As the buzz from the U.S. Presidential election settles and the hard work begins, I have to ask did social media help get Obama elected? Check out this interview on the impact social media had in the election.
You can follow Obama on Twitter and usually he will follow back, well his people will at least.
This presidential campaign seemed to be so successful because Obama captivated the people through media they actually use. The youth turnout was exceptionally high this year, Obama became a brand in the fashion industry, celebrities endorsed Obama publically through traditional media and also on blogs and Twitter accounts. The inauguration speech was streamed live all over the world, and clips were uploaded onto YouTube for further viewing.
The world went Obama crazy through the use of social media!
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A lot of people seem to make the same claim that social media helped Obama to win the presidential campaign, but I disagree.
ReplyDeleteSocial media is helpful to get messages out because it is so popular these days, but it's just another vehicle that canidates are able to use. I'm sure that when TV was new and the first presidential campaign commercial aired it was something very different that people would have made wide ranges of comments on as well, when really it was just a new way to reach voters.
Obama won because America was in a need of a change, and Obama overall as a person seemed to connect better with younger voters. The younger voters demographic just also happens to be the demographic that is also very active on social media.
I don't think that social media helped him to win the campaign, but it was a new and differentway to interact withvoters. I'm sure when the next generation of communiaction comes around there will be wide speculation as to how candiates will use it, and someone will say "using that new medium helped them to win the campaign."
I agree, the message has to be there (or the candidate in this case) before the medium can be used. (McLuhan is still relevant today!).
ReplyDeleteYeah,, no matter how excellent the social media used is, if there are no contents or messages, it's nothing.
ReplyDeleteI think social media played an important role. People especially young people, could relate to him. He appeared as 'one of us' as opposed to the rich white guy who is meant to be in the white house. It was a time for political shift accross the globe at a time when social media is slowly finding its root in peoples lives.
ReplyDeleteMost people who were undecided and who don't watch news and read the paper, got influenced by friends through these sites. Even I joined a support Obama website and I cannot vote in America