Politicians Disrupt Atlanta's Advertising Summer
Every election period seems to start a little earlier for us media folks. This summer has been unblievable Cathy Cox, Mark Taylor, Ralph Reed, and Casey Cagle have dominated the air waves with their messaging. To some, it might seem like just another aggresssive campaign but to advertisers it's like a punch to the stomach. Atlanta advertisers and their advertising agencies all buy media in pretty much the same way. We negotiate with the media for the lowest rates then count on "added value" programs to carry a substatial part of the program. The "added value" comes in the form of free advertising or promotional programs. Good negotiations as well as long standing relationships allow agencies the opportunity to secure this added value and provide it as a point of differentiation for full service boutique firms vs. the GRP flinging media buying services that are all about the point value purchased and leave the point value delivered on the table. Last year, we provided almost 80% of a client's budget back in negotiated added value. That's how you make one dollar spend like two.
Political advertising periods mess up the whole system. Campaign advertising law states the following:
"Broadcasters must sell time to candidates during last 60 days of general election and 45 days of primary at lowest rate offered for the advertising slot requested. "
This means that all those spots you used to get for your clients at "no charge"can't be delivered during 45 days before primary and 60 days of general election. Also note that political spots are not subject to getting bumped out of their time slot. Politicians have the right to review the billing of a station and demand the lowest price for a time period. Insane! Political advertising takes one of our purest capital markets and screws it up for 105 days every couple of years. It must be nice to make your own laws that guarantee the lowest rate and make sure you will not get bumped. I wonder if we could get a couple of ad guys back in office to guarantee 15% commission discount to agencies only. Boy! the 60's were good.
Political advertising periods mess up the whole system. Campaign advertising law states the following:
"Broadcasters must sell time to candidates during last 60 days of general election and 45 days of primary at lowest rate offered for the advertising slot requested. "
This means that all those spots you used to get for your clients at "no charge"can't be delivered during 45 days before primary and 60 days of general election. Also note that political spots are not subject to getting bumped out of their time slot. Politicians have the right to review the billing of a station and demand the lowest price for a time period. Insane! Political advertising takes one of our purest capital markets and screws it up for 105 days every couple of years. It must be nice to make your own laws that guarantee the lowest rate and make sure you will not get bumped. I wonder if we could get a couple of ad guys back in office to guarantee 15% commission discount to agencies only. Boy! the 60's were good.
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