While the two campaigns were very different one thing that remained consistent – SPM’s integrated approach and standout creative.
2014 Campaign:
In 2014, we faced the obvious challenges of running as a Republican in a state Obama won by 25. There was a 2 to 1 Democrat registration advantage in Maryland, and we were outspent 3 to 1. Responding to the economic frustration felt by most Marylanders our message was simple: Change Maryland. We used scrappy digital tactics to bridge the spending gap with earned media and efficiently target voters. When our opponent tried to make the race about social issues, Governor Hogan’s daughter helped us effectively rebut the attacks and get back to our core messaging. Finally, our ads used a series of testimonials giving voters “permission” to vote for a Republican candidate.
Television Ads:
"Jaymi"
"Incompetent Man"
Services Provided:
- Political consulting
- Production
- Content Creation
- Digital
- Integrated Media Buying
RESULT:
Hogan 51.6% to Brown 46.9%2018 Campaign:
In 2018, our campaign was about reminding voters why they elected Hogan in the first place, and what he accomplished. Running in a blue, purple state we worked to keep our message Maryland-focused and positioned Governor Hogan as a pragmatic statesman who works across the aisle. Once again, we used testimonials from independent voters to expand beyond our base. This time around, our digital tactics were more sophisticated and precise – testing messages on digital before running them on television, tailoring the message to the target audience, and supplementing the traditional media buy with high quality digital placements (Facebook, IP targeted pre-roll, & Connected TV). Overall, this pushed Governor Hogan to a decisive victory, and one where nearly one-third of Baltimore went for Hogan, up from 22 percent in 2014.