How To Reach Off The Grid Voters in Ohio

At Personal Democracy Forum, a yearly gathering of technologists and political elites, Mitt Romney's digital director Zac Moffatt laid out an interesting challenge facing his boss and President Obama—particularly in the key swing state of Ohio. Namely, how do you engage with voters Moffatt has labeled "off the griders," i.e. people that are opting out of live TV in favor of DVR's to skip over ads.

Both Moffatt and Michael Beach of political interactive ad agency, Targeted Victory (a firm Moffatt helped to co-found) spoke to separate crowds about the off the grid phenomenon arguing for the importance of online advertising. In fact, according to an in house study conducted by Targeted Victory and SAY Media, 31 percent of likely 2012 voters are not watching live TV. Per Moffat, the numbers are even higher in Ohio, a state where Romney and Obama are expected to compete fiercely. Moffatt was quick to note that digital was not out to replace the role of television, but rather amplify it. When it comes to persuading online voters, Moffatt argues for sophisticated targeting (naturally, that's a task that the Romney campaign has hired Targeted Victory and other data firms to help accomplish).