The First Black (berry) President

Candidates for office in America have traditionally sent out regular campaign emails. If you wish to support a candidate, one way is to sign up to receive their daily, weekly, or monthly email updates. It’s a tried and tested method for spreading a candidate’s views efficiently.

However, this past presidential election saw a change in communication tactics. Social networking sites took an prominent role in influencing the minds of many voters. Emails and other methods were used, but Facebook and Twitter took the lead.

The Obama campaign had its own Facebook application. Users could share news stories, chat about events, and read posts made my Obama and his campaigners.

Twitter updates were fast and furious during the campaign, spreading messages and campaign information amongst supporters worldwide. These tactics proved amazingly effective.

President Obama and his campaign managers tapped into a new market. He was looking for people aged between 18 and 30. There may be social drawbacks in losing in face-to-face contact because of social networking sites, but they certainly work for mass communication.

Young voters in America are often apathetic about voting, thinking their votes won’t change much. Their cynicism gets the best of them, and they are a hard market to reach. However, they do know how to use the internet effectively.

Obama reached out to this important group of voters. Young professionals, university students, and other active internet users could all easily keep up with the Obama campaign. Regular Facebook updates, Facebook applications, and Twitter updates are easy to access for a generation that already spends a large amount of time on these social networking sites.

Previous great Presidents have all changed the way candidates campaign. Abraham Lincoln was made famous in the Lincoln-Douglas debates for a highly contested seat in the Senate. He used his speeches to produce a book. His increased visibility led to him becoming President. Franklin Delano Roosevelt had his fireside chats, that made campaigning more personal and relevant to the individual or family, instead of the masses. Obama was simply changing the strategy to fit the game.

Even now, President Obama is using technology to his advantage. All of his weekly addresses are put on YouTube, instead of just given on the radio. His Twitter account is still active and updates several times a week. Hundreds of Facebook groups have emerged, supporting him and providing places to discuss his objectives and policies. The White House even has its own separate Twitter account, as does Number 10 Downing Street.

However, as Prime Minister Gordon Brown showed during his disastrous performance on YouTube, the personality must fit the medium. YouTube works for Mr. Obama, but it certainly does not work for Mr. Brown.

Maybe our future Prime Ministerial candidates should take note. President Obama figured it out: if you want to reach the young voter demographic, use the tools they use. Obama was not only the first black President, he was the first Blackberry President.