DeVito/Verdi's Ellis Verdi Elects To Start Political Advertising Podcast

NEW YORK, March 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- How presidential campaigns "sell" their candidate to the American electorate, and the tens of millions of marketing dollars being spent to do so, will be the focus of a new podcast by ad man Ellis Verdi debuting next week.

Entitled "Selling A President, 2020," the podcast brings together creative lions from the advertising world, younger creative directors and political consultants to critique and examine how the candidates are being marketed.  Verdi and his guests will cast a critical eye toward how the presidential contenders' messages are being received, where they're falling short and where they're finding success.  The series will hear from both ends of the political spectrum and even go beyond the candidates' ads to examine those being produced by outside groups and super PACs that impact the race.

The initial episodes, moderated by long-time New York Times advertising columnist Stuart Elliott, include such guests as advertising legends Lee Garfinkel and Linda Kaplan Thaler, award-winning creative and digital directors Greg Hahn (CCO, BBDO NY), Casey Rand (CCO, Potential Energy Coalition), Jay Benjamin (founder, Hundred Percent), Tom Christmann (Co-Dean, Adhouse Advertising School), and Gregg Lester (Chief Digital Director, DeVito/Verdi), and former political consultant Jonathan Prince (currently VP of communications at Slack).

"Advertising's role in helping to elect the leader of the free world cannot be overstated," said Verdi, founder and president of the critically acclaimed creative agency DeVito/Verdi. "The race to the White House is increasingly being staged on screens of all sizes, and it's time that the top creative minds in advertising stepped forward to provide their take on advertising's incredibly powerful role in the election."

The first podcast, entitled "Fear Sells," delves into how President Trump has sold himself through a combination of fear and anger in his marketing.  The discussion follows the president's polarizing, yet successful, approach to branding himself and how it has built one of the most loyal followings of any president in history.

Upcoming episodes will look at how the media landscape has been disrupted with this year's election, how the candidates are being packaged, the impact COVID-19 has on candidates' messaging, and how traditional advertising agencies have been sidelined in favor of ads intent on making a sale rather than building a brand.  The podcast also expects to move rapidly to cover breaking campaigns and any marketing related news affecting the candidates. 

The "Selling A President, 2020" can be heard here.  The first episode, "Fear Sells," can be heard on Spotify, Google Play, Apple, TuneIn and Stitcher.

About DeVito/Verdi

DeVito/Verdi, a privately held company, has been recognized as one of the most exceptional creative agencies in the industry.  It has been voted "Best Agency" six times by the advertising industry group, the AAAA, and has created some of the most memorable ad campaigns of the past 25 years.  Its lengthy list of industry awards includes the top prizes at the Clios, Radio Mercury, Cannes, Andy, Addy and One Show award ceremonies. 

DeVito/Verdi strives for excellence and maintains a unique level of prestige within the advertising industry, as evidenced by its work for such clients as Kohl's, The National Association of Broadcasters, BayCare Health System, Five Below, BevMo!, 7-Eleven, New York Institute of Technology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Sony, Canon, Duane Reade Drug Stores, BMW, 84 Lumber, Esquire Magazine, Men's Wearhouse, TimeOut Magazine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Scripps Health, Grey Goose Vodka, UChicago Medicine, eCampus, Reebok, Legal Sea Foods, Office Depot, Appleton Rums, Pepsi/SOBE, Fallon Community Health Plan, Tribe Mediterranean Foods, Empire Kosher Chicken, Acura, CarMax, Sports Authority, Campaign for Freedom Post 9/11, Pro-Choice Education Project, Hillary Clinton for Senate, and others. 

SOURCE DeVito/Verdi