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The problem with political emails asking for money: TV Ads

During the past months both the Democrats and Republicans have send an abundance of emails, driving home their message for the future. At the same time all emails asked for money in the form of donations or contributions.
Here are some punch lines the campaigns used to urge supporters to click-through and donate:
  • Please chip in $5 or more today.
  • Chip in $5 or more before our final budget deadline.
  • Your generosity and efforts can make a great difference.
  • Chip in $5 or whatever you can today.
  • Don't wait. Supporting this campaign once more will move us closer to victory.
  • Please don't wait any longer. Help us out with a donation of $5 or more today.
  • Donate $5 or more right now to keep this campaign strong straight up until the last vote is cast on November 6th.
  • Contribute $5 now to be automatically entered for a chance to win.
  • Chip in $5 or whatever you can and you'll be automatically entered.
  • Close the gap -- chip in $5 or more now.
  • Thanks to you, our campaign is gaining steam -- and your continued support will propel us to the finish line.
  • Keep fighting -- we can do this.
  • Thanks for everything. Let's win this.

Although, as I have mentioned in previous Blog posts, I do not oppose online fundraising, I understand that both campaigns are tapping into their hardcore supporters; The problem is that for the most part both campaigns are asking contributions in order to outspend the opponent on TV air time!

Mass media communications have an important role in the campaign; but email push marketing should not be used solely for the purpose of fundraising for TV ads.

It is the medium of email that proved important in previous campaigns, not just for fundraising, but for grassroots organizing, GOTV, agenda setting, important news from the campaign ...or just saying "thank you" to people who volunteer or campaign for their beliefs. 

A recent article from Reuters stated that "For all the analysis that has been done on campaign ads, academic and commercial research has yielded few answers on the precise impact that ads have in determining who wins an election".

So my final point is this: Political email marketing should not be used so heavily just to drive fundraising for TV ads, but to promote the message of the candidate and drive devoted supporters to become active campaign spokespersons. 

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