Air America Radio ad for DU?

[helderheid]

What do you think guys? I went to optruth.org because of the radio ad i heard on AAR - I would like to see the Progressive Democrats of America put on ad on AAR as well. www.pdamerica.org

[tavalon]

1. I think it's a good idea

I wonder how much that would cost?

Edited to add: I recommended this so it gets a wider audience. It's definitely an idea we should kick around.

[helderheid]

2. I have no idea

but if we can raise $50,000 for Andy Stephenson... I'm just sayin I could donate to that cause!!

[FreedomAngel82]

3. That would be cool

Maybe have a fundrasier or if it's not very cheap.

[helderheid]

15. yes, I know DU would pull together on this one!

[politicaholic]

4. Well, it wouldn't be much of an "underground" then would it?

But, there seems to be about 100-500 new members a month as people get unsatisfied with Bush.

[helderheid]

5. this is true but DU has become such an important resource

and AAR listeners are a natural match

[tavalon]

11. Yeah, we don't seem to be so underground anymore anyway

We've got 72,000 + members.

[BrightKnight]

28. It might be time for a mainstream alias like "Democratic America."

Putting on my asbestos suit.

I am not sure "Democratic Underground" is the best way to describe what is happening here. Perhaps it should be call something like "Democratic America".

"We are Democrats without prefix, without suffix, and without apology" - Sam Rayburn

[satya]

29. I think of "Underground" as the place where grass roots are nurtured.

But then, that's just me. :shrug:

[Old and In the Way]

6. Excellent idea!

DU is the gateway to a vast amount of progressive sites and up to the minute news on what's really important.

Love to see Skinner and Elad put this up for consideration....I'd be happy to kick in for this.

[helderheid]

7. thanks!

Elad? Skinner? Your thoughts? I'm happy to help!

[Old and In the Way]

8. Maybe sponser the Top 10 Conservative Idiots?

Or the ramblings of our favorite confused conservative, Bob Boudelang.

[KurtNYC]

74. As in...

"and now here are this week's top 10 conservative idiots as ranked by Democratic Underground dot com...."

I like it.

[helderheid]

76. yes!

[tavalon]

10. How about kicking in

and nominating? I can only do it once but I think this idea needs a broader audience.

[helderheid]

12. Yes, PLEASE NOMINATE!

I love the idea of the top 10 conservative idiots!! :)

[Old and In the Way]

14. Almost forgot....

done.

[walldude]

26. Agreed, and you can bet that there is an AAR host

who would love to do the top ten every week. I think this is a brilliant idea. Nominated, kicked and ready to donate :D

[helderheid]

78. Skinner said he'd not yet talked to other Admins about this

The concern is that people would either donate to DU or to the fund for an ad. I'd donate to both, and I think it would draw enough new contributors it would pay for itself but of course I don't know that for certain. I may put a poll up to at least get an idea.

[helderheid]

62. .

[Old and In the Way]

9. A great way to support AAR, too.

A two-fer, I think.

[helderheid]

13. I agree

We progressives need to stick together

[frictionlessO]

16. I think this would be a great idea, just figuring out the logistics

though gives me a headache.

Have you crunched any numbers yet Helder??

Oh and Nom'd!

[helderheid]

21. Not yet!

I just asked for a rate sheet - as soon as we know how much, we can start a game plan for a fundraiser.

In fact now that I think about it, we could raise money for progressive candidates radio ads as well (so long as there is an affiliate in their area). I may be getting ahead of myself there! :)

[OffWithTheirHeads]

17. O.K. this is cool

so how does one nominate?

I mean, after the Schivo thing, I know how it's done for a Nobel prize, but this is apparently better vested.

[helderheid]

18. click on "recommend" under my original post and THANKS!

[OffWithTheirHeads]

25. done!

No text necessary.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

27. Hell, if I can send a few bucks to D.U. every 1/4

I can spare a few for this! I'm in!

[AuntiBush]

19. It's About Time! What a Fantastic Idea.

Give's DU more creditability and visualizes us to a broader public. Certainly will bring-in more subscribers that don't even know about us.

Best idea I've heard in some-time! Thanks helderheid!

[helderheid]

20. My goodness! Thank you! I just sent AAR an email

asking for their rates. :) I'll let you know what I hear!

[Melodybe]

67. kick

[d_b]

22. Why not?

They already have ads for democraticsingles.com. I think it would be an excellent idea.

[helderheid]

39. yes I forgot about that!

It was the www.optruth.org that made me think of it but yes, democratic singles did it too!

[I Have A Dream]

23. Recommended & you can count me in.

We really need to support Liberal radio.

[kiraboo]

24. Fantastic idea. I'd send in a few bucks to support it! n/t

[KelleyKramer]

30. Bartcop did it, I would contribute to DU but ...

Just a few words of friendly advice to Skinner (or whoever).

After running a retail business, it takes repetition for an ad to be effective, especially in radio. Given, this will help tremendously that this is politics and pretty much the full audience is your target group.

But a one day run is not going to have a significant effect. It would take at least a weeks run. The optruth ad you mention is a perfect example.

In all the training conferences, the sessions about advertising said you had to reach the customer 12-15 times before they actually respond in any apparent numbers. Think about a football game, and how many times you will see the very same ad on a car.

This is still a great idea, if we could get enough for at least a week, there is also the possibility of 'earned advertising' like interviews on programs, breaking stories on DU getting plus on AAR, etc etc.

Great idea, I'm all for it and would be glad to contribute with money and/or help.

Kelley

[helderheid]

33. psychologists say it takes 8 times before someone reacts

It was about the 8th time of hearing the www.operationtruth.org ad that I responded. It would have to be an ongoing ad.

[KelleyKramer]

36. To get this going you need a goal

To get this going you need a goal or target amount to reach, thats really why I brought that up about what kind of advertising run to do.

One of the first things to do would be to see what kind of advertising plans they have.. and that actually would be pretty easy to do.

Then make a decision on what plan that could realistically be run and you would then set a fundraising goal.

Thats just a suggestion to a great idea you have.

[helderheid]

38. I totally agree with you!

My parents were national speakers on marketing and you are absolutely right - I am anxious to hear back from AAR ! I sent an email. I may call tomorrow. :)

[KelleyKramer]

43. You should talk to Skinner

This is a great idea, and looks like it got a very good response.

I'm just throwing out my advice or two cents worth trying to help out.

To get a full or even medium ad campaign for DU on Air America Radio would be outstanding.

I would be glad to help if needed.

But you should get in touch with Skinner before going any further.


Best!
Kelley

[helderheid]

44. I agree

Thanks - I'll send a PM :)

[helderheid]

45. true!

I'll send a PM - thanks!

[bleever]

31. I'm deeply conflicted, helderheid.

As shown by the fact that I nominated this thread, before replying.

Partly, I think that a mass influx of new people would skew the focus and dilute the energy and the incisive think-tank quality of DU.

But I also see the virtue of many more people reading DU, and recognize that DU's structure and dynamics do tend to minimize the influence of disruptors and diluters.

It's a good question.



ed: punc.

[helderheid]

32. I've wondered about that myself

It is a question. I guess what it comes down to for me is that we have no media anymore save Air America, and a few other stations but very few (LinkTV.org, FreeSpeechTV.org, Pacifica Radio, etc), and the Internet, specifically DU. The most effective media right now IS Air America. When I think about all the work on election fraud, evote machines, DSM, coingate, etc. that comes out of DU and how much more effective it could be with more support, especially those listening to Air America, I think that the good outweighs the negative here. I think. I don't know. We're in such trouble without fair media. If there is anyway at all to encourage our grassroots efforts and get the truth out there, I feel even with the bad, it may be our responsibility. At least that's where I'm at tonight.

What are your thoughts?

[helderheid]

34. I almost forgot

Thank you for nominating :)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

35. A lot more people reading what's here = good thing.

[helderheid]

37. thank you :) Do I hear a nomination?

:hi:

[eridani]

70. I think we will always have many more lurkers than posters

That's the way of the Internet world. I check in to DU just for Latest Breaking News and the Greatest, even if I don't have time to post anything or add to discussions.

[helderheid]

40. please keep this kicked - at least until Skinner and Elad reply!

[helderheid]

41. hmmmm

I said kicked ;)

[helderheid]

42. c'mon all you truthseekers!!!!!!!!!!

[bleever]

46. And I wonder, still I wonder...

is DU (with its virtues intact) scalable?

I have to ask.

[helderheid]

48. scalable?

[bleever]

63. That is, can you take DU and its structure and leadership, and

make it tens times as big (or three times, or one hundred times) just by adding resources?

Will it still be DU? Will it get diluted, or will the passionate and inspired still gravitate in the same forums, and find each other to do the level of think-tank work that we value DU for?


I.e., change the scale of DU and retain its character and virtues.

[helderheid]

64. sorry to be so dense

Thank you for this - and to answer you, I do not know. I just feel with our lack of media, AAR and DU are a match made in heaven.

[julianer]

73. Is now a good time

for caution?

[helderheid]

75. Well, it's not served us very well thus far! :)

[lonestarnot]

47. What if it gets so much traffic it crashes? I'd croak!

[helderheid]

49. we get enough new donors

that won't be a worry

[lonestarnot]

51. What is that suppose to mean?

[helderheid]

53. it means a better server

[lonestarnot]

55. Oh.... But does that mean we have to wait until we crash and burn... Why

not be prepared for that ahead of time.

[helderheid]

56. money takes care of that

[lonestarnot]

58. Don't we have enough?

[helderheid]

59. I don't know

I'm waiting to hear what we need for the ads - then we need a major fundraiser.

[Old and In the Way]

50. In fer another kick!

I like the idea of a weekly ad, focused around the Top 10 CI's or Bob B...maybe get a 90 second spot....with a "brought to you by" reference to the DU...and mention the size of the community, so people know that we ain't no hick blog from the sticks!

[helderheid]

54. perfect

[helderheid]

52. I sometimes get the idea

Freepers are here to post distracting topics - bite the ones that make a difference

[helderheid]

57. more recommends needed

[helderheid]

60. I have to go to bed

be nice and kick me

[helderheid]

61. going to bed kick

[oxbow]

65. I don't know what will happen with more Du'ers here

but I think we will find a way to work with it. Remember what we did with the DSM? Along with AAR and a few websites like afterdowningstreet.org, WE were responsible for breaking that story into the MSM. Now imagine what else we could do with twice the active members!

There is always room for people who care about making the world better at DU. I will support this idea in any way I can.

[NMMNG]

66. Sounds good to me

:thumbsup: :dem:

[I Have A Dream]

68. Early morning kick

:kick:

[eridani]

71. Awake through the night kick

:kick:

[Eric J in MN]

69. If Skinner takes up a collection, I'll donate (nt)

nt

[helderheid]

72. good morning kick

[helderheid]

77. shameless self kick

[Shredr]

79. I'd donate

I think it's a great idea.

[CAcyclist]

80. Banner Ad on AAR website - more cost effective than a radio spot

I think we could get free air time for a radio reading of some of the assets on DU, like the wrost top ten.

For actual advertising, I think a banner ad on the AAR website would be more effective than a radio spot. Actually, I think maybe a banner ad on comedy central's Jon stewart might be even more effective

[CAcyclist]

81. Another free advertising ploy

The other thing we can do is try to get on the air as callers and identify ourselves as DU members.

[MadisonProgressive]

82. I'm all for it - I will donate to both worthy causes!

To echo another poster: It would be interesting if you could ask Randi Rhodes if she would be willing to do the Top 10 Conservative Idiots as a weekly 'bit' on her show. Then it would be free!

[byronius]

83. I first came to DU because of an AAR mention. And I've found my home.

I think it's a great idea.