How to win an election? Make a lot of friends. That will work, it worked for Obama. In the 2008 US election, Obama decided to be friends with everyone in cyberspace. He recognized the communication capabilities of social networking. The campaign had a website (MyBarackObama.com) , it was on facebook, myspace, twitter, youtube, flickr, itunes, vimeo you name it, they’re there.
Obama:
Facebook fans: 2.5 million
Election day wall post about Obama: 1.1 million
MySpace friends : 844,927
Twitter followers 118,107
Campaign Contribution raised: $600 million from 3million people
The thing about the internet is, unlike other media it is hinged on a technology that fosters communication, people do not simply publish, they communicate and the audience can communicate back. There is a direct engagement between contacts in these social networking sites such that when Obama (his campaign team) share information or ideas to contacts/friends the online contact/friend is able to reply,he then feels like he has spent so much time with Obama and that Obama is actually a person he knows, personally. This is the power of social networking that brought victory to Obama’s presidential bid.
The 2010 election is fast approaching and would be candidates are trying to replicate this campaign feat. Ms.Mary Joyce, the New Media Operation's Manager for Barack Obama's presidential campaign has even been invited to the Philippines to share strategies to maximize the potentials of New Media to win electoral campaigns.
Come February we will see who will launch (successfully) this Obama Strategy(for the 2010 election).
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2 comments:
i'm interested in seeing how it plays out, as well. chiz seems to be doing well on facebook. but do you think raising funds the way obama did is remotely feasible in the philippines?
I think it is feasible here.Look at the phenomenon that is the "multiply economy", money goes around online thru gcash,smart money, etc. and the microdonations recieved by Father Ed Panlilio last election , people are ready to contribute. Put the two phenomenon together and it can happen. I think we are ready.=)
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