Commentary: Gearing Up for Another Loaded Political Season

The first Republican primary debate has already happened and the second GOP one will be held Sept. 27th. They're good reminders that the Presidential election season is now in full swing — and ushering in the onslaught of political messaging.

No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, there is growing evidence that everyone is getting exhausted by the constant memes, disinformation, shouting, accusations, and more that we’re all exposed to online every day. Social media has been a boon in some ways, but when it comes to politics, an argument could be made that it has made us all far more polarized, and far less willing to entertain the idea of compromise and finding common ground.

So where does that leave printers, many of whom see upticks in business around political campaigns, when it comes to everything from yard signs and flyers, to direct mail postcards and fundraising campaigns, to billboards, election ballots, promo products, and more?

Print is unique in that it is far more tangible than online marketing, and a number of studies are backing up just how powerful a medium print is when it comes to getting a message across. This is never more apparent than political advertising, where it’s easy to tune out all those attack ads on TV, or use filters to hide political posts on social media, but it’s much harder to avoid physical signage or an oversize postcard in the mailbox.

That said, we are also living in times where politics is filled with more vitriol and fewer facts, with everyone choosing a side in the “us vs. them” mindset. While there isn’t much you can do if your customers bring those campaigns to you — I’m certainly not telling you to turn work away! — it does present a chance to help them design print campaigns that will stand out and be more effective because they inform, rather than attack when they are willing and open to suggestions.

Maybe the local campaigns you print for would be willing to hear you out if you presented a few ideas for ways they can thoughtfully engage with constituents without going on the offensive against their competition. For ways they can present their thoughts and ideas, and what they want to improve, rather than just tearing down what someone else said. For the broader national or even state elections, it’s likely a lost cause, but for your local campaigns, it might be a chance to breathe some fresh air into the political landscape, and changing the way we all speak to each other when it comes to politics has to start somewhere, right?

This is also an opportunity to talk to your staff, and stress that disagreements over who is the best candidate shouldn’t escalate into loud conversations that impact the rest of the shop. You don’t want “us vs. them” to rule your shop floor, even as you print the postcards or signage for a candidate. By encouraging meaningful conversations, and stressing that everyone is to be respected, you can foster an atmosphere of inclusion that encourages sharing ideas and understanding one another, rather than fights and polarization. Your staff can’t be an effective team if politics are tearing them apart down the political dividing line.

Politics is a touchy subject, and for those of us involved in the production of political messaging, it can be a very thin line to walk sometimes. But thoughtful treatment of the subject, and gentle encouragement to focus more on issues and less on attacks in campaign materials, might just be the spark to start the return to civil discourse we are all desperately craving.