Return to Sender

5
September 3, 2010 - By

Each day, I come home to an earless black cat (yes, earless) and a mailbox full of bills and junk mail. But yesterday, amongst the clutter, I noticed a direct mail piece from candidate Naheed Nenshi. First reaction: “that must have been expensive.” Since I don’t get cell phone reception in the elevator (thanks Telus), I gave the Nenshi marketing piece a read. Fast Forward to this morning and I can’t tell you what was actually on the full-colour, double-sided postcard. What I do remember is skimming an article the other day about campaign disclosures.

Fast Forward Weekly reported Nenshi promised on May 27 to “immediately unveil his donors on a weekly basis” (see full article). Here we are three months later and Nenshi is now saying September 20, 2010 is the big day based on advice from his “volunteer lawyers.” Yup… those are the exact qualities I’m looking for in a mayor. Promise one thing, deliver on another.

Anyway, you can bet come September 20, I will be looking for the generous donor or donors who contributed to a direct mail strategy that cost at least a healthy five figures. After chatting to some friends, at least Wards 1, 8, and 11 got the Nenshi piece.

Stats Canada 2006 census shows 415,595 households in Calgary. Two sources quoted direct mailing costs, including postage to be $0.62 to $1.18 PER POSTCARD. So, for the sake of entertainment and very simple math, let’s take the best rates and conservative distribution numbers to figure out the cost of this direct mailout. Grand total: $55,214.76

And that’s if he got a killer deal from sources “A” or “B” (see what Kent Hehr has to say about that). More importantly, this is only one tactic in Nenshi’s campaign. Seems like he has a bigger budget then some of the corporate marketing teams I’ve been on. Regardless, it’s an interesting use of funds considering most pieces will hit the recycling bin. With Nenshi as a potential future mayor, I’m not sure that kind of spending sits well with me either.

Bottom line: Nenshi and I are going to need a lot more in common than a love for Elvis Presley in order for him to get my vote.

Tags: ι Categories: Mayor of Calgary, Political Theory

  • Brenda Lang

    Jennifer: Perhaps you should actually check out Nenshi’s website to see his detailed plans for how to make Calgary the place we want it to be. Other candidates have used platitudes and broad promises; he has provided specifics. Do you want a mayor who only has “big plans”? If so, then I guess you have many candidates to choose from! (And by the way – you need to understand the difference between “then” and “than” in your writing!)

  • http://twitter.com/camhoff Cam Hoff

    Good point re: the wastefulness of direct mail as a marketing method and how that reflects on potential future spending as mayor. I hate direct mail…what a waste of time, money, and trees.

  • http://blog.grantneufeld.ca/ Grant Neufeld

    I loathe all forms of marketing. However, our current electoral system is almost entirely about marketing. So, if a candidate is serious about trying to win an election, they must engage in it — including annoying things like lawn signs, telemarketing and, yes, wasteful brochures.

    There’s a reason why marketing is one of the biggest industries on the planet, though: It works.

    We’re stuck with all the annoying stuff until we change the system. So, the question for me then becomes: What are we doing to try to change our electoral and political systems?

  • Calgaryjboy

    It seems to me that Naheed Nenshi is really targeting my community in ward 11 as not only did I get the direct mail piece I also now have billboards by him on the main drive. Wonder who is paying for it?

  • Old Fart

    Well, you young ‘uns might like some other form of communication — ie equally wasteful electronics — but an old fart like myself got one of the Nenshi postcards delivered to his mailbox and actually took the time to read it. And I won’t be recycling it until the election is over. That little postcard led me to his website where I could study his “Better Ideas” and I am now the proud owner of a Nenshi lawn sign. I’d guess that Jennifer simply supports someone else — who will also be shelling out some serious cash if they hope to get elected??