From ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ to ‘Survivor’: Where Kamala Harris’ Campaign Is Spending $370M In Ad Buys

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From ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ to ‘Survivor’: Where Kamala Harris’ Campaign Is Spending $370M In Ad Buys

As a dedicated political enthusiast with a knack for predicting campaign strategies, I find myself thoroughly intrigued by Kamala Harris’s advertising plans for the upcoming months. The strategic reservation of ad slots during high-viewership moments like major sporting events and popular primetime shows is a masterstroke – reaching voters where they are most comfortable and engaged.

During the upcoming significant week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Kamala Harris’s campaign team is not only gearing up for a momentous time but also disclosing their plans on how they will allocate advertising funds to reach voters before early voting and the election in November.

In this $370 million deal completed between September 2nd and November 5th, approximately $170 million is earmarked for traditional television advertising to engage large audiences across broadcast and cable networks. This means that Harris-Walz campaign ads will likely appear during popular programs such as Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Abbott Elementary, Grey’s Anatomy, Survivor, as well as sports events like college and NFL football games, WNBA and NBA games, NHL games, and MLB games. These ads are intended to reach voters in crucial swing states, as indicated by the campaign’s deputy managers Quentin Fulks and Rob Flaherty in their memo dated August 17th.

“To ensure availability during popular viewing times such as major sporting events and top-rated national shows, like the upcoming seasons of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘The Golden Bachelorette’, the Harris-Walz campaign is booking their spots ahead of time. These shows are scheduled to premiere on September 26 for ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and September 18 for ‘The Golden Bachelorette'” (Grey’s season 21 premieres on Sept. 26, while the Golden Bachelorette bows Sept. 18).

The Harris-Walz campaign is strategically purchasing ad spots on Fox News, aiming to connect with potentially conservative viewers. However, they’re avoiding primetime shows hosted by Sean Hannity, Jesse Watters, and Laura Ingraham. Instead, they are focusing on daytime programming that caters to a more moderate audience, as suggested in their statement.

The Harris campaign stated that approximately $200 million is earmarked for digital platforms, encompassing streaming services, smart TVs, audio channels, podcasts, and other mediums. They noted that the way people consume media has never been more scattered or fragmented.

As a devoted supporter, I’d like to highlight that our strategy focuses on securing positions with top publishers and platforms such as Hulu, Roku, YouTube, Paramount, Spotify, and Pandora at an early stage. By doing so, we’ve managed to grab the cream of the crop in terms of premium content, negotiated prices more efficiently, and ensured we were there before Trump and his affiliated groups had a chance to secure their spots.

In recent earnings discussions, leaders at Paramount, Fox, and Nexstar have expressed anticipation that political spending will increase their television earnings. Paramount’s Chief Financial Officer, Naveen Chopra, stated on August 9th that they foresee a strengthening trend in advertising for the second half of ’24 due to the resumption of live sports, new autumn programming, and revenue from political investments.

Michael Biard, COO at Nexstar, pointed out a day ago that while their company, which includes NewsNation, The CW Network, and The Hill, primarily gains most of its advertising income from Senate, House, and Gubernatorial contests, a fiercely fought presidential race is typically advantageous, particularly when there’s a tight struggle for the control of both the Senate and the House.

Regarding the distribution of media advertising funds by the Harris campaign, they didn’t disclose spending per battleground state. However, compared to Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign investments, the Harris team revealed that they are investing:

Starting on Monday, the Democratic National Convention (August 19th to 22nd) commences, featuring Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden as its main speakers. According to the DNC, the incumbent president will delineate the “Harris-Walz vision for the future” and underscore the importance of this upcoming election.

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2024-08-18 16:54