Podcasting took a central role in the Presidential campaign, but influencers, TikTokers, creator media generally offered more authentic connections to voters across the ballot. But how are these post-mass media outlets best organized, scaled and amplified?

Former Clinton pollster and advisor, now holding company CEO, Mark Penn has argued about the intersection of political with consumer brand campaigning for over a decade. But what can brands learn from the successes and failures of this cycle? About the limited effectiveness of media? About the accuracy of ad targeting, and the polling that drives it? About the future power of branding?

Obscene gushers of cash flooded linear and CTV channels this cycle, and needles were moved. But is TV still just a blunt force “must-buy” or has it evolved its targeting and integration with more nuanced social, creator and GOTV efforts? Will campaigns capitalize on AI breakthroughs in video targeting and creation?

In the definitive swing state of Pennsylvania, unseating an incumbent with legacy branding takes a village. The ways in which Republican David McCormick’s operation, the Senate Leadership Conference and independent expenditures pressed upon Bob Casey’s polling and incumbency advantage may be the playbook of the future for Republicans. The strategic role of SuperPACs in state elections and swarming the zone with key themes demonstrated how money and media still mattered in 2024.

How did Rs and Ds organize their targeting tactics? How did they segment and find their voters across the major platforms? This panel will highlight how each org/campaign utilized data to reach voters.

Despite media reports of the Democrats’ doorknocker dominance in GOTV last fall, Republicans won turnout in a walk. As the RNC’s Christian Schaeffer explains, it was the result of building a digital infrastructure that empowered down ballot campaigns in the effort to register and activate beyond the base. Localized messaging off of the centralized VoteGOP site broke through the haze of nationalized appeals and helped drive historic Republican gains across the electorate.

Running well ahead of the top of the ticket in Michigan’s 8th District, the Congressional campaign of Kristen McDonald Rivet (“KMR”) demonstrated the power of breakthrough, personable messaging that dominates all channels. Her campaign and agency explore the ways in which her direct-to-camera approach made bread and butter issues resonate and diffused negative attacks.

As ethnic voting blocs splintered and redefined themselves in this cycle, the multicultural marketing playbook had to scramble. It has gotten very complicated very quickly. How did a range of campaigns rethink cultural segmentation, identity, and messaging as a new generation of intersectional voters went off the old media grid altogether?

The Email, SMS, TV/CTV, social media channels were overwhelmed by messaging last year, and much of it was ignored, unsubscribed, skipped or stopped. And yet unprecedented billions poured in. What tools, tricks, and techniques proved most effective in breaking through the noise? Is AI poised to help? Are platforms rethinking policies? Will Campaign 2026 look much different from Campaign 2024?