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Casey, a three-term senator who has built such a moderate, mild-mannered reputation he has been compared to oatmeal, is in the crosshairs of national Republican leaders. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has identified Casey as one of his top targets in 2024, going so far as to rank his seat alongside those held by Senate Democrats in solidly red states such as West Virginia and Montana.

Republicans are desperately trying to lure former business executive David McCormick, who they see as the best possible challenger, into the race. The party establishment caught a break this week when MAGA firebrand state Sen. Doug Mastriano announced that he wouldnt run for the Senate at this time, potentially clearing the path to the nomination for McCormick.

But behind the scenes, GOP elected officials, strategists and donors are still not bullish about their chances against Casey. They are well aware that he has won all of his Senate elections by double digits or close to it. They know hes an institution in the state and the son of the late anti-abortion Gov. Robert Casey, Sr. And as working-class white voters have bolted from most Democrats, GOP insiders fear Casey still has a hold on many of them, partly due to his family name.

Bob Casey is political royalty in Pennsylvania. Hes an incumbent senator who is beloved, said Republican Carla Sands, an ambassador to Denmark under former President Donald Trump who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in the state last year. I think hes tough to beat.

If Trump wins the presidential nomination, some Republicans worry it would make an already difficult situation all but impossible. They are concerned that Trump, who lost Pennsylvania to President Joe Biden in 2020, could be a drag on down-ballot candidates and force them to answer for his unpredictable comments. As he decides whether to run, McCormick himself is weighing the prospect of running alongside Trump, according to two Republicans close to him.

It definitely makes it tougher for a Republican to win the Senate race if Trump is on the ticket for sure. For a Republican to beat Casey, I think the GOP presidential nominee has to win Pennsylvania, said Josh Novotney, a Pennsylvania-based Republican strategist. Casey is more popular than Biden in Pennsylvania and will likely outperform him.

Though Republicans see Casey as a strong contender, the Senate map overall in 2024 heavily favors their party. Democrats are on defense in 23 states, several of them in battlegrounds and full-blown MAGA country. Republicans are facing reelection in just 11 states, with the best opportunities for Democrats lying in hostile territory like Florida and Texas. Republicans only need to flip two Senate seats or one if they win the White House to take back control of the upper chamber.

But the GOPs assessment of Casey underscores another dynamic in Senate races that complicates the picture next year. Democrats have several battle-tested senators on their roster in 2024 like Sherrod Brown, Jon Tester and potentially Joe Manchin who are widely seen as skilled opponents and have outperformed other candidates in their party.

During the blue wave of 2018, Casey carried the state by 13 percentage points, two years after Hillary Clinton lost Pennsylvania to Trump. In 2012, Casey won by 9 percentage points, compared to then-President Barack Obamas 5-point margin of victory.

Republicans said one challenge confronting them is that Casey is so bland that hes not hated by anyone, a similar dilemma they faced in 2020 with Biden. Another is Caseys constituent services.

His staffers who represent him are very effective, said Jackie Kulback, chair of the Cambria County Republican Party. Theyre helping with constituent issues, things like that. That helps you win elections.

Plus, she said, Honestly, I think theres a lot of people who still think that theyre voting for his dad.

The view of Casey within the GOP underscores why Republicans in both Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. have aggressively wooed McCormick and dissuaded Mastriano from jumping into the race. Public and private polls have shown Casey leading McCormick, but that the race would be closer if McCormick is on the ticket.

Republicans said one challenge confronting them is that Casey is so bland that hes not hated by anyone, a similar dilemma they faced in 2020 with President Joe Biden. | Matt Slocum/AP Photo

After the Senate GOPs campaign arm took a hands-off approach to primaries last year to disappointing results, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is getting involved this time around in several states in hopes of nominating high-quality candidates. Republican officials believe McCormick, a combat veteran and former hedge fund CEO, can appeal to suburban voters and help finance what is expected to be a highly expensive campaign against Casey.

A tough GOP opponent who is well funded could give him a race, said Novotney.

Keith Rothfus, a former GOP congressman, is also eyeing the Senate contest. Sands, the former ambassador, recently declined to rule out a 2024 run.

Despite many Republicans less-than-optimistic attitude toward Casey, the Democrat is not without vulnerabilities. He has moved leftward in recent years one liberal Philadelphia columnist dubbed him Woke Bob Casey which could give an opening to Republicans to challenge his moderate image. Bidens approval ratings are dismal and could pull down Casey and other Democrats on the ballot. Casey has voted with Biden almost 99 percent of the time, according to politics data site FiveThirtyEight, a fact that the GOP is eager to highlight. And Casey has gotten lucky, running in good years for Democrats.

In a statement Thursday after Mastrianos announcement, McCormick signaled the lines of attack he would use on Casey were he to run.

I am seriously considering a run for the U.S. Senate because Bob Casey has consistently made life worse for Pennsylvania families over the past 18 years, and our state deserves better, he said. He is openly hostile to our states energy industry, endorses dangerous criminals walking freely on our streets, and is enabling open borders, leading to a terrifying rise in fentanyl deaths in Pennsylvania.

Caseys campaign manager, Tiernan Donohue, shot back: Bob Casey is a champion for Pennsylvania who has spent his life fighting against the ultra-wealthy and special interests that threaten Pennsylvanias hardworking people from countries like China that threaten our jobs, to big insurance companies that are raising our health care costs. Meanwhile, David McCormick is a Connecticut hedge fund executive who got rich outsourcing jobs, laying off workers, and cozying up to China.

Republicans also believe that recent headlines about Casey are another liability, and that they havent been litigated in TV ads before. Caseys brother registered to lobby last year and a March article by the New York Post found that Caseys campaign paid his sisters company for printing services. Caseys office has said his brother will not lobby him, in accordance with Senate ethics rules.

Some in the GOP even think that Trump sharing a ticket with McCormick would be a positive for the two men. They envision a repeat of 2016, when Trump and then-Sen. Pat Toomey both won Pennsylvania, but with different paths: Toomey performed better in suburban areas, while Trump was stronger in rural parts of the state.

To beat Bob Casey, you need to recreate the 2016 Toomey-Trump coalition, said a national GOP strategist granted anonymity to discuss party strategy. You blow it out in the rural areas and hold down Democrat numbers in the suburbs.

And, some Republicans said, the benefits of Caseys name might be finally beginning to fade.

I think what Bobby has always had going for him is his dads legacy, said Rep. Glenn GT Thompson (R-Pa.). But I will say that I think the majority of voters in Pennsylvania are at an age where they dont remember Bob Sr.

Ally Mutnick contributed to this article.

Continued here:
A well-liked incumbent stands in the way of Republicans retaking ... - POLITICO

Imagine a toolbox filled with different tools that brands can use to attract, engage and convert customers. Tools that allow you to meet people where they are which, as weve come to know, is online. Effective digital marketing is all about finding the right mix of those tools and strategies to help you achieve your business goals. Understanding the fundamentals of digital marketing can help you choose the right mix.

Digital marketing refers to the use of all internet-based marketing efforts. It's about sharing content with the aim of engaging and influencing potential customers, driving website traffic, generating leads and ultimately converting those leads to sales.

The fundamentals of digital marketing refer to the guiding principles that can help lead your strategy and result in successful marketing campaigns.

When building your brands digital marketing toolbox, consider these 3 key fundamentals:

Digital marketing begins with understanding your target audience:

By answering these questions, you can create targeted campaigns that resonate with your audience.

Steve Geibel, an adjunct instructor of marketing programsat Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and managing director of Hype Creative Group and owner of Urbane Commando, said that knowing the target audience or customer inside and out is the most fundamental principle to keep in mind.

If you dont know who your customer is, you wont know what messaging will resonate with them," he said. "If you dont understand your customers media consumption habits, you wont know where to find them.

By understanding your audience, you can focus time, effort and dollars in places you are most likely to see a return. Define who it is youre already reaching and who you want to reach. Try honing your research on these groups to better understand how to reach and serve the right people.

With this new age of marketing, businesses have the power to reach a global audience and connect with customers in ways that were once out of reach.

The advent of digital marketing was a game-changer for many, Geibel said. Few new companies can afford to buy large blocks of network TV time, but everyone can have a website."

He said that digital marketing is cheaper, more immediate and customizable compared to traditional outbound marketing.

Content is at the heart of digital marketing. Whether its blog posts, videos or social media updates, your content needs to provide value to your audience. This can mean educating them, entertaining them or inspiring them. Whatever the format, your content should be engaging, informative and shareable.

A compelling story is the key to enticing your audience to engage with your content, said Dr. Jeff Haddox, an adjunct marketing instructor at SNHU and chief digital officer at RuffleButts. Content includes imagery, video, copy and calls to action. This is how the consumer sees and consumes your brand and the product or service youre selling.

In a time where people are consuming more content than ever before, Haddox said that this is fundamental and must break through all the other content being consumed by your target audience.

A few things to consider when creating valuable content include:

Tami Brouillette, an SNHU adjunct marketing instructor and owner of Contented Media, said that a common mistake companies make when it comes to media creation specifically social media is being too self-centered.

Companies should do some promotion, but they should provide more valuable (related) content to users and listen to what users say, she said. Otherwise, they wont come back. No one likes the guy at the party who only talks about himself.

To be effective in digital marketing, you need to track your results and measure your return on investment (ROI). By using tools like Google Analytics, you can monitor website traffic, engagement and conversion rates, and use that data to adjust your campaigns accordingly.

Think of the data as the book ends; data holds the content together, Haddox said.

This means starting with data to define your audiences for targeting and ending with data for optimization.

"Being able to consume and interpret large amounts of data and turn those data points into insights and actions is (a) fundamental key to digital marketing, he said.

Digital marketing is unique in how readily available these insights are to businesses. With traditional outbound marketing techniques like radio, print or TV, there is less engagement to measure, which means less information to help you learn what is working and what is not.

Brouillette says data and analytics are essential parts of digital marketing.

Its the best way to see if youre progressing toward your goal, she said. If the goal is the destination and the strategy is the map, key performance indicators (KPIs) are the street signs that direct you to your final destination.

Another way to approach digital marketing is to think of the 5 Ds. The 5 Ds of digital marketing are:

This refers to the various devices people use to access digital content, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. Digital marketers need to optimize their content for each device to ensure a seamless user experience. Think back to the mobile-first mentality.

These are the online platforms that people use to consume digital content, such as search engines, social media networks, email and websites. Digital marketers need to understand the nuances of each platform and tailor their strategies accordingly. YouTube, for instance, has best practices around video titles, captions and descriptions that can help your content be found (or hinder it).

The forms of digital content that people consume such as text, images, videos and audio are all considered digital media. Digital marketers need to create compelling and engaging content that resonates with their target audience. This is also where the term integrated marketing campaign comes into play, where marketers develop campaigns that span multiple channels, both digital and offline, to help create a cohesive experience for their audience.

This refers to the vast amounts of data digital marketers can collect about their audience, such as their demographics, interests and behaviors. This data can be used to create more targeted and personalized marketing campaigns. With more traditional marketing techniques, the data is much more limited.

The additional nuance with digital marketing is the concept of a digital footprint and the ability to track and understand engagement at a much deeper level, Haddox said.

He said that the visibility and understanding of the customers journey is significantly more understandable in the digital marketing space than in the traditional marketing space.

This is a term for the various technologies that digital marketers use to create and deliver their campaigns, such as marketing automation software, data analytics tools and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

Thinking of entering the world of digital marketingin your career? Now is a great time. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the overall employment of advertising, promotions and marketing managers is projected to grow 10% from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations.

The BLS notes that the demand for advertising and promotions managers is expected to be highest in industries that rely on these workers to create digital media campaigns, targeting customers through the use of websites, social media or live chats.

Consider amping up your marketing careerwith a digital marketing course to sharpen your skills and build on your own personal toolbox.

My SEO class made my transition into working with real campaigns in the workplace a flawless one, said SNHU digital marketing programgraduate Danielle Upham '19 '21G. I walked in Google and Hootsuite Certified and was able to manage the SEO campaigns from day one because of the experience I had in my classes.

Education can change your life. Find the SNHU digital marketing coursethat can best help you meet your goals.

Emily Distasio '19G is a copywriter at Southern New Hampshire University. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Excerpt from:
What are the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing? - Southern New Hampshire University

PRESS RELEASE

Published May 25, 2023

Texas May 27, 2023 Texas Web Design, a prominent web design company, announces its commitment to building websites that deliver on their marketing goals. The emerging importance of online presence and digital marketing makes it imperative for every business to have a website that stands out. Texas Web Design is poised to deliver creative and functional websites that are tailored to achieve specific business objectives.

Designing a website is more than just aesthetics. It is about creating a functional and user-friendly platform that is tailored to meet specific marketing goals. Texas Web Design prides itself on delivering websites that anticipate the user journey, minimize bounce rate, and maximize conversion rates.

"The mission at Texas Web Design is to help businesses achieve their marketing objectives through the use of functional, user-friendly, and beautiful websites, says the founder of Texas Web Design. "The company understands the importance of crafting websites that not only attract visitors but also engage and convert them into customers. Texas Web Design is excited to partner with businesses to help them develop a distinctive online presence that aligns with their brand and story."

With a team of experienced designers, developers, and marketers, Texas Web Design offers a range of web design services that cater to every business need. The company's impressive portfolio showcases its expertise in e-commerce websites, landing pages, custom websites, WordPress websites, website redesigns, and mobile-responsive designs.

Texas Web Design also offers additional services, including SEO, social media management, landing page design, and internet marketing, to help businesses maximize the value of their online presence.

By collaborating with clients, Texas Web Design utilizes its design, development, and marketing expertise to help businesses establish a unique online presence. From creating a website that reflects the brand identity to ensuring the website's functionality, Texas Web Design ensures every detail is tailored to the client's goals. Each project is built to drive more traffic, increase brand recognition, and convert more visitors into paying customers.

"The team is passionate about creating websites that embody excellence," says the company spokesperson. "The approach is to get in touch with clients, understand their vision, and translate that vision into a functional and visually appealing website."

Texas Web Design has earned accolades for its visionary design work, and the company's expertise in the web design industry has made it a preferred choice for businesses across Texas. With the goal of helping businesses stand out and achieve their marketing objectives, Texas Web Design is set to continue to deliver world-class web design solutions that meet the diverse needs of businesses at a cost that does not compromise quality.

For more information about the company's web design services and to start your journey to a unique online presence, visit https://texaswebdesign.com/web-design/.

###

For more information about Texas Web Design, contact the company here:

Texas Web Design 210-796-6341 9993 Frontage Rd, Suite 101 San Antonio, TX 78230

Press Advantage is a Full-Service Press Release distribution service. Learn more at PressAdvantage.com

Original post:
Developing an Effective Online Presence Made Easier with Texas ... - Digital Journal

With pride month just around the corner in June, numerous brands have begun releasing special edition items and collections to encourage visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. From Apple to Calvin Klein, brands are no stranger to creating products to show their support for their queer consumers.

While some campaigns have been a hit this year, we also have had our fair share of fails with netizens taking to social media to voice their complains.

In honor of the celebrations, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE decided to take a look at some of the biggest Pride campaigns and initiatives that we have seen in the region.

1. Adidas X Rich Mnisis Let Love Be Your Legacy collection

This Pride month, Adidas releasedanew collaboration with South African, queer designer Rich Mnisi for Pride 2023; Let Love Be Your Legacy as it celebratesallyship and freedom of expression without bias in sports and culture.

The collection, which features a range oflifestyle and performance apparel as well as footwear, was inspired by alove letter Mnisi wrote to his younger self, in which he declaresLet Love Be Your Legacy- serving as his mission statement, but also a rallying cry for active allyship to empower and champion the LGBTQIA+ community.

Unfortunately, the collection made headlines for all the wrong reasons whenit launched the new range of women's swimsuits but used a man to model them. Netizens took to social media to share their distaste withwomen's rights activist Riley Gaines tweeting out that the use of a male model "erased women".

"I don't understand why companies are voluntarily doing this to themselves. They could have at least said the suit is "unisex", but they didn't because it's about erasing women. Ever wondered why we hardly see this go the other way?" she asked.

Other users said that they would be boycotting the brand with the hashtag #BoycottAdidasgarnering significant usage following the outcry.

Don't miss:LGBT party organisers slam Capitol Theatre for 'disingenuous' response to cancelled event

2. Revolut X Oogachagas Diversity Card

This year, fintech company Revolut decided to get in on Pride with a collaboration with local non-profit LGBTQ+ organisation Oogachaga which provides those in the LGBTQ+ community with emotional support services and counselling. The companies came together to launch aspecial-edition pride themed card called the Diversity Card.

As part of the initiative, consumers can donate a minimum of SG$10 to Oogachacha to obtain a limited-edition card that will feature the colours of the pride flag. Consumers can also opt to set up recurring donations should they wish with the card.

3.Apples Pride Edition Bands

This month, Apple unveiled two new Pride Edition watch bandswith dynamic Pride watch faces in honour of the celebrations, according to a statement by the tech company.

The first band is a sport loop wherein members and allies of the LGBTQ+ creative community at Apple were asked to deliver a new expression of pride through a unique design. The result was adouble-layer nylon-woven band with the word 'pride' woven in cursive-style.

The second loop is the Nike sport loop which features a rainbow strap anda matching rainbow-colored Nike Bounce face to accompany it.

Inspired by multiple pride flags, Apple also released a new pride thread watch face with the colours of the rainbow thatmove as the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch is rotated.

4. Swatchs Love Is Love Watches

As part of its ongoing celebration of love and joy, Swatch released a vivid collection of watches inspired by the bold colours of the Pride flag. The watches also feature a symmetrical seconds hand to symbolise equality along with two rainbow loops that aim to celebrate unity and diversity.

Despite the thoughtful collection, it recently made headlines when Malaysian authorities raided a number of its stores in the country and confiscated 164 rainbow-coloured watches worth a total of US$14,000 from its Pride collection for LGBTQ connotations, according to a statement by the brand.

The seizure was reportedly based on the Printing Presses and Publications Act of 1984 which ensures that content produced does not offend or undermine race relations.

Swatch has fought back against the raid however and its legal team is currently looking into the matter.

5. Calvin Kleins Let It Out Campaign

This month, Calvin Kleingot in on the action with acampaign video costarring LGBTQ+ actors Amandla Stenberg and Brandon Flynn along with its 2023 This Is Love apparel collection. The campaign, interestingly enough, was shot entirely in black and white, a break from the bold and colourful campaigns we have seen thus far.

Using the tagline "celebrate pride in fluid pieces to style with anything, the apparel collection is a sleek take on pride as it utilises colour blocks and bold colours in its gym wear, clothing and accessories.

Related articles:Why did Burberry's LGBTQ focused Valentine's Day ad cause such a ruckus? How these famous brands are celebrating King Charles' coronation this weekendOut in HK founder complains about StanChart marathon staff's attempt to remove LGBTQ+ flag

Read more from the original source:
Yay or nay? Pride campaigns the internet has loved and hated in 2023 - Marketing Interactive

As part of our Salary and Career Survey, we interviewed people about their experiences in marketing. Today were talking to Kathleen Voboril who is now a consultant after many years in top marketing positions. Shes also figured out how to combine her first love, musical theater, with martech. (Interview edited for length and clarity.)

Q: How did you get started in marketing?

A: I actually went to school for musical theater and had a dream of being an actress on Broadway. So for my first few years out of college, I was in New York City trying to make it as an actress on Broadway. I was temping and the best kind of side jobs were in financial services.

I wound up in a private equity firm because they would give me health insurance and one thing led to another and they offered me a full-time job as a marketing associate. I did that for a year or two and then decided to go get my MBA at the University of Texas.

Q: In marketing?

A: I did not focus on marketing. I didnt love marketing. The classes and the coursework didnt light me up. I concentrated on entrepreneurship. I thought Id do the VC entrepreneur thing, but there was an opportunity to go to GE which had this experience commercial leadership program. I thought of it as a vocational MBA because it was two years of training. You do three, eight-month-long rotations in different GE business units. It was a great gig.

Dig deeper: MarTech Salary and Career Survey shows a profession coming into its own

Well at GE, pretty early on, I got the digital bug. My sponsors and mentors kind of thought it was a fad and like something for the interns and very marcom-y and not very strategic. But I was like, Well, were supposed to be like the future marketing and sales leaders of the company. And all of the data shows that users, whether theyre B2B buyers or B2C buyers, theyre increasingly spending time online. So, are we going to be relevant and understand that?

Q: You called it. That must have positioned you very nicely.

A: Yeah, I started becoming known for being a digital expert inside GE. When it was time to graduate from the program, GE was actually one of the first brands to spend more on digital ads than traditional ads. And Jeff Immelt, the CEO, had mandated that every business unit have a mid-to-senior-level digital leader. I kind of got to choose which unit to work with and I went and led digital for GE Transportation, which was a $5 billion business, but GEs smallest division.

Q: Sounds great, what made you leave?

A: What I was doing in transportation was great and really well received across the company, but I couldnt get bigger budgets. There was no CMO in that business and I was one of three marketers for the entire division. There were bigger business divisions that wanted me to come and do digital for them, but at GE at the time, the transportation business would have had to be willing to sell me to the energy business and they werent willing to do that.

Q: Where did you go from there?

I had a friend at a consumer packaged goods company called Central Garden and Pet, and they wanted a digital leader and it was in Atlanta. I was in Atlanta at the time and didnt want to leave. And I got really excited about the idea of it being a CPG and marketing was really in the drivers seat. They had a lot of classically trained CPG marketing leadership and they had this big vision for digital. I was going to come in and manage a digital agency, have big budgets, build a team, so I was excited.

My second week there they laid off the entire senior leadership team. I went from I was going to have a multimillion-dollar digital ad budget to getting $100,000, and you get to fire the agency because of how much they cost you. So we did content marketing, we did social. I replaced our agency with software companies. We also re-platformed all of our websites to Sitecore, like 50-60 sites, and did a lot of training and stuff like that.

Q: How did you go from Atlanta to Oregon?

A: I wanted to move back to Portland where I was born and raised and got offered a job at Oregon Tool, at the time it was called Blunt International. Up until that point, Id really only done digital marketing, I really hadnt done much with ecommerce. And the opportunity at Oregon Tool was 50/50 digital marketing and ecommerce. That was really intriguing.

Q: But there were problems?

I get there and theyre like, Weve spent all this money and hired all these people. And Im thinking, Oh my God, they bought the absolute wrong technology. And I think I can get this team to work together and theres some diamonds in the rough here, but this isnt the right skill set for what they say theyre trying to do. So I spent my first two years cleaning up and course-correcting.

I think most senior leadership teams, especially those of a certain age, dont want to admit that they dont understand this stuff. They feel like, Oh, by now I should sort of get that the Internet matters. The truth is they dont really know what kind of capabilities and resources they need, but they dont want to admit it.

I was there for about four-and-a-half years and built a global ecommerce business and grew revenue from $2.5 million to $30 million. We also developed a direct consumer fulfillment capability and were really starting to do some cool things, like re-platforming the websites. But it was bought by private equity owners. They took on a lot of debt and I was part of a mass layoff. I think unfortunately its probably only a matter of time till its a shell of its former self.

Q: What do you like about marketing?

A: I love how multidisciplinary it is. I love how the art meets the science and how its all just an ecosystem. Its the perfect blend between structure and creativity, between technology and art, between data and feeling. And I love how cross-functional it is, especially digital marketing.

Q: I have to ask, is there a Broadway musical hiding in digital marketing?

A: Funny you should ask that. I have started this side project that Im calling corporate karaoke. Im taking musical theater and pop songs and Im reperforming them with corporate context. My latest is Joni Mitchells A Case of You, but its about SAP and how SAP is the invasive vine in your tech stack that you just cant quit.

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(You can check out Kathleens other funny songs on her YouTube channel, @Corporate-Karaoke.)

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Salary and Career: Kathleen Voboril can make martech sing - MarTech