WEEK 5: CREATIVE STRATEGIES

Mini-Case Analysis: Please read Troy Library's Levy campaign that was deemed to be successful even in a period of strong anti-tax sentiment (pp. 369–370).

What made the Library supporters' effort effective in delivering their message?

What elements contributed to a change in the perception about voting for a levy? This was a low-budget campaign. How was it able to be so successful?

What have you learned from this case?

A Burning Desire for Books

In the midst of a failing state economy and a drop in city revenue, the Troy Public Library faced dire financial straits and citizens faced a choice. Residents of this Detroit suburb could either vote to approve a tax that would keep their library open, something they had already twice rejected, or they could reject the tax forcing the library to close and sell its books.

Strong opposition to the effort to keep the library open came from a well organized antitax political group that used social media, direct mail, newspaper, and public access television to convince citizens to vote against the measure. Library supporters had a budget of only $3,500 and six weeks to mount a campaign to counter the antitax campaign.

A key insight formed the heart of the campaign supporting the library levy. Leo Burnett/Arc Worldwide Detroit, the lead agency, recognized that the opposition focused on the consequences of a “yes” vote (higher taxes), while little had been said about the impact of a “no” vote (closed library). The campaign needed to refocus the conversation, and here’s how it happened, brilliantly using interactive media to reframe the message.

The Big Idea used a deprivation strategy: What would happen if the vote failed? The agency posed as a clandestine political group, Safeguarding American Families (SAFe), and started sending the message that it wanted the library vote to fail so the library would close and it could have a book burning party. Yard signs popped up around the city that said, “Vote to Close Troy Library Aug. 2nd, Book Burning Party Aug. 5th.” The signs drove viewers to a Facebook page, where they could add their comments. Getting citizens to be involved enough to vote is the goal of political campaigns, and this shocking message shows how communication tools can be used to get people engaged and give them a voice.

As expected, people hated the idea of burning books. They took signs down (which were quickly replaced) and took out their wrath in the blogosphere, posting on the Facebook page and Twitter. SAFe successfully incited a riotous reaction with videos, flyers, foursquare check-ins, and even merchandise like T-shirts and, ironically, book bags. Only one owned media ad was placed during the campaign, a 2- by 3.5-inch classified ad in the Troy Times soliciting the services of clowns and ice cream vendors for the book burning party. SAFe even posted a message on Craigslist asking for help with large fires.

Campaign organizers elicited the desired effect: People shifted their conversation from taxes to the horrible idea of burning the library’s books. News of the hideous idea of a book burning party spread from newspapers to television making local, national, and even international news. Then days before the vote, a message on its Facebook page owned up to the hoax: “A vote against the library is like a vote to burn books.” “No Book Burning Party” encouraged people to talk about the value of books and the library. Again, news spread like wildfire. If the people of Troy did not vote to support the tax increase, the consequence of a “no” vote would have the effect of burning books because it would permanently close the library.

For the results of this campaign, go to the “It’s a Wrap” feature at the end of the chapter.

A political action group saved the Troy Library from closure by using an over-the-top campaign with the Big Idea of a book burning and a media effort dominated by using yard signs, of all things, which made all kinds of sense in a local election on a political issue. But what really made the effort successful was the buzz and media stories that the book burning idea generated. They inspired a massive public outcry ultimately leading to a win for the library levy.

In this chapter, we will discuss media owned and controlled by the brand, as well as a number of interactive media forms, including those set up by the organization, such as personal sales and consumer service, but also digital platforms, such as the Internet, e-mail, and blogs. The newest entry into the digital landscape is social media, which connects people in a network of personal, online, word-of-mouth communication. It’s a dynamic and fast-changing media environment that challenges communication planners to not only keep up but also get ahead of the technological changes that are driving innovation and making this such a creative area of marketing communication.