by Alex Patton | Jan 27, 2012 | Ozean Media
The Institute of Gainesville, a local non-partisan think-tank, has announced Alex Patton as the key note speaker at their one day conference entitled “Challenges for Florida in the 21st Century: Energy, Education, & Growth”.
The conference will be held Feb 10th and the one-day conference will include scholarly presentations, discussions with invited speakers and Q&A with the public. It will include 3 concurrent sessions on Energy, Education, and Growth.
Following the conference, the members of the Institute, will write several policy, position and white papers using the information from the conference in combination with additional research.
“I am extremely excited and humbled to be joining such an esteemed roster of participants such as Darin Cook of Infinite Energy, Dr. Larry Smith, John Delany President of UNF, Marin Smillov from Santa Fe College and additional experts from The University of Florida, national think tanks and the private sector,” said Alex Patton.
View the : Institute Conference sponsorship official flyer
For additional information about the Institute.
by Alex Patton | Jan 23, 2012 | Political Media
A new, national poll of 1,179 registered U.S. voters, tells us that web video creators have a new time frame they must take into consideration.
The winner for pre-roll video ads?
:15 seconds
Poll Findings
Of those polled, 54% felt that 15 seconds was acceptable, and 12% went as high as 30 seconds. But the numbers climb even higher, when you exclude the 27% who had no opinion. Of those who do have an opinion—
- 73% find 15 seconds acceptable;
- 5% find 30 seconds acceptable.
Please follow this link, if you would like to learn more about the video pre-roll findings.
You follow this link, register and read the entire poll “Time to view Online Ads?”
by Alex Patton | Jan 17, 2012 | Political Consulting
This will be a series of blog posts that will explore simple How to steps for political campaigns.
It will not be overly comprehensive or detailed, but it will take discuss the major steps that a potential candidate will need to go through.
How to plan a political campaign
Step 1. Make the decision to explore
We wrote an earlier blog post entitled ‘first time candidate checklist‘. While we wrote it specifically for the first time candidate, we still think the process has merit.
You need to take inventory of your life before you make this decision, and you need to discuss it with any and all significant others in your life. The time on the campaign trail can be lonely and without your support group, it can be miserable.
Step 2. Political Research
How does the district you are considering running in perform? Look at the past 3 elections cycles.
Start to rough out a budget. Can you raise enough resources to compete and win? On of the bigger mistakes we see, is a candidate basis their campaign budget on what the candidate before them spent – normally a losing campaign. If you don’t know how much things cost, call a political consultant for some rough pricing. If you can’t find a consultant, contact us.
What are the campaign finance rules governing your election? Florida’s Campaign Finance Laws (note please check all jurisdictions that are applicable to your potential election – federal, state, county, and local laws)
Is there an incumbent? Can you make a case of why the incumbent should be fired and you hired? (HINT: If not, reconsider)
Take inventory of the current political climate? If you have the resources consider a poll (please, check first with your campaign laws).
What other campaigns will be happening at the same time that will shape the climate?
What are the important dates of the election(s) , qualifying deadlines, financial reports, etc. Do these cause you any headaches?
Any special considerations? For example, is there a resign to run law in your jurisdiction?
Step 3. Make the decision to run or NOT run
Once you have completed your research, starting roughing out a written campaign plan.
- RESEARCH
- CLIMATE OVERVIEW
- CALENDAR
- FINANCIAL BUDGET
- PEOPLE BUDGET
Then read it, step back, and go for a walk. At this time, you may decide you have higher priorities then serving the public.
At this time, you may just decide that this is not the right time for you.
That is okay at this point. True, you are going to be out the time you invested; however, you haven’t accepted contributions or invested money.
NOTE: Please, don’t skip these steps.
Even if your uncle is a Congressman and will personally take you to meet your party’s congressional campaign committee, you will still need to be able to discuss a rough plan of how you can win the district.
You don’t want to be the candidate that just shows up or starts calling people saying “I’m running for office” (please don’t be that person!)
When to talk to a political consultant?
We do get asked this all the time. When do I bring in a political consultant? We personally like to be involved sooner than later, but we also love it when a candidate approaches us with at least a minimum understanding of the potential undertaking. That is when we know it is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
Next Steps to plan a campaign
If you decide to move one with planning a political campaign, congratulations, it is time for the next steps.
by Alex Patton | Jan 12, 2012 | Ozean Media
Ozean Consulting was notified today the Todd Chase for Gainesville City Commission direct mail campaign was named a finalist for the 2012 Reed Award.
“Ozean is excited to be recognized for the Todd Chase direct mail campaign. It was exciting enough to play a small role in the defeat of a popular, Democratic incumbent in the Democratic stronghold of Gainesville, FL by 9%, but to have the work recognized nattionaly is thrilling,” said Alex Patton, owner of Ozean Consulting.
January 12, 2012 – Arlington, VA – Today, Campaigns & Elections announced the finalists of the fourth annual Reed Awards.
The finalists represent the top talent in the political consulting business in the fields of Direct Mail, Online Advertising, Newspaper Advertising, Phones, Political Technology, Signage and Collateral Material, Radio and Television.
Winners will be awarded for their 2011 campaign work at The Reed Awards Dinner on February 3, 2012 in Washington, DC:
Republican County, Local or Judicial
Weed, Chris Russell Consulting
Battaglia – Unemployment, Cold Spark Media
Mountains and Molehills, Majority Designs
Todd Chase for Gainesville, Ozean Consulting
Sherriff, Powers Communications Inc.
Money Tree Fairy Tale, UPT Strategies
by Alex Patton | Jan 11, 2012 | Political Media
As many candidates on our roster can attest, I have a serious aversion to campaign signs. In fact, I dislike them.
I feel like they simply do no work, if you define work as “increasing vote totals” or “persuading undecided voters”. If they did work, Ron Paul would be ruler of the free earth by now.
On the whole, we would prefer to put the resources: money, time,& campaign energy into communications that persuade voters NOT into passive communication with the intent of only raising name ID.
Why Yard Signs don’t work
I dislike them for many reasons,
- I don’t think they work, as defined as increasing vote totals.
- They are a distraction for many candidates especially first time candidates. Instead of doing the critical things a candidate should do, they do the easy and busy thing of working on signs. They are working hard, just on the wrong things.
- Signs are not a persuasive type of communication, they exist to raise name id.
- Signs may end up wasted outside of the district because the campaign doesn’t want to offend.
- Sign programs are generally started early and due to weather, vandalism, theft, etc will need to be replaced.
- I reject the notion that signs make volunteers feel like part of the campaign. They can, but the campaign needs to not do the easiest thing instead asking them to do something effective – write a facebook status update on WHY they support you, send a post card to their friends, etc.
- One final note, I can not tell you how many campaigns that I have been a part of that on the day after the election, we are cleaning out a candidates garage of hundreds of campaign signs that never were distributed.
Research on Campaign Signs
Don’t believe me? Here is some research on campaign signs.
Alternative to Campaign Signs
I can hear it now, “So, if you don’t like signs, what is the answer? ”
Here is what I would like to see my candidates do instead:
I would prefer my candidates focus like a laser on their critical tasks in a campaign. With the proper resources, Ozean Consulting can dwarf any increase in name ID by signs with persuasive communications.
If our clients insist on yards signs, fine. The campaign is responsible for recruiting a sign person. The rule is the candidate focuses on their tasks and never touches a sign. The sign persons responsibilities are sign assembly, sign distribution, sign location acquisition, and sign maintenance. Candidate gets a sign request, they give it to the sign person. Done.
Is their any role for campaign signs?
If the campaign insists on a sign program, I would prefer they be of the larger signs located on major rural thorough fares.
If the campaign insists on doing a sign program, take a note from the Obama campaign and charge a small amount and report that amount as a contribution.
If the campaign insists on doing a sign program, recruit a sign person.
Campaign Sign Summary
from Slate:
Signs do not necessarily translate into votes. But just because some people are the expressive kind doesn’t mean they’re always in a mood to express themselves.
So if signs to not translate into votes, why do campaigns insist on doing them? Please put the money, the time, the campaign people skills into things that matter, things that translate into votes.
