Digital Spend in Midterm Elections Trumped by TV

According to Borrell & Associates, political spending on digital media should double this year vs. 2008, reaching $44.5 million. Despite that hefty growth rate, "that's really not much," said Kip Cassino, Borrell's vp of research.

Some estimates place digital spending at 1 percent of total political media dollars. "There's more of it, but it's still a fraction," said Evan Tracey, president, campaign media analysis group, Kantar Media. "Spending has just not developed this year," said Ted Utz, managing director of the local rep firm Petry Digital. Utz said his company works with around 10 top political ad agencies. "They are staffed up and poised to place digital money, and it's been really anemic. [Media plans are] just sitting there."

Perhaps the biggest factor holding back digital spending is political consultants' love affair with TV, which, according to Cassino, gets two of every three dollars spent in this arena. TV has a long track record of getting people elected, particularly in local congressional races, where a candidate might be running "for the 10th or 11th term," said Cassino. "So they hand digital planning to the kid who comes in as a volunteer." Also, while consultants recognize the Web's fund-raising power, many still aren't buying the idea that banner ads drive votes.