Case Study
Identifying key voters using audience modeling
CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS REED AWARD WINNER, 2020
Best Use of Display Advertising for Congressional Campaign
STUDYING OUR AUDIENCE
We analyzed the data from 36,000 SC-1 Trump voters who didn’t vote in 2018 and uncovered where they lived, their media consumption habits, and what messages would resonate with them the most.
SHIFTING OUR STRATEGY
To better understand this disengaged, pro-Trump audience, we ran a series of audience analyses, uncovering demographic insights, online media consumption habits, and indexes of messages that resonated with this universe. Notably, these models pointed to Beaufort County as a geographic hub for these voters, with key messaging pillars like tradition, duty, and domestic security as motivating political drivers.
Armed with these insights, our strategy hinged on highlighting how Cunningham’s vote on the Defense Authorization bill put Parris Island, a historical military base in Beaufort County, in jeopardy of closing. In the context of a broader digital program, we prioritized delivering Parris Island video messaging to these “disengagers,” retargeting partial video viewers with display creative to build frequency and reinforce messaging.
The Parris Island video saw great success with the targeted voters, receiving 38% higher click-throughs and a 26% lower cost-per-click than baseline audience targeting.
THE RESULTS
Nancy Mace went on to win the election by 6,000 votes, a thin margin supported by her strong 9-point lead in Parris Island’s Beaufort County. In 2020, every vote counted, and despite aggressive outside spending from our opponents, we successfully mobilized enough people to secure victory and deliver Republicans a decisive win in a top target race.
