Gratitude Goes Viral
GiveThanks
Disagree Better
Opponents Become Proponents
The Challenge
Many Americans are tired of the fighting in politics. During his 2020 run for Utah governor, then-Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox and his opponent Chris Peterson made a joint ad calling for civility. The video spread far beyond Utah, proving that Americans were hungry for something different.
The Insight
The audience for Disagree Better wasn't politicians. It was the everyday, frustrated American. To change political culture, people needed to see their elected officials step up and be the ones to model civility. What started with Spencer Cox soon spread to other national leaders and a movement began.
The Solution
In 2023, Gov. Cox became Chairman of the National Governors Association. He asked Boncom to build a lasting brand and campaign that could take his message of "disagreeing better" nationwide. Boncom built the Disagree Better brand, strategy, and creative from the ground up. Since 2023, we have made cross-partisan ads with both Democrats and Republicans, timed to release alongside major political moments. We have helped Disagree Better collaborate with more than 26 governors, senators, representatives, and state legislators nationwide. The timing of each release was key, putting civil voices in the conversation when the country needed them most.
The Outcome
The campaign earned wide coverage beyond its initial media buy. A Stanford study, published in The American Journal of Political Science, found it significantly reduced partisan hostility and political violence among viewers. A 60 Minutes feature reached 7M+ viewers, and Cox's TED Talk surpassed 760,000 views. Disagree Better proved that when leaders model civility, people listen.
It's not about abandoning our ideas or our passions: it's all centered on how do we have a dialog and learn from each other.
Steve Wright
SVP and Managing Director, Boncom
SVP and Managing Director, Boncom
