Special Categories

Bronstein & Weaver, Inc. – The Thrilla' in Phila'   

In order to win back his seat in the Pennsylvania House, Tony Payton Jr. had to overcome opposition unusual for an incumbent: his own party's political machine. Philadelphia ward leaders voted to back challenger Guy Lewis instead of the first-term representative. Why? The Philadelphia Daily News speculated the move was "payback" for Payton's defeat of a ward-backed candidate two years earlier.

"If Tony was going to run against the machine, we needed to put it in terms that everyone was going to get," explain this ad's creators in their award application. "Who better to represent fighting the establishment than Muhammad Ali? And who better to hammer home this point to Philadelphians than their favorite reformer Ed Rendell?"

Squier Knapp Dunn Communications – DSCC Television Ads    

During the primaries, incumbent senator Elizabeth Dole led over her potential Demcratic rivals by double digits. But Squier Knapp Dunn found that North Carolina voters, despite their favorable impression of the senator, had little sense of what she had accomplished. This ad, produced for the DSCC, paints Dole as ineffective and out-of-touch after 40 years in Washington. Washington Post political blogger Chris Cillizza called it "the single most effective ad run in any Senate race in the country." And Democrat Kay Hagan won the race by 9 points, the largest margin for a North Carolina senator in 30 years.


 

Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates/Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm – Leaking Votes from Both Ends

In an October poll, incumbent Democrat Don Cazayoux was showing a strong coalition of voters in Louisiana's 6th Congressional District. On top of the support of two-thirds of Obama voters, he was supported by more than a quarter of McCain voters in a district that favored the Republican. The challenge for Bill Cassidy then was to leak votes from both ends: push Obama voters to the third party spoiler, Michael Jackson, and pull in more McCain supporters. Pollsters Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates laid out a strategy that elevated Jackson to Cazayoux's level and showed Cassidy as the only supporter of McCain, and collaborated with the team at Stevens, Reed, Curcio & Potholm, who made this ad--leading to a Cassidy win by an 8-point margin.

 

The Stonecreek Group – The 5 Governors Event    

Proposition 5 was a statewide initiative with the favorable title of the Non-Violent Offender Rehabilitation Act (NORA) which appeared on California’s ballot this November and sought to spend between $500 million to $1 billion annually on controversial diversion and treatment programs which would have enabled tens of thousands of criminal offenders to potentially escape jail time in favor of treatment programs. Initial polling for the No on Proposition 5 campaign showed the measure passing by the landslide 44-point margin. Despite a limited campaign budget and press coverage, the measure was defeated by a 19-point margin. Expecting an electorate more diverse, young and liberal than usual, the No on 5 campaign sought to demonstrate bipartisan opposition to the measure--that it wasn't only opposed by consevative Republicans. A dramatic press conference featuring the five living current and former Governors of California was held the Thursday before the election, earning extensive media coverage.

Best GOTV Plan & Execution

Bus Project – Trick or Vote    

Amid a presidential campaign marred by hostility and negative attack ads, Trick or Vote's costumed volunteers put a positive political twist on Halloween—knocking on doors for democracy instead of candy. While ghouls and goblins roamed the streets, volunteers in 50 cities distributed voter guides and reminded voters to go to the polls in what was the nation’s largest non-partisan get-out-the-vote canvas--in costume. Launched in 2004, Trick or Vote went nationwide this year and provides a Trick-or-Vote Wiki to allow other organizations to replicate the program.


 

Best Public Affairs Initiative Campaign of 2008
DAVIES – Napa Pipe – Get Out the Vote      

A highly contested no-growth ballot measure in Napa County, California hinged on get out the vote efforts. Held in a June election with low turnout expected, supporters of the measure emphasized that the NO campaign was funded by a developer. To inoculate that message, DAVIES used a unique hand writing print technology and sent out personalized postcards from a local resident to each one of our identified supporters three days prior to election day, portraying the NO campaign as a grassroots effort to protect and preserve Napa's agriculture space.

 

Best Use of Targeting Technology
Strategic Telemetry – Obama for America Microtargeting 

The principle goals of the Obama for America microtargeting operation were to:
1)         Identify the best possible persuasion universes in each battleground state
2)         Greatly expand the GOTV universe
3)         Provide tools to help with volunteer recruitment and other organizing tasks in non-battleground states

   

Most Daring (and Successful) Tactic
American Strategies, LLC – Demolition Day    

In 2008, residents of Upper Arlington, Ohio created ballot issue 51, a referendum on the city council’s decision to rezone two pieces of property from residential to office. Early polling suggested opposition to the measure that would hinder the client’s ability to bring economic development to the city. One group of referendum opponents who felt the houses were a good use of the land and therefore were against rezoning them, was targeted through a risky endeavor. The two homes, valued at just under a half million dollars, were completely demolished. With the plots cleared, people had no reason to hold onto their argument, though the owners stood to lose property value and income. Thanks to the gamble, though, the referendum passed.

Best Boss/Mentor
Steve Schwartz