Tuesday had started as any other day, but quickly turned 180 degrees for senior Jim Post.
“I had turned on the TV to get that day’s weather forecast and caught an ad from Obama discussing health care,” said Post.
If television weren’t enough, Post remembers checking his answering machine only to find a message asking for support for Senator John McCain.
“They got me on the Internet too. Even while looking at fishing gear online I was bombarded with pop-ups for the 2008 candidates.”
Think it is a coincidence that political ads reach all demographic groups? It is not, and young voters have been the bull’s-eye this election season.
“There is a push for electoral ads to target youths because they are more socially involved than the youth from generations ago,” said Doug Martin, owner of Turtle Boy Productions advertising agency in Forty Fort. Martin said advertising agencies use specific strategies to design ads that reach young people.
“Youth advertising must be eye catching and must be concise and to the point. The youth of today want the facts immediately,” said Martin.
The presidential campaigns have spent big bucks to deliver them, too. According to CNN.com, between January 2007 and October 2008, the McCain and Obama campaigns spent more than $359 million. Barack Obama was the leader, spending $242 million to McCain’s $117 million.
Then there was the Obama campaign’s history-making, primetime special. Obama spent more than $2 million to air a half-hour special on NBC, CBS and FOX television on October 29. This was the first national network television special dedicated to a candidate.
“His (Obama) face was all I saw on network TV,” said Post.
The percentages do not lie, according to Michael Bush of Adage.com. Bush says an Adage survey in July revealed that 64 percent of people age 18 to35 rely on digital communications for election news. The survey also concluded that 76 percent prefer online sources rather than traditional news outlets.
So this election season campaign officials asked and answered the obvious: If young voters spend more time online researching the news or election, why not throw them an ad – or ten? “I had turned on the TV to get that day’s weather forecast and caught an ad from Obama discussing health care,” said Post.
If television weren’t enough, Post remembers checking his answering machine only to find a message asking for support for Senator John McCain.
“They got me on the Internet too. Even while looking at fishing gear online I was bombarded with pop-ups for the 2008 candidates.”
Think it is a coincidence that political ads reach all demographic groups? It is not, and young voters have been the bull’s-eye this election season.
“There is a push for electoral ads to target youths because they are more socially involved than the youth from generations ago,” said Doug Martin, owner of Turtle Boy Productions advertising agency in Forty Fort. Martin said advertising agencies use specific strategies to design ads that reach young people.
“Youth advertising must be eye catching and must be concise and to the point. The youth of today want the facts immediately,” said Martin.
The presidential campaigns have spent big bucks to deliver them, too. According to CNN.com, between January 2007 and October 2008, the McCain and Obama campaigns spent more than $359 million. Barack Obama was the leader, spending $242 million to McCain’s $117 million.
Then there was the Obama campaign’s history-making, primetime special. Obama spent more than $2 million to air a half-hour special on NBC, CBS and FOX television on October 29. This was the first national network television special dedicated to a candidate.
“His (Obama) face was all I saw on network TV,” said Post.
The percentages do not lie, according to Michael Bush of Adage.com. Bush says an Adage survey in July revealed that 64 percent of people age 18 to35 rely on digital communications for election news. The survey also concluded that 76 percent prefer online sources rather than traditional news outlets.
So this election season campaign officials asked and answered the obvious: If young voters spend more time online researching the news or election, why not throw them an ad – or ten?
Advertisements Target the Youth of America
Published: Saturday, November 1, 2008
Updated: Sunday, November 2, 2008 19:11
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