Promo - January 2008 - (Page 27)

Politics of candidates are embracing digital-era marketing techniques. Mark Newsome, senior vice president of marketing communications firm Chernoff Newman, says his company’s research has found strong similarities between product image and political image. “A political brand is no different from the consumer products we prefer,” he says. “It’s a voting decision, not a buying decision. Nevertheless, we’re expressing a preference for a product based on what we think it represents and on what we think we need at that time.” Candidate promotion is particularly crucial in this election because the field is so broad and the primary schedule so tight. At press time, the presidential pack consisted of eight Democrats and nine Republicans. But that won’t last. The Iowa caucuses happen Jan. 3. By the end of balloting on Feb. 5—Super Tuesday, when 22 states hold their primaries—Democrats will have elected more than 66% of their party delegates and Republicans almost 57%. Many— probably most of the current candidates—will have dropped out. Faced with the need to differentiate themselves and build voter support in a very short time, candidates are tapping into best branding and promotional practices to forge quick, lasting connections with their core supporters and persuade undecided voters. Many of these are the same tactics that Sony, Apple or McDonald’s use to keep consumers engaged and buying. candidates are using the Internet to spin their speeches and appearances in near-real time. Hillary Clinton introduced the “Fact Hub” rapid-response page of her Web site just in time to defuse a story that her campaign had stiffed a Boone, IA, diner waitress. Both parties also have embraced social networks, Democrats more so tion where the new media have reached critical mass,” Calhoun says. “The core 18- to-34-year-old group increasingly doesn’t pick a restaurant or buy a camera without consulting their always-on network of contacts. It’s reasonable to think that in politics, too, they’re influenced by the echo chamber of their social network.” There were no blimps when the Boston Tea Party occurred 234 years ago. But the Ron Paul campaign planned to fly one to Boston. DIGITAL POLITICS In 2000, most of the nation still had dial-up Internet service, so candidates could get away with Web sites that were the political equivalent of brochureware. And in 2004 Facebook, YouTube and other online communities were either nascent or non-existent. But today’s presidential hopefuls have flocked to the Web like a second home. Just as product marketers have found the value of integrating online and offline campaigns, most than Republicans. By mid-December, Barack Obama had joined every social net from MySpace and Facebook to LinkedIn (for business professionals) and niche sites such as BlackPlanet. com, MiGente.com (for Hispanics), AsianAve.com, GLEE.com (for gays and lesbians) and Faithbase.com (for non-denominational Christians). Last February his campaign also launched its own social net, MyBarackObama. com, to help early supporters find each other and to raise cash. Many campaigns are staying in close touch with bloggers, treating them as “influentials” among their audiences, briefing them on statements and policies and answering their questions in person. Mike Huckabee currently numbers more than 600 bloggers on his outreach list, and John McCain has conducted teleconferences with 40 or 50 bloggers at a time from his campaign bus, the “Straight Talk Express.” One question still open is whether all this connectivity can drive voters to the polls. “This will be the first elec- FINDING AN EVENT HOOK Republican candidate Ron Paul was trailing in the polls and drawing little media attention last fall to his libertarian positioning. Then grassroots campaign volunteers pulled together the “Fifth of November” promotion, a one-day online fundraising stunt staged on Britain’s Guy Fawkes Day, named after the co-conspirator who attempted in 1605 to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. The Paul event set a record for the most contributions raised by a candidate in a single day: $4.2 million, a large chunk of the $12 million Paul announced as his funding goal for fourth quarter 2007. Most of that was taken in through a dedicated Web site, www.ThisNovember5th.com. Those same volunteers’ new “funding bomb” adds some publicity flair in the form of a blimp that was scheduled to fly up the Atlantic coast and hover over Boston Harbor on Dec. 16, the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Continued on page 28 Promo / WWW.PROMOMAGAZINE.COM / January 2008 27 http://www.ronpaulblimp.com http://MiGente.com http://GLEE.com http://Faithbase.com http://www.ThisNovember5th.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Promo - January 2008

Promo - January 2008 Contents Editor's Note Viral But Virtuous Slap Shot Power Chords Tuning In Auto Play Trekkies Unite Commentary Retail Report: Get In Here! Generating Store Traffic Yankee Candle Shopper Marketing What Seniors Want Cyber Stumping Party Hearty Q & A: Paper Trail Ambush Marketing The Agency Center Resource Center Back-End Foundation Index of Advertisers

Promo - January 2008

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