Gutsy Media Combats Voter Cynicism and Fatigue in New Ad

Agency Gutsy Media, in partnership with top progressive organisations Way to Win Action Fund, ASO Communications, and We Make the Future Action, debuted a new ad campaign to combat voter cynicism ahead of the November election. The ad, “DOOMSCROLL,” addresses voters’ pervasive sense of discouragement head-on, reminding viewers of our power to come together and take action to protect our freedoms, our families, and our futures.

As voters report feeling demoralised, overwhelmed, and exhausted ahead of the November 2024 election, DOOMSCROLL exposes how the opposition deliberately fuels our feelings of despair and helplessness as part of their strategy to seize and hold onto power. The campaign encourages voters to get offline and channel their energy into community-building and direct action. Backed by extensive research and testing, DOOMSCROLL was found to move several key groups toward taking action around the election, including Latino, Black, Millennial voters. It performed effectively across most racial segments and political views.

Directed by Conor C. Simpson, the ad utilises multiple genre cues and heightened visuals to immerse viewers in the feeling of paralysis that comes with doomscrolling through an onslaught of bad news. Conor shared, “We employed a plethora of creative methods like subjective cinematography, enveloping visual effects, and hypnotizing sound design – not to mention stellar performances – to emulate the feeling of powerlessness that doomscrolling foments. We’re all trying to be informed, but with modern technology it can be overwhelming – sometimes a healthy comedic slap like Doomscroll serves as a reminder to put down our phones and actually engage with the world around us.”

“Voters need to be reminded that we have the power to decide the future and the outcomes we want to see in our communities and country,” said Jenifer Fernandez Ancona, vice president and co-founder of Way to Win Action Fund – the national community of funders and strategists building a sustainable and equitable multiracial coalition. “This election is far too important for voters to sit on the sidelines and Doomscroll aims to inspire everyone to get in the game this November.”

“Again and again in this country, a small faction has tried to drain us of hope and power so that they can rule for the wealthy few – and again and again, ‘we, the people’ have come together across races and places to defy them and demand better,” said leading progressive messaging consultant and principal of ASO Communications, Anat Shenker-Osorio. “This year, we can and we will do it again.”

"At Gutsy Media, we bring top tier creative talent to elevate the storytelling for issue-based media. With so much on the line this election, creating and distributing research-backed media that will entertain and inspire audiences to action is paramount for us,” concluded Julie Hermelin, managing partner, Gutsy Media.

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