A blimp is a BAD IDEA - here is why

[Matt Collins]

other way around. marketing is a subset of branding.

In essence, marketing is discovering a market need, filling it, advertising that new product, selling the new product. it's a 4 part chain of events which should feed on itself... once you sell the product you get feedback to discover the new market needs.

branding goes beyond everything else... it's metaphysical.

Good points, but I subscribe to IMC or "Integrated Marketing Communications" in which all external communications are considered marketing.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_marketing

Check out the link above, but I think at this point we are splitting hairs.

 

[Matt Collins]

I'm just curious, have you announced your GUARANTEED plan to win Tennessee with $750K advertising yet?

Actually it's only $350k (or less). But I am still working on it. I've had to go out of town on work and have been distracted unfortunately.

 

[Matt Collins]

It's about getting people curious enough to actually google Ron Paul, and actually do some research. . . blimps make people smile, it's a nice impression.

I agree - but that in itself doesn't get votes.

Segmenting and targeting a custom tailored message to supervoters is the best way to achieve votes for Ron.

 

[mathamagician]

To OP: The point isn't who sees the blimp. The point is to get the media interested. This is how advertising on the martian space rover was a good idea. No one lives on Mars but the story was interesting and covered and therefore was a good investment by whoever it was who did that (Google maybe).

 

[Matt Collins]

To OP: The point isn't who sees the blimp. The point is to get the media interested. This is how advertising on the martian space rover was a good idea. No one lives on Mars but the story was interesting and covered and therefore was a good investment by whoever it was who did that (Google maybe).

Absolutely, but we can get the media interested if we start buying ad time which is cheaper and more efficient.

 

[richk]

I agree - but that in itself doesn't get votes.

Segmenting and targeting a custom tailored message to supervoters is the best way to achieve votes for Ron.

I'm not sure I know what a "supervoter" is, but I am going to assume alot of them voted for Dubya. How many "supervoters" in the RP are going to vote against the Neocons and support Paul?

I think it is crucial to get the message out to all the nonvoters and apathetic people who have given up on politics. I have been a member of RP for 30 years and was going to register Independent until I heard Ron was going to run. I can't see a "loyal" Republican Party bandwagon-type voting for Ron (read: against the war). We need the disgruntled and disinterested voters on board IMHO.

 

[ronpaulfan]

Matt is the world champion dead-horse-beater. Congratulations.

 

[Matt Collins]

I'm not sure I know what a "supervoter" is, but I am going to assume alot of them voted for Dubya. How many "supervoters" in the RP are going to vote against the Neocons and support Paul?

I think it is crucial to get the message out to all the nonvoters and apathetic people who have given up on politics. I have been a member of RP for 30 years and was going to register Independent until I heard Ron was going to run. I can't see a "loyal" Republican Party bandwagon-type voting for Ron (read: against the war). We need the disgruntled and disinterested voters on board IMHO.

A supervoter is someone who has voted in the last few elections and is VERY likely to vote in this upcoming primary.

And although a lot of them did vote for Bush, I would say most conservatives have felt betrayed by Bush and are open to new ideas. In fact most conservatives still have NOT latched onto a candidate. Everyone thought Fred was going to be the real conservatives' guy, but he has fizzled. Ron needs to seize this opportunity and show that he is the most conservative candidate out there. The problem is, unless we buy air time, none of these people will ever hear about him because we all know the media won't give him a fair shot on their own.

 

[goRPaul]

Absolutely, but we can get the media interested if we start buying ad time which is cheaper and more efficient.

We've done that. Print advertising is painstakingly easy to ignore. So are television ads, because everyone buys them. But a blimp is very hard to ignore. Add in the fact that its bought and paid for by the grassroots, and you start turning people's heads.

The blimp DOES target a favorable audience- interested voters. Interested voters are going to hear about the blimp and be very impressed. Hell, even uninterested voters are gonna hear about it and think its cool. Also, the people in between (slightly interested) who may not have heard of RP before will certainly hear about him once the blimp is in the air.

We have something that no other candidate has- a dedicated grassroots organization. The blimp is a powerful symbol of this. The media will finally be forced to acknowledge our strength. Think about it- ABC and Politico have already run positive stories about it, and its not even in the air yet!

The blimp is an extraordinary idea. It is unique and original. The symbolism is priceless. You don't have to support it, but you are incorrect in saying that it doesn't target the right audience. It targets the perfect audience.

 

[Matt Collins]

We've done that. Print advertising is painstakingly easy to ignore. So are television ads, because everyone buys them.

But they are still effective. Talk radio ads are the most effective of mass media followed by TV, then print, then billboard. The most targeted form of getting your message out is of course personal communication either in person, via phone, or direct mail. The trick is to hit everyone with each of these mediums several times.

The blimp DOES target a favorable audience- interested voters.

How many people in the middle of any given city are registered to vote? Out of that many people, I would say that less than 25% of them will be voting in the primary.

We have something that no other candidate has- a dedicated grassroots organization. The blimp is a powerful symbol of this. The media will finally be forced to acknowledge our strength.

Not guaranteed. It would be nice to get some favorable media coverage out of this, but again, it isn't guaranteed.

 

[Rhys]

It's been favorably covered in the LA Times, Boston Globe, Politico, Washington Post, the Swamp, the Street, AOL News Blog, The National Ledger.... it launches in a few days with a cabin full of journalists and a national live radio broadcast. It's tilted campaign finance laws upside down, and garnered attention and respect from the establishment. Even if it never launches, it's already achieved it's goals and this is before it dumps tea into the harbor. That will be major and probably live video will be on CNN.

Can we just be happy yet?

 

[qwerty]

Nobody can say anymore that blimp was a bad idea....Nobody!

 

[richk]

Nobody can say anymore that blimp was a bad idea....Nobody!

LOL have you not met Matt Collins yet

 

[split_lipz]

It's been favorably covered in the LA Times, Boston Globe, Politico, Washington Post, the Swamp, the Street, AOL News Blog, The National Ledger.... it launches in a few days with a cabin full of journalists and a national live radio broadcast. It's tilted campaign finance laws upside down, and garnered attention and respect from the establishment. Even if it never launches, it's already achieved it's goals and this is before it dumps tea into the harbor. That will be major and probably live video will be on CNN.

Can we just be happy yet?

You're completely right.

I thought the blimp was a horrible idea at first too, but it has proven itself its worth and I even donated.

 

[ronpaulfan]

LOL have you not met Matt Collins yet

cough*deep*cough*cover*cough*shill*cough

 

[BerlinForFreedom]

Ok, I think we should just stop this discussion. Everything else would be embarrassing We don't have the blimp yet, but we have already the big TV-stations:

MSNBC: Tucker covers the blimp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIFsq0KEeHc

CNN: Wolf Blitzer covers the blimp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcbCuNhNaUc

Fox News covers the blimp:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCsr7U8hd30

ABC News: 4 page article about Paul

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/Story?id=3965657&page=1

Yes, maybe the blimp was a risky investment. But we know now that it is an extremely efficient investment.

I don't understand how anyone can still say:

It would be nice to get some favorable media coverage out of this, but again, it isn't guaranteed.

 

[Matt Collins]

It's been favorably covered in the LA Times, Boston Globe, Politico, Washington Post, the Swamp, the Street, AOL News Blog, The National Ledger.... it launches in a few days with a cabin full of journalists and a national live radio broadcast. It's tilted campaign finance laws upside down, and garnered attention and respect from the establishment. Even if it never launches, it's already achieved it's goals and this is before it dumps tea into the harbor.

Now we HAVE to get the thing up and going otherwise we'll look like morons who promise but don't deliver. Media coverage is/was NEVER guaranteed. But it looks like it might happen for us over the long-run with this project.

 

[Rhys]

LOL Did anyone notice the TOTALY AMATURE graphics Fox News used for the blimps? Children that I let play with my photoshop could have done better! They really want us to look armature. Dunno bout you guys, but I'm a pro!

 

[Tarzan]

PBS PREVIEW

good luck to us all

 

[overcoming hope]

Now we HAVE to get the thing up and going otherwise we'll look like morons who promise but don't deliver. Media coverage is/was NEVER guaranteed. But it looks like it might happen for us over the long-run with this project.

don't fear the blimp.