New Sheriff in Town!

In a rural state, a small town was gearing up for the reelection of its Sheriff. The incumbent, entrenched in his position, was facing a challenger—a local, working mom with over a decade of law enforcement experience. Frustrated with the current sheriff’s policies, she was determined to bring change to her hometown. To win over voters, she needed a strategy that would cut through the noise and connect with the community in meaningful ways

The Challenge: Reaching Voters in a Spread-Out Community

With a town population that was small but geographically spread out, the campaign faced a unique challenge. How do you reach voters when they live in a large area and may not be as connected through traditional campaign methods

The solution was clear: meet voters where they are—on their mobile devices

The Strategy: Digital Campaign Focused on Rural Voters

To effectively target her audience, the campaign used a combination of geographic and behavioral targeting tactics designed to maximize exposure across a wide area. The strategy included the following key elements

1. Wide Geographic Targeting:
   • With the town’s population dispersed over a large rural area, the campaign expanded its reach well beyond the immediate voting district. A nearly 70-mile radius was chosen to ensure the campaign reached voters as they moved throughout the area. The goal was to engage people even when they weren’t at home.
2. Behavioral Targeting:
   • To connect with potential voters, the campaign targeted behavioral categories based on the community's concerns and values. This included registered voters with a history of political engagement as well as those interested in causes important to the town, such as local law enforcement, family safety, and community growth.
3. Geofencing Key Community Locations:
   • To maximize engagement, the campaign identified key locations where voters gathered regularly, such as sporting events, farmers markets, agriculture auctions, concert venues, and town halls. By using Geofencing and Geo-Retargeting, the campaign was able to serve ads to voters as they visited these places, reinforcing the message and keeping the candidate top of mind.

The Results: A New Sheriff in Town

Thanks to a strategic digital approach that blended geographic and behavioral targeting with geofencing and retargeting, the challenger successfully reached voters in a way that traditional methods couldn’t. By the time election day arrived, her message was clear—and the community responded

The campaign served over 200,000 impressions to mobile devices across the targeted area, ensuring the challenger’s message was seen by a wide audience. In the end, the town had a new sheriff—and the challenger had proven that digital marketing can be a game-changer even in rural, small-town elections

Conclusion: Digital Strategy Delivers Results in Rural Elections

This campaign is a great example of how even small, rural communities can benefit from digital marketing strategies. With the right combination of geographic and behavioral targeting, candidates can reach voters where they are and drive real results

If your business needs a high-impact, cost-effective marketing strategy, contact Vici Media today to learn more about our white-label digital solutions

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