THE PIONEERS OF CONSERVATIVE AND LIBERAL
DIRECT MARKETING: VIGUERIE AND CRAVER
DISCUSS IDEOLOGICAL MARKETING
FROM THE 1960s –2025
I recently joined my longtime friend and ideological opposite, Roger Craver, on Kevin Gentry’s Going Big! Podcast to talk about what we’ve learned in more than six decades of marketing/advertising and fundraising.
Roger has spent his career on the left, I’ve spent mine on the right, but we’ve helped build hundreds of nonprofits, raised billions for causes we believe in, and stayed friends for over 50 years.
One message I always share with young people: read, read, study, study, and learn from the giants in your profession. Due to lack of professionalism in marketing/advertising, if you follow my recommendations, you can be in the top 5 percent of marketing within a few years.
When I started, the conservative movement had intellectuals, candidates, a few elected officials, a few organizations, but no one doing national marketing.
I took up that challenge, and for the next 64 years, I spent 45,000 hours studying marketing/advertising/business. I still spend 2-3 hours studying, 6 days a week.
“What we’ve seen in the last few years is a revival of citizenship,” said Craver. “This is more important than donors because the enemies of democracy are disillusionment and apathy. Recently, people have been getting more involved, and that is a good thing. There will be energetic, ideological disputes, but a revitalization of citizenship is a good thing for the country.”
Roger and I agree on this: direct mail remains the “workhorse” of political marketing.
The bottom line? Lifelong learning, initiative, and professionalism are the keys to success, in politics or any field. And as Roger and I prove, you can debate, disagree, and still respect each other’s dedication to the craft.
Watch our full conversation here: listen here: href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQsZA_zzEsk" target="_new">
