Lewis Miller is a founder and board member of Bergen Grassroots, the DFA group in Bergen County, NJ.

Last Wednesday, Bergen Grassroots held a press conference at the site of its second anti-war billboard. The billboard is part of a campaign that initially includes four high-visibility billboards running for four weeks each during April, May, and June, with the message, "Bring Our Troops Home. NOW!".

At the conference, Bergen Grassroots Chairman Paul Eisenman spoke of the importance of framing the campaign's message visually. "We're including the yellow ribbon because we want to reclaim it." Eisenman, a partner in an advertising & public relations firm, noted that the Bush Administration had used the words "Support our troops" to mean "Support our war." Bergen Grassroots board member Keith Krebs, who is also a Republican county committee member, noted that "the administration has left the Republican party... has left the young people who are fighting this war of choice, not necessity." The billboard campaign received coverage the following day in the Bergen Record, the largest newspaper in Northern New Jersey, and generated immediate calls from members of the public interested in joining our meetings.

Members of other organizations have asked, "How did you manage to pull off this public relations coup in one of the most expensive media markets in the country?" Naturally, being part of a DFA coalition includes the responsibility to share tips with our fellow grassroots activists across America. Here, in no particular order, are some elements of a successful advertising campaign:

1. Know what your objective is. Is raising consciousness enough? Or, at the same time, could you increase membership? Generate funds to help pay for even more advertising so that even more people see your message? These considerations led to the inclusion of "Join us" and our website URL at the bottom of our billboards.

2. Framing is very important in getting a message across, both to the public and the media. Using a familiar element (such as the yellow ribbon in our case) draws a viewer's attention. The stark contrast of our message with the symbol we've included leaves those sympathetic with our viewpoint to seek further information. (In our media coverage, there was heavy focus on the design of the billboards: "The message on the billboard couldn't be clearer. 'Bring Our Troops Home. NOW!'' it demands with oversized letters. Next to the words, a yellow ribbon inscribed with 'Support Our Troops.'")

3. Know how to get around the advertising market. For example, if you are looking for billboard advertising, don't waste your time looking for billboards you'd like to purchase and which may be unavailable. Call known ad agencies and obtain a list. The listings for any form of advertising will include the number of people you will reach. (In our case, one of our billboards will reach in excess of 80,000 people per day.) Also be aware of the possibility that there may be special rates for non-profit organizations. Be sure you get the full pricing list, and note any conditions attached to the less-expensive rates.

Of course, it also helps if members of your organization possess skills useful to a successful campaign. Aside from its talented chairman, Bergen Grassroots is lucky enough to have a skilled graphic designer on its board, meaning we were able to produce our billboard artwork in-house. If the information in this article isn't enough to get you started, we'd be happy to help you get your own campaign off the ground. Visit our website at www.bergengrassroots.org for more information.

—Lewis Miller