2000 Republican Convention

Situation and Response: American Viewpoint conducted a series of four focus groups and assisted in conducting a national survey of 1,200 registered voters to help guide the convention planning team on view habits of potential convention watchers...will they watch, how they will watch, and what they expect to see.

Results: Our findings and advice to the Convention planners included the following and help produce a significant media springboard for George W. Bush:

• The 2000 Convention must be used to define our nominee in the most favorable light, provide the first widespread introduction of the Vice Presidential nominee.
• The convention program must keep the public interested.
• News must be created so that the media stays tuned in and does not try to create their own news.
• The program must be diverse and include something for everyone. Research helped determine which demographic groups are most likely to tune in to specific speakers, speeches or programs.
• The convention must be interactive, utilizing the Internet in a user friendly manner...appealing to a different audience and potentially motivating conversation...offering viewers the opportunity to instantly respond to messages put forward and to ask questions of speakers and other Republican Party leaders.