Kevin's Blog

Barackosphere: Using e-culture hype to appeal to the youngest part of america
October 2, 2008

Is Obama the firt Internet candidate to the presidency of united states? We can think so because of his keen sense of this media and its utilisation. For two years now, the internet has been a driving force behind Barack Obama’s sucess. This is the first time Internet and e-culture has been such fully used by a candidate. He succeed to quickly mobilise supporters and raise huge sums of money to finance his campaign.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7451364.stm/

Mr Obama’s internet strategy was at the heart of his plan to win the Democratic nomination, according to expert Phil Noble. It also gives him the ability to quickly mobilise supporters and money online. One of the unique features of the Obama campaign has been its success to embrace social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. According Paul Zube and Rebecca Hayes of Michigan State University, Mr Obama is far more popular on Facebook than any other candidate “joining Mr Obama’s Facebook site - unlike responding to an email message of support - is a public expression of support which can have a broader political impact”. His use of social networking sites has helped Mr Obama to mobilise young people, a group which has traditionally been uninterested in politics, according to Professor Thomas Patterson of Harvard University.

Let’s make a little overview and analysis of all the tools that are being used in Barack’s online campaign. This is not restricted to social network even if it embraces the most succes with its 1 958 414 sympathisants. Mr Obama has its own television on Youtube called BarrackTV that have more tan 14170 video posted. Barack Obama is also present on BlackPlanet.com, African American socialnetwork, or on MiGente.com (Latino socialnetwork), and AsianAve.com. His sympathisants can open their blog on My.BarackObama.com, the active and effective blog of the candidate.

BarackObama created a stir in the presidential campaign announcing that he will let cell-phone users know his choice of vice presidential candidate by text message. “You have helped build this movement from the bottom up, and Barack wants you to be the first to know his choice. Sign up today to be the first to know.” After signing up at my.barackobama.com/vp, “You will receive an email the moment Barack makes his decision, or you can text VP to 62262 to receive a text message on your mobile phone,” campaign manager David Plouffe says. As such, it may be a more powerful mobilising tool to gain new supporters than sending out emails or expecting activists to come to your website.

Mr. Obama’s use of text messages has created a watershed in the political debate and reinvent the way to campaign and communicate

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