Robbie Perkins Plays Both Sides; Contradictory Ads Target Different Greensboro Communities

The first from 2013, the following from the last few weeks

2013; Robbie Perkins’ Greensboro Times Advertisement;

A Vote For ROBBIE is a Vote for THE PEOPLE

He cares about what we care about!

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

HEALTH CARE ACCESS

FOOD BENEFITS

JOB CREATION FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM FOR ENTREPRENEURS

THE SUPPORT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM

A SAFER CITY IN WHICH TO LIVE AND WORK

ASK YOURSELF – ARE WE BETTER OFF THAN WE WERE 2 YEARS AGO? THE ANSWER IS YES! BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO - LET’S FINISH WHAT WE’VE STARTED.

RE-ELECT ROBBIE PERKINS NOVEMBER 5th EARLY VOTING ENDS

NOVEMBER 2ndCALL (336)355-6549 FOR A RIDE TO THE POLLS

2013 Ad (Greensboro Times - historically Black newspaper);

Economic justice focus: Unemployment benefits, food benefits, health care access

Government support programs: Explicitly mentions social safety net programs

Civil Rights Museum: Direct appeal to Black community heritage and history

Populist framing: “A Vote for THE PEOPLE” - positions himself as champion of working-class/economically vulnerable

Progressive priorities: Job creation for unemployed, entrepreneur support, economic development

Offers rides to polls: Targets communities with transportation barriers

To Black/lower-income East Side (2013): “I’ll protect the social safety net and create economic opportunities”

2025 West Greensboro Front;

Let’s Bring Respect Back to Greensboro.

Cars are racing through our neighborhoods, making streets unsafe. Trash piles up along roads and sidewalks—often unnoticed by those speeding by. We see it.

Because we love this city—and want it to look and feel like home again.

ROBBIE PERKINS

FOR MAYOR ★★★★

Restoring Respect in Greensboro.

PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT ROBBIE PERKINS

This ad is using coded language that likely resonates with specific concerns in West Greensboro’s predominantly white neighborhoods. Here’s the interpretation;

“Let’s Bring Respect Back” - The “back” implies things have declined or deteriorated, suggesting a nostalgic return to how things used to be. “Respect” is doing heavy lifting here—it’s vague enough to mean different things to different people.

“Cars are racing through our neighborhoods” - Speaks to quality-of-life concerns and possibly fear about outsiders coming into residential areas. Street racing/speeding is framed as an invasion of peaceful communities.

“Trash piles up... unnoticed by those speeding by. We see it.” - Creates an “us vs. them” dynamic. The implication: other people don’t care about the community’s appearance, but we (people who live here, who notice) do. This taps into concerns about neighborhood decline and suggests current leadership isn’t paying attention to “our” areas.

“We love this city—want it to look and feel like home again” - Again, “again” implies loss. “Look and feel like home” suggests the neighborhood has changed in ways that make current residents uncomfortable—whether that’s demographic shifts, economic changes, or visible signs of poverty.

Overall Strategy; This ad appeals to anxieties about neighborhood change, decline in property values, and feeling overlooked by city leadership—without being explicitly about race or class. It promises to restore order and attention to areas that feel neglected.

2025 East Greensboro Front;

Trusted Leadership. Proven Integrity.
A Vision for Greensboro’s Future.

In our many years of public service, we have been guided by our belief that if you ‘do what you think is right,’ the rest will take care of itself. And it’s never failed us. That’s why we are supporting Robbie Perkins to be the next Mayor of Greensboro. We have seen Robbie follow the same rule in his years of public service and are confident that his vision for Greensboro’s future is exactly what’s needed at this time.
— The Honorable Henry and Shirley Frye

PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT ROBBIE PERKINS

ROBBIE PERKINS
FOR MAYOR OF GREENSBORO

The 2025 East Side Strategy;

High-credibility validators: Henry Frye was NC’s first Black Chief Justice and a civil rights pioneer. Shirley Frye is also deeply respected. Their endorsement carries enormous weight in Black Greensboro.

Moral framing: “Do what you think is right” appeals to character and values rather than material concerns

What’s MISSING compared to 2013:

No unemployment benefits
No food assistance
No healthcare access
No specific economic programs
No Civil Rights Museum mention
No offer of rides to polls
No “are we better off?” accountability question

The Evolution:

2013: “I will fight for programs that help you economically”

2025: “Respected elders trust my character”

2025 West Greensboro Back;

A cleaner, safer, more respectful Greensboro starts with all of us.

Robbie Perkins believes a city thrives when we focus on the little things—safe streets, clean neighborhoods, and respect for our community.

As Mayor, he’ll work to:

Slow things down—safer streets and traffic enforcement

Clean things up—better trash pickup and community program

Bring people together—because respecting Greensboro is something we all share

Robbie Perkins is ready to lead the way—making Greensboro safe, clean, and welcoming again.

Vote Robbie Perkins for Mayor November 4th

“Slow things down”;

Appeals to those who want their neighborhoods to stay the same

Traffic enforcement as priority #1

“Clean things up”;

Aesthetics prioritized over economic programs;

“Clean” has historically been coded language in urban politics

Notice: no mention of why there might be trash issues (inadequate city services to certain areas, poverty, etc.)

“Bring people together—because respecting Greensboro is something we all share”;

This is the softest sell, trying to make exclusionary concerns sound inclusive

“Respect” keeps appearing—it’s the through-line, but “bringing people together” around “respect” doesn’t name what respect means or who’s being disrespectful

“safe, clean, and welcoming again”

There’s that “again” once more—the nostalgia for how things used to be

Order of priorities: safety first, aesthetics second, “welcoming” last (and “welcoming” undercuts itself with “again”—welcoming to whom?)

The Complete West Side Message (Front + Back);

Your neighborhood is under siege (speeding cars, trash, disrespect) → I will restore order through enforcement → Things will go back to how they were

Contrast with East Side (just the front):

Trusted elders endorse me → I have integrity → Trust me with the future

The Perkins Formula:

2013 to Black voters: Specific economic policies

2025 to Black voters: Character endorsement, no policies

2025 to white voters: Law and order, aesthetic control, restoration of “the way things were”

One candidate, three completely different value propositions across 12 years.

2025 East Greensboro Back;

Leadership that Brings Out the Best in Greensboro.

Robbie Perkins has dedicated his career to moving Greensboro forward—with honesty, collaboration, and results.

Like the Fryes, Robbie believes true leadership means doing what’s right, not what’s easy.

As Mayor, Robbie will focus on:

Strengthening safety and responsibility in every neighborhood

Attracting good jobs and expanding opportunity

Keeping Greensboro clean, vibrant, and connected

Building a city that works for everyone—together

Greensboro deserves a leader who listens, unites, and leads with integrity.

That’s Robbie Perkins.

ROBBIE PERKINS FOR MAYOR OF GREENSBORO

Endorsed by The Honorable Henry and Shirley Frye.

Vote Robbie Perkins for Mayor of Greensboro.

Honest Leadership. A Better Greensboro.

EAST SIDE BACK - Decoded;

“Strengthening safety and responsibility in every neighborhood”; Same law-and-order message as West Side, but softer framing

“Responsibility” puts onus on residents, not systemic issues

No mention of police accountability or criminal justice reform

West Side gets “clean and safe,” East Side gets “clean, vibrant, and connected”; Nicer wrapping, same content

The Strategy;

Tell white voters you’ll protect them from disorder.

Tell Black voters you’re endorsed by their heroes and believe in opportunity.

Tell neither group about specific plans to address economic inequality.

The 2025 Contrast;

Tone

West Side: Anxious, nostalgic

East Side: Aspirational, unity-focused

Safety

West Side: “Slow things down,” traffic enforcement

East Side: “Strengthening safety and responsibility”

Cleanliness

West Side: “Trash piles up,” “we see it” (accusatory)

East Side: “Keeping Greensboro clean” (shared goal)

Core Appeal

West Side: Restore what was lost

East Side: Build something for everyone

Validation

West Side: “We love this city” (us vs. them)

East Side: Henry & Shirley Frye endorsement

Emotional Register

West Side: Fear and resentment

East Side: Hope and trust

The question for Greensboro voters isn’t which version of Robbie Perkins is real—it’s whether they’re willing to settle for a mayor who thinks “clean streets” is a substitute for economic justice, and that careful marketing to different zip codes is the same thing as leadership.

2025 Greensboro Times;