AUDIENCE OF ONE

General Video: News & Politics

Donald Trump is a quintessential narcissist. So self-obsessed and deeply insecure, even the very description of our “Audience of One” campaign would send him tail-spinning. This is the essence of our strategy. Crafting targeted ads and videos that appeal to the masses but are speaking directly to Trump himself has been a hallmark of our strategy since 2020, and 2023 was no different.

While normal metrics and achievements are measured for success with these ads, the unique nature of them is the ability to create earned media coverage as a result of Donald Trump’s responses to our work. The Lincoln Project has been referenced by the former president multiple times in the wake of our videos, demonstrating that they have the intended effect while simultaneously broadening the net for viewers and coverage.

Getting under Trump’s skin is a skill unto itself, but knowing what to say to provoke self-sabotaging action on his part is The Lincoln Project’s speciality. Our primary objective is to pull Trump’s focus away from his dangerous pursuits, moving him toward his primary function as an individual: desperately protecting his fragile ego.

In addition to stellar writing and striking visual content, “Audience of One” strategies include targeting Trump’s location. Either through airing in and near his home in Mar-a-Lago, all the way to airing ads that he will see in locations across the country while giving speeches. We accomplish this through tracking his movements and keeping up with his travel schedule, designing ads we know will be relevant to his visit, upsetting to his nature, and, whenever possible, airing on networks we know he’ll be watching. When we can’t air them on the networks he will watch, we have gone as far as to place billboards and other advertising at his locations.

The enormity of Donald Trump’s ego is dwarfed only by the magnitude of its brittle fragility, which allows us to cover a number of areas that will affect him. This ranges from legal woes, to allies betraying him, all the way up to and including his personal failings and missteps with his base.

Media Coverage: Significant coverage in both traditional and social media, amplifying the campaign’s reach and impact. Our most effective outreach however, remains Donald Trump himself who, despite knowing we make these ads for this purpose, can not seem to prevent himself from commenting on them. 

“Audience of One” stands out as a groundbreaking campaign in the realm of political strategy and psychological warfare. By turning Trump himself into our most effective mouthpiece against him, The Lincoln Project has not only influenced public discourse but has also managed to penetrate Trump’s ego which is most content when self-aggrandizing, and most vulnerable when threatened. This is the key component of our campaign. Never let this walking democracy destruction machine feel comfortable among his own people. This campaign is a testament to the power of strategic communication and deserves recognition at the Webby Awards.

Chief Creative and Head Writer: Rick Wilson

Creative Director: Michelle Kinney

Senior Creative Advisors and EPs: Joseph Wartnerchaney and Ben Howe