speed. For years they have handled phone, email, text, IM, surfing the web and holding a conversation—all at once. However, in the work place this can come across as scattered and unfocused. Consider these pitfalls:
• Don’t talk over others if the pace is not up to your speed.
• Don’t show disregard for others
• Don’t believe you know everything
• Don’t speak in a manner that can be disrespectful or disregarding
Yes, these all sound obvious, but like it or not, nobody should be calling anyone “dude” in the work place.
3. Distracted by Social Media
Young professionals, particularly in the PR and Marketing industry where social media tactics and tools are employed daily by clients and peers for the greater good of the company and/or marketing campaign, have grown up with a different mode of communication—email-texting-Tweeting-Facebook—but this style does not always translate well in the business world.
Common employer complaints include cruising Facebook or Twitter and or receiving personal texts during the work day. Advice for young professionals: turn off your cell phone during meetings and adhere to company policies and culture regarding social networking.
4. Dressing Inappropriately
Yes, professional dress has evolved during the years, but young professionals need to see themselves through the client’s eyes. Common issues include showing too much skin, or clothes that are wrinkled and worn, too tight or see through.
Don’t for a second think that business casual means cargo shorts and flip flops—after all, your appearance is a representation of the company and its values.
5. Lack of Business Etiquette
Among all else, young professionals must remember that basic politeness and manners go a long way.
• Don’t share too much personal information or use inappropriate slang
• Watch table manners and alcohol consumption
• Consider lunch time subjects—avoid the taboo topics like politics and religion
In closing, as a young professional navigating his/he career finding a mentor can help you find your way and to set you on the right path early in your career. Having somebody you can trust, give you honest feedback, and understand you will undoubtedly have life-long positive impact.
]]>Your public relations or communications internship may be the first time you’ve worked in a professional setting. The rules are different among firms, so you must figure out the appropriate code of conduct—from dress, to culture, to formal company policies and reporting.
Public relations, advertising, and marketing, is all about perception. What you wear determines how others see you and help others determine how you see yourself. And believe it or not, your attire will help determine your career success.
93 percent *of public relations managers polled said a person’s style of dress at work influences his or her chances of earning a promotion; among them, 33 percent said on-the-job attire “significantly” affects an employee’s advancement prospects.
This is important for public relations or communications interns hoping to move into a full time job with the internship provider.
There are three levels of business attire: Traditional Business Attire; Business Formal; and Business Casual. First and foremost, ask what the dress expectation is and then look to your mentors and supervisors to set the standard.
A good guideline: follow what your peers wear. Never be the least casual dresser and always dress better at the beginning of your internship until you get an idea of the office climate.
Most firms from Boston to Portsmouth NH to Portland Maine have moved to Business Casual.
So what is Business Casual?
The definition varies significantly across companies. The word “business” is still the primary focus. Casual as it relates to apparel merely means “informal”. Being too casual in business can sabotage your career.
While ties are usually not required for men, the range for business casual includes suits worn with dressy sport shirts or dressy collared sport shirts that do not require a tie to khakis, chinos, and knit golf shirts. To command respect, wear all-leather belts and shoes; sandals and sneakers do meet a true business casual standard. It.
Business casual is harder to define for women–tailored separates, such as skirts, slacks, blouses, sweaters, sweater sets, and jackets. A complete accessorized look is encouraged, including closed-toe/closed heel shoes or slingbacks to maximize the businesslike aspect.
Other considerations:
• Think comfort. While you want to look professional, those high heels might have you limping by the end of the day.
• Think about the jewelry you wear –both traditional and non-traditional (body piercings, etc.).
• Tattoos should also be covered up whenever possible.
• Keep in mind hair styles and facial hair in the work place.
So when you start your internship this month, be sure to inquire—please comment below with tips to encourage our readers and interns on how to dress for success!
National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2007
]]>Originally published in Campaigns & Elections magazine on December 12, 2011.
It was during an address to a joint session of Congress that a relatively unknown South Carolina congressman became a household name overnight by calling President Obama a liar.
After Rep. Joe Wilson pointed at the president and audibly shouted, “You lie!” in response to an Obama claim that his healthcare proposal would not cover illegal immigrants, the South Carolina Republican was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. The moment galvanized politicians, pundits, and voters—both pro- and anti-Wilson.
As congressional leaders condemned Wilson’s outburst and pleaded civility, a viral movement swept across the online community mirroring the Tea Party dynamic that would govern the 2010 midterm elections. Both Wilson and his Democratic opponent raised millions of dollars online in a matter of weeks for a congressional race that wasn’t on anyone’s radar screen before Wilson’s outburst.
Leaving ideology aside for a moment, what’s a campaign to do when faced with its own “You lie” moment? In an age when the most nimble and responsive campaigns are often the ones that win online, it’s not a bad idea to give a game plan some serious thought.
Start by realizing that events of this nature are extremely time-sensitive and the narrative surrounding them can quickly become muddled. It’s crucial that your campaign leverage the Internet and social media to fundraise, garner positive earned media, recruit new supporters and rally your base—quickly and efficiently.
A few dos and don’ts when it comes to converting controversy into cache online:
DO Strike While the Iron is Hot—and Keep Striking. The very moment your campaign has its own “You lie” moment, the clock starts running on how long you’ve got to make effective use of it. Within days, if not hours, it will have been analyzed to death on cable news and you’ll have lost your ability to get your message out. In the case of Wilson’s big-money moment, his team knew they had to work quickly and were able to bring in over $1 million from conservatives online in the hours immediately following “You lie.”
In late 2010, liberal lion Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) took to the Senate floor to filibuster the extension of Bush-era tax cuts. He stayed there for more than nine hours. The “Bernie-buster” was a surefire earned media goldmine and his staff immediately took to Twitter to create a social media sensation. Within hours, as Sanders still held the floor, he had acquired over 4,000 new Twitter followers and became the top-trending Twitter topic for most of the day. Team Sanders used outgoing tweets from the senator’s official account to define the message, creating a drumbeat that was quickly echoed by liberal groups like MoveOn.org.
DO Money Bomb. Money bombs are an online fundraising tool that became part of the campaign lexicon during the 2010 midterms, when candidates pulled in Tea Party-fueled millions via online donations from all over the country. The number one item you need for a successful money bomb is a specific, galvanizing message or event, which you’ve got. Now you need to turn it into a catchy fundraising email to blast to any and all campaign lists. The Sanders campaign, for example, could have emailed supporters repeatedly during the “Bernie-buster” and asked them to donate $1 for each hour he remained on the Senate floor. Small asks are key and most will give more.
DO Solicit Voter Responses. This will likely be a love-it-or-hate-it moment in terms of how voters feel about your candidate. You won’t convert anyone who was turned off by the remark, so your time is much better spent activating those who thought it was right on. Social media is key here. Develop a dedicated Twitter hashtag and special Facebook badge to allow supporters and surrogates to spread the word, encouraging like-minded folks to repost or retweet. Be sure to harvest the new supporters you’ve recruited.
DO Be Open to Criticism. In a situation like this, is it better to open up your campaign’s social media platforms for comments—both positive and negative—or should you closely monitor and police feedback? We think it’s important that you are, or at least appear to be, open to criticism. This doesn’t mean that you need to accept or placate your opponent’s point of view, but actively stifling negative feedback merely gives your opponents another talking point and creates a process story.
That being said, if your candidate’s comments have really fired up the opposition, things can get ugly. If detractors are making extreme accusations against your candidate, you should delete selected comments that truly cross the line. Allegations of racism or use of profanity would fall into that category. Just be prepared to defend it on the grounds that you’re committed to maintaining a Facebook page appropriate for viewers of all ages.
DON’T Engage Opponents. In the wake of any moment that generates significant controversy, comments and tweets directed at your candidate will often be unfair and he or she will likely be chomping at the bit to respond. Resist the temptation to engage directly with individual opponents via social media; it is a no-win situation for you. If there are serious allegations being made that the campaign decides must be addressed, do so via a press release or cable news interview which you can push out via YouTube and encourage supporters to post and tweet.
John F. Kennedy famously pointed out, “When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.” Many would view a moment like Wilson’s as a crisis to be avoided; but if your campaign reacts quickly, intelligently, and maintains message discipline, you can turn a potential crisis into an advantage.
Patrick Hynes is the founder and president of Hynes Communications, a global agency focused on new media and online communications for public affairs clients. Amelia Chasse serves as an account director at the firm.
]]>