Page 33 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2016

TOP LEFT: ROCKET SCIENTIST, a campaign commercial for FoFo Gilich, mayor of Biloxi, won the 2016 Pollie Award (opposite page). TOP RIGHT: The commercial was written by Reed Guice (left) of the Guice Agency and produced by Ted Riemann (right) of the Prime Time Agency.
But of course, there have also been losing campaigns. “We’ve learned that politicians themselves lose races,” Riemann said. “The things we do are laid out strategically but they may not accept them. The smart ones listen, but some have such huge egos they won’t listen.”
“We have messages for campaigns and the candidates should stay on message,” Guice said. “What they say at the opening of the campaign should be what they say at the victory party.”
Both agree that political campaigns get nasty and holding back against negative comments is hard to get candidates to do. Holding back on spending is also difficult to get candidates to accept. These consultants agree that the most money should be spent in the last 90 days of a campaign. “It’s an inverted pyramid,” Guice said.
What’s been their easiest campaign to win? Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes’ unopposed race.
Do politicians sometimes try to be something they’re not? Guice and Riemann just smiled and gave no response.
Why do they enjoy what they do?
“It’s rewarding at the end of the day to get a real
measurement of what you do when you help get the best person in office,” Guice said. “It’s a real high on election night.”
Riemann said, “It’s the most wonderful game in the world to play as a member of this community. I can help someone get elected with their vision to do some good.”
The first question they ask someone who wants to engage them as consultants is: why do you want to run? “If someone says ‘because I think I can get elected, we know we don’t want to work with that person,’” Guice said.
Guice and Riemann’s campaigns are local and regional, but they’re paying attention to the national presidential contest. They observe the angry, upset U.S. public and
the movement headed by Republican Donald Trump. Riemann likens what the Trump candidacy has done to
the Republican party to what the ancient Visigoths did to Rome. “Trump has come in like the Visigoths — sacked Rome, killed the men, raped the women, burned the fields and then threw salt on them. They will never be the same,” he said. “The essence of politics is compromise and issues. He has turned all that on its head.”
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June 2016 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 33