2. M y father worked for the City of Newark, New Jersey in the 1970s and 80’s under
Mayor Kenneth Gibson. I used to get up at 6:00 am on election day to work the
polls with my dad. We talked about politics, and how important it was in peoples lives.
I would listen to him telling stories about local politics, stories about what went on in
those smoke-filled back rooms, stories the newspapers didn’t print. As a graphic artist I
sometimes created campaign flyers for municipal contests, but I focused on a career in
marketing and advertising.
WHAT I DO My involvement in hometown political campaigns intensified. Over 15 years my reputation
HOW I DO IT grew from being a graphic designer to a political consultant with a aggressive, game-
changing approach to advertising and direct mail campaigns. My print campaigns inspired
the troops and infuriated the opposition. There were threats by candidates who found my
campaigns a bit too hard-hitting. But we got results.
I don’t believe in sleazy political attacks that cheapen public discourse and insult the
voter’s intelligence. I do believe in drawing a clear distinction between my client and his
opponent within the truth. I believe in a rapid-response approach to any accusation or
attack on my client. I never, as the saying goes, bring a knife to a gunfight.
My most notable campaign was the 2002 mayoral election battle between Councilman
Cory Booker and Mayor Sharpe James. The bruising race drew national attention; my
communications campaign for the challenger made an impact that almost upset the
powerful incumbent. The 2006 race saw a historic sweep of the entire Booker slate into
office largely due to a targeted print campaign I created.
The following pages contain samples of campaign materials I have created for my clients.
Each section contain samples for each phase of a typical campaign, with a brief narrative.
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3. KEITH ROYSTER
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
ROLL OUT
This poster and campaign
identifiers were part of a
presentation to announce
Cory Booker’s run for Mayor
in 2006. The slogan “Our City,
Our Future, Our Time” was
written to counter the notion
that Cory was “an outsider”.
The movie poster look was
intended to break away from
the conventional layout most
campaign posters have.
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4. KEITH ROYSTER
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
ROLL OUT
This piece for a slate of
28DISTRICT Democrats For Change
th Endorsed by:
candidates for the New Jersey Essex County Executive
Joseph DiVincenzo
Senate and Assembly. The Newark Mayor
Cory A. Booker
piece contains their bios, Irvington Mayor
Wayne Smith
endorsements and voting Belleville Mayor
Ray Kimble
Bloomfield Mayor
information in one mailing. Ray McCarthy
Members of the Four
Communities’ Councils
and Boards of Education
Essex County Board of
Freeholder President and
Newark Central Ward
Democratic Chair
Blonnie Watson
Belleville Democratic Chair
and First Ward Councilwoman
Marie Strumolo Burke
Bloomfield Democratic Chair
Peter Strumolo
For New Jersey Senate For New Jersey Assembly For New Jersey Assembly
• Vice President, Essex County Freeholders
• Committed to continuing and building on the legacy of her late husband
• Serving residents as Irvington Councilman and Essex County Freeholder
The Hon. Donald K. Tucker
to address their needs in housing, education, health, recreation and • Former 2 term Assemblyman
quality of life • Executive Director of The Centre Inc. (Day Care/Child Care/Senior facility) • Supports continuation of Educational Programs for students through
• Worked to increase open space and recreational facilities for kids continued increases in funding for districts
• Actively working to insure the safety and education of our children and
providing proper senior services
• Represented Block Associations in Irvington in the Anti- Crime Ceasefire • Will continue to work with local mayors, elected officials, community
and Safe Haven Initiatives groups, and citizens to improve quality of life issues and problem solving
• District Leader in Newark South Ward, District 46
• Working with the Board of Education to maintain Abbott funding • Has championed causes for families and children for over 30
• Active member of the NAACP
mandates for school facilities years (safer neighborhoods, better schools, new state of the art crime
• Deaconess at The First Baptist Church in Nutley, NJ
lab, and against gang violence)
• When elected, will serve in ONE elected office utilizing over 20 years • Newark resident since 1966
of legislative experience and good working relationships with mayors, • Supports tax rebates to be directly paid to senior citizens and
• Retired from Newark Housing Authority as Assistant Director
municipal officials, community organizations and citizens individual taxpayers
On June 5th • Vote Essex County Democratic Party, Inc.
Paid for by the 28th District Democrats, R Hasan, Treasurer
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5. KEITH ROYSTER
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
INTRODUCTION
These two opening handouts
introduced a young challenger
to the ward she would lead,
Newark, New Jersey 07102
60 Park Place
Dana Rone
Find out how you can help make a change in our community.
Together we can bring the Central Ward back.
beating her better-known
Call 1-973-242-3001
Tired leadership should retire. A Life of
opponent . The handouts Achievement
highlighted the lack of leader- and Service
B
ship in the ward, and the
orn and raised in the City of Newark,
Dana Rone is a product of Newark’s
public housing and public school
challenger’s willingness to systems. Dana is a well-known advocate
for low-income housing residents and over
44,000 children who receive their educa-
fill that gap. tion in the Newark Public school system.
Dana is a graduate of Arts High, one of
the district’s most successful magnet
E F
schools, and St. John’s University (Staten
CENTRAL Island Campus) where she majored in
computer science and mathematics.
WARD In 2000, Dana was elected to the Newark
LEADERSHIP
Public school board and ran for the
Newark City Council as a member of the
Booker Team for Reform in 2002. In 2003,
Dana was reelected to the Newark Public
School Board, receiving approximately
11,000 votes. She made history by receiving
It’s time for
more votes than any candidate in a school
board election in New Jersey.
Dana is now a consultant for Excellent
new energy, passion and ideas
Paid for by Booker Team for Newark, Elnardo Webster II, Treasurer
Education for Everyone, where she fights
for the right of urban children to receive
in our community.
the thorough and efficient education the
state constitution demands, and increased
options and competition, via school
choice, to improve public education in the
state’s 31 Abbott Districts.
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6. KEITH ROYSTER
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
INTRODUCTION
The lack of leadership in
Newark’s South ward created
It’s time for a
in the South Ward.
www.oscarsjamesii.com and find out
South Ward.
how you can make a difference in the
Call 973-645-1557 now or go to
It’s time for a New Voice
in the South Ward.
www.oscarsjamesii.com and find out
South Ward.
how you can make a difference in the
Call 973-645-1557 now or go to
It’s time for a New Voice
WHERE IS OUR LEADERSHIP
Newark, New Jersey 07108
555-557 Clinton Avenue
an opening for an effective
New Voice
IN THE SOUTH WARD?
mailer for a young challenger
hip New Leadership
to defeat an entrenched
New Ideas
machine.
Ward. in the South Ward.
Meet Oscar James II:
a fresh voice for change
in our community.
outh Ward had a voice It’s time the South Ward had a voice
lling to say, “Enough is in City Hall willing to say, “Enough is
too long we have been Enough”. For too long we have been
ur own homes, afraid prisoners in our own homes, afraid
reets at night. Oscar to walk the streets at night. Oscar
oice. James is that voice.
swers, not more tired It’s time for answers, not more tired
need to restore law and excuses. We need to restore law and
ommunity. Personal order in our community. Personal
ost important priority safety is the most important priority
ard today. in the South Ward today.
s the fresh leadership Oscar James is the fresh leadership
le to take up the fight willing and able to take up the fight
in the South Ward. We against crime in the South Ward. We
e able to create better need someone able to create better
our children and get recreation for our children and get
we need to encourage the resources we need to encourage
wth for our citizens. economic growth for our citizens.
U.S. POSTAGE
PERMIT # 398
someone able to And, we need someone able to
NEWARK, NJ
BULK RATE
owntown to save the represent us downtown to save the
PAID
South Ward.
the fresh voice we need Oscar James is the fresh voice we need
one in the South Ward. to get things done in the South Ward.
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7. KEITH ROYSTER 07102
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
New Jersey
Newark,
ISSUES
60 Park Place
C-23
VOTE LINE
The violence in Newark’s
Central Ward made this hard-
In 2005,
hitting mailer an effective tool 100 Newarkers
Who’s Next?
in the challenger’s bid for the were murdered
on our streets.
council seat.
on our streets.
were murdered
Who’s Next?
100 Newarkers
In 2005,
VOTE LINE
C-23
60 Park Place
Newark,
New Jersey
07102
The Central Ward has many children, but none to spare.
It is time to take back our streets.
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8. KEITH ROYSTER
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
ISSUES
This direct mailer was created
in 2002 to bring attention to
It’s Time To Put The Newark City Council
THE NEWARK CITYCity Council’s
the Newark
ON A DIET.
THEY SPEND TOO
lavish spending habits at the
THEY DO TOO
taxpayer’s expense. The anti-
incumbent piece drew wide
AND THEY HAVE resulted in some
attention and BEEN GETTING
TOO
WITH IT FOR
councilmembers losing their
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
seats.
Friends of Cory Booker
P.O. Box 200334
Riverfront Plaza Station
Newark, New Jersey 07102
They get free food, cell phones,
fruit baskets and big, fat paychecks.
You get the tax bill that pays for it all.
On May 14, lets cut the fat in City Paid for and authorized by Booker Team for Newark, Elnardo Webster II, Esq., Treasurer
Hall.
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9. KEITH ROYSTER
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
ISSUES
This graphic flyer underscores
the desperate plight of pub-
lic housing residents and the When Sharpe James and Harold Lucas
strategy of holding the mayor take money from public housing and
spend it on the downtown arena...
responsible for the horrific
condition of public housing
...who
because of his position on the
suffers?
new arena.
Once again, the needs of the poor and helpless are ignored while the mayor and housing authority
director do what they please. Sharpe James and Harold Lucas raided $4 million from the voucher
fund to buy landed needed for the downtown arena project, according to the federal Department
of Housing and Urban Development. As children are forced to eat and sleep with rats and roaches,
Housing Authority director Harold Lucas spends $1 million on the renovation of his offices, which
include a plasma television, while laying off 84 people. Sharpe James has no problem with the
mismanagement of resources for Newark’s most helpless citizens. It’s time to put an end to this
abuse of our children and families.
To clean out the rats from public housing, the ones
at the Newark Housing Authority must go first.
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10. KEITH ROYSTER
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
ISSUES
This mailer targeted public
housing residents to vote for
Stop The Newark
Newark, New Jersey 07102
60 Park Place
Booker Team For Newark
Land Grab Now.
Newark Housing Residents need to
deserve. With the Booker Team in
be treated with the respect they
City Hall, they’ll get it.
a mayoral candidate who
pledged to improve their
poor living conditions.
A promise
from Cory Booker
to Newark Housing
Authority residents:
“Newark Housing
residents have a right
to live in safe and
sanitary conditions.
With the Booker Team
in City Hall, they’ll get it.”
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11. KEITH ROYSTER
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
UPBEAT
This mailer was sent in the
closing stages o the Newark
Vote for Change on June 13.
in the South Ward.
Let’s finish the job we started
Newark, New Jersey 07108
555-557 Clinton Avenue
municipal campaign to end
on a positive note after a
contentous race.
Paid for by Booker Team for Newark, Elnardo Webster II, Treasurer
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12. KEITH ROYSTER
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
UPBEAT
The mailer was created as part
of a GOTV effort at the end of
the campaign.
BEASLEYTUCKERCAPUTO
mailerIdeas.indd 1 5/30/07 4:12:35 PM
BEASLEYTUCKERCAPUTO
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14. KEITH ROYSTER
CAMPAIGN GRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATIONS
AGGRESSIVE
The mailer was designed to
It’s Followership.
Star-Ledger cameras caught Newark Council members following
This isn’t leadership...
Sharpe James to the Governor’s office to propose an illicit deal for
$50 million with no real plan how to spend our money.
These Newark City Council members have always followed
Sharpe James because they have no vision of their own. It’s
time we elected a council with courage and integrity.
On May 9, Let’s Elect Leaders...not followers.
Booker Team for Newark
This isn’t leadership...
60 Park Place
Newark, New Jersey 07102
create a distinction between
It’s Followership.
the incumbents and the slate
of candidates who eventu-
ally defeated them in a clean
sweep.
Star-Ledger cameras caught Newark Council members following
Newark, New Jersey 07102
60 Park Place
Booker Team for Newark
Sharpe James to the Governor’s office to propose an illicit deal for
$50 million with no real plan how to spend our money.
These Newark City Council members have always followed
Sharpe James because they have no vision of their own. It’s
time we elected a council with courage and integrity.
On May 9, Let’s Elect Leaders...not followers.
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15. YOUR MESSAGE CAN BE
MY NEXT MISSION
If your next campaign can use my services,
please give me a call at 201-693-7449 or send
me an e-mail at keithroyster@netzero.com.
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