Posted by: Elen Lewis, editor, Think.
Barack Obama's successful campaign was unprecedentedly powered by new technology. His victory message was broadcast to activists via email, text, Twitter and Facebook. The web has been called "the central nervous system of the campaign." It was the first internet election, with amusing moments played over and over again on YouTube from Tina Fey’s impressions of Sarah Palin to the remake of Budweiser’s Whassup ad, highlighting the failings of Republican rule – the web acted like a global echo chamber.
As Gordon Brown and David Cameron clamour to be associated with Obama, their advisers are clamouring to learn more about his online operation. Obama has 2.6 million supporters on his Facebook page, the Conservatives have less than 9,000. Gordon Brown did eventually respond to questions posted on YouTube, but it took him two months. Let's watch and see if our British politicians have picked up any tips from the President Elect on using technology to enthuse and energise voters.
The Telegraph writes how Barack Obama’s team managed to bring discipline to the web. “Obama's secret, then, was to fuse a movement and a database into a machine.” A visitor to its website would be bombarded by messages asking for support, for donations. Once you had signed up, you would be wooed into providing your email address, your mobile number, your location, a donation. The information would be used to link you to others: Obama fans who lived nearby could be brought together, or alerted of campaign events near them.
And surely, we can take some valuable lessons from this campaign for brands? Yes, we can.