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Campaign of Distinction: CNN=Politics

Jun 9, 2007  •  Post A Comment

CNN promotions producer John Dance created his own campaign for the “CNN=Politics” campaign. At the start of 2006, as the promotions department at the news network was considering the appropriate on-air campaign for the 2006 midterm elections, he made a series of signs for “CNN=Politics.” He then placed them around the office—on the door of the men’s room, on the side of a cubicle, outside his boss’s office.
Scot Safon, senior VP, marketing and on-air promotion, was won over. “It convinced me. It showed me what the campaign would be like,” he said.
“CNN=Politics” became the slogan for the network’s coverage of the elections; it likely also will play a role in the coverage of the 2008 elections. The network’s goal in developing the campaign was to convey that CNN was a source for facts and perspective regarding political coverage.
“We asked, how do we associate ourselves with political coverage during a time when everyone else is doing this, and how do we make what we do seem distinctive and very engaging for audiences?” Mr. Safon said. “Those are very tall orders for a news organization, and very important ones, because politics and political news are the mainstays for your brand.”
The idea of CNN equaling politics was a simple and direct way to convey that message, he said.
The campaign grew from the idea that every American is at heart an independent thinker, Mr. Safon said. The network took that idea a step further with the CNN Election Express Yourself initiative. The network sent its Airstream trailer to 13 local markets and let individuals express their opinion about politics. CNN aired some of those “shout-outs” on-air, online and on blogs. The bus reached more than 50,000 people in person at those events and more online and on-air.
The campaign began in the spring of 2006 and included online, on-air and print components.
Critical to the campaign’s success, according to Mr. Safon, were Robert Poulton, art director; Therese Aun, supervising producer; Keisha Taylor, marketing manager; and Mr. Dance, the promotions producer.
Scot Safon
Title:
Senior VP, marketing and on-air promotion, CNN
How long in position: 4 years
Year of birth: 1960
Place of birth: Boston
Who knew? While in college at the University of Virginia, Mr. Safon was a deejay for a college radio show devoted to Broadway music.
Robert Poulton
Title: Art director, marketing and on-air promotion, CNN
How long in position: 3 years
Year of birth: 1964
Place of birth: Nottingham, England
Who knew? Mr. Poulton loves old sports cars. He drives and tinkers with a restored 1976 Datsun 280-Z in his spare time.
Therese Aun
Title: Supervising producer, CNN
How long in position: 4 years
Year of birth: 1959
Place of birth: Lexington, S.C.
Who knew? Ms. Aun worked as a professional puppeteer for nearly 10 years before joining CNN.

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