The Obama Advertising Machine

There is no doubt that the internet has changed who we are as a society.  We can now connect with anyone at the touch of a button and video chat with people on the other side of the world in a matter of seconds.  The internet has created a more informed citizenry and there are even studies that suggest civic engagement and internet usage might be linked.  By the way, did I mention that the internet has changed political campaigns in a fundamental way.  Many argue that Barack Obama was the first candidate who was effectively able to harness the true power of the internet in his presidential campaign in 2008, and it paid off.  With the 2012 campaign cycle in full swing, it is important to briefly discuss how the internet has changed campaigning.

The main thing I want to discuss here is the ability of candidates to target specific groups.  Have you ever tried to create a Facebook ad?  They ask you a million questions about who you are trying to target and just how many people you are looking to reach.  In fact, Facebook even estimates the number of people that will see your ad.  The age of the internet has changed campaign advertising.  You can't even go on a website anymore without seeing an ad for one presidential candidate or another.  My personal favorite is when both candidates have ads right next to each other on the same website, but thats beside the point.

I think it is remarkable, and brilliant, how the Obama campaign has been able to target specific groups of voters.  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm no Obama supporter.  But, you can't help but be amazed by the grassroots and social media campaign that he is able to run.  Ever notice the websites where you are most likely to see Obama ads?  Well, if you haven't let me tell you, it is websites that are frequented by young people.  The Daily Show, YouTube, Facebook, these are all typical places to find an Obama campaign ad.  In fact, sometimes I get annoyed by all of the Obama 2012 ads that continually pop up.  However, when you step back and look at it, it really is amazing.  President Obama knows that a key voting bloc for his reelection bid is the young voters and he is not hesitating to go after their votes.

This ability to target advertisements has really changed the campaigning landscape.  Young voters are now more likely to see ads that are tailored to discuss the issues important to them.  The same thing goes for middle-aged and older voters as well.  The internet bombards us with information about politics that we are, frankly, not able to ignore.  I would have to argue that the expansion of political advertising on the internet is stimulating the younger generation and even fostering their involvement in politics.  Look at the voting date from the 2008 election.  Young voters came out in large numbers in support of Barack Obama.  One can't help but think it has something to do with his ability to target them in his advertising.

The internet has changed political campaigning in a fundamental way and I would argue that this change is a good thing.