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2022

Lauren Underwood

  • Raised $4.4 million online for Lauren’s re-election and modernized her brand and website
  • Achieved 213% return on ad spend through hyper-local digital ad campaigns
United States Representative Lauren Underwood is wearing glasses and smiling in front of a red wall. She is wearing a navy short sleeve blouse with a navy and white bow.
Rep. Lauren Underwood

Challenge

Authentic was hired to help Congresswoman Lauren Underwood win re-election in 2022. Rep. Underwood had been named to the DCCC’s Frontline program, which meant her re-election was critical to defending the House majority.

Our mission was to create a digital persuasion through an online fundraising program and local fundraising campaign that would counter the attacks from Republican groups while elevating Congresswoman Underwood’s historic story. Additionally, our creative team modernized the Congresswoman’s campaign branding and developed a new website to boost conversions and interest in the campaign.

Our efforts were successful with Congresswoman Underwood winning 53.7% of the vote, nearly triple her margin of victory compared to 2020.

Services

General Consulting, Online Fundraising, Digital Advertising, Logo and Branding, Graphic and Web, and Mobile Messaging.

LOCAL FUNDRAISING STRATEGY

We set out to rejuvenate the Underwood campaign’s digital campaign by rooting our examples of successful online fundraising campaigns and persuasion programs in Lauren’s unique story.

We strongly believed her story would resonate with her constituents and grassroots donors, which would inoculate her from Republican attacks and help separate her race from other battleground House elections.

 

Tactics

Hyper-Localized Fundraising:

Understanding the importance of community connection, Authentic initiated a hyper-localized fundraising approach. Instead of broadly appealing to national donors, the focus was on acquiring supporters directly from Congresswoman Lauren Underwood’s district and throughout Illinois. By utilizing tailored messaging in our email and SMS campaigns, which emphasized Lauren’s roots and local contributions, we could resonate more deeply with residents. Coupled with strategic Google ads, this approach not only expanded the donor list but also yielded an impressive 296.64% return on ad spend from July to November.

Dynamic Video Content Creation:

Recognizing the power of visual storytelling, Authentic crafted an online fundraising program with specialized video content to highlight Rep. Underwood’s positions on vital issues like abortion and the economy. These videos were disseminated via Facebook, Instagram, and programmatic platforms, targeting specific demographic groups that were identified as responsive through the campaign’s polling data. On YouTube, in lieu of voter-file list matching, we leveraged demographic data to ensure our content reached the most receptive audiences, thereby enhancing engagement and persuasion.

Brand Modernization and Web Optimization:

Authentic saw the potential for increased engagement by giving Congresswoman Lauren Underwood’s campaign a fresh and contemporary digital presence. Our creative team undertook a complete overhaul of the campaign’s branding, introducing a modernized logo and visual elements. In tandem, we developed a new website aimed at boosting conversions. The redesigned interface was user-centric, making it easier for supporters to access information, engage with content, and make donations. This dual online fundraising program effort of brand and web enhancement significantly increased online interest in Congresswoman Underwood’s campaign.

“Authentic did a phenomenal job supporting our re-election campaign in 2022. They modernized our brand and website and helped us develop a successful online fundraising program that was rooted in my voice and the nuances of our congressional district. The digital persuasion program Authentic developed was innovative and a great compliment to our TV, mail, and field programs this cycle. I’m grateful to have them on my team.”

Rep. Lauren Underwood

Outcome

Rep. Lauren Underwood’s re-election campaign was a success, securing 53.7% on Election Day. This result was a significant accomplishment, marking a nearly threefold increase in her margin of victory compared to the 2020 elections. Authentic’s digital strategies and political fundraising campaigns played an instrumental role in this success, yielding a total online fundraising of $4.4 million from 72,512 individual contributions. This impressive performance was further underscored by a 213% return on ad spend, demonstrating the effectiveness and efficiency of the implemented strategies.

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