The filibuster. Who knew that a word that was once unknown be the center of a national advertising campaign? The Communications Workers of America (CWA), a union that boasts 700,000 members, launched an advertising campaign centered on fixing how the Senate works.
For those not too familiar with politics, the silent filibuster means that Senators are able to block a vote on certain pieces of legislation without having to debate. Actually, the politicians do not even have to be present. Under the reform bill known as the Merkley-Udall plan, that would change. Filibusters would still be allowed in the Senate, but those who wish to filibuster must be present for debate.
The campaign, #FixTheSenate, begins with $300,000 of TV advertising. The CWA will push its ad across several outlets, including of course all the Sunday political shows, and news channels. Then the CWA will run online ads that will push its audience to sign an online petition.
Below is the first advertisement:
The CWA joins about 50 other organizations to form what is called the Fix the Senate Now Coalition.
Will this campaign help the public see the importance of changing how the Senate operates? It's hard to say. This campaign is trying to change a procedure, not necessarily a law. Though the way the Senate works does affect the American people, we can see the difficulty in getting people to care enough to sign a petition.
Dwayne W. Waite Jr. is partner and principal at JDW: The Charlotte Agency, a marketing and advertising shop in Charlotte, NC. He enjoys consumer behavior, economics, and football.
The filibuster. Who knew that a word that was once unknown be the center of a national advertising campaign? The Communications Workers of America (CWA), a union that boasts 700,000 members, launched an advertising campaign centered on fixing how the Senate works.
