AUSTIN, TX—Texans haven’t backed the Democratic candidate for president since 1976. Democrats haven’t won the Governor’s Mansion since 1990 or a statewide office since 1994. They haven’t held a chamber of the Legislature since 2003. Nevertheless, Kim Olson is in a close race for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, a position currently held by Sid Miller.
Like Miller, Olson is a farmer. That’s where the similarities end.
To reach potential voters, the Kim Olson campaign is running new out-of-home advertising in a dozen key markets and newspaper ads in dozens more.
Olson has also been barnstorming the state and speaking to rural citizens about their concerns. “I’m a fourth-generation farmer living and working on our family land. I know what keeps farmers and ranchers up at night, and I know what kind of leader they need in Austin today,” says Olson.
The centerpiece of the new ad campaign, “I Mend Fences,” showcases Olson’s agricultural roots and the reality of modern day politics. According to Kolby Monnig, Campaign Manager for Kim Olson, “Citizens of Texas want real solutions for their families, not more bluster and a cloud of dust.”
To get a new take on political advertising and ensure that her messaging truly hit home, Olson hired Austin-based, Bonehook, to make out-of-home and print ads.
“We needed the resources of a big agency, but we also had to move fast and work within the limits of our budget,” says Monnig. “We were able to do that with Bonehook.”
