How do I pass along an advertising idea?
March 22, 2010 3:47 PM Subscribe
I have an idea for a political advertisement that I want to pass along to my party. How do I do that? A letter to the chairman of the party? And how do I make sure that I'm credited in some (non-monetary) fashion?
I really think I've got something here, but I don't work in advertising or media or messaging or anything like that. I also want to make sure that, if my idea is utilized, I'm given a credit or something (just SOME acknowledgement of some sort). Is that possible/reasonable? I just feel like a moron here.
I really think I've got something here, but I don't work in advertising or media or messaging or anything like that. I also want to make sure that, if my idea is utilized, I'm given a credit or something (just SOME acknowledgement of some sort). Is that possible/reasonable? I just feel like a moron here.
I also want to make sure that, if my idea is utilized, I'm given a credit or something (just SOME acknowledgement of some sort).
What do you have in mind?
posted by gabrielsamoza at 4:01 PM on March 22, 2010
What do you have in mind?
posted by gabrielsamoza at 4:01 PM on March 22, 2010
Response by poster: @yclipse -- I'm in DC...and this would really be an ad relevant a the national-level.
posted by AlbatrossJones at 4:03 PM on March 22, 2010
posted by AlbatrossJones at 4:03 PM on March 22, 2010
Best answer: I have to be blunt here. The odds of a national political organization using an unsolicited idea from someone with no experience in advertising, political messaging or campaigning are somewhere between never and not in a million years, especially if you are demanding credit for it. I don't want to stomp on your dreams or anything, but let's be realistic...
All hope is not lost, however. You live in an age of cheap digital video cameras, relatively simple movie editing software and YouTube. There is no reason you can't just make a short commercial or movie yourself, upload it to YouTube, ask your Facebook friends to pass it around if they like it, and hope some political blogs pick it up and give you the word of mouth to get your foot in the door.
Either that, or contact the local party as yclipse suggests.
posted by MegoSteve at 4:05 PM on March 22, 2010
All hope is not lost, however. You live in an age of cheap digital video cameras, relatively simple movie editing software and YouTube. There is no reason you can't just make a short commercial or movie yourself, upload it to YouTube, ask your Facebook friends to pass it around if they like it, and hope some political blogs pick it up and give you the word of mouth to get your foot in the door.
Either that, or contact the local party as yclipse suggests.
posted by MegoSteve at 4:05 PM on March 22, 2010
From my experience of working in the the state office of a political party, albeit under a different party structure than those in the US, try to get your idea to the executive decision making body (like yclipse says).
However, don't get your hopes up regarding acknowledgement. It won't be on the ad, most people will never know you came up with the idea, and even the people you gave the idea to will eventually forget. If you're lucky you may get a 'thank-you' somewhere in the long list of volunteers who've helped at some time, but that's about it.
And, I hate to say it, but people often suggested ideas to us and we never used them. The ideas didn't fit in with our broader push, or fit with our polling or focus groups etc. However we did once go with an idea that someone had themselves developed into a campaign. Ideas are really a dime a dozen. If you can show how your idea can be implemented over a range of medium then you may have something.
Flesh out your idea, write the scripts, and produce mock-ups of the video, audio and print/web arms of the campaign. Then request an opportunity to present them to the party. You'll be more likely to get a hearing. And hey, if you're good you may find yourself in a new career!
On preview, what everyone else said.
posted by Kerasia at 4:19 PM on March 22, 2010
However, don't get your hopes up regarding acknowledgement. It won't be on the ad, most people will never know you came up with the idea, and even the people you gave the idea to will eventually forget. If you're lucky you may get a 'thank-you' somewhere in the long list of volunteers who've helped at some time, but that's about it.
And, I hate to say it, but people often suggested ideas to us and we never used them. The ideas didn't fit in with our broader push, or fit with our polling or focus groups etc. However we did once go with an idea that someone had themselves developed into a campaign. Ideas are really a dime a dozen. If you can show how your idea can be implemented over a range of medium then you may have something.
Flesh out your idea, write the scripts, and produce mock-ups of the video, audio and print/web arms of the campaign. Then request an opportunity to present them to the party. You'll be more likely to get a hearing. And hey, if you're good you may find yourself in a new career!
On preview, what everyone else said.
posted by Kerasia at 4:19 PM on March 22, 2010
This is the DIY era. Make your message into an ad, poster, bumper sticker, or whatever, and start putting it out there on social media. If it's any good, it will find a toehold on Twitter or Facebook and spread on its own.
I think, as with common advice about starting companies, there's some overvaluing here of the "idea". Ideas are a dime a dozen, really. It's execution that matters.
Anyway, there are a kajillion people out there selling crappy political meme products. Don't be shy.
posted by dhartung at 10:35 PM on March 22, 2010
I think, as with common advice about starting companies, there's some overvaluing here of the "idea". Ideas are a dime a dozen, really. It's execution that matters.
Anyway, there are a kajillion people out there selling crappy political meme products. Don't be shy.
posted by dhartung at 10:35 PM on March 22, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by yclipse at 3:51 PM on March 22, 2010