Oh, to know your demographics. That is when, regardless of your profession, you can confidently say you know strategy well.
As a gay transgender publicist and former marketing agency founder, I can confidently say there are a great many politicians who are presently out of touch with the reality of those from whom they are seeking donor contributions.
Think about this: as transgender Americans, nearly every single day we wake up to negative bias media coverage and anti-trans political ads demonizing our community. That alienates us as your constituents, so much so that when you subscribe us to your marketing text message lists without our authorization, you do a few things right off the bat that show your lack of ethics, decorum, and basic understanding of the legal ramifications of mis-marketing conduct and, frankly, basic human decency.
That signals to me, as a publicist, that you are willing to do anything at the expense of your constituents’ comfort and do not respect professional, legal, and/or personal boundaries; to put it bluntly, you are not someone the population should look towards to be trusted, as I believe that those who function in this manner are unfit for the office for which they are campaigning.
Transgender Americans such as myself do not look forward to political text messages of financial desperation begging us for money that the same political candidates would choose to impede us as working professionals from having the same work opportunities as our cisgender counterparts to pursue. The irony here is, of course, to be in a public restroom and be messaged countless political financial text message requests from anti-transgender politicians. Imagine a life like that, and now know it’s mine.
I can not even go to the bathroom without someone making it about politics, whether they are in my phone without my consent and/or on a national stage campaigning against my human right as a transgender citizen to utilize the restroom. Enough already.
Point blank period. Know your audience.
If you are gonna campaign against my human rights as a proud, vocal transgender American, do not reach out to me without my consent for money that I absolutely would never contribute to your anti-transgender political endeavors, as they very obviously are the antithesis of what I believe and live every day in this country that calls itself the United States of America. At the same time, politicians attempt to divide the population by weaponizing identity politics.
That’s not really a strong financial donor strategy when you think about it.
It is, however, a sign of ignorance both professionally and personally. Know your audience and meet us on our level without the expectation of funding your hateful campaigns.
ABOUT DYLAN THOMAS COTTER:
Rebel with a cause, driven by authenticity, self-expression, and liberation for all.
Rev. Dylan Thomas Cotter is a strategist, public relations leader, and brand communications executive with more than fifteen years of experience at the intersection of entertainment, media, and technology.
Cotter is known for securing numerous Tier 1 (top-tier) and Tier 2 media placements across key markets including but not limited to:
The Associated Press, Fortune, Playboy, GQ, Rolling Stone, ABC News, Out Magazine, The Advocate, Pride, Inked Magazine, Real Simple, VICE, KTLA, Reader’s Digest, Mashable, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Life UK, Newsweek, Men’s Health, Parade Magazine, Betches, U.S. News & World Report, Women’s Health Magazine, Women.com, South China Morning Post, Truthout, MIC, The Manual, Curl Magazine, International BusinessTimes UK, TechRound, GB News, The Irish Star US, The Mirror US, Daily Express U.S., MSN, AOL, UNILAD, Morning Honey, News9Live, Business Times, ClickOrlando, News4JAX, East Bay Times, Newsday, Midland Reporter-Telegram, El Paso Inc., SRN News, WRAL, Marietta Daily Journal, Yahoo, YourValley, Henry Herald, Times Union, TheIndependent, INkl, Netscape, WSB Radio, Taylorville Daily News, The Seattle Times, FOX Illinois, The Gazette, Stamford Advocate, New Haven Register, CT Post, Lakeland Today, SFGATE, WSLS 10, NC News Online, Courier News, Delco Times, The Republic, StarBeacon, Daily Journal, Temple Daily Telegram, The Toronto Star, WJTV, Winnipeg FreePress, KFOR, TribLIVE, The Hour, KTAR, WTOP, Daily Press, MyStateline, SeattlePI, NewsChannel 20, The Mercury News, Oskaloosa Herald, The Korea Times, MyNorthwest, Greenfield Reporter, Antigo Journal, Voice of Alexandria, Union-Bulletin, Gwinnett Daily Post, WBAL, WVNews, YourSourceOne, WINK News, Mankato Free Press, Audacy, Goshen News, KRQE, HNG News, CBS 17, FOX 40, KSNT, Western SlopeNow, FOX 44 News, KDVR, News 13, WGN Radio, NVDaily, MyMotherLode.com, The Hamilton Spectator, Daily News-Record, The Washington Times, KTVO, DailyIndependent, WFMJ, Fine Day Radio, WSB-TV, Local 10, Messenger-Inquirer, Click2Houston, The News-Item, KSAT, OA Online, KIRO 7, The Sun Chronicle, KARK, RiverBender, Laredo Morning Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The News-Times, CTInsider, Beaumont Enterprise, Manistee News Advocate, The Telegraph, Michigan’s Thumb, Chron, KHQA, The Intelligencer, EverythingLubbock, The Virginian-Pilot, MyPlainview, Your Conroe News, GMToday, WFMZ, SSBCrack News, Wenatchee World, News 10, Emirates 24/7, VIN News, Hartford Courant, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Silicon Valley, Ground News, Japan Today, The Washington Post, Boston 25 News, Butler Eagle, Livingston Enterprise, Ottumwa Courier, Dayton Daily News, LimaOhio, Guard Online, 990 The Answer, Indianapolis Business Journal, PHL17, ABC27, EDGE Media Network, Telemundo Nebraska, The Columbian, 1010 WINS, WPHT, KY W Newsradio, WB C O Radio, WBBM Newsradio, KMOX, WWJ Newsradio, KNX News 97.1 FM, WTIC, WWL, KMBZ, WILK Newsradio, WBEN, Talk 1370, WPXI, Times Leader, ABC4
His latest books, Dear Cisgender Reader Walk Beside Me: An Invitation to Understanding My Big, Exciting Gay Transgender Life and Think Like a Transgender Thought Leader, are out now.