For those who, like me, were not born or just too young to appreciate the true weight of D-Day—the Allied invasion of Europe in 1944 that ushered in the end of World War II—here’s a chance to experience a bit of a different one. Brought to you by Chicagoan advertising maven Lowell Thompson, 2024’s D-Day (Democracy-Day) is just around the corner. And it’s never too early to start the campaign.
Here, Thompson tell us a bit more about it.
How do you see this campaign being used?
I have no clue. When I’m not writing or painting, I default to my mild-mannered ad-man identity. I see myself as an ad artist (adtist?). When I come up with something I think is good, I can’t help myself, I have to express it. And the difference between being an artist and an adtist is that when I’m working in the ad form I have to have some idea of my audience, strategic goals and expected outcomes.
Once I create new ad-art, I put it on my Facebook page to get feedback. Facebook gives me an instant, worldwide focus group … free. With my D-Day button, I figure I’ll contact my local politicians and see if anyone bites. I already exposed it to Robert Creamer and Pete Giangreco, two big Chicago political consultants, at an Indivisible Chicago meeting and radio show a few weeks ago.
I’m planning on buying a button-making machine so I can actually make the first versions of my D-Day buttons myself. I’ll sell them as limited editions. But my dream scenario is to get the national party or PACs to license using my button and ads for their campaigns.
Do you think enough people know what the original D-Day was these days?
Good question. I was born about three years after D-Day and I probably didn’t really know what it was until I was in my late teens, or when I watched movies like The Longest Day. But I think even young folks know it’s about something big and will be intrigued enough by its message and design to Google it. I actually think the macho images of Americans in the fight for democracy might make it sexy to the video game crowd.
Given the (petty) criticism about Biden’s age, would you consider that the D-Day reference might bolster it?
No. I think if we use it right, the D-Day reference can punch up Biden’s gravitas, seriousness, coolness under fire, experience, “grown-up-ness.” It might even make his age a plus.
