Katie Hobbs vs Andy Biggs: Campaign ad strategies target Arizona voters
Gov. Katie Hobbs and Andy Biggs ramp up campaign ads
Katie Hobbs and Andy Biggs are pouring millions into new political ad campaigns ahead of November, targeting Arizona voters across broadcast and digital platforms. FOX 10's Andrew Christiansen breaks down the different strategies.
PHOENIX - Whether watching a newscast or scrolling on a phone, the race for Arizona governor is taking over screens across the state.
What we know:
Incumbent Katie Hobbs and challenger Andy Biggs are pouring millions into new ad campaigns hoping to win votes this November. The strategy behind the spending shows both campaigns focused heavily on messaging.
Both the Hobbs and Biggs campaigns state their ads focus on affordability, though delivering that message requires substantial financial resources. Whether featuring background stories or attack messaging targeting an opponent, both Arizona gubernatorial candidates are ramping up media efforts to attract voters.
Gov. Katie Hobbs:
"Right now, it is the broad messages that the governor has done that she was elected to do for all of Arizona, not just the political party that she's affiliated with," said Stacy Pearson, a Democratic consultant representing the Hobbs campaign.
Gov. Katie Hobbs has been running advertisements across television, social media, and streaming services. Pearson notes the campaign is actively targeting moderates and independents.
"People are happy with the job she's done and is doing and so her fundraising has been extraordinarily successful because her record has been successful," Pearson said.
Rep. Andy Biggs:
Meanwhile, the Andy Biggs campaign launched its first television ad last week. The campaign is also utilizing social media and streaming to reach specific voters.
"Katie Hobbs has to spend more because Arizonans have seen her in action, and they're not very impressed with her. They say the fact that we continue to climb higher in terms of our affordability," said Drew Sexton, senior advisor for the Biggs for Arizona campaign.
The Biggs campaign states its latest ad blitz aims to showcase a side of the candidate with which voters might be less familiar.
"The two most recent ads though are kind of showing Arizonans a different side of Andy Biggs. His work with law enforcement, his work with Senator John McCain," Sexton said.
The Push To Digital:
When delivering advertisements to voters, campaigns increasingly rely on digital platforms to stretch available dollars, according to political analyst Mike Noble.
"You're going to see a lot more of the social stuff than you'll see broadcast, but again broadcast, more expensive," said Noble, founder of Noble Predictive Insights.
Dig deeper:
Because media consumption varies widely among voters, candidates can no longer depend on a single advertising avenue to succeed.
"Effectiveness-wise, there's no one-shot approach anymore. You really have to hit people through multiple mediums or modes and really layer that messaging," Noble said.
Noble notes that while campaign funds are essential, candidate visibility is also bolstered by news coverage and social media presence.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from a Democratic consultant representing the Hobbs campaign, the senior advisor for the Biggs for Arizona campaign, and a political analyst.