Pro Politics with Zac McCrary

Political pollster Zac McCrary interviews interesting people who work in and around the political industry. Guests come from a multitude of backgrounds and specialties within the political industry, and span the partisan spectrum. This is not a podcast for partisan squabbling or punditry about the latest issue in DC - it is hearing directly from successful people in the industry...their stories, experiences, and advice. This is a podcast for anyone who works in politics, hopes to work in politics, or wants to get up close to see how things really work in the world of professional politics.

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Pro Politics with Zac McCrary

2024 Digital Trends & Best Practices with Mark Jablonowski, President & CTO of DSPolitical

September 03, 2024 • Zac McCrary

Mark Jablonowski is the President and Chief Tech Officer of DS Political - one of the leading digital ad firms for Democratic campaigns and progressive causes. Mark's roots in campaign tech go back to 2004 and he was deeply involved in the Obama 2008 primary and general election digital innovations. In this conversation, Mark talks his own path to politics starting in Alaska to Maine to the Obama '08 Chicago HQ and continuing to be on the front lines of the digital political evolution. In addition to his own story, Mark gives his takes on digital best practices and trends on subjects as varied as connected television, questions campaigns should ask their digital vendor, the death of the cookie, AI concerns, and much more on an exploding sector within the political world.

IN THIS EPISODE

Mark grows up in Anchorage, Alaska...

Mark is drawn to politics through the 2004 Alaska Senate race...

What it looks like to head up the IT department of a 2004 US Senate race...

Mark's early tech interest and building his own computer as a teenager...

How Mark connects with the 2008 Obama primary campaign...working from NH to TX to PA to IN to Chicago HQ...

Working as Obama 2008 "IT Special Projects Director" and the tech innovations of the '08 Obama team...

How Mark became President of the large digital firm, DSPolitical...

Mark's take on the common threads of what makes for a successful digital political firm...

The initiative of DS Political offering free digital ad inventory to down-ballot campaigns...

Mark's best practices on how campaigns should think about digital advertising...

The importance of "connected televisions" and being on "the biggest screen in the house"...

Misconceptions and unnecessary mistakes in the world of digital advertising...

Differences in Democratic vs. Republican digital approaches...

Insights into voters' digital habits and where to have the most impact...

The end of digital cookies which is changing the way digital politics operates...

Mark's concern about AI creating massive misinformation in digital ads...

The right type of people to succeed in digital politics...