Joint project

Authors

Alan RosenblattCenter for American Progress

Andrew SherryCenter for American Progress

Jonas HellmanPrime Group

Johanna RehnvallPrime Group

Content

1. Our definition of ”Tech President”

2. How technology can transform government

3. The future of Obama’s movement

4. Where Obama got it from5. Key success factors6. The role of think tanks7. How this affects the

communication industry8. What will happen next?

OUR DEFINITION OF ”TECH PRESIDENT”

Part 1

Definition: In what sense is Obama the first tech president?

Obama’s personal relation to new technologies

”A PDA-less Obama is as like a caged lion padding restlessly around the West Wing, wondering what's happening on the other side of the iron bars that surround the People's House”.

HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN TRANSFORM GOVERMENT

Part 2

Obama on technology vision

Transparency

New paradigm of governing means citizens have more transparency

Two-way communication

Data-driven decision making 

Information technology has increased the opportunities for data driven decision making

Better understanding of science and technology within government

An innovative infrastructure is necessary to compete on the global stage

What challenges will he face? 

Cyber security issues Lack of knowledge among

staff Lack of tools Information overload Difficulties keeping up

quality Risk of lower interest Culture!

THE FUTURE OF OBAMA’S MOVEMENT

Part 3

The future of Obama’s movement

What will happen to Obama’s movement, referred to as "OFA2" (Obama for America II) by some organizers?

Obama’s movement – in numbers

8.5 million montly site visitors2 million created user profiles and wrote 400000 blog posts35,000 volunteer groups held 200000 offline events

3 million signed up for the sms program which procuded 5-20 sms/month13 million people on the e-mial list which sent 7000 varations of more than 1 billion e-mails

20000 YouTube videos uploaded and watched more than 80 million times 154,000 subscribes442,000 user generated videos

5 million friends on more than 15 social netwoorking sites3 million friends on Facebook

3 million personal phone calls placed in the last four days of the campaign

700000 fundrasing hubs that raised $30 million3 million online donors contribued 6,5 million times

How will he use it?

External political force for fundraising and issue activism

Crowdsourcing policy proposals and solutions 

Connecting with the home districts of constituents

Encourage community service to keep movement active

Two major challenges for the movement

Absence of an election campaign

Decreasing enthusiasm due to unpopular decisions

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WHERE OBAMA GOT IT FROMPart 4

Not the first

The frist president to appear on TV was FDR.

Online advocacy campaigns started in earnest in mid 1990's.

MoveOn.org Civic Action had hundreds of thousands of individuals signed up when founded in 1998

Obama is Howard Dean 2.0

Howard Dean’s campaign was the first that exploited social networks and worked with the blogosphere.

Other key persons that put Obama on the track

Joe Rospars Chris Huges

Scott Goodstein

Macon Philips

Yes, new technology made a difference

Internet played a major role in Obama’s fundraising

MyBO was a crucial complement when organizing volunteers + showed how Obama respected dissent

Online ad campaign was extensive and effective

Huge symbolic value!

Key technologies/channels

Obama on Twitter

KEY SUCCESS FACTORSPart 5

Obama vs McCain

Why Obama succeeded

The right message and messenger

Effective integration of online and offline strategy and tactics

To what extent is it possible to copy his campaign?

It is possible to copy strategy and tactics, but unless messenger and message equally compelling, it won't be the same.

THE ROLE OF THINK TANKSPart 6

What can think tanks supply?

HOW THIS AFFECTS THE COMMUNICATION INDUSTRY

Part 7

Message + Substance = ”Instant benefit”

Concept

Communicating product

Substance

Owned channels• Sales staff• CEO• Staff• Retailers and

product pres.

• Offices• Seminars• Website• E-mail• Books

Paid channels

• Newspapers• Radio• TV• Web• Billboards

Earned channels

• Traditional media• New media• Internet -

Communities• New techniques (SMS,

MMS, web etc)• Word-of-mouth/trend

Concept

An effective mix of own, paid and earned channels

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXTPart 9

Technology during transition

Change.gov was just a first step

The cultural aspect – how does this change how politicians communicate

Scripted campaigns are in their last throes

Authenticity joins message discipline as key communication principle

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x

What will happen next for political campaigns?

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2

Technology will play an essential role

Networked communications will be liberated from the desktop

Content is crucial – the good story3

Contact

The Prime GroupSlussplan 9 Stockholm+46-8-503 146 00

(swithboard)www.primegroup.com

Jonas Hellman (New York)Partner and senior consultant646-465-3774 (US cell phone) jonas.hellman@primegroup.c

om

Center for American Progress1333 H Street NW, 10th FloorWashington, D.C.  20005 +1-202 682 1611 (swithboard) www.americanprogress.org

Andrew Sherry (Washington, DC)

SVP, Online Communications +1-202-481 8149 (direct)asherry@americanprogress.org