July Digital Politics Podcasts

More from July 2010 Digital Politics Podcasts

July 27 2010
Interview with David Shanks, Grad Student at Manship School of Mass Communication at LSU on political consultants and their acceptance of new media.
Interview with David Shanks

Interview with John Flynn, Ring2 on Multi-Party Telephony for Campaign staff and supporters
Interview with John Flynn

Gary Bivings on Twitter and Elected Officials
Interview with Gary Bivings

Gary Bivings on Video Trackers and Death by YouTube
Interview with Gary Bivings

July 20 2010
Interview with Morra Aarons-Mele, WeAreWomenOnline.com- Stereotyping Voters
Interview with Morra Aarons-Mele

Interview with Steve Doig, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications, ASU- Precision Journalism and Technology Transfer
Interview Part 1 with Steve Doig
Interview Part 2 with Steve Doig
Interview Part 3 with Steve Doig

July 13 2010
Gary Bivings, The Bivings Group on Tweeting Events
Interview with Gary Bivings

Gary Bivings on Data Rich Social Media and the Power of Crowds
Interview with Gary Bivings

Bernie Szukalski, GIS Technology Evangelist, ESRI
Interview Part 1 with Bernie Szukalski
Interview Part 2 with Bernie Szukalski

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Political Strategists

In the Digital Politics podcast this week with Patrick Ruffini, partner in Engage, the topic was how political strategists need to adapt to take advantage of web tools.  In addition to Patrick’s general reaction to the Personal Democracy Forum held in NY this week, he also describes how campaigns need to embrace the creativity of constituents to build momentum and develop relationships.  Tips on what might go viral in social media and the use of humor are also covered in this conversation with a genuine industry leader

  .

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Your Opinion Counts

If you are a political consultant, media strategist, fundraiser, grassroots organizer, public relations professional, pollster, campaign manager, direct mail guru, television ad expert, phone bank provider or interested academic take the 8th Annual E-Voter Institute Survey of Political and Advocacy Communications Leaders

Click here to take this short, confidential survey:

https://www.hcdsurveys.com/go/J7392

OR

Put on your voter’s hat and take the 4th Annual E-Voter Institute Survey of Voter Expectations

Click here to take this short, confidential survey.

https://www.hcdsurveys.com/go/J7391

Once again our partner is HCD Research.  All responses are anonymous and no identifying information is retained.

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Online Branding of Candidates and Causes

Digital Politics Podcast today focused on the increasing tendency to employ branding techniques developed for consumer goods and business services to sell political and advocacy campaigns of all types.  Guest was Brian Keeler, VP for Politics and Advocacy for VShift, New York.  Brian agreed with me that voters have become much more brand savvy and that political consultants are starting to realize how important it is for candidates to focus on the details of a branding campaign (online and off) and not just the message.

Brian is currently working with some candidates running in 2009 and of particular interest are his efforts for the re-election campaign of Jon Corzine for Governor of New Jersey.  While Brian was not going to reveal any secrets about the soon to be re-launched site JonCorzine09.com, he did hint at some techniques to integrate content across multiple web locations.  The few Governor races in 2009 will certainly be a chance to test, at a state level, many of those lessons learned from the 2008 campaigns.

Hear the entire discussion.

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A Turning Point for Digital Media

Podcast today with Kate Kaye, Senior Editor, ClickZ, and author of the just released book Campaign ‘08: A Turning Point for Digital Media available from Amazon. I recommend this book because it reveals the behind the scenes struggle between the traditional media advisors and the Internet strategists.  It tells the story of both the Obama and McCain campaigns as well as those of some of the Primary contenders.

A Turning Point for Digital Media

Kate is optimistic about the lessons learned in 2008 and sees the traditional media political consultants significantly more interested in web strategies than in the past.  She has also written 2 recent stories which illustrate where these political strategists are seeing some real advantage to using the web:

In the special New York 20th District Congressional Campaign, Kate describes the Google Network Blast that was used in the last 36 hours by the Scott Murphy campaign.

Reviewing how the Yes on Prop 8 Campaign took the Web by Storm, Kate gets into the details about how the protectmarriage.com coalition used voter files to target relevant online ads and to get out the vote.  Not surprisingly, they found conservative, older and Hispanic voters online who contributed money and voted.

Kate is also speaking on Friday April 10 in DC at an IAB sponsored session on Political Behavioral Advertising in 2008.

Check out her book and tell me what you think.

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Mike Connell

Michael Connell, top Republican IT consultant, killed when Piper Supercub he was piloting crashed 3 miles short of an Akron Airport.

While we celebrate the success of the Internet by the Obama campaign, the news of Michael Connell’s untimely death was a shock.

Mike was a prominent GOP Internet consultant when he perished in a fiery plane crash yesterday.  http://www.ohio.com/news/36486224.html

A flood of memories came back to me from the earliest days of the E-Voter Institute when Mike stood out as someone who really understood how political campaigns were changing and how powerful the Internet could be.

I saw this news first on my facebook page in a post from a friend minutes after it happened.  Somehow that seems fitting.

Mike’s wife Heather and the family have asked that all donations be directed to the Mike Connell Scholarship Fund for the benefit of his four beautiful children.  http://www.eDonations.com/MikeConnell is where you can give online or find an address to send a check or notes.

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Rhetoric, Reality, and the Internet: What Do Voters Really Want?

Voting Day “Exit Video” courtesy of Kent Kriegshauser, Galesburg, Illinois.

Rhetoric, Reality, and the Internet: What Do Voters Really Want?

This E-Voter study is based on findings from the E-Voter Institute’s 3rd Annual Survey of Voter Expectations. Study surveyed over 4800 Survey respondents.

Report provides details about voters by gender, age, party affiliation, level of political activism, and technical competence.  Of particular note are the comparisons between what campaign tools consultants think are most effective and what voters say are the best ways to get their attention.  While television still has the most effect on how all voters make up their minds about candidates, the Internet is not far behind.  This study reveals that television and cable advertising, debates, and the official candidate web sites are the most effective methods for getting the attention of voters.

Voters are tech savvy with a broad acceptance of Internet tools.

This study highlights differences in behavior in those who call themselves political activists compared to those who just show up to vote.  Those highly politically active are more likely to take action online and have high expectations for how candidates should be using the Internet.  It is clear the Internet is changing face of activism.

Surveys conducted with the support of HCD Research, with analysis from Chris Borick, Muhlenberg College.

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Missing The Boat: How Political and Advocacy Communications Leaders Spend Campaign Funds

The E-Voter Institute’s 7th annual survey of political and advocacy communications experts reflects their attitudes about the use of Internet tools in campaigns to reach the loyal base and swing and Independent voters.  The study includes recommended tools for reaching liberal activists, social conservatives, Hispanic, African-American, rural, blue-collar, and men and women voters. This study also provides insights into how political consultants are using the Internet themselves even if they do not always recommend online tools for their clients.

What are the real hesitations for spending more campaign funds online?  This study says the consultants still don’t think they can find the people they are looking for online.

Surveys conducted with the support of HCD Research, with analysis from Chris Borick, Muhlenberg College.

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Optimizing political campaign budgets

The gap is widening between how consultants spend campaign dollars and what voters expect candidates to do online.  Once we get the final tally, the numbers will speak for themselves but the E-Voter summer 08 research shows some surprising details about how political consultants view Internet effectiveness.

http://sandiegonewsroom.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=748:optimizing-political-campaign-budgets&catid=48:national&Itemid=49

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It’s the Internet Stupid

Article in today’s realclearpolitics from Mike McCurry and Mark McKinnon titled The Internet Brings a New Business Model to Politics and Democracy is a sign that even the established political insiders have seen the light.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/11/the_internet_brings_a_new_busi.html

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