The Liberal Mole: A look at Liberal advertising planning
First, we should be familiar with the players (see photograph panel):
- Jack Bensimon, President, Bensimon Byrne Advertising
- David Rosenberg, Senior Vice President and Senior Director, Bensimon Byrne Advertising
- Peter Byrne, Chief Creative Officer, Bensimon Byrne Advertising
- Jack Fleischmann, Editorial Head of Report on Business TV (Bell Globemedia) on a leave-of-absence to be Director of Advertising for the Liberal Party election campaign (interestingly that work started back in August and Fleischmann thought it appropriate to use his work email address) [still looking for a photo]
- David Herle, Senior Advisor to Paul Martin and Liberal Party Campaign Chair
Here is the email stream, unedited as I received it. Comments and observations to follow:
From: Jack Bensimon [mailto:Jack.Bensimon@bensimonbyrne.com]Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 8:45 AM
To: David Rosenberg; Peter Byrne; jfleischmann@robtv.com;
Herle@veraxis.ca
Subject: RE: Conservative Ads
I agree with Jack F. on the strategic shift. He makes good points about
the Conservative strategists finally understanding their own problem.
I'm just not as impressed with the execution. Although it is better
than they've done before.
As for a response...unless money is no longer in short supply, I
wouldn't spend a nickle until the writ is dropped. Interesting anecdote
from the recent Rogers Cup tennis tournament in Montreal and Toronto.
The CEO is a friend and he told me on the weekend that he will never
again run a single ad any earlier than 3-4 weeks prior to the
tournament. People just don't make buying decisions that far in advance.
And like us, his ad budget is constained to the point where every dollar
spent needs to translate into a ticket sold.
I suggest we continue to manage our brand image through earned media and
reserve our war chest for the time when voters are actually engaged.
JACK
>>>Jack Fleischmann
This campaign points to a strategic shift - away from the "all sleaze,
all the time" messages of the last election towards a media campaign
that attempts to contrast their "less intrusive government/greater choice
vs. Liberal waste and mismanagement. They're moving as fast as they can
towards the centre with arguments that sound reasonable and feel right.
They clearly recognize they can't afford to be painted into the same
extremist corner and they're moving hard to set the agenda for the next
campaign.
These messages are more finely crafted than anything they've done up to
now.
The content is much stronger, the writing crisp. The tone is moderate,
hopeful, upbeat. Someone over there is finally paying attention to the
research, it seems. If the ads are any indication, Harper is convinced
(or has been forced to accept) that banging away at the scandal offers
diminishing returns - not that he won't go at it again when Gomery
reports.
The message from these ads is, "We know we have to win the centre to
win the vote and we've got a lot of conditioning to do, to get there."
I'd say we should take a look at producing material that scratches the
paint on their bright new Buick. I'd look at taking a run at where their
daycare, their healthcare, their cutbacks would leave Canadians. If they
want to fight on the issues, great. We ought to welcome a debate on the
issues.
Lets challenge Harper to a series of TV debates. If we get lucky, we
might even be able to exclude Layton and Duceppe. We should also look
at producing some creative of our own. A series that strips away the CPC
gloss and speaks to what we've done and where we're going. Yes, Stand Up
for Canada, by all means. But first make sure you know what you're
standing up for. A few weeks at say, 150 points a week ought to do it.
Radio, too.
-----Original Message-----
From: David Herle [mailto:herle@veraxis.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2005 8:07 PM
To: David Rosenberg; Jack Bensimon; Peter Byrne; Jack Fleischmann; David
Herle's POP Account Subject: Re: Conservative Ads
Are they going to be effective?
-----Original Message-----
From: "David Rosenberg"
Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2005 15:42:52
To:"Jack Bensimon"
"Peter Byrne"
Subject: RE: Conservative Ads
it's not just that he says it's time we stood up for
hard working immigrants! then, they cut to the hard working
immigrant. killer.
-david
>>>Jack Bensimon 08/23 4:26 pm >>>
i got the impression the tory caucus hangs around a clubhouse
of sorts, mixing policy brainstorming with fingerpainting and
cookies.
hey jim, how long the liberals been in power?
or my favourite, it's time we stood up for hard working
immigrants!
JACK
>>>Jack Fleischmann
saw the daycare ad this morning on NewsNet.obviously
timed to coincide with Lib caucus meeting.I'm reassured Harper has
chosen to become a regular guy with middle of the road policies and
great big smile.
-----Original Message-----
From:Jack Bensimon [mailto:Jack.Bensimon@bensimonbyrne.com]
Sent:Tuesday, August 23, 2005 3:34 PM
To:David Rosenberg; Peter Byrne; jfleischmann@robtv.com;
herle@veraxis.ca
Subject:Conservative Ads
The conservatives just announced a new TV campaign to air in
Ontario. The slogan is Project Canada: Stand up for Canada.
See the ads here:
http://www.conservative.ca/index.php?section_copy_id=21257§ion_i
d=2049
Do we want to schedule a call to discuss?
JACK
Comments and Observations
First, about the source. Clearly, this comes from within the Liberal War Room, from someone with key access to the most sensitive information, including emails. In other words, the mole! Who is it? I don't know. Scout's honour I don't. The email to me was anonymous. But the email addresses have panned out, and other checks I've made convince me that the emails are legitimate.
The discussion takes place on August 23. The election call is almost exactly three months away. Parliament is still in recess and would not resume for another 4 weeks.
Because the emails are attached to each other, reading them requires some jumping around. Here is the sequence with my comments:
August 23, 3:34pm
Bensimon
Announces to the others that the Conservative ad campaign has been announced, with the slogan "Stand Up for Canada". Suggests a call to discuss.
August 23, 4:21pm
Fleischmann
Comments on the daycare ad, and mocks Stephen Harper's image of a moderate with a "great big smile". Clearly he believes that image to be insincere.
August 23, 4:26pm
Bensimon
The mockery grows. Bensimon likens the Tory caucus to preschool children, crafting policy amid "fingerpainting and cookies". He also takes particular aim at the Conservative ad aimed at immigrants. Clearly he believes that the Conservatives lack the moral authority to act on behalf of the interests of new Canadians, the sole fiefdom of the Liberal Party.
August 23, 3:42pm
Rosenberg
The timestamp on this one seems out of sequence. Rosenberg seems to be responding the Bensimon's email of 4:21pm. I'm not certain, but it seems like Rosenberg is praising the ad, calling it "killer". I might be misinterpreting this.
August 23, 8:07pm
Herle
After the ad executives have had their childish fun, David Herle asks the only question that matters -- will the ads work?
August 23, 9:19pm
Fleischmann
Fleischmann becomes serious. He notes that the Conservatives are not attempting to ride the Sponsorship Scandal to power. Instead their advertising delivers a message that "sound reasonable and right".
Pretty clever for the "fingerpainting and cookies" set, don't you think?
He calls the message "finely crafted" compared to past efforts, with strong content and crisp writing.
His suggestion for a reponse: Negative Advertising
"..we should look at producing material that scratches the paint on their bright new Buick..."
He suggests attacking their position on daycare, healthcare, and so on. He calls that an "issues" debate. No immediate mention of promoting the Liberal agenda, just tearing down the Conservative one.
Interestingly, in August, Paul Martin's team seemed eager to engage in debates. Fleischmann recommends challenging Stephen Harper to a "series" of televised debates. He would count the Liberals lucky if the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois could be excluded. Clearly, for these advertising types, the NDP and the Bloc just muddy the waters -- best if they were not heard from at all.
He suggests a campaign of "a few weeks, 150 points a week". A "point" in advertising is "the percentage of the universe of the existing base of audience members that can be reached by the use of each media in a particular moment of time".
I suppose those 150 points are spread over several different media forms (radio, TV, print) adding up to over 100% coverage. I could be wrong.
August 24, 8:45am
Bensimon
Bensimon agrees with Fleischmann's analysis, but points out that unless the Liberal Party has somehow come into money, the advertising would have to wait until the election call. Knowing that hasn't happened, he urges the team to wait.
Concluding Remarks
What is most remarkable about this email stream is not its content, though it is extremely interesting, but that I should have it at all. Clearly there is a serious breach in Liberal War Room security.
And if this humble blogger should get this fascinating insight into Liberal Party advertising strategies, what information is flowing directly to the Conservative Party?
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