DDB Issues & AdvocacyAlison Byrne FieldsSVP/Managing Director

Social Media and Politics

2008 has seen record voter

turnout in the primaries.

In some primary states, the youth vote has tripled

and even quadrupled.

Voting among 18-29 year olds increased in 2004 and 2006.

44 million 18-29 year olds will be eligible to vote in 2008.

1/5 of the voting population

Catherine RampellWashington Post

“Obama emphasizes that political engagement is about being part of something bigger than oneself, not rebelling against that something

bigger.”

“Where Rock the Vote has gone wrong, Barack Obama has gone very, very

right.”

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What Did I Say? Yes, we were trying to

eliminate barriers to voting and suggest that voting was a “subversive” activity.

But, we were also trying to get campaigns to invest in young voters.

“We can’t dedicate a debate to every group that wants one.”

“Left-handed flute players want their own debate."

# of 18-24 year olds in 2000?

26,539,250

# of left-handed flute players in 2000?

less

How much did the youth vote cost?

BIG BUCKS

How likely were young people to vote?

NOT VERY

Bad ROI

cycle of neglect =

young people don’t vote

because politicians ignore them/their

issues

politicians ignore young people

because they don’t vote

2008

the cycle of neglect is broken (for now)

Young people are stepping up . . .

. . . giving campaigns a reason to value the youth vote

Relevant issues

First election with no incumbent since 1928

Politicians are investing

2004 turnout

Social media

Reach

Engagement

Micah SifryTechPresident

the list

the network

Why do people get involved in a cause?

Relevance

Believe they can have impact

Reflection of values

Isaac GarciaCentral Desktop

Barack Obama and the Long

Tail of Politics

Long Tail?

The Internet enables companies to capture and monetize the attention of thousands and millions of users, instead of monetizing the attention

of a few large users.

AKA, THE LONG TAIL

Amazon/Barnes & Noble

Netflix/Blockbuster

Blogs/Newspapers

everyone elseparty

loyalists

Large donors/small donors

Candidate/voters

"We are the ones we've been waiting for, we are the ones we seek."

Giving “customers” the opportunity to own the message

Giving “customers” the opportunity to own the message

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Can we continue “the conversation”?

http://del.icio.us/alisonbf/2008election

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