Day 2 of the Politics Online conference and my mind is swarming with new ideas and theories. The conference has evolved into buzzwords. The “Obama Phenomenon” (try saying that 10 times fast), the “Dean Model/Effect,” the “BC04 mobilization plan” and the incredibly overused “Macaca moment.” It seems that politicos must use sound bytes in everyday conversations now.
(Oops! I just became the person who spilled a giant cup of coffee. Damn, that was 16 oz. of caffeine that my body desperately needed. Thank goodness, I have no shame. I’m so used to making a fool of myself in public that I don’t get embarrassed easily.)
Now, (after I cleaned up my spill and found a new chair on the other side of the room) I’m sitting in a session on data management. This does actually interest me because your campaign is only as strong as your research. However, the moderator just said that they’re “bringing the sexy back to data.” Sheesh.
Brief memo to conference speakers:
1) People aren’t switching ISPs frequently anymore.
2) The digital divide doesn’t exist or is a minor factor. Between 75-80% of all Americans have web access now.
3) The divide on the web is now between people with high-speed access and dial-up.
4) Myspace is not the panacea for social networking. Read the news articles. It’s actually trending down. Facebook is a much better example of using social networks efficiently.
5) Does anyone over 35 actually understand the concept of social networking? Does that explain why the parties just don’t get it?
6) Just because something is talked about a lot doesn’t make it a good fit for your organization. Don’t just create a Facebook profile because everyone else is doing it. The tactic needs to fit your strategy.
Overall, I’ve noticed several themes coming from this conference that fit the general trends in communication. We’re at a crossroads in the communications world and are literally watching a paradigm shift in the way that we communicate. Traditionally top-down models are no longer accurate. While they’re still being used and probably will be for a few more election cycles, they are quickly going to be outdated. New media or Web 2.0 are changing strategies and tactics so quickly that it’s difficult to figure out how to build a plan. We know that these new methods should be used, but how do you measure? What are the metrics of social networking? Are click-through rates on a web site accurate measures on changed attitudes? How do you incorporate bloggers and youtube into a traditional media campaign?
What we’re seeing is a widespread demand to relinquish control of the message. Best case scenario–this is incredibly scary. Worst case scenario–the decision makers decide to keep control of the message and eventually work themselves into oblivion. The gatekeepers are no longer necessary, and the established powerhouses in politics and the mainstream media really don’t know how to adjust to that. We’re finally seeing democracy enter the communications world.
There’s also another phenomenon that’s paralleling this paradigm shift. The wall between the virtual world and the real world no longer exists. Not only can we access the web from practically everywhere (the buzzing BlackBerries at this thing only make that painfully obvious), but we think about the web differently than we did 10 years ago. When AOL made the Internet accessible to the masses, the web was a very segmented thing from our lives. You physically had to sign on and off and plan what you were going to surf. E-mail was a novelty. Using your credit card to purchase something was insane. Now, huge segments of the population are living lives fully integrated with the web. In addition to Blackberries, we have web functions on cell phones. The iPhone and new products like that will only further this integration. Furthermore, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to have a web personality and a real-world personality. The web is becoming a giant paper trail of everywhere you’ve been and everything you’ve said. New gadgets in the next few years will continue to help integrate the web into our lives.
The RNC data guy is talking. this is rather funny. The RNC may have databases that are incredible, but they sure aren’t taking advantage of that information (see my thoughts above about controlling the message). While data can make or break your campaign, you need to build a campaign the responds to what your data actually says and not what you want it to say. Does the GOP actually think that card-carrying members on the ground are happy? Are they that out of touch with the base? Did the 2006 Election not teach them anything? We’re 18 months out from a major election. We need to be completely reforming the party, not attempting to justify the traditional methods and catering to the blue bloods.
