Elections happen all year long, but the national mid-term election is less than seven months away. While that may seem like a long way off, it’s good to put together a strategic plan in order to conquer this very tricky time for media buying.

All media outlets get flooded with political campaigns; however, you see this most in TV and radio. Political commercials overwhelm the markets by running countless ad campaigns (as we can all too easily remember). As a result, it’s easy for local advertisers to get pushed out of the mix. So you need to stay ahead of the game. With a little guidance, you can navigate the perils of election season with ease.

Consider These Tips for Media Buying During Election Season:

1. Remember the Lowest Unit Charge Law. All candidates who broadcast during 45 days prior to a primary and 60 days prior to a general election are entitled to the lowest unit rate sold by the station. This means that local advertisers will commonly see an increase in their spot rates.
2. Start Your Schedules a Few Weeks after the Election Ends. If it’s not crucial for your TV or radio schedules to run during the political election, it may be best to avoid buying those weeks altogether. In fact, you may even want to wait until the dust settles a bit. There will still be makegoods running after the election from pushed-off schedules and dropped spots. Let all of this clear out before getting your schedule up and running.
3. Focus Your Media Spend Elsewhere Until Political Season Is Over. When finalizing your media plan for the year, make sure that you take into consideration election months. Map out TV and radio schedules during months leading up to and after the political season. Then focus on other less crowded media outlets during the actual election timeframe. This will help you get the most out of your media budget. Explore digital options during this time period. It will help ensure a greater number of impressions and views than a broadcast TV or radio schedule would.
4. If You Have to Run a TV/Radio Schedule During Election Season, That’s Okay. It’s not the end of the world if you can’t avoid the political advertising frenzy. Remember the following as you dive headfirst into election season.
   • Time It Right. Be sure to avoid dayparts that will be flooded with political advertisers (i.e. during prime time and major news shows).
   • Be Flexible. Expect spots to be dropped and moved to later weeks.
   • Book in Advance. As stated earlier, be prepared for an increase in spot rates because of how much pressure political advertising puts on the market. Since the market will be crowded with political commercials, there is a very limited availability of spots to buy during this time period. It is very important to book your schedules months in advance to secure inventory if you have to run your schedule during this time. Radio inventory isn’t as crowded since there are more stations than TV, but it’s still best to secure your schedule well in advance.
   • Ask for Alternate Options from the Stations. Look into different in-content opportunities and promotions. This will allow your brand to drift away from the standard radio schedule that campaign advertisers are buying and take part in a more beneficial, less crowded space.

Want to find out what elections are happening in your area? Check out the 2018 Political Calendar to see when your state’s airways will start to get crowded. And if you need more help navigating election season, drop us a line.