I'm sure most of us can remember the two very different presidential campaigns back in 2008. We saw that McCain took the traditional approach, whereas, Obama pioneered a different campaign integrating Social Media. Many people argue that what enabled Obama to be so successful was his utilization of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. I came across the article that recently Mitt Rommney announced his candidacy for the 2012 Presidential election through his social media pages. Through his tweet he posted a link with a short video explaining some of his platforms and stated some of his opinions on the Obama administration.
Understanding that Obama really set off this trend it'll be interesting to see how other candidates follow suit. Since Social Media networks have been so successful and hold the attention of so many people it would be almost silly not to tap into these networks to spread awareness. These networks offer the ability to reach a mass audience quickly and frequently. I think these networks will allow the candidates to stay relevant in voters’ minds better than other outlets, such as TV commercials. Another great thing about candidates utilizing social media sites is that it gets younger generations involved. I remember reading shortly after the 2008 election that it had one, if not the best turnout for voting for our generation so far.
I also have seen that along with Rommney, Obama has started to post various statuses and tweets pertaining to the election as well. I think this gives us an adequate inclination that "traditional" elections are somewhat sort of the past, and I think it'll be interesting to see how social media influences these changes.
I also think that the traditional election campaign is now from the past. As you said, social media can reach younger people and get them involved in the election. They perceive politics as more accessible and more understandable. Of course, watching a debate on TV or reading it on the newspaper is not the same as few read tweets or see attractive campaigns online. I also think about Americans living abroad it is much easier for them to be aware of the campaign through social media than through TV or newspapers because those old tools could not be available in foreign countries.
ReplyDeleteI will be very interested to see how the campaigns for 2012 presidency operate. Obama had a huge success, but I think part of that success also stemmed from his age. Most candidates are older, and our generation does not view them as social network savvy. Obama, being younger, I think could pull it off better than McCain ever could have.
ReplyDeleteBut, now that Obama has set the precedent, I believe every political candidate would be foolish not to use social media to campaign. They need to use the outlets people use most frequently to send out their message.