I hadn’t heard about this initiative from last fall before now, but it’s awesome. Leo Burnett Detroit, working to help save the Troy Library, injected some provocative marketing into an upcoming vote to levy a small tax that would keep the library open.
“A vote against the library, is like a vote to burn books.” One of the best things advertising can do is make you think about a topic in a way you’ve never considered before.
Political marketing folks love to talk about “reframing the debate,” and this is a perfect example. In a way, it reminded me of the “Truth” campaign from many years ago, which changed the discussion from “smoking is bad for you” to variations on “tobacco companies are manipulating you.”
Reframing is a powerful tool in the hands of those who know how to use it.
