Yes, We Can
Barack Obama has outmaneuvered brand name Hillary Clinton in part by running an efficient campaign utilizing the web and social media technologies. The campaign has been so successful that executives from the world’s largest advertising agencies are briefing their biggest clients on the power of the web and social media technologies. Some of these clients control billions in advertising dollars that are deployed across many mediums that influence the way society thinks and makes purchasing decisions.

No, You Can’t
When Hillary Clinton donated $5 million to her campaign, the Obama campaign sent out a note saying we have to match this quickly. In 24 hours, people donated $8 million to Obama.

“His web site is amazing. It’s completely and continually updated. It feels alive and energetic.” said Rishad Tobaccowala, Chief Innovation Officer of Publicis, the French advertising giant. His job is to brief market-leading clients on web and new social media technologies.

The Obama campaign actively uses e-mail to keep supporters informed. For instance when Obama is on a live debate or speaking at a local event, alerts are sent to supporters to make supportive phone calls or arrange for rides where events and primaries are being held. The web is the infrastructure used to support Obama’s grassroots efforts, to get people involved and build a community.

On the other hand Hillary Clinton use traditional media almost entirely, like her town meeting on the Hallmark Channel. She got maybe 250,000 viewers. The Obama campaign ran a music video made by the Black Eyed Peas on YouTube and on their home page which gets about 1,000,000 views a day.

Tomorrow, I will look into the blogosphere’s coverage of the campaign.

Barack Obama boards his plane in San Antonio, Texas. Photograph by: Reuters

Hillary Clinton gestures to supporters during a campaign stop at the University of Toledo in Ohio. Photograph by: Reuters