E-mailing: the secret weapon of Barack Obama communication’s strategy

14Sep08

In the strategy of communication of the democratic candidate for american presidential election, electronic mails have a decisive place.

Any visit of the website http://www.barackobama.com/splash/aid_ike.html of campaign of Barack Obama begins (usually) with an invitation to leave its electronic address. It is necessary to say that in the campaign of the democratic candidate for American presidential election, the e-mail is a central tool in the implement of communication.

According to different sources, the campaign’s team disposed a file of 5 millions e-mail adresses at mid-July 2008. First trump of the e-mail is that it makes a direct link with all the sympathizers and activists. Between 10 and 15 e-mails are sent every month, sometimes several times a day. Messages are sober: an unique purpose, a basic layout, an maximum of illustration. The most part is personally addressed to the subscribers, with mention of forename in the body of the mail. The second point is that there are no intermediaries: these are directly Barack (it signs by its forename) and David Plouffe (his manager of campaign) who provide information to the sympathizers on the campaign and explain strategy. Moreover, the e-mail allows addressing information exclusively in sympathisans, for example when Barack Obama abandons the public financing of the campaign, they are told at the same time as the press. Electronic mail is especially a way to galvanize the sympathizers and to collect some online donations to lead an efficient campaign. Any e-mail says that everybody can contribute depending on their resources. Every attack of the opposing camp is also an opportunity to encourage giving money: it is necessary to finance campaigns intended to counter arguments of the adversary.

According to experts, the use of electronic mail and Internet allowed to make difference with Hillary Clinton during the primary. Besides, it allows Obama to keep a (small) length beforehand on Mc Cain in the campaign. The analysts don’t hesitate to compare the use of the net by Obama with the manner that Kennedy used television for the first time in an election campaign. « Obama can be the John Kennedy of Internet » according to Phil Noble of the site Online Polytic. http://www.politicsonline.com/

Example of e-mail: http://www.arobase.org/newsletters/exemples/obama/the_next_vice_president.htm

Barack Obama invits to donate :
Offical website: https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/bignews?source=20080619_PF_ND_G

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