Presidential Politics: Marketing a Candidate Online Oct. 31, 2008 By Marianne Madden and Holly Matson

Presidential campaigns = marketing campaigns Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive | Obama McCain Marketing messages “ hope”, “change we can believe in” “ country first”, “the original maverick” Offline marketing channels TV, radio, print (including candidate’s books), direct mail TV, radio, print (including candidate’s book), direct mail Online marketing channels Email, display, organic and paid search, organic media, social media Email, display, organic and paid search, organic media, social media Budget $150 million in Sept alone $84 million (public funds) Marketing strategies Energize young voters; spread optimism and hope; emphasize McCain’s similarities to Bush Energize the right wing; attack Obama’s weaknesses; emphasize experience and military service

Search

Organic Search Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Poliitics| Geary Interactive |

Paid Search McCain much more proactive/aggressive than Obama McCain bidding on 226 paid search KWs; Obama 174 McCain bidding on more KWs tied to specific issues like abortion and affordable housing 17 negative paid search ads by Obama, but only three from McCain Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

McCain much more proactive/aggressive than Obama

McCain bidding on 226 paid search KWs; Obama 174

McCain bidding on more KWs tied to specific issues like abortion and affordable housing

17 negative paid search ads by Obama, but only three from McCain

The candidates’ views of the Internet “ Ordinary people are being empowered politically in a way they haven't before.” - Barack Obama &quot;I am a [computer] illiterate that has to rely on my wife for all of the assistance I can get. “ - John McCain Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

“ Ordinary people are being empowered politically in a way they haven't before.”

- Barack Obama

&quot;I am a [computer] illiterate that has to rely on my wife for all of the assistance I can get. “

- John McCain

Candidates’ Official Websites

Barackobama.com Main body of text is a blog ! Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

Main body of text is a blog !

Johnmccain.com Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

Barackobama.com: innovations Mobile updates + involvement on tons of social networks Biggies (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube) as well as niche networks like BlackPlanet, Faithbase and Eons Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

Mobile updates + involvement on tons of social networks

Biggies (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube) as well as niche networks like BlackPlanet, Faithbase and Eons

Obama: innovations Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

Obama: widgets Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive | Geared toward getting out the vote

Johnmccain.com: innovations McCain Space + blog Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

McCain Space + blog

Mccainblogette.com Written by Meghan McCain (age 24) Unfortunately for Obama, his kids (ages 7 and 10) are too young to blog Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

Written by Meghan

McCain (age 24)

Unfortunately for Obama, his kids (ages 7 and 10) are too young to blog

McCain’s missteps: astroturfing Asking supporters to cut and paste talking points into blog comment threads in exchange for prizes Undermines what social media is about Need a more organic approach Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

Asking supporters to cut and paste talking points into blog comment threads in exchange for prizes

Undermines what social media is about

Need a more organic approach

YouTube

YouTube channels: McCain Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

YouTube channel: Obama Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

YouTube channels: head-to-head Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive | Obama McCain Videos 1,738 323 Friends 25,248 n/a Subscribers 110,790 27,570 Special features of YouTube page Contribute to campaign via Google Checkout; link to YouTube page on barackobama.com Find events; host events

Lessons from fan sites The action is happening far away from the candidates’ official online channels Fans of each candidate create memes, re-imagine campaign messages, and craft entirely new narratives Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

The action is happening far away from the candidates’ official online channels

Fans of each candidate create memes, re-imagine campaign messages, and craft entirely new narratives

Facebook

Facebook wars Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive | * Unofficial group (One Million for McCain/Palin has more members (204,296) ** Beyond basics like Posted Items, Events, Discussion, Wall posts Obama McCain Members/Supporters in largest group 2,322,727 75,164* Special features of profile page** Videos, find out where to vote, register to vote none

Twitter

Twitter <3 Obama With 109,892 followers, Obama is the #1 Twitterholic McCain, with 4,402 followers, doesn’t break the top 100 Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

With 109,892 followers, Obama is the #1 Twitterholic

McCain, with 4,402 followers, doesn’t break the top 100

Election.twitter.com Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive | Combines bite-sized pieces of information with real peoples’ opinions Can filter results by topic Updated in real time Surprisingly informative

Combines bite-sized pieces of information with real peoples’ opinions

Can filter results by topic

Updated in real time

Surprisingly informative

Twitter Vote Report Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive | Shockingly, Twitter can actually be useful A way for voters to report voting issues in real time Maps out where problems are occurring

Shockingly, Twitter can actually be useful

A way for voters to report voting issues in real time

Maps out where problems are occurring

Fan Sites: Crafting Unofficial Narratives

MILF McCain 08 Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

Yes we can (hold babies) Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

The New Pundits

Fivethirtyeight.com Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

Nate Silver of Fivethirtyeight.com Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive | Hot in a nerdy sort of way Numbers geek Open about his liberal leanings Site based on a comprehensive database of polls

Hot in a nerdy sort of way

Numbers geek

Open about his liberal leanings

Site based on a comprehensive database of polls

Why polls matter Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive | News channels tend to pushing the horse race narrative Which narrative above is closer to the truth? Can polls affect voter turnout?

News channels tend to pushing the horse race narrative

Which narrative above is closer to the truth?

Can polls affect voter turnout?

User-Generated Wackiness

User-generated videos McCain-Obama dance-off (156,000 views) McCain gets rickrolled (1.9 million views) “Whassup” remix (3 million views) Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

McCain-Obama dance-off (156,000 views)

McCain gets rickrolled (1.9 million views)

“Whassup” remix

(3 million views)

Mash-ups Google Maps newspaper endorsements Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

Google Maps newspaper endorsements

Viral videos/audio McCain’s senior moments (14,732 views) Sarah Palin plays the flute (370,00 views) Obama: grandmother a “typical white person” (46,000 views) Jesse Jackson: “I want to cut his nuts off” (447,000 views) Drunk dialing for change (my personal favorite - 15,000 views on Gawker alone) Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

McCain’s senior moments (14,732 views)

Sarah Palin plays the flute (370,00 views)

Obama: grandmother a “typical white person” (46,000 views)

Jesse Jackson: “I want to cut his nuts off” (447,000 views)

Drunk dialing for change (my personal favorite - 15,000 views on Gawker alone)

It’s lonely on the bleeding edge &quot;The man's out of touch. He doesn't know what Twitter is, Flickr is, YouTube.&quot; Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

&quot;The man's out of touch. He doesn't know what Twitter is, Flickr is, YouTube.&quot;

Is social media worth it? Historically, young people don’t vote at high rates Will social media outreach translate to actual votes? Proven methods for fundraising and getting out the vote (phone calls, knocking on doors) are very old-school - but they work Presentation Title | Geary Interactive | <#> Presidential Politics| Geary Interactive |

Historically, young people don’t vote at high rates

Will social media outreach translate to actual votes?

Proven methods for fundraising and getting out the vote (phone calls, knocking on doors) are very old-school - but they work

Dream Big…and vote! Lal2a | Geary Interactive |