Issue 6 / February 2009 How the Presidency was won
by Rob Scott,
Research & Innovation, GA&BI
robert.c.scott@rbs.co.uk
Obama started his own
social networking site,
MyBarackObama.com, where
How the Presidency
supporters could set up their own
profiles, and be attributed “points”
for activities such as writing blogs,
was won
joining communities or hosting
fundraising events, adding a
degree of competitiveness
amongst the members.
On 20th January 2009,
The Obama campaign employed
A big factor in achieving this increase
Web 2.0 technologies in a way previously
Barack Hussain Obama II
Obama chose not to accept in engagement was by passing the
unseen in a presidential campaign to
the public funding, and placed
campaign messages through sites where
took his seat as the 44th
communicate with a wide and diverse
society. The campaigning approach used
his confidence in the ability to
web surfers already hung out: having an
president of the world’s
online presence in social media networks,
was not only innovative, but also highly
extract sufficient funding through
and linking to media they already used,
most powerful nation.
successful in building, communicating
direct donations. rather than trying to drive potential voters
with, and mobilising communities of
Being the first African
to a single campaign Internet site.
vii
voters to support his campaign, as well
American to hold this
as significantly bolstering the campaign
For the Republican campaign, John McCain
Mobilizing and motivating a vast army of
coffers so essential to US political success.
agreed to take the public funds set aside
volunteers was another challenge for the
office has grabbed
This article examines Obama’s online
for presidential election campaigns, thereby
campaign. Obama started his own social
headlines around the
campaign strategy, and considers how
accepting a regulatory cap on his election
networking site, My.BarackObama.com,
viii
the success of this campaign can provide
chest at $85m. Obama chose not to
An example of the innovative
where supporters could set up their own
world. Moreover, the
lessons for the use of Web 2.0 technology
accept the public funding, and placed
profiles, and be attributed “points” for
campaigning approach from the
election campaign itself
in business.
his confidence in the ability to extract
activities such as writing blogs, joining
sufficient funding through direct donations.
Obama team was the purchasing communities or hosting fundraising events
ix
,

was a significant milestone His confidence was well placed, with a of advertising space on several
adding a degree of competitiveness
in the use of social media
Campaign approach
reported $638 million raised from more than
Xbox 360 Live racing video
amongst the members. The network
3 million individual donors. 88% of these
Obama was quoted as saying “One of
games. While playing, drivers
provided a central point for messages
technologies.
donations came from online sources.
iv
from Obama and his campaign team.
my fundamental beliefs from my days
would pass billboards with
These messages were penned in a relaxed
as a community organizer is that real
Obama also focussed on getting those
Obama’s image and “Vote for
and personal style
x
, bringing the members
change comes from the bottom up.”
i

previously disengaged with the political
Change” slogan. closer to the campaign team, and
Already comfortable with Web 2.0
process out to campaign, donate, and
developing a stronger sense of community.
technology, he recognised the potential
ultimately vote. In Florida alone 300,000
However, the billboards would
One approach of note was the emphasis
it could provide to reach a very wide
people were added to the registered voters
only be displayed for players placed on getting email addresses rather
audience. One of his first moves to exploit
roll.
v
Apart from New York, every state, that
connecting over the internet from
than donations at many campaign
this potential was to employ 24 year old
voted on ‘Super Tuesday’ reported at least
within 10 key swing states.
xix

functions. This provided the opportunity
Chris Hughes, one of the co-founders of
a five-point increase in youth (18-24) voters.
to bring people into the community, and
Facebook, as his “online organizing guru.”
ii

A common perception was that the ‘Net
potentially contribute more in terms of funds
Before Obama entered the race, his team
Generation’ were not interested in politics.
and promotional and voting support, rather
contacted the Facebook support team
However, Don Tapscott, Professor of
than simply securing a single donation.
asking for assistance in setting up a
Management, University of Toronto
vi

Facebook profile for him, to which Hughes
argues that younger people had an aversion
responded himself, setting up his team’s
to the traditional political process, viewing
first social networking presence.
iii elected officials as “selfish, too partisan,
and too negative.”
16 / Perspectives on the future Perspectives on the future / 17
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