I’m going to be upfront with you: I can’t always predict the future. A couple of Drifts ago, I laid out the logic that Trump would pivot attention toward Gaza and Israel as a distraction from Epstein. He may have flirted with that—but what actually landed was a massive abuse of power in the District of Columbia.
The surprise announcement to roll troops into DC, combined with countless disturbing videos of masked men claiming to be ICE kidnapping people, has shifted the zeitgeist. Symbols of resistance are catching fire online—none more so than the infamous (inhamous?) sandwich.
DC street artists see the potential of the iconic sub. Why don’t digital admakers?
What’s surprising is not the authoritarian theatrics—it’s how little some of this is showing up in the ad spend data. You’d expect this kind of chaos to trigger a flood of digital campaigns. But for now, the money is still sitting tight. More on that shortly.
🧠 A Few Questions I’m Wrestling With:
Can tariffs stay in the mix?
I’ve noticed more Democratic fundraising emails referencing tariffs—possibly a signal that the messaging is converting supporters, even if the broader interest isn’t quite there yet.Is the Ukraine spike a blip or a turning point?
The surge is clearly tied to Trump’s Anchorage rally and his continued Putin-worship. I’d bet attention fades unless JD Vance is allowed a soundbite in today’s Zelensky meeting.Will Gaza break through again—or are we fully numb?
The situation remains horrific, but the movement energy has fallen off. Media coverage is still up, but it’s not translating into engagement or political momentum.
📊 Additional Signals from This Week’s Drift:
Immigration is dominating. It’s the only issue scoring high across every category—social, search, news, email, and even the gut check. This is a live-wire topic again.
Ukraine entered from nowhere and scored 66—a pure viral and media wave. It didn’t need paid traffic to explode—just some bootlicking in Alaska.
Medicaid is rising quietly. It’s not trending on social, but it’s getting real campaign attention, especially in ad budgets and email asks. Organizers: take note.
Tariffs show up in email—but not much else. It may be a tested hook in fundraising copy, not a real narrative breakout. Yet.
Redistricting is inching upward, largely fueled by email pushes. Could foreshadow court decisions or early 2026 map fights.
Here’s this week’s full Drift chart:
Deep Dive on Facebook Ads: Where the Budget Meets the Buzz
If you’ve worked with me on media buying, you know: August is one of my favorite months to advertise on Meta. CPMs are often at their lowest, competition is light, and plenty of people are still scrolling and feeling things.
This year, from my more limited vantage (not working inside a political ad agency anymore), I’m seeing a real drop-off in appetite to invest in Facebook ads for politics. That’s likely due to a few factors:
Reluctance to give Meta money
Difficulty optimizing for conversions using Meta’s Conversions API Gateway
Fewer digital staffers or agencies retained
I can’t help but feel there’s some missed opportunity here. Happy to trade notes on how to still win this space, if you’re interested.
📈 Epstein: Paid… but Probably Forgotten
One of the top-performing ads this week? A MoveOn creative about Epstein that launched in late July and has already crossed $50,000 in spend.
It’s doing enough on engagement to buoy the Epstein score in The Drift, even as buzz cools. Either it’s still converting well—or someone forgot to turn it off.
🏗️ Tariffs: Still in the Fundraising Copy—Not in the Creative
Speaking of setting and forgetting, you’ll never guess what ad has been running since mid-May and has racked up over $100K in spend: a DNC creative with Kamala referencing tariffs and economic chaos. It showed up in the Drift because of the keyword hit, but it’s a bit long in the tooth.
I’m hoping it’s converting so well they just haven’t touched it. I’m also hoping someone will run a new A/B test soon.
🧃 The “Brat” Creative: Gen Z Aesthetic, Boomer Platform?
Props to the DNC team for at least testing some newer creative around redistricting—specifically, an ad using the Brat-style design language (hello again, Charli XCX-core).
I’d love to be wrong and see data showing older donors on Facebook loving this. But I’m skeptical. If anyone from the team is reading this, hit me up—I’d be glad to suggest ideas to help Meta convert better.
(Unless the DNC is suddenly good on money… in which case, carry on.)
💡 What’s Working Now: Ads with Direct Response Potential
Let’s close with a look at where opportunity lies right now, based on Drift data and Google search trends:
If you’re building ads this week:
Ukraine offers a sharp hook to Trump’s soft-on-Putin record or isolationist backlash.
Immigration is ripe for persuasion or mobilization frames, especially in light of DC. Why are there no ads about the sandwich yet???
Tariffs might work for email testing, but they’re not giving enough juice in other channels.
And of course, unless Hurricane Erin veers wildly off-course, it’s probably going to get less attention than Trump’s attempts to crank up the heat in D.C.
And now a quick reminder:
📍What Is The Drift?
You're getting a free preview of The Drift before it becomes paid-only.
For years, I’ve helped movements, candidates, and causes ride the waves of the digital zeitgeist. Whether the goal was persuasion, pressure, or turnout, the most consistent wins came down to one thing: timing. This weekly report empowers you to drive the conversation and seize the moment.
The Drift scores each topic weekly across:
📱 Social reach
🔍 Google search volume
📰 News coverage
💰 Ad spend
📬 Email mentions
🧠 Bonus: Gut check — driven by real-time engagement trends from high-performing content creators and direct response instincts.
It’s not a crystal ball. But it’s a solid compass.
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What’s your take on the trends this week?
Hit reply or email [email protected] and let me know.
Thanks, as always, for being part of this community.
—Keegan