How a highly targeted direct mail effort moved union voters 12
points...  When it came to union members in Ohio this past year,
Barack Obama started in a weakened position. Early polling from
the state showed union members supporting him with just 50
percent of the vote. It wasn’t a bad start, but it was well
below the number Obama needed to win the state.  By the time
Election Day rolled around, polling showed a 12 point increase
for Obama in the demographic. It was in large part the result of
an advanced research and targeting program developed by the
AFLCIO aimed at identifying persuadable members and helping
Obama maximize his vote share. Weekly internal polling showed
that direct contact through mail, phones and at the workplace
had an enormous impact on members’ voting decisions.
Mack/Crounse Group was one of three direct mail firms and three
polling firms on the AFL-CIO’s communication team in 2008. We
worked closely with AFL-CIO staff and the entire team to
maximize the union vote and propel Barack O