Smart OTT Buying for First-Time Candidates
Smart OTT Buying for First-Time Candidates is often the single variable that separates a modern, data-driven win from an expensive, broadcast-era loss. If you are running for office for the first time, you likely do not have the war chest to compete dollar-for-dollar with an incumbent on traditional cable or broadcast television. The good news is that you do not have to. The old model of “spray and pray” advertising—where you pay to reach thousands of people who cannot even vote for you—is dying. In its place, Over-the-Top (OTT) and Connected TV (CTV) advertising allow you to treat television ads with the precision of a sniper rifle rather than a shotgun. This is your guide to navigating the complex ecosystem of streaming ads, avoiding the markup traps set by generalist agencies, and ensuring every dollar spent puts your message in front of a likely voter.
The Strategic Reality of Smart OTT Buying for First-Time Candidates
You need to understand the battlefield before you spend a dime. Traditional TV buying relies on Gross Rating Points (GRPs) and broad demographic buckets like “Women 35-64.” In a local or state-level race, this is financially reckless. You end up paying for eyeballs two districts over. Smart OTT buying flips this dynamic by utilizing programmatic technology to serve ads on streaming services—think Hulu, Sling, or Tubi—via internet-connected devices. The pricing models here are different. While you might be used to hearing about flat rates, OTT operates largely on CPM (Cost Per Mille), which typically ranges from $30 to $65 for political campaigns. This fluctuates based on how granular your targeting gets and the seasonality of the election cycle. While this CPM is higher than a raw broadcast number, the effective cost per likely voter is significantly lower because you are eliminating waste. You are paying a premium for precision, not for volume. If you are not careful, however, the fragmented inventory of the streaming world can lead to reach issues. This is why understanding the pros and cons is vital: you get deterministic attribution and cross-device messaging, but you face higher base rates and complex reporting that requires technical literacy to interpret.
Hyperlocal Targeting and Voter File Matching
The real power of this technology lies in data integration. As a first-time candidate, your most valuable asset is your voter file. Smart OTT buying allows you to upload these first-party lists—sourced from vendors like NGP VAN, L2, or TargetSmart—directly into the ad platforms. This process, known as onboarding, matches your list of persuadable voters to their digital identities and household IP addresses. This means you are not just targeting “adults in the zip code.” You are targeting specific households that voted in the last two midterms. You can layer this with hyperlocal targeting down to the precinct or legislative district level. If you are running for a state house seat, you can geofence your specific district boundaries so that you never pay for an impression outside your constituency. This level of specificity also enables sequential storytelling. You can serve a “Meet the Candidate” bio spot to a household first, and only after they have watched it, serve a negative contrast spot or a mobilization ad. This moves the voter down a persuasion funnel in a way that traditional TV simply cannot replicate.
Tactical Execution: Platforms and Integrations
When you are ready to execute, you have choices to make regarding partners and platforms. You cannot simply “buy OTT” at a store; you need a vendor or a Demand Side Platform (DSP). Leading firms like El Toro specialize in IP targeting, which is excellent for strict voter-file matching without using cookies. Strategus is another heavy hitter, offering advanced attribution to show you exactly who saw the ad and what they did afterward. For broader scale, vendors like Comcast’s Effectv or Madhive provide robust political-grade segmentation. The key is integration. You want a partner that can ingest your NGP VAN data seamlessly and, ideally, provide reporting that helps you perform a MatchBack analysis. This analysis tells you not just how many people saw the ad, but how many of those viewers actually turned out to vote or donated. While direct integration with fundraising platforms like ActBlue is rare for ad delivery, the data you harvest from these campaigns should absolutely be fed back into your CRM to refine your fundraising asks. Do not settle for a PDF report at the end of the month. Demand access to data that informs your ground game.
3 Costly Mistakes Rookies Make
I have seen promising campaigns bleed their budget dry by making three specific errors in the OTT space. First, they chase the lowest CPM. Cheap inventory often means low-quality placements on obscure apps with high bot traffic. You get what you pay for; ensure you are buying premium inventory on reputable apps. Second, they ignore frequency caps. If you hit the same voter with the same 15-second ad forty times in a week, you are not persuading them; you are annoying them. Smart OTT buying requires setting strict frequency caps to maximize reach rather than saturation. Third, they fail to demand attribution. If your consultant tells you the campaign went well because you got a lot of “impressions,” fire them. You need to know if those impressions occurred on TV screens (high impact) or muted mobile phones (low impact), and whether those households appear in your likely voter universe.
Your Pre-Launch Checklist
Before you authorize a single insertion order, ensure you have cleared this checklist. First, audit your creative. Do you have 15-second and 30-second non-skippable assets ready? OTT audiences have low tolerance for low-production value. Second, clean your data. Ensure your voter file is updated within the last 30 days to minimize wasted ad spend on voters who have moved. Third, define your geography. Have your consultant map your district boundaries into the ad platform to prevent bleed. Fourth, set your attribution goals. Are you measuring name ID lift, website visits, or pure turnout? Finally, budget for the premium. Political inventory spikes in price closer to Election Day. Lock in your rates or commit your budget early to avoid the October surge pricing.
The Sutton & Smart Difference
At Sutton & Smart, we do not believe in spending your money just to show you a vanity report full of big numbers. We believe in weaponizing your budget. While other agencies might be content to throw your creative onto a generic exchange and collect a commission, we act as your strategic firewall. We rigorously vet inventory sources to ensure you are not paying for bot traffic, and we handle the complex data onboarding from your voter files to ensure 1:1 accuracy. Smart OTT buying for first-time candidates is not just about buying ads; it is about buying votes efficiently. Contact us to build a media plan that respects your donors’ dollars.
Stop Wasting Budget on Broad Broadcast
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Jon Sutton
An expert in management, strategy, and field organizing, Jon has been a frequent commentator in national publications.
AutoAuthor | Partner
Have Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
On a per-impression basis (CPM), OTT is usually more expensive, costing $30-$65 compared to cable's lower rates. However, OTT is often cheaper overall for local candidates because it eliminates wasted spend on viewers who live outside your voting district.
Yes. Most sophisticated political ad platforms allow you to onboard your NGP VAN or L2 voter files to target those specific individuals and households on their streaming devices.
CPM (Cost Per Mille) is the standard. However, if available, CPCV (Cost Per Completed View) is superior for political messaging because it guarantees that the voter actually watched your full ad, rather than just scrolling past it.
This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or tax advice. Political campaign laws, FEC regulations, voter-file handling rules, and platform policies (Meta, Google, etc.) are subject to frequent change. State-level laws governing the use, storage, and transmission of voter files or personally identifiable political data vary significantly and may impose strict limitations on third-party uploads, data matching, or cross-platform activation. Always consult your campaign’s General Counsel, Compliance Treasurer, or state party data governance office before making strategic, legal, or financial decisions related to voter data. Parts of this article may have been created, drafted, or refined using artificial intelligence tools. AI systems can produce errors or outdated information, so all content should be independently verified before use in any official campaign capacity. Sutton & Smart is an independent political consulting firm. Unless explicitly stated, we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any third-party platforms mentioned in this content, including but not limited to NGP VAN, ActBlue, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), Google, Hyros, or Vibe.co. All trademarks and brand names belong to their respective owners and are used solely for descriptive and educational purposes.
https://newpathdigital.com/ott-advertising-pricing-models-performance-metrics/
https://propellant.media/the-role-of-ott-and-connected-tv-advertising-in-winning-political-campaigns/
https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2116/ML21167A043.pdf
