2006RUS

Electoral politics has long been one of the most widely covered events in the United States. The presidential election of 2008 is a prime example where the race for the White House captured the imagination of not just America but also the world. More than just bringing a new President to office however, 2008 represented a significant shift in the way mobile technology is used in an election campaign.

Going back to 2004, the presidential campaign of Howard Dean made the first electoral use of the Internet as a mass fundraising and recruiting tool. Where other campaigns engaged in the traditional strategy of acquiring funds and recruiting volunteers at rallies and other organised events, Dean’s use of the Internet helped him to build a campaign fund far in excess of his early rivals. While Dean was ultimately unsuccessful in his bid for the Presidency, helped in large part by the now infamous ‘Dean Scream’, the ramifications of his media strategy have proved to be substantial.

The 2008 Presidential campaign saw the emergence of the then little known Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama. Largely written off against the seemingly unstoppable juggernaut of Hillary Clinton, the Obama campaign looked to the Dean strategy and used new media to build itself an extensive network of dedicated grassroots supporters. Mobile marketing proved a huge part in this. Mass texting allowed Obama to communicate directly with his supporters on a personal level free from the spin afforded by mainstream media. It was further used to direct supporters to online content where they could learn more about getting involved or how they could donate to the campaign. Perhaps the most notable use of mobile technology occurred when Obama announced Senator Joe Biden as his running mate. Prior to the announcement, the campaign gave supporters the opportunity to sign up for a txt alert the moment Obama made his decision. The response was huge and when the decision was made, the alert was delivered to over 2.9 million supporters.

Since the success of the Obama campaign, candidates have endeavoured to find new ways to harness the benefits mobile marketing offers. In 2010, the senatorial campaign of Republican candidate Scott Brown created a mobile application that instructed users on how they could contribute to the campaign, either financially or by donating their time. The enthusiastic response this received was an important factor in Brown’s improbable victory.

Heading into the upcoming midterm elections, it is already apparent that the use of mobile technology will further evolve and offer new ways for candidates to engage the wider electorate.

Looking for an easy mobile marketing solution for your election campaign? Check out www.txt2get.com today.

Public relations may take on many forms and objectives but it is clear that even bad public relations are better than no public relations to speak of. Public relations are the view point from the consumer or media’s perspective toward your company, good, or service.

One great benefit of public relations is that it is definitely a way of getting noticed. So, public relations are not always about making sure that you look the best you can in front of the masses. It depends on the reputation of the person launching the campaign. Black Beard the Pirate looked bad for a reason and the public’s viewpoint reflected the same. It is a simple example but he would have been out of business if he looked like little Mr. Sunshine.

Concerning the publics view: Just when you thought you had heard the last of an aging movie star or young starlet, a scandal hits the tabloids. The result is instant fame all over again. Several years ago Janet Jackson popped out at a super bowl game and she was on the news for days following the blunder. This is just one example of many.

The huge public relations event surrounding British Petroleum comes to mind now. They had the very largest oil spill in all of U.S. history. As a public relations event, they allowed the president of BP to explain what they were doing to clean up the mess and took full responsibility for the disaster. Consumer confidence in BP plummeted along with their stock.

BP has been seen on TV and other media outlets to let the world know that they are responsible for the clean up and are doing every thing that they can to make it right.

Despite many public relations efforts to right the ship, the news media can turn the tides even after a successful campaign. All they have to do is call the firm a liar or spin other untruths into the mix and all is lost. Remember, the new media needs a good story and calling you a liar is a really great way to get one.

One other prominent place to find a great public relations campaign is on the trail of a political candidate. Some candidates are still trying to bolster voter confidence years after a scandal. Candidates also find themselves explaining the actions of family members and other ridiculous things that have nothing to do with their character as a candidate.

Every year we hear of an auto maker with another recall concerning some component that has to be repaired or replaced. Consumer confidence will plummet if the company doesn’t go on a public relations blitz to let everyone know that they are going to make it right and explain the scope of the problem.

Wanting more information on public relations? We have thousands of articles concerning business, PR, marketing and entrepreneurship.

South America will host the Summer Olympic Games for the first time in 2016, as Rio De Janeiro, Brazil was awarded the honor on Friday. Rio beat out the US choice of Chicago, Illinois along with Tokyo, Japan and Madrid, Spain to earn the right to host the games. Despite a high pressure effort from the American power elite–including President Barack Obama and TV gabfest queen Oprah Winfrey–Chicago was the first city eliminated from contention. Tokyo was the next to go, before Rio got the nod over Madrid in the final round of balloting.

Bookmakers offered odds on the host city choice, with Rio listed as second favorite at +200. Chicago had been the wagering favorite at most books, particularly after President Obama got involved personally in the US bid effort. Chicago was bet as high as a -300 favorite, while Madrid and Tokyo were priced in the +250 range. Some suggest that Tokyo didnt deserve to have such short odds, but was the beneficiary of regional pride from the notoriously enthusiastic betting population of Japan.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, got the better of his US counterpart with a passionate speech that stood in marked contrast to Obamas typically baleful collection of talking points;

“It is a time to address this imbalance. It is time to light the Olympic cauldron in a tropical country.”

The Olympic committee was apparently swayed by this presentation and paid no mind to Rios many downsides. It is without a doubt the most dangerous of the finalist cities, where drug cartels and armed bands of thugs roam without impunity. Well do to Rio citizens are used to removing watches and jewelry before they drive anywhere lest they be targeted by carjacking brigands. Rios murder rate is also one of the highest in the world. Brazilian bid officials have stressed that security will be a priority at the games and it better be lest the Olympics turn into a bloodbath. For the time being, however, the mood in Rio was one of celebration with over 50,000 residents dancing and partying in the streets.

Some IOC members suggested that the summary dismissal of Chicagos bid was more of a rebuke of the notoriously corrupt USOC. The last two Olympics held in the US were tainted by crime and corruption. The’96 Atlanta Olympics were disrupted by a terrorist bombing, while the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games were marred by a well known bribery and corruption scandal.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

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