News & views.
A collection of stories about data, public opinion and politics and news about our firm.
Digital Lessons from the Midterms
Our friends at Bully Pulpit Interactive have put together a must-read set of strategy takeaways from the midterm elections. Among them: video content must be digital-first.
Our Political Fault Lines
The divisions in American politics are best understood as regional, not urban versus rural or coastal versus heartland. This is the thesis from Colin Woodard, the journalist and author of American Nations, a book we turn to regularly for its insights into the diverse values which underpin American politics.
Colin Kaepernick's Counterintuitive Use of Silence
Kaepernick rarely issues his own tweets and does not participate in interviews. It's a counterintuitive approach in today's always on, 24/7 media landscape, in which leaders of all kinds try to shape the public discourse through first person use of social media.
On Strategic Thinking
Yale history professor Beverly Gage offers a thoughtful analysis of the meaning and application of "strategy," a term more widely used than understood. In her view, a strategy outlines how you move toward a goal in the face of obstacles and with limited resources.
Phone versus online and other considerations: A primer on nonprobability surveys.
You can't make smart decisions on messaging or campaign strategy if the data you're basing those decisions on isn't accurate.
An Unforced Error in the San Francisco Mayor's Race
What should you do when you're attacked? It's a question every political campaign has to prepare for. Our recommendation: don't draw attention to an attack few voters have noticed.
The Power of Mary Meeker's Internet Trends Report
We love diving into Kleiner Perkins' Internet Trends report, prepared each year by venture capital legend Mary Meeker. Without fail, the report is full of insights into how society is grappling with technological change.
Trust in Polling
If there's any remaining confusion about what happened with election polling in the 2016 presidential campaign, the Pew Research Center clears it up in this 6-minute video. The key takeaways: while national polls were very accurate, state polls largely missed a late swing to Donald Trump and underrepresented people without college educations.
Is Facebook Better Off Regulated?
With every new revelation about how Facebook has failed to shepherd its users’ data, Americans’ feelings toward the company have become a bit more chilly.
Rebuilding Trust in Government
As a nation, we are often reminded of and criticized for our low level of trust in government. Looking at our history, this trust deficit should come as no surprise: skepticism of a strong central government is hard-wired into our national culture.
Running for office in 2018? Look to New Orleans and LaToya Cantrell for lessons
Where should an insurgent candidate look for guidance on running a strong campaign? We suggest New Orleans, and the playbook of LaToya Cantrell, the city’s mayor-elect. In a city which had never elected a woman mayor, Cantrell won the 18-way October primary by 9 points and the November run-off by 20. How’d she do it? By blending old and new communications techniques. By rooting her campaign in voters’ values. By spending carefully. These are timely lessons for Democrats across the country.
Making Sense of the Facebook – Cambridge Analytica Saga
As Max Read argues in an incisive New York Magazine piece: "Facebook was being used as it's designed, and that's the problem." Facebook made it remarkably easy to obtain information about its users, who have limited knowledge of what is happening.
Can Public Service Be Good Politics Again?
Can a call to public service once again make for good politics? Not since President Kennedy in 1960 has a national candidate put service and civic responsibility at the strategic core of a campaign. Savvy candidates in both parties should consider doing so in 2018 and 2020.
A New Mayor for New Orleans
The most effective campaigns seamlessly blend data, digital and grassroots strategies. We are proud to have been a part of one which ended Saturday: the race for Mayor of New Orleans.
Harvard Study on Partisanship, Propaganda and Disinformation
One interesting finding is that the coordinated right-wing media ecosystem successfully communicated a consistent story — and ultimately influenced the campaign. The study’s authors write that “both candidates got critical coverage but Trump had issues and he had scandals; with Clinton it was only scandals.”
Introducing Lighthouse
Lighthouse compares a company's strengths with the public's priorities to clarify the landscape of opportunities and risks.
Big Data: Promise and Challenges
The best research combines qualitative and quantitative analysis. Quantitative analysis informs powerful decision-making models, but when you combine it with qualitative analysis, you get depth, context and richer, more actionable analysis.
Virginia, New Jersey and Trumpism
Overreach. A phenomenon so common it can be confused for a physical law of politics. It's a point Democrats should remember as they celebrate sweeping wins in NJ and VA on November 7.