Even without airing one ad, the Bush reelection team has already achieved the first goal of its much- anticipated TV campaign - creating buzz.

Since learning two weeks ago that Bush-Cheney '04 would start advertising earlier than planned, on March 4, the political world has chattered daily about the what, when, and where of the president's initial $4.5 million-plus ad spree. Bottom line: Bush is aiming to shore up his base of conservative support while getting his message out in the most competitive states in an election both parties think will be close. He will also start his TV appeal for the votes of Hispanics, now the largest minority group in America.

The theme of the ads, according to people who have seen them, is Bush as a "war president," playing off the reelection theme of "steady leadership in times of change."

Reports indicate that the Bush campaign has bought ad time on national cable news and sports channels, plus local broadcast stations in 17 states, which not coincidentally are the states that analysts agree make up the battleground for election 2004. Further, President Bush will start advertising next week on Spanish-language networks Univision and Telemundo in competitive states with large Hispanic populations: Florida, New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona.

Venues for the English-language ads include CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox Sports Net, which airs NASCAR races. The campaign is also looking into advertising on ESPN, the Golf Channel, and the History Channel, all of which have high male viewership, and on the Home and Garden channel, popular with older women.

"The cable strategy is wise, because realistically, you've had about eight months of very hard-hitting political debate in the Democratic primary that's been almost 90 percent anti-Bush," says Evan Tracey, president of TNS Media Intelligence/ Campaign Media Analysis Group. "It's wise to try to push back a little bit."

Bush will also enjoy the "multiplier effect" of advance coverage. News channels will report and discuss the ads - and, of course, air the ads, or snippets, for free.

"Especially on cable news, within the Brady Bunch squares, you will have debates on the merits of the ads and all sorts of truth-checking," says Mr. Tracey. "But in the end, they will buy the time, because it's an unfiltered message. It will be in people's living rooms and offices and all the places they're trying to reach voters."

The ad campaign is timed to coincide with the likely effective end of the race for the Democratic nomination, with Sen. John Kerry (D) of Massachusetts on the verge of an unsurmountable lead in delegates. The Bush campaign calculation is that Kerry will be tapped out financially, at least for a time, and that while he reloads, Bush will have the message playing field to himself. Even though most voters aren't paying much attention to the campaign, the early days are when they form initial impressions.

Page: 1 | 2