The document discusses the evolution and impact of e-campaigns in political contexts, illustrating how both grassroots and top-down initiatives leverage social media. Specifically, it details a blog project during the 2007 municipal elections in Vestfold, Norway, which engaged 32 candidates and highlighted the role of social media in political mobilization and public influence. Additionally, it shares the case of the 'Set Maria Amelie Free' campaign, demonstrating how social media can effectively pressure government actions regarding immigration policies.

1. E-CAMPAIGNS ARE
HERE, NOW!
LASSE BERNTZEN
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
VESTFOLD UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
NORWAY
LASSE.BERNTZEN@HIVE.NO

2. CAMPAIGNS
Political campaigns try to
obtain a certain result by
influencing the public or
politicians Campaigns
Political
campaigns

3. CAMPAIGNS
Bottom up (Initiated by the public)
• Grassroot campaigns
• Campaigns by organizations / groups
Top down (Initiated by politicians)
• Election campaigns
• Campaigns to get support for a cause

4. STEPS IN UTILIZING
SOCIAL MEDIA

5. INTERRELATIONSSHI
P
No social media campaign lives its own life!
The interrelationship of traditional media and social media
Result is often upward spiral

6. BLOG PROJECT
Municipal elections 2007
Context: Revitalization of democracy through directly elected
mayors
Vestfold county: 5 municipalities was selected as
participants
32 candidates for five mayor positions

7. BLOG PROJECT
This shows how multiple channels were created by using RSS aggregation

8. BLOG PROJECT
31 out of 32 candidates used blogs
395 articles during the pre-election period
153 comments from readers (strict rules!)
4261 unique IP addresses
75000 page accesses to individual blogs
25000 page accesses to summaries

9. POLITICIANS
More than individuals..
Politicians have embraced the internet
Obama campaign, fundraising
Norwegian prime minister
What they use:
• Blogs
• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube

10. PRIME MINISTER ON
FACEBOOK

11. OPPOSITION LEADER
ON FACEBOOK

12. ALSO ON LOCAL
LEVEL

13. SET MARIA AMELIE
FREE
The case of Maria Amelie, 25 years old
Illegal immigrant
Came to Norway when 15 years old
Finished her M.Sc. Degree in Norway
Expelled by the Norwegian Government

14. SET MARIA AMELIE
FREE

15. SET MARIA AMELIE
FREE
Facebook
More than 60.000 «likes» in two days
More than 90.000 «likes» in one week

16. SET MARIA AMELIE
FREE
She was sent back to Russia,
But government was pressured into changing the rules
She is now arranging documents to get ready for applying for
a work permit in Norway.
Gave a lot of focus on how illegal immigrants are treated

17. OBSERVATIONS
Background information, fact finding
Real time updates
• «She is now put in the police car»
• «Watch TV2 now»
Mobilization for other activities
• Demonstrations
• Amnesty online campaign
• Recurring
New phenomen: Like, comment, unlike
Upward spiral effect