the impact of communication technology on politics
TRANSCRIPT
THE IMPACT OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON POLITICSAnd its Implications for Branding
Colin Hogan
ELECTION NIGHT: NOVEMBER 4, 2008
Over 71 million Americans watched the 2008 election night coverage
24% of Americans said they regularly learned something about the campaign from the Internet, almost double the percentage from the 2004 campaign (13%).
Youth vote: 37% of Americans aged 18 to 24 say that they have gotten information about candidates and their campaigns from social networking sites
People had never before experienced an election like this one
OBAMA’S CHANGE Obama and his political team used the relatively
new medium of the Internet and applied it to politics in a unique and effective way
By using interactive Web 2.0 tools, Obama’s campaign changed the way politicians organize supporters, advertise to voters, defend against attacks and communicate with constituents
Changed the donations formula: $500 million in online donations from more than 3 million people
Used the new medium to highlight his personal strengths (eloquence, authenticity, opportunity)
Online community translated into real results ($$, votes)
Truly a unique campaign
OR WAS IT?
Was the Obama campaign really the first time that “new media” was used to effectively drive a campaign or cause? Or was it the latest in a long tradition?
1898: WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST
His newspaper, The New York Journal, sensationalized the news in order to drive circulation
This strategy later became known as yellow journalism
Hearst was one of the first to recognize the political power of the medium of mass print
The tactics used by Hearst to influence popular opinion contributed to the onset of the Spanish-American war
“You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war” Hearst’s insight: If it’s in print, people will
assume it’s true
1933-1944: FDR’S FIRESIDE CHATS
President Roosevelt used the medium of radio as a way to build support for his New Deal programs
He relied on anecdotes and analogies to explain the complex issues facing the country
Often began his talks with “Good evening, friends” The "fireside chats" were considered enormously
successful and attracted more listeners than the most popular radio shows during the "Golden Age of Radio."
Every U.S. President since Roosevelt has delivered a weekly address
Roosevelt’s insight: Radio enabled the politician to build a relationship with the citizen
1960: NIXON VS. KENNEDY DEBATES
Presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon faced off in a groundbreaking series of televised debates
"A perfect storm of factors ensured Nixon was not going to look presidential," says Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.
Radio listeners thought Nixon won the debate, while TV viewers preferred Kennedy
Nixon was playing a new game by old rules Kennedy’s insight: Non-verbal
communication is just as important as verbal communication
2008 ELECTION: OBAMA VS. MCCAIN Heavily updated Twitter account showed transparency
into his day-to-day campaign Logo effectively branded the candidate Text messaging campaign effective with young voters Obama’s open-source campaign was much more
appealing to younger generations than McCain’s, which had a top-down commanding feel
Obama’s website was chosen by experts over McCain’s website at the rate of 4:1 (most pleasing design, most appealing content, more effective for telling the candidate’s story)
Obama had more than 3.4 million Facebook supporters, six times McCain's number
Obama’s insight: Social media can create an atmosphere of authenticity that can’t be created through the use of “controlled media”
WHY MCCAIN’S SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS FAILED
The McCain campaign did not approach social media organically. Instead, used “Astroturfing”
The utilization of the pay-to-play system The usage of “artificial” language defeated
authenticity of the social media outlets Heavy use of “robo calls”
IMPLICATIONS
New technologies create opportunities but there will always be winners and losers
The winners are those who not only participate in new technology, but figure out how to make it work for them (adapt it to their brand)
Example: Obama was not the first political candidate to use the internet; he just made the internet work for his message in a very unique and profitable way
Application: It’s not enough for a brand to simply have a twitter page or a website. In order to be successful in the new age of social media, brands must utilize new technologies to create a 21st century brand experience that captivates consumers in a unique way.
WHAT IF…?
What if Pulitzer and Hearst had only reported the facts of the Spanish-American conflict?
What if the press had chosen to photograph Roosevelt in his wheelchair?
What if Nixon had shaved before the debate? What if McCain had approached social media
organically?
HOW TECHNOLOGY AFFECTS CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT
•How can I use immediacy of communication to benefit my brand?
•How can I use new media to expand the breadth of my brand?
•How can I use new media to influence consumer perceptions of my brand?
OBAMA AND IMMEDIACY
Text the VP campaign Text messages are received
almost instantly after they are sent
Most young people carry their cell phones with them at all times
Texts stand out compared to emails, considering the amount of spam in the average inbox
Reaches young voters through their preferred medium
More personal than automated voicemails
IMMEDIACY
OBAMA AND BREADTH
Website YouTube Twitter Facebook Text Messaging Blogging Flickr Blackberry Laptop in W.H.
Unprecedented breadth in participation across media channels
BREADTH
OBAMA AND PERCEPTION
ABILITY TO CHANGE PERCEPTIONS (INFLUENCE)
KEY APPLICATIONS FOR BRANDING
LOOKING FORWARD
As brand planners, we must always be looking for new technologies that allow our brands to engage consumers in new ways.
Social media is not the last frontier; it is simply one stage in the cycle
We must be prepared to abandon the old rules that apply to old mediums
At the same time, there are some principles that will remain applicable despite changes in technology
Social media is a tool, not a strategy