The NOW Group

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It’s a big night as American presidential debate season gets underway. And Joe Biden and Donald Trump have a lot riding on their performances.

How will Biden take on Trump, when there’s just so much to go after? ($750, anyone?)

Will Trump be able to throw Biden off message – and off his game plan?

And, most importantly, will the debates cause any voters to shift their opinion – and their votes – especially in those crucial purple swing states?

We won’t know the answers until after the debate. And it will take a few days of coverage to know exactly what the impact will be.

But we can all learn a lot from how the candidates are likely preparing for the biggest debate of their lives. 

Here are eight things every well-prepped political debater works through that you can borrow when crafting and delivering your own message – not just in debates, but every opportunity you get. 

Think about your audience

It doesn’t matter whether you’re debating – or posting on social, planning paid advertising, or delivering a speech. The first step towards a great message is figuring out what you want the impact to be. Who are you speaking to? What are they thinking now? And what do you want them to be thinking after hearing your message?

Figure out your strategy – and focus on it

They don’t call it strategic communications for nothing! Every good communicator needs a strategy based on an honest assessment of their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their competitors, and a realistic sense of the opportunities and expectations right now. It’s vital to know the overall plan – and how best to position yourself to achieve it.

Craft your message

It takes a lot of work to figure out the right message. Debaters need to perfect the art of delivering the message – as well as knowing exactly how they plan to throw any surprise punches. It’s crucial to declutter your message, removing the excess to help focus on the take-away.

Make a game plan – and stick to it

What needs to be achieved in this moment? Biden and Trump will both have game plans in every debate – and it likely involves throwing the other off theirs. Every debater needs to know how they’ll take on their fellow debaters, without getting dragged off course themselves.

Keep it short and simple

This is a wonderful rule for almost everything in communications. And it’s hard to practice – there’s always more to say! But this US election has provided ample evidence that shorter is better. At the Democratic National Convention, the average speech clocked in at 2.5 minutes. Debaters have even less time – just 30 or 60 seconds. And knowing how to share your message in such a tight way is great media training for any professional communicator. 

According to the New York Times, Biden has summarized his debate prep as “making sure I can concisely say what I’m for and what I’m going to do.”

Share good stories

It’s important to know the facts and know which ones resonate. But the best way to connect with your audience is to share the stories of real people. Joe Biden has talked a lot about his own childhood, growing up in Scranton, and he hopes that story shows his connection to voters’ lives. Even more important are the stories we can share about others – real experiences that have the power to move people the way that statistics and numbers rarely can. 

Find your tone and watch your body language

How you say it is often more important that what you say. Debaters spend lots of time practicing their tone and getting their body language just right. You don’t want to spend the evening leaning on the podium. And Hillary Clinton would also suggest that it’s best to not lurk awkwardly close to your opponent…

No matter how you’re communicating it’s crucial to find the right tone to express your voice (or your brand’s voice) on any given issue.

Don’t spin yourself

After a debate, candidates need to assess their own performance – and that’s true for communicators, too. After media interviews, speeches, and advertising campaigns, it’s vital to debrief and reassess. How did it go? What needs to change? And what will the competition change about their performance?

Biden and Trump can be expected to put some of these tactics on display in their debates. But these tips are also the best practices for all persuasive communications – and they just might come in handy the next time you’re debating with yourself about how best to get your message to your audience.    

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We’re thrilled to announce that NOW’s creative and strategic work has won eight awards at the 2020 Summit Creative Awards for excellence in advertising. Congratulations to all of our clients and production partners across the country!

With more than 4,100 submissions from 27 countries, the Summit Creative Awards recognize the achievements of small- and medium-sized advertising agencies worldwide. 

This year, we were recognized for a wide range of campaigns – from our national political marketing with Canada’s NDP to our work promoting public investment and access to education, preventing sexual violence, promoting energy sustainability, and showing the public’s support for frontline workers during the pandemic. 

Here’s a look at some of our winning creative campaigns.

Gold Award – Coronavirus Response (Single Entry)

Client: Hospital Employees’ Union
Campaign: Pots and Pans

Gold Award – Government Marketing

Client: Government of British Columbia
Campaign: Retrofit


Silver Award – Public Service Television / Internet / Radio

Client: BC Federation of Students
Campaign: Dress Up Dreams

We’re also thrilled to have been awarded:

  • Gold awards in Political Marketing and “Best Idea Never Produced” for our work with Canada’s NDP
  • Gold in the Outdoor Campaign category and Bronze in the “Social Media Campaign” category for our work to prevent sexual violence on post-secondary campuses in British Columbia
  • Bronze in the “Television/Commercial Campaign” category for our work with the BC Teachers’ Federation to promote investment in public education

We’re incredibly proud to work with clients across Canada to make life better for working people, improve public services, and build stronger communities for everyday families. And we’re thrilled that our creative and strategic work can be judged amongst the best in the world. 

The Summit Awards were founded in 1994. This year’s competition included advertising companies from 27 countries. Summit Awards are selected in 18 major categories based on innovative and creative concepts, strong execution and user experience, and the ability to communicate and persuade. 

This year’s competition included Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.

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How do you say thank you, when thank you isn’t enough?

You show how you feel. And that’s exactly what Canadians are doing, every evening, to applaud health care workers. 

From balconies and porches, front steps and driveways, people are using anything we can – pots, pans, voices, and hands – to show our gratitude for the dedicated people who are taking care of all of us. It’s heartwarming to see and hear. And these powerful images and sounds are the inspiration for new ads from the Hospital Employees’ Union that thank British Columbians for staying home to keep everyone safe.

HEU represents more than 50,000 members providing patient care and keeping BC’s hospitals and long-term care homes safe and clean. 

NOW couldn’t be more proud to work with HEU to bring this campaign to life. We pulled out all the stops to deliver ads that wouldn’t just be compelling and beautiful – but also fully respect all public health directives.  

Filming at six locations across the province, the team of videographers at Gab Films captured the uplifting visuals and inspiring sounds of everyday British Columbians showing their support for health care workers. We also filmed a shift change outside St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, where health care workers can hear the sounds of support at 7 pm each evening. 

Throughout the filming and production process, we ensured that physical distancing was always maintained to keep everyone safe. The 15 and 30 second ads are now airing across BC. 

On behalf of everyone at The NOW Group, thank you to all health care workers, on the frontlines and behind the scenes, for taking good care of all of us.

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It’s World Book Day! And with everyone stuck at home during this pandemic, there’s never been a better time to crack open a great book, step into someone else’s shoes, and set out to explore the world with new eyes.

As a creative agency, our team likes to read. A lot. And we keep those creative juices pumping with a pretty eclectic array of books on the go. 

To celebrate the joy of reading on this World Book Day, we asked around NOW’s virtual-office to see what we’re reading right now. And here it is: Our team’s first-ever recommendations for good reads.

An Ocean of Minutes, by Thea Lim. Take a story about a couple separated by crisis and borders and flip it 90 degrees so they’re separated by time, instead of distance. An Ocean of Minutes is a novel that leans on time travel but it’s not sci-fi – instead, it explores separation, longing, and imagination in a world that’s been thrown askew. Sound familiar?

On The Line: A History of the British Columbia Labour Movement, by Rod Mickleburgh. As an agency devoted to promoting social good and helping unions connect with working Canadians, we love a good labour history. And exploring BC’s labour history is an incredible journey – from mining strikes and fiery speeches, to the lasting victories that unions have won for BC’s workers. On The Line is the story of how the labour movement has helped to build BC – and the vital role that unions play in making life better for all working families.

Undocumented: The Architecture of Migrant Detention, by Tings Chak. Through a little over a hundred pages of precise illustrations, photos, and words, Chak informs, enlightens, and provokes us about the way we use built environments to restrict human movement and the ethical responsibilities designers face. A unique work from the perspective of an author who wears the hats of both artist and architect.

Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators, by Ronan Farrow. This is a powerful book about the importance of survivors’ voices – and the irreplaceable value of investigative journalism in uncovering truths that powerful interests would prefer to keep buried. Catch and Kill documents Farrow’s struggle to uncover the stories of multiple sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, who now sits convicted in a New York prison cell. Farrow reveals what it took to bring so many women’s stories to light – and help catalyse one of the most important criminal cases of the 21st century.

What Goes Up: The Right and Wrongs to the City, by Michael Sorkin. The social conscience of the architectural design field, Sorkin tragically passed away on March 26 as one of New York City’s first victims of the COVID-19 virus. But he left us with a profound legacy through his decades of writing and architectural practice. Drawing inspiration from George Orwell’s reasons for writing, Sorkin hoped that his own design practice “strikes a blow against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism.” Full of thought-provoking ideas about building better spaces for all city residents, this collection also showcases Sorkin at his witty and playful best. Who knew that every architect should be aware of the flowering season of azaleas?

There There, by Tommy Orange. This novel looks at what it means to be “native” in a modern American landscape – not as one all-encompassing group but as individuals with unique experiences and struggles. The unique structure of the story allows the narrative to shift perspectives between twelve characters, almost spiraling towards the climax as they all make their way to a Powwow in Oakland. The writing is vivid and poignant, and you find yourself thinking about each of the characters for hours after putting down the book. Can’t wait to see what Tommy Orange writes next!

The Art of the Impossible: Dave Barrett and the NDP in Power, 1972-1975, by Geoff Meggs and Rod Mickleburgh. This book looks back on the time in office – and the long list of legacies – of Dave Barrett, the first NDP premier of British Columbia. It was just three years, but Barrett’s government helped shape the future of BC as we know it. It passed hundreds of bills, set up public auto insurance, created pharmacare, and so much more. This book is well worth the read – and a timely reminder of how much a government can do to help people, if it has the political will.

P.S. Next time you order a book, please support your local independent booksellers. We can’t imagine our neighbourhoods without them – and we need to make sure they survive this difficult period.

And a big shout-out to public library workers across Canada for making incredible e-books and electronic resources available during this period of isolation. Thank you, librarians, for making the world of books accessible to more people than ever.