Stop Thinking About Persuasion. Start With The Bedrock Approach.

Most campaigns are still organizing around persuasion and turnout. But by the time persuasion starts, it's often already too late. In this episode, we dig into what I'm calling the Bedrock Approach — the idea that winning campaigns aren't built in the final weeks before Election Day, they're built over time through consistent, authentic content that creates familiarity long before voters are ever asked to decide. We get into why traditional persuasion is less powerful than most campaigns assume, what brand marketers have understood about this for decades, and why your real competition isn't your opponent — it's everything else competing for attention in the feed. Plus a few stories from actual races where this approach turned underdog candidates into household names. If you're working on a campaign, an advocacy org, or just trying to build genuine support for something you believe in, this one's for you. This episode was adapted from a blog post which you can find on my site at joshklemons.com/bedrock. Along with a full transcript, you can also find lots of fun graphics accompanying the post. I mentioned I had built some new tools. ShareSparrow helps you easily turn tweets, Bluesky posts and articles into Instagram-friendly graphics. Try it out at SharrowSparrow.com. FUline.org helps you write friendly emails to the allies in your life to stop using Uline products. Because friends don't let friends shop Uline. I also mentioned I have a new album out. It's called Live Amongst The Flames. You can listen and download it (for free) at joshklemons.com/music or find it wherever you listen to music. Big thanks to our sponsor Civic Shout. Learn more about the great work they’re doing to help Democratic campaigns and progressive nonprofits build their lists ethically at civicshout.com/partners.