I had the privilege of joining Dan Robertson and Katie Telford on a panel titled Deconstructing Election Campaigns. It was an event organized by IABC Toronto that took place last night.
The discussion was fascinating. I’m constantly reminded how politics provides ample fascinating examples of why digital and traditional methods of engagement and communication need to be tightly integrated no matter what type of campaign you’re working on (political, consumer goods marketing, public affairs…). There is a lot to share from the discussion, and I will incorporate many of the themes and ideas into my blog in the coming weeks.
I focused my opening remarks on the digital ecosystem. However, the unique yet intertwined ideas shared by Dan, Katie and me reinforced the need for a full campaign ecosystem that exploits the strengths of each tool, while recognizing the associated demands and audience.
Katie talked about the air and ground wars of campaigns. Social media are very much the tools of campaign ground wars. And it’s that strength, the ability to tailor messages and narrowcast, that make social media particularly powerful. However, they require time and energy, something most political teams haven’t yet grasped.
I shared research I’ve done that illustrates the use of social media by politicians and political candidates. The data show a bulge in the category “taking ‘social’ out of social media” which identifies those who use social media to broadcast (even pound people with) specific messages without engaging or acknowledging the audience. I liken it to eyes closed, ears covered, mouth open. In other forums I’ve described it as being at a large social gathering in which one person runs around shouting a message, separately, at each small group of people. For the most part, politicians use digital opportunistically rather than strategically.
However, it’s not strictly the information and ideas that are going to activate groups online. Campaigns of all stripes need to issue scalable calls to action which can harness support the moment it surfaces. Social media is very in-the-moment. If you don’t strike while the iron’s hot, you may not make an impression.
As I wrapped up my contributions, I highlighted the need for a call to action using the famous Lyndon Johnson ‘Daisy’ ad which Dan played to open the discussion. Daisy is an incredibly powerful piece of creative which paved the way for a future of political attack ads. Besides delivering a shocking message, it’s made especially effective by it’s call to action: “Vote for President Johnson on November third. The stakes are too high for you to stay home.”
comments