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Defeating a Well-Defined Incumbent

Missouri u.s. senate/ie

Josh Hawley defeats Senator Claire McCaskill

Mail

Digital

Our Strategy

We had to do something different

Initial message tests identified taxes and pocketbook issues as the best opportunity to dissuade voters from supporting Claire McCaskill. McCaskill’s main argument for her re-election was her belief that she supported average Missourians. Her voting record said otherwise. Moreover, McCaskill’s family had money stashed away in the Cayman Islands—a notorious tax haven. But an initial voter contact program that utilized mail, digital, tv and radio in the summer of 2018 didn’t move voter opinion enough to win. We had to do something different.

Working with the SLF research team, we capitalized on newly unearthed information about 5,000 untested rape kits. A coordinated mail and digital program that synchronized target audiences, creative direction and message progression put McCaskill on the defensive. After seeing the success of this new message, we doubled down. To ensure our mail stood out even more, we utilized customized special effects to ensure it caught voter attention. In concert with the mail, our online team rendered specific video content that personalized the issue. Over the final six weeks, eight mail pieces and four digital flights continued to drive this message and turn out the Republican base of support.

The Results

saturating our message to the target audience

Initial message tests identified taxes and pocketbook issues as the best opportunity to dissuade voters from supporting Claire McCaskill. McCaskill’s main argument for her re-election was her belief that she supported average Missourians. Her voting record said otherwise. Moreover, McCaskill’s family had money stashed away in the Cayman Islands—a notorious tax haven. But an initial voter contact program that utilized mail, digital, tv and radio in the summer of 2018 didn’t move voter opinion enough to win. We had to do something different.

Working with the SLF research team, we capitalized on newly unearthed information about 5,000 untested rape kits. A coordinated mail and digital program that synchronized target audiences, creative direction and message progression put McCaskill on the defensive. After seeing the success of this new message, we doubled down. To ensure our mail stood out even more, we utilized customized special effects to ensure it caught voter attention. In concert with the mail, our online team rendered specific video content that personalized the issue. Over the final six weeks, eight mail pieces and four digital flights continued to drive this message and turn out the Republican base of support.