Flawless Execution in Adelanto Brought Our Strategy and Plan to Life – and the Campaign to Victory

Execution Is Not Easy – But It Should Feel Obvious

It’s not quite right to say that the Execution Phase of a campaign is the easy part. Far from it. Execution takes hard work, discipline, and attention to detail. Sometimes the Research, Strategy, and Planning phases are rushed; other times they’re more deliberative. But the Execution Phase is always on the clock. We start the real execution of a campaign – especially the paid voter-contact portion – at the point our plan shows we can sustain it all the way through until the final vote is counted and victory is won.

So no, execution is not easy. You’re often tired, and tired people can make mistakes. That’s why those principles – hard work, discipline, and attention to detail – plus tactical creativity and excellence, are what we demand of ourselves when delivering a campaign plan.

When properly implemented, though, execution becomes more obvious. We have a strategy telling us what messages to deliver to which audiences. We have a plan that brings structure to that strategy. Now it’s about doing the right things, the right way, at the right time.

The Tenets of Top Execution

When executing the plan, the most important elements are:

1. Every tactic ties back to the Strategy.

2. Work on time and within budget according to the Plan.

3. Each component is individually excellent at achieving its purpose.

Check It. Check It Again. Attention to Detail.

We’re often rushed in the Execution Phase, but never so rushed that we forget the fundamentals that help us deliver wins for clients.

Execution Tied Back to Strategy Delivered the Win in Adelanto

In the campaign against the Vacancy Tax in Adelanto – our ongoing case study – the execution of each element, particularly direct mail and digital ads, delivered on its promise. Our strategy said four of our primary messages should be:

• Measure U would drive up inflation and the cost of living.

• The City didn’t need the money.

• The fine print in Measure U was full of holes.

• Locals would be hurt, not just out‑of‑town property owners.

Here was our opening piece of mail:

No detail is left to chance as we draft, finalize, produce, and deliver voter contact that executes the plan. In this first piece, our strategy and plan called for us to establish our main messages from the start. We also decided to riff on Measure U with alliterative headlines built around the letter “U.” We played on the City’s slogan. And course, we needed to drive the brand – No on Measure U. And we refused to call this a “Vacancy Tax” – it was a property tax on sites set aside for housing, shopping, and job centers.

Finer details matter: we recognized a low-turnout election in which only the highest‑propensity voters would likely participate – and those voters want facts. That led to mail that was more copy‑heavy than typical, with clear sourcing for every assertion. Would most voters check those sources? Perhaps, perhaps not. But prominent citations create authenticity and trust.

On Time and On Budget in a Compressed Timeline

We’ve previously noted how truncated this campaign was – especially early on. The opening piece above had to move fast after an accelerated research, strategy, and planning phase, hitting the press less than 48 hours after first concept.

Everyone’s creative process from concept to final product is different. We work with excellent designers and creative partners who take our copy and art direction and turn them into effective voter contact. Sometimes the content is simple and to the point; other times it needs to be a true work of art. But whatever the creative asks, it must be on message, on time, and on budget.

Campaigns like these include a lengthy review process – concept, design, client review (sometimes multiple clients), legal review, production, and delivery. Meanwhile, we manage the financial details: confirming pricing, invoicing, paying subs, and reconciling estimates to final costs against the budget. To stay on time and on budget, the production timeline must account for every step.

We were fortunate to work with an experienced team across design, production, and legal – plus a client who prioritized prompt reviews and approvals. Even with the rushed start, we found a rhythm that produced 17 pieces of mail, three flights of video ads, and a three‑pass field program in just six weeks.

The Process Has Structure – But We Never Short Shrift Creative

Even as we track timelines and budgets with clockwork precision, we never let up on the quality of our creative. Every piece of content in a HexaCom Group campaign is conceived from scratch to deliver on the plan. We believe in story arcs and campaign narratives that carry voters to the conclusion we want them to reach.

Our Campaign Narrative in Adelanto

Over six weeks, we told the story of a poorly conceived, unnecessary tax that would hurt – not help – the City. Early mail set that up, then we led voters through a series of sub‑plots:

1. Fine Print & False Promises. The ballot language allowed a bait‑and‑switch by the City. Funds weren’t truly tied to the stated purposes, and the “Oversight Committee” had no real authority. Each mailer and video flight built on the last.

2. Inflation & the Local Economy. Raising taxes on job and housing creation sites would mean higher prices for residents – at a time they were clamoring for lower costs, more housing, and more local jobs and small businesses.

3. Trusted Local Voices. We returned to broken promises and phony oversight while bringing in respected community leaders to repeat and reinforce our winning messages. These voices add credibility – but require time to secure quotes, approvals, photos, and coalition logos. Build that into your production windows.

And there’s no better proof a campaign is working than when your field team hears your mail and digital lines repeated back at the door.

Final Thoughts on Execution

Strategy – grounded in research – wins campaigns. But that never gives short shrift to execution. Execution brings the strategy to life. In Adelanto, moving a Vacancy Tax from 72% Yes to 65% No required both: a well‑designed strategy and the precision and quality execution to carry it home for our clients.

Quick‑Hit Checklist: Execution That Wins

• Tie every tactic and execution to the strategy.

• Build airtight review and legal workflows.

• Over‑communicate with production partners.

• Cite sources prominently to build trust.

• Track spend vs. plan daily.

• Close the loop with field – listen for message lift.

This post is part of our HexaCom Advantage series: Research → Strategy → Planning → Execution → Evaluation → Adjustment.