The Growing Controversy About Controversy
CNN, Fox, Bud Light and more have been learning tough lessons about leveraging controversy for branding, rtings, revenues and profits.
At one time skilled players in communications coudl leverage controversy as a sure bet for getting, holding and growing attention. The classic case had been the success of Winston in the 1950s through the 1970s. From the get-go the brand took the number-two spot. The magic of the campaign came from the controversial use of the ungrammatical "like" instead of "as."
That was then.
Now both organizations and careerists have to refocus from the reward perspective to the risks involved. The kinds of risk and the penalities for betting on the wrong horse keep growing. Here is my article published in the bible of communications - O'Dwyer's PR - on how controversy has become a wild card.
Controveries will, of course, dominate the 2024 general election year. How the political parties and the candidates manage it could determne how effective they are in fundraising. A deep pocket is the large law firm. It's in the self-interest of a law firm to build alliances with public officials. Among the roles of Big Law lawyers is lobbyist. Will too much controversy scare off the law firms?
According to Open Secrets here are the most active in contributions:
| To Candidates and Parties | To Outside Spending Groups | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Contributor | Total Contribs | Total | Dem% | Repub% | Total |
| 1 | Dowd Bennett LLP | $6,076,495 | $76,495 | 54.1% | 30.1% | $6,000,000 |
| 2 | American Assn for Justice | $3,025,509 | $2,325,509 | 97.5% | 2.5% | $700,000 |
| 3 | Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus | $3,008,956 | $8,956 | 43.7% | 56.3% | $3,000,000 |
| 4 | Kirkland & Ellis | $2,845,381 | $2,654,532 | 50.7% | 48.7% | $191,094 |
| 5 | Akin, Gump et al | $2,675,915 | $2,632,136 | 66.7% | 33.1% | $43,779 |
| 6 | Paul, Weiss et al | $2,400,810 | $2,314,260 | 82.8% | 17.1% | $86,550 |
| 7 | Brownstein, Hyatt et al | $1,767,805 | $1,751,175 | 53.4% | 46.6% | $16,512 |
| 8 | Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney | $1,520,244 | $1,218,231 | 96.7% | 3.2% | $337,003 |
| 9 | Sullivan & Cromwell | $1,468,810 | $1,450,995 | 85.2% | 14.7% | $17,815 |
| 10 | Squire Patton Boggs | $1,213,842 | $637,339 | 60.5% | 39.3% | $576,453 |
| 11 | Greenberg Traurig LLP | $1,143,314 | $1,135,994 | 69.5% | 30.3% | $7,195 |
| 12 | Holland & Knight | $1,091,269 | $1,086,700 | 56.6% | 43.2% | $4,554 |
| 13 | Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer | $1,090,540 | $1,037,709 | 82.1% | 17.3% | $52,831 |
| 14 | Cozen O'Connor | $1,088,166 | $1,054,631 | 72.2% | 27.8% | $33,535 |
| 15 | K&L Gates | $1,072,701 | $1,060,427 | 69.1% | 30.5% | $12,274 |
| 16 | Latham & Watkins | $1,043,824 | $935,975 | 84.6% | 14.7% | $107,849 |
| 17 | Power Rogers LLP | $1,039,095 | $1,011,145 | 100.0% | 0% | $30,450 |
| 18 | DLA Piper | $1,008,307 | $989,650 | 79.9% | 19.8% | $19,657 |
| 19 | Covington & Burling | $936,554 | $893,599 | 81.5% | 17.5% | $42,450 |
| 20 | WilmerHale Llp | $908,043 | $897,662 | 92.6% | 6.6% | $10,378 |
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