Mike Biundo: Introducing John Brabender
It’s hard to believe, but we are now in the fourth edition of our newsletter that features one of the many trusted partners we work with to help our clients achieve victory on Election Day. This week’s edition features someone I know well and had the opportunity to reconnect with in the “Whip Room” at Donald Trump’s RNC nominating convention. The man in black, as I used to call him, John Brabender. John and I worked very closely together on Rick Santorum’s 2012 Presidential Campaign, where John served as Chief Strategist, and I served as Rick’s National Campaign Manager.
John Brabender is the Chief Creative Officer and Managing Partner of BrabenderCox, one of the nation’s premier political, public affairs, and content-creation media firms. He has provided his unique brand of creative political advertising to some of America’s most respected elected officials, including over 100 U.S. House members, U.S. Senators, Governors, and presidential candidates. BrabenderCox serves as the media firm for President Trump’s 2024 campaign.
I am excited to introduce him as a guest feature in our newsletter this week; please read on, and if you’re interested in being in an upcoming newsletter, please contact us. We want to feature as many of our partners as possible, even if their core competency mirrors ours. Our industry only gets better with more shared knowledge and collaboration.
John Brabender: How to Get the Best Work from Your Media Firm
- Start with audience.
Increasingly, the number of voters truly in play is shrinking. Yet most political messages are created for the most engaged, least movable voters. Consider this: only about seven states are in play in the Presidential race, and in those states, about 18% of the voters within these states are undecided.
Before you start working on the message or creative, make sure you understand exactly who you are talking to and make sure your messaging and creative are specifically developed for the people you are targeting.
- Do not let focus groups kill great creative work.
Most respected Media Consultants live in fear of focus groups. Just one person paid a hundred dollars and given some free cookies can swiftly kill what may be an incredibly effective ad. This is even more likely if the candidate is in attendance. Focus groups do have value. Respondents can provide a different context or perspective and often say things in a way that is more authentic. It almost always leads to new creative ideas. But please, don’t use it to play Siskel and Ebert.
- Don’t be boring.
Most political advertising these days is like an uninvited guest at your home. There’s a knock at the door. You look through the peephole, and it’s that pesky neighbor who’s constantly complaining about something. Not home!
Worse, what political advertising lacks in creativity is often made up in volume. This would be like a restaurant trying to flourish by saying they are going to have bad food but serve extra-large portions. Doing great creative is not easy; it’s a constant struggle. It can’t be served up quickly. But when done right, it can win elections.
- Words are the enemy of good creative.
Too often, clients think of advertising as real estate. We are paying for 30 seconds worth of time, and we are going to get our money’s worth! And that usually leads to excessive copy shoehorned to fit. And rarely leads to an effective ad.
If it’s a visual medium, then start with the visuals. And one of the best ways to grab someone’s attention is silence. In one negative ad we created, we had a spokesperson talking directly to camera with huge visuals behind her for only 17 seconds, making just a single point. She then walks off camera, and for the next 10 seconds, there is nothing but the background image sitting on screen. At the very end, the spokesperson walks back on camera and simply asks: “What else would you ever need to know?”
- Listen to them.
A few years ago, there was a huge marketing conference featuring a creative legend from one of the most successful ad agencies in the world. The room was packed to hear his talk, “How to get the very best work from your advertising agency.” After being introduced to thunderous applause, the speaker slowly walked to the microphone, cleared his voice, and said: “Listen to them.” Then promptly left the stage—very good advice.
New Ascent Gives Initiatives
We’ve been fortunate enough to see our company grow over the years. This growth has allowed us to give back and support causes that hold a special place in the hearts of our staff. With that, we proudly announce the second quarter of our Ascent Gives initiative.
This quarter, we are donating to two causes that hold meaning for our team. The first found its way to Mike’s inbox. His friend Devin O’Malley is participating in the 5th Annual Beltway Brawl, a charity boxing event hosted by Haymakers for Hope. The entirety of donations directly benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Devin is documenting his journey through his Instagram, and more information about the event can be found on the Haymakers for Hope event page.
The second cause we’re supporting this quarter comes from myself, actually. The cause I submitted to help is the National Fibromyalgia Association. I live with chronic pain; some days are more complicated than others, but the general public often overlooks invisible illnesses. When you “don’t look sick,” it is harder for others to see your pain as tangible. Fibromyalgia is written off as made up often, but I assure you, the effects are genuine. I have watched my mom, one of the strongest women I know, struggle with it for the majority of my life, and I have dealt with its impact for years.
Please join us this quarter in support of these two worthy causes.
ICYMI: Matt Silhacek joins Ascent Strategic
Last week, we announced the hiring of Matt Silhacek as our Director of Client Fulfillment.
Matt also had the opportunity to talk to Campaigns & Elections. Be sure to check out what he had to say about the challenge for down-ballot races while navigating living in “interesting times.”
Get to know Matt:
Matt Silhacek, based in Minnesota, has over 10 years of experience in the political world, ranging from grassroots campaigning to client operations fulfillment on the vendor side.
Most recently, Matt worked as the Campaign Manager for Majority Whip Tom Emmer since 2019. In Matt’s previous stops, he has worked on a variety of campaigns and issue advocacy projects all over the country.
In his spare time, Matt is an avid (and hopeless) Minnesota sports fan and also loves to spend time on a lake in the summer.
Join us in celebrating our Ascent team members’ upcoming birthdays and work anniversaries. We are grateful to have them on our team!
August 8th: Mike Biundo’s Birthday
August 14th: Whit McKenzie’s 1st Work Anniversary
