This blog will explore various communication strategies and discuss social media platforms and practices used to engage consumers.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
The Power of Social Media
I believe that the most important point in chapter four is
the power that social media can have on brands and the fact that so many aren’t
willing to take the risks.
Pages 54-55 in chapter four portrays a great example of a
risk-taking supporter who was given the freedom to promote the Obama brand at a
crucial part of the campaign. During the 2008 presidential election, Charles
Stone III, the idea man behind the original Budweiser ads, created a satire of
the 1999 “Whassup?” commercial to help Barack Obama’s cause for change in
America. The spot featured a soldier stationed in Iraq, a person looking for
help to pay for pain medication, someone distraught over the stock market crash
and a savage trapped in a hurricane.
The Obama camp could have asked Stone to remove the
controversial video for fear that it may have crossed the line. Instead, they
allowed Stone to take ownership of the Obama brand and promote it. The ad
received over 4.8 million views along with 14,891 user comments on YouTube a
week prior to the election (p. 55). 21,746 viewers rated the video with an
astounding five-star rating (Qualman, 2013).
Social media affords us a great opportunity, the ability to
build relationships directly with consumers (Costa, 2013). Its power is through
experiences and interactions. In the political world, Obama became a household
name by utilizing social networks to reach people so that they felt connected
personally (p. 53). No amount of media targeting has been able to achieve an
emotional connection between a brand and its users like social media has. Creating
and fostering relationships with consumers via social platforms is
irreplaceable when it comes to the success of leaders and companies alike
(Costa, 2013).
In order for social media to be successful in promoting a
brand, it has to be real and it has to be done right. Two-way communication has
to exist. The brand leaders need to listen and respond to their most valuable asset
– the consumers – on many levels (Costa, 2013). By engaging constituents
directly, Obama was able to raise a staggering $660 million in campaign
contributions (p. 53). Total views for Obama’s YouTube totaled 110 million. The
approximate 14.5 million hours viewing time on YouTube would equate to $47
million for the purchase of campaign commercials.
Arianna Huffington, of the Huffington post website believes
that if it weren’t for the Internet, Barack Obama would not be president or
even the Democratic nominee. Do you believe that social media and the internet
had that much of an effect on the 2008 presidential campaign? Do you think that
social media is powerful enough to win a presidential election for a candidate?
If it were that easy and free, wouldn’t everyone be doing it?
References
Costa, J. (2013, September 19). Brand Building: Connecting
With Consumers Through Social Media. Huffington Post. Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jose-costa/brand-building_b_3950341.html
Qualman, E. (2013). Social econiomics- how social media transforms the way we live and do business. (2nd ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
I definitely believe that social media was ONE of the major influences in the outcome of the 2008 election. Of course, as with anything, it takes more than one thing to make something popular enough, or powerful enough, to outdo the competition. However, the use of social media kept the Obama campaign current in the eyes of the younger voters, and that was huge for his campaign. I truly believe that as candidates become older, and the voting majority has a wider generational gap between the candidates and themselves, the need for connection is absolutely necessary. Such was the case with the Obama campaign. Younger voters felt as though he was 'with the times', and not part of the 'old regime'.
Without the use of social media, Obama would have been just like the other candidates - reserved for slam ads, and debate strategies. So, in this case, I think social media did in fact lead to his winning the election. Without it, I think the race would not have been as easy to predict, nor as easy to have won.
I think, if they are smart enough to read the writing on the wall, future candidates will use social media as a tool. And, I think they will use it as a very big tool. I also feel that any candidate that does not use it will not have a chance at winning. The precedent has been set - it is up to the next candidates to use it for their benefit.
Interesting post. I think everyone is trying to replicate Obama’s social media success. I largely agree with Dawn. I wouldn’t say social media got the man elected but I think it was a powerful tool put in the hands of a generation that was already well versed in the way it worked. I think the smartest thing the campaign managed to do was ignite a passion amongst the usually lethargic youth vote. Once that was done, social media was the natural next step.
I think the ad you posted is a brilliant example of a subject from Chapter Five, which I wrote about in my post. The tools were really in the hands of the public and they were already discussing the subjects that were being hashed over on the big political stage. The conversation would be happening, with or without either campaign looking in and taking advantage of it. Organizations need to understand the truth about social media and what it means about how we communicate today: “businesses...have to realize they no longer own relationships.” (Qualman, 2013, p. 86)
I don’t think it is as easy to insert yourself, as the organization, into the conversation without losing that purity of independence and trust that drew people to it in the first place. The Obama campaign used it well by leaving the groundswell to be and letting ads such as the one above proliferate and grow. With campaigns such as these, a light touch is needed to guide the conversation towards what you want while still leaving the greater control to the public at large. I think from this point on, it will be very difficult for any candidate to make real gains without some aid from those on social media.
How do you think the opposition could have fought this unprecedented social media onslaught? In what ways can future political campaigns really take advantage of social media, especially now as it has grown into a social norm and audiences are wiser and savvier about what is put out there?
Works Cited
Qualman, E. (2013). Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
I think the problem was that John McCain was viewed as the older, grey-haired politician who was not as hip and cutting edge as Barack Obama. Using social media helped Obama reach a younger audience who participated in record numbers at the polls.
Campaigns need to have a human voice to their campaign through social media. Posting articles, ads, etc. does not engage the people. The communication has to be real and relevant.
Hi Travis,
ReplyDeleteI definitely believe that social media was ONE of the major influences in the outcome of the 2008 election. Of course, as with anything, it takes more than one thing to make something popular enough, or powerful enough, to outdo the competition. However, the use of social media kept the Obama campaign current in the eyes of the younger voters, and that was huge for his campaign. I truly believe that as candidates become older, and the voting majority has a wider generational gap between the candidates and themselves, the need for connection is absolutely necessary. Such was the case with the Obama campaign. Younger voters felt as though he was 'with the times', and not part of the 'old regime'.
Without the use of social media, Obama would have been just like the other candidates - reserved for slam ads, and debate strategies. So, in this case, I think social media did in fact lead to his winning the election. Without it, I think the race would not have been as easy to predict, nor as easy to have won.
I think, if they are smart enough to read the writing on the wall, future candidates will use social media as a tool. And, I think they will use it as a very big tool. I also feel that any candidate that does not use it will not have a chance at winning. The precedent has been set - it is up to the next candidates to use it for their benefit.
Great post!
Dawn
Travis,
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I think everyone is trying to replicate Obama’s social media success. I largely agree with Dawn. I wouldn’t say social media got the man elected but I think it was a powerful tool put in the hands of a generation that was already well versed in the way it worked. I think the smartest thing the campaign managed to do was ignite a passion amongst the usually lethargic youth vote. Once that was done, social media was the natural next step.
I think the ad you posted is a brilliant example of a subject from Chapter Five, which I wrote about in my post. The tools were really in the hands of the public and they were already discussing the subjects that were being hashed over on the big political stage. The conversation would be happening, with or without either campaign looking in and taking advantage of it. Organizations need to understand the truth about social media and what it means about how we communicate today: “businesses...have to realize they no longer own relationships.” (Qualman, 2013, p. 86)
I don’t think it is as easy to insert yourself, as the organization, into the conversation without losing that purity of independence and trust that drew people to it in the first place. The Obama campaign used it well by leaving the groundswell to be and letting ads such as the one above proliferate and grow. With campaigns such as these, a light touch is needed to guide the conversation towards what you want while still leaving the greater control to the public at large. I think from this point on, it will be very difficult for any candidate to make real gains without some aid from those on social media.
How do you think the opposition could have fought this unprecedented social media onslaught? In what ways can future political campaigns really take advantage of social media, especially now as it has grown into a social norm and audiences are wiser and savvier about what is put out there?
Works Cited
Qualman, E. (2013). Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Nashrid,
ReplyDeleteI think the problem was that John McCain was viewed as the older, grey-haired politician who was not as hip and cutting edge as Barack Obama. Using social media helped Obama reach a younger audience who participated in record numbers at the polls.
Campaigns need to have a human voice to their campaign through social media. Posting articles, ads, etc. does not engage the people. The communication has to be real and relevant.
Travis