Crowdfunding Memes: 'Meh. Romney' Billboard at the GOP Convention?

Culture
ByCaroline Henderson

“If there’s one word that haunts the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney, it’s a tiny yet expressive one: meh.” In February, the Boston Globe picked up and commented on this new meme that was punctuating the political season, first cropping up during the New Hampshire primaries and then finding its way on Rachel MaddowMSNBCBuzzFeed and the Daily Kos. On PolicyMic, we even did an interview with the creators.

Now the creators of this meme, Frank Chi and William Donahue, have their sights set on a billboard near the site of the GOP Convention in Tampa, Florida. What if delegates, news pundits, and “bored republicans” spotted the “Meh. Romney” logo on their way to the convention this August? With this vision in mind, the two guys created a LoudSauce campaign to raise the funds to amplify this meme on a billboard and make it larger than life. Already, 38 individuals have raised several hundred dollars for this campaign.

Why crowdfunded advertising? Rise of the Amplifiers. LoudSauce is a crowdfunding platform that lets individuals like Frank and William take back advertising space to tell a story the world should hear -- through billboards, targeted online video buys, and national TV ads. 

We’re not the first to say it -- our generation has more influence on our peers, and more power to shape the national dialogue than ever. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, YouTube, and the blogosphere have transformed our relationship with news, politics, and social issues. 

But with the presidential campaign underway, we’re again witnessing the overwhelming influence of Super PACs and the super wealthy on the political dialogue. What would be possible if we could access the same powerful advertising channels currently dominated by special interests and the super rich? 

What if we could reach beyond our social networks to engage an audience that we’re not reaching on Facebook or Twitter? What if we could go beyond the “Like” button and reach millions? What if the national political conversation were defined by the issues we really care about, instead of corporate influence and the political horserace.

What’s possible with LoudSauce? LoudSauce is helping hundreds of individuals harness the power of advertising to reach millions and spread messages that matter. From the Occupy movement to the Story of Stuff, we’ve already seen what’s possible with a few hundred amplifiers and a powerful message.

Last fall, nearly 200 citizens banded together to raise a little over $6,000 and were able to air a message straight from Occupy Wall St protestors on national television, reaching over 3 million viewers on Fox News, the O’Reilly Factor, and ESPN. 

Now this spring, the Occupy Spots project is calling on film-makers, protestors, and millennials to submit 30-second spots capturing a message from the 99%. By raising $150,000 for the most popular videos, the Occupy Spots project will show millions more Americans that the Occupy Movement is alive and well.

The moment is ripe for video makers and citizens of all kinds. What messages do you think are missing from the national conversation? What YouTube videos deserve amplifying to reach new audiences online or on national television? Who would you target if you could reach audiences you can't reach through your friends on Facebook or Twitter? Tell us at loudsauce.com and stay tuned for the big things in store for 2012.

To support the "Meh. Romney" campaign, check them out on LoudSauce here