Promo roundup: Local station post-election POP spots

In addition to the major networks, local stations across the country produced extensive coverage of the 2024 election — and now they’re helping viewers remember that with proof of performance promos.

Here’s a look at some that caught our eye.

KXAN

Nexstar’s NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas, emphasized its team coverage and focus on issues and races that affected its viewers in its post-election promo. Seth Skuza, Joshua Alvarez and the station’s marketing team created the promo.

WVEC

Jason Ruel, creative manager at WVEC, the ABC affiliate owned by Tegna, in Norfolk, Virginia, noted that POPs for election coverage are often tired.

“Instead of telling people what you do, you’re proving who you are,” he wrote. “Making a proof means you’ve done something different. In general, I don’t like election proofs because from one station to the next, you will get results, live reports, analysis, yada, yada, yada.”

However, with 2024 being in the age of streaming, the station produced significant digital coverage while the main signal carried the network feed.

“So I could highlight that, while promoting our app, and then push our election coverage forward,” noted Ruel. “Another note: When I make spots like this I showcase as many of our people as possible, because they work hard and do great work.”

KETV

Hearst’s KETV in Omaha, Nebraska, also focused on its team coverage and local reporting, while also looking forward to its coverage of the transition of power.

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“The stress of election coverage is starting to melt away, but what won’t be going away anytime soon is how proud I am of the KETV team and the work they put into covering the 2024 general election,” wrote Katie Bane, the station’s assistant news director, on LinkedIn. “From candidate profiles to too many ‘Get the Facts’ pieces to count, to investigative stories and, of course, our Election Night coverage, we gave it our all.”

The promo drew on the latest iteration of the group’s graphics package, albeit with star outlines mostly standing in for the traditional “diagrid.” The promo also used Hearst’s “Commitment” branding that most of its stations use for election coverage rather than a localized version of their respective networks’ banners.

WMTW

WMTW, the Hearst-owned ABC affiliate in Portland, Maine, used a similar look as its sister station WVEC, but also threw in a “thank you” to viewers for trusting it for election coverage.

“The first promo for the 2024 election hit WMTW commercial breaks on Jan. 16 this year and nearly 11 months later the final Commitment 2024 promo is complete,” wrote assistant creative director Jordan Hachey on LinkedIn.

KWCH

In Wichita, Kansas, Gray Media’s KWCH created an impactful POP piece that showcased its coverage along with its “Facts. First.” tagline.