POLITICS: I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO..I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

by Don Hermann

How many times have you heard some guru, media type, congressman, senator tell you what’s wrong but offer no solution?

Most of the time they skirt the real issues and talk about Trump. They write books, appear on TV, do an occasional demonstration, become celebrities and the Republicans gain traction, in spite of having a minority of voters, offer totalitarian ideas, lie and cheat repeatedly and step by step tear the guts out of our Democracy.

Part of the responsibility lies with the above group of people. But there’s a lot more blame to go around.

The person you see in the mirror is complicit in creating an environment conducive to allowing this to happen. Without people like you and me observing these events like a soap opera and turning a deaf ear to considering solutions “As The World Turns” against us.

I KNOW WHAT TO DO
I KNOW WHAT TO DO
I KNOW WHAT TO DO
I have been screaming this out for almost two years. Ever since the Republicans announced their intentions to gerrymander their way to take control of State Governments to control both local and federal issues.

It’s been no surprise. Yet the Democrats and the media turned a deaf ear and wouldn’t hear about the Priority of controlling the ballot box. Until recently.

My Senators, Congressman, some key candidates around the country wouldn’t take the cotton out of their ears to consider realistic, imaginative and involving ways to overcome the Republican tactics.

Is it territorial? Infringing on the same old same old boring stuff they’re accustomed to.

Don’t tell me it’s been successful. With the quality of candidates the Republicans have put up, there’s no way the Democrats should not have wiped the floor with them.

PUT UP. OR SHUT UP.
There’s been constant complaints that people still don’t appreciate the advantages of supporting the Democrats.
. The biggest problem Democrats are facing is voting. The making minorities Second Class Citizens.
. I HAVE THAT SOLUTION
. Who are THE Democrats? What do they stand for? What are the benefits for me?
I HAVE THAT SOLUTION
. The politicians spend half their time asking for money. To do the same things they’ve always been doing. How are they going to help me and my family?
. I HAVE THAT SOLUTION
. Immigration is a problem on the southern border. No one has a meaningful solution.
. I HAVE THAT SOLUTION

GUNS. WOMEN’S RIGHTS. BLACK LIVES MATTER. They all fit under the umbrella I address.

OK.

WHO THE HELL AM I?
I’d be surprised if that question wasn’t at the top of most people’s minds reading this. So I’ll answer it. I’m an ad guy. One foot in the retirement door. And one foot maybe in my mouth or maybe in other people’s.

In almost every account I touched, there was an unusual solution. Not expected. (Self Serving required)

. KFC’s first national type ad. In Look Magazine. Looking for 100,000 coupon redemptions. Received over 700,000. Most successful coupon ad in Magazine’s history.

. Worked on team to create theme for small bank in Ct. “Money Isn’t Everything” Offered first Express Line for a bank. Wall street Journal did Page one feature on campaign.

. NY Yankees. Theme-“Come Watch the Legend Grow” using Bob Sheppard highly regarded PA Announcer. Never have seen Steinbrenner so pleased.
No growl.

. Ferrara Foods (Little Italy, NYC) Famous for their cannoli. Used Hall of Fame N Y Yankees shortstop/announcer Phil Rizzuto to sing its praises with “HOLY CANNOLI.”

There’s a lot more. But I’ll leave you with this. A surprise. Advertising agencies didn’t believe in advertising. Really? Back then agencies hardly ever ran ads for themselves. Perhaps something occasional. Nothing sustained. They relied on PR.

I saw this as an opportunity. I was president of a small agency. looking for ways to separate ourselves demonstrating our creativity.

Phil Dougherty was Advertising Columnist in The NY Times. Enormous credibility. I wanted him to do what was considered next to impossible. Endorse us. We had very limited dollars.

We would run full page ads in The Times. Do TV. And promotional mailings.

We developed a campaign “Advertising That Lights a Fire Under People.” Bought distress advertising full page ads in regional edition of the paper for $2000.oo each. Ran TV on news programs for a month at a real budget price. And did mailing of ad burning the bottom of the letter.

We lit a fire under Phil Dougherty and he devoted his column to us.

Holy smoke. I can create an inferno for the Democrats. Want to fan the fire? Let me know.