YES WE CAN. The winning strategy of Barack Obama’s political communication in 2008. La strategia di comunicazione vincente di Barack Obama per USA 2008.

1. The winning strategy of Barack Obama’s
political communication in 2008.
YES, WE CAN.
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
GIANNI L’ABBATE
Corso di laurea in Comunicazione,
Innovazione e Multimedialità
Università di Pavia
2013-2014

2. ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Obama relies on different aspects of
communication to raise awareness of himself and
his values:
1. Experience design
2. Electoral competition
3. Storytelling and skills
4. The brand ‘Obama’
5. A Genuine pop icon
6. Crossmedial presence

3. 1 / EXPERIENCE DESIGN

4. University education in political science at
Harvard University
1 / EXPERIENCE & PROFILE DESIGN
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Years of volunteering at an NGO in Chicago,
in close contact with the black ghettos to
help the community.
HIGH PROFESSIONAL PROFILE COMMUNITY SERVICE
able to generate participative movements
communication and policy generated and supported by
the community
In the collective Obama is: intelligent, innovative, empathetic, charismatic, determined
but especially, black.
but it also represents: the family, the study, the good communication, the legality, the values
and the change.

5. 2 / ELECTORAL COMPETITION

6. 2 / COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
unconventional way of communication
target community: latinos, gays, internet
culture, blacks, afros, asian
voluntary and micro-fundraising
new face, young age and young team work
traditional communication
target community: lobbies, upper middle
class
old politics and economic relationships and
interests
supported by Bush, author of a disastrous
economic and military policy
OBAMA McCAIN

7. 3 / STORYTELLING & SKILLS

8. 3 / A SKILLED STORYTELLER
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
ability to tell his stories in autobiographical books:
Dreams from my Father (1995)
The audacity of Hope (2006)
He knows how to mix his private and public life
- write a letter for his sons in the newspapers
- support his favourite NFL’s team of Chicago Bears with
a message on Youtube

9. 3 / A SKILLED STORYTELLER
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
He has the strenght of an OUTSIDER.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Rides a widespread feeling of anti-
politics
Embodies the American desire for a
progressive change
Launches his messages but admits his
mistakes
GRAPHICS & MASS MEDIA
his message are crossmedial
The high quality of the graphics is
used for its textual, photographic,
audio, video contents
constant updates

10. 4 / THE BRAND ‘OBAMA’

11. 4 / THE BRAND ‘OBAMA’
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
The brand ‘Obama’, unlike others, is a message of change and hope
The logo is a rising sun on a field of American wheat
and enlightens it
=
a new life for american citizens
He appropriates of the symbol and the value of the
word ‘CHANGE’

12. 5 / A GENUINE POP ICON

13. 5 / A GENUINE POP ICON
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Unlike other political figures, Barack Obama is a true
POP ICON, like a ROCKSTAR
His instinctive and spontaneous character makes it a
figure to be admired for his charisma and his self-
centeredness unlike the traditional and institutional
model of political.
He is supported by artists, singers, Hollywood stars,
sportsmen and professionals of all kinds.

14. 5 / A GENUINE POP ICON
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Obama becomes a viral figure.
Videos, posters, t-shirts, slogans, songs that make it
popular, valuable and close to the people are
produced.
I forgot, also cookies!
One of the best song that accompanied his candidacy
for the White House was Yes We Can, composed by
various famous artists and produced by Will.i.am.
The video has counted million views on Youtube.

15. 6 / CROSSMEDIAL PRESENCE

16. 6 / CROSSMEDIAL PRESENCE
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Barack Obama is EVERYWHERE
He adopts a crossmedial communication
strategy with his staff.
He knows how to talk, discuss and engage the
media, becoming active node of the network.
His communication focuses on four different
fronts: engage communities, social media
marketing and active participation, fundraising
and understand people.
WEB 2.0

17. 6 / CROSSMEDIAL PRESENCE
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
ENGAGE COMMUNITIES
Obama interacts and exchanges opinions
with different american communities and
minorities:
- internet culture
- latinos
- afros
- asian
- gay communities
ENGAGEMENT

18. 6 / CROSSMEDIAL PRESENCE
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
and ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
He knows the rules and uses all the
participative tools on the web.
Its goal is to encourage people to become an
integral part of its project, exchanging
information:
video and audio sharing, blogging,
microblogging, social networking, message
boards, official and communities website.SOCIAL MEDIA

19. 6 / CROSSMEDIAL PRESENCE
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
FUNDRAISING
He operates and gets finance like a startup
company.
He knows the mechanisms behind the
exchange economy, donation and free
participation.
Micro-payments supports one of the largest
and most expensive election campaigns of all
time.
FUNDRAISING

20. 6 / CROSSMEDIAL PRESENCE
ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
UNDERSTAND THE PEOPLE
Obama rides the new emerging socio-cultural
trends and he’s able to reach his target thanks
to social media
Society 2.0
Sense of Community
Environment and austerity
Against the appeareance society
UNDERSTAND