Posted on 01/26/2010 11:27:47 AM PST by spintreebob
Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company. All Rights Reserved.
A campaign to encourage participation in the 2010 census reflects many of the major changes since the last census in the population that is to be counted.
For one thing, the advertising, marketing and promotional efforts are being produced in 28 languages -- the most ever, according to the executives responsible for the census. By comparison, a campaign to encourage Americans to take part in the 2000 census was done in 17 languages.
''There's more sensitivity to language subgroups, cultural subgroups,'' said Robert M. Groves, director of the United States Census Bureau at the Commerce Department.
Among the languages being added are Armenian, Farsi, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Urdu and Yiddish, while Chinese is being divided into Cantonese and Mandarin. They will be used in ads along with English, Spanish and tongues like Arabic, Hindi, Korean, Polish, Russian, Thai and Vietnamese.
Another big difference from a decade ago is that the campaign will run in many media outlets that did not exist in 2000, among them Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube, along with a blog by Mr. Groves. That is in response to the profound changes in the last 10 years in media usage.
The ads in the new media will join ads in traditional media, among them television, radio, magazines, newspapers and billboards. There will also be unconventional elements like a Nascar sponsorship and a cross-country road tour of vehicles containing census exhibits, led by a 46-foot trailer.
A third change from the 2000 campaign is evident in the tone of the new initiative. Then, ads carried this theme: ''It's your future. Don't leave it blank.'' By contrast, the new campaign takes a more empowering tack with themes like ''It's in your hands'' and ''We can't move forward until you mail it back.''
Research among consumers indicated ''a fundamental shift in attitude toward government and themselves'' in the last decade, said Jeff Tarakajian, executive vice president for client services at the New York office of DraftFCB, a part of the Interpublic Group of Companies and the lead agency on the campaign.
Respondents said they now ''felt more of a sense of 'I need to be my own master.' '' Mr. Tarakajian said. ''And what came out of that was the idea that 'It's our census, it's up to me, my community, to make sure the census works.' ''
Another difference is in the cost of the campaigns. For the 2000 census -- the first with a budget for paid ads, rather than relying on the media to donate time and space -- the Commerce Department spent an estimated $100 million to $150 million. Ten years later, the budget has grown to $340 million.
The bigger budget will help the campaign appear during TV coverage of big events like the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics.
''It's important to have broad messaging'' to suggest the scope of the census, said Michael Simons, chief creative officer at DraftFCB New York, as well as to run more focused ads.
''Some themes run through all the ads,'' Mr. Simons said, among them ''the call to action to take part in the census'' and how the form is composed of 10 questions.
In other instances, ads are being tailored to resonate with target audiences. For example, a print ad by GlobalHue aimed at African-Americans, which features the former basketball star Dikembe Mutombo, declares: ''Better health care, schools and roads are all within our reach. If we each just take 10 minutes to answer 10 simple questions, we can help determine how $400 billion per year in federal funds will be dispersed in our communities.''
And many ads aimed at Hispanics include children to signal that ''it's critical people participate because this will bring our children a better future,'' said Luciana Gomez, vice president and group account director at the Latino division of GlobalHue.
Another change from 2000 is that the census is trying to steer clear of a polarized political climate that has prompted at least one elected official to suggest that respondents should send a message of protest by answering only one of the questions.
Staying clear of politics may prove difficult, however, as evidenced by a report about the campaign this week in a new blog from Tucker Carlson, the Daily Caller (dailycaller.com). The headline dismissed the campaign as ''$340 million in tote bags, snacks and tailgate parties'' and described the road tour as ''driving around the country and hanging out with football fans.''
And there have been complaints about posters, independent of the official census campaign, created and distributed to churches by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. The posters invoked the Gospel of Luke by declaring: ''This is how Jesus was born. Joseph and Mary participated in the census.'' Another organization, the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders, deemed the posters blasphemous.
''There will always be sensitivity on a number of different issues when there's a request for personal information,'' said Damien Reid, vice president and account director at GlobalHue. ''The best way to combat that is total transparency, to be as clear as possible.''
To that end, the blog written by Mr. Groves, the census director, includes posts with headlines like ''Misinformation About the Census'' and ''Why Is the Census Mandatory?''
Asked about the potential for controversy, Mr. Groves replied: ''You can't predict what it will be. That it will happen is certain. Good things may happen, too.''
In addition to DraftFCB and GlobalHue, there are more than a dozen other agencies working on the campaign. Among them are five others owned by Interpublic, including the IW Group, for ads aimed at Asian-Americans, and Jack Morton Worldwide, for the road tour and other events.
Among the independent agencies involved, in addition to GlobalHue, are D Exposito & Partners, for tasks related to the Hispanic effort; and G&G Advertising, for ads aimed at groups
So many comments possible, so little time.
It’s good to know we really don’t care if people assimilate anymore, or have skills or jobs when they come here...it’s all about dumbing down, division and control, Cloward-Piven on a global scale.
Will babies in the womb count?
What is a “person” ?
If you can't speak or read English, why are you here? If you can't read or speak English, why are you allowed to vote?
Twitter, YouTube... television, radio, magazines, newspapers and billboards. There will also be unconventional elements like a Nascar sponsorship and a cross-country road tour of vehicles containing census exhibits, led by a 46-foot trailer."
$$$$ Big money spent.
Still, I only see; what I want to see.
I hope I get the long form...
I hope I get the long form...
I hope I get the long form...
I hope I get the long form...
$340 million ... now THERE’s money well spent. /s
“will illegals count?”
It appears so. Here’s a link to the form and it’s 10 questions. None ask about nationality.
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php
Every single ad I have heard for the census, in English and in Spanish, has been centered on greed. “Come on down and be counted, because you can’t get yours unless you are counted.” It is disgusting.
The number of people in the household. That’s all I gave in 2000.
“For one thing, the advertising, marketing and promotional efforts are being produced in 28 languages...”
...I stopped right there...something very bad is going on in this country that 28 languages are spoken....as Johnny Sack said to Tony Soprano “What is this?...the f**kin UN?
Don’t look at the census website then, it’s all greed - “An accurate Census helps provide future generations with the resources they need.”
What’s the minimum information I’m legally required to provide?
The number of people residing in the home.
Constitutional Topic: The Census - http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_cens.html
CENSUS 2000 - What Information are Americans really required to give? - http://www.save-a-patriot.org/census/census.html
The Census has grown beyond it’s bounds. - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1598599/posts
There is no long for this year.
My plan is still the same.
Add number of residents, run it through my paper shredder and mail it in.
“Hey the dog ate my homework”
no long form...
Funding
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided $1 billion to help the Census Bureau conduct a successful Census in 2010. This plan focuses on $100 million being added to the advertising contract (a component of the 2010 Census Integrated Communications Campaign), which is used primarily to raise awareness and to educate residents about the 2010 Census and the importance of their response...
U.S. Census Bureau’s Budget Estimates As Presented to Congress - May 2009
"... 2010 Decennial census program: Budget Authority of $6.9 billion (105,391 FTE), an increase of $4.1 billion (69,027 FTE) over the FY 2010 base. The Obligation Authority of $7.8 billion in FY 2010 includes $897.9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds carried over from FY 2009:
As mandated in the U.S. Constitution, the decennial census provides the official population counts for determining the allocation to states of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and for determining how the districts are defined for those seats. The program also provides data for small geographic areas and population groups that federal agencies need to implement legally mandated programs.
Fiscal Year 2010 funding is requested to conduct the enumeration of the population, with Census Day falling on April 1, 2010. Specifically, in FY 2010 the Census Bureau will conduct the major 2010 Census operations, including mailout, receipt, and processing of returned census forms; conducting the non-response followup operation whereby households not returning a census form are contacted by census enumerators who collect the information.
Other major operations include Group Quarters Enumeration, Update Leave, Update Enumerate, Military Enumeration, conducting census operations in Puerto Rico and the Island Areas, and numerous other operations. These operations will be supported by an extensive partnership and communications effort. The Census Bureau will also conduct Coverage Follow-up operations and conduct Coverage Measurement field operations. Additionally, the Census Bureau will continue to support these operations through a network of local census offices and regional census centers, as well as at headquarters..."
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