I realized that political parties buy consumer lists and information to better tailor targeted messages, but even I was surprised to see the scope and breadth of the Republican information-gathering machine.
The GOP’s mastery of data is changing the very nature of campaigning.
Rather than concentrating on building the widest possible support, the Republican Party now focuses on finding known and potential Republican voters, learning about their interests and concerns in unprecedented detail and then delivering to them a tailored message.
Both parties gather data on registered voters through public records such as voting history, voting registration rolls, driver’s and hunting licenses and responses to issue surveys. Consumer data, often gathered from supermarkets, liquor stores, online book vendors, drugstores and auto dealerships and used increasingly in marketing campaigns, also are finding their way into the voter files kept by both parties.
But the depth of the Republican files is greater — they have been around longer and include more information — increasing the data’s predictive power. The Republicans also have more money to buy top-notch consumer data from, say, supermarket chains and other retailers.
That’s right, as silly as this sounds, the Republican Party may very well have bought information about your shopping habits from your local grocery store.
It’s part of what’s called “micro-targeting.” Parties have historically crafted generalized messages to appeal to a very broad audience. But with newly-bought consumer information about your likes, dislikes, and purchase patterns, parties (primarily the GOP) can custom tailor a message specifically to you and a small number of people like you.
They do this, of course, because it works.
Republican and Democratic strategists refuse to reveal much detail about the consumer information they collect. But strategists did offer some examples.
Bourbon drinkers are more likely to be Republicans; gin is a Democratic drink. Military history buffs are likely to be social conservatives. Volvos are preferred by Democrats; Ford and Chevy owners are more likely Republican. Phone customers who have call waiting lean heavily Republican.
Strategists said that cross-referencing such seemingly disparate data can produce powerful correlations — and draw a roadmap for targeting messages to specific voters. Where a voter lives, what car she drives and what magazines she reads are all used to predict her position on specific issues.
Remember, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean someone isn’t watching you. In this case, the “someone” is probably Ken Mehlman.