Integrated Marketing

Communication
CASE STUDY
THE BARACK OBAMA CAMPAIGN
Introduction:-

Barack Obama, the 44th President of the US, and he used integrated
marketing communications (IMC) to win the 2008 US Presidential
elections. For the first time in the history of the US Presidential
Elections, the Internet was used widely and effectively for both
campaigning and fund raising purposes. Obama also used the traditional
methods of marketing which accounted for 50% of his fund raising. The
case shows how Obama carefully tailored his campaign by targeting
people of different age groups, communities, and professionals
systematically to achieve success in the elections. Obama tapped the
growing community of people who preferred the Internet and mobile
phones to television. Other G7 countries had in the
past tried to use the Internet as a tool for campaigning but it was not
used as effectively and consistently in the past, according to experts.

Like any great brand, Obama has built up a bond of trust with the
American people… But like any brand, he has to deliver now on his
promises, both actual and perceived." 1
John Quelch, Marketing expert, in November 2008.

"We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be
in touch soon about what comes next." 2
- Barack Obama, in an email to his supporters on election night
(November 4, 2008).
"I know several people on the campaign, and I can tell you hands down
Obama has the better technology strategy. There is an innate
generational understanding of technology in the guys' bones – most of
them grew up with it as an integral part of their daily life." 3
- Anthony Citrano, branding consultant, June 2008
Biography:-

Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 4, 1961 to a

Kenyan father and an American mother. BObama’s parents, Barack
Obama Sr. and Ann Dunham met while studying at the University of
Hawaii. Obama spent his early years in Honolulu before moving to
Indonesia at the age of six. B Osama’s parents separated when he was
two years old. His mother later married Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian.
The family moved to Jakarta in 1967.

Professional life:-

Obama played several roles professionally

between 1993 and 2004. He worked as a lawyer for the law firm, David,
Miner, Barnhill & Galland. He also worked as a part-time lecturer at the
University of Chicago Law School from 1993 to 2004; he taught
constitutional law at the law school. Obama also served as a board
member at the Woods Fund of Chicago, a philanthropic organization. In
1996, Obama was elected to the Illinois senate. He was elected again in
1998 and 2002. In 2000, he lost a primary for the United States House of
Representatives.

In 2003, Obama was appointed the chairman of the Illinois

Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee. Obama became a
United States Senator in late 2004 to become the fifth Afro-American
Senator in history. He secured 70% votes.

In 1991, while being in-charge of a voter registration drive in

Chicago, Obama began writing a book of memoirs that was later
published in 1995 as Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and
Inheritance. Obama wrote another book later that was published in 2006.
The book, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the
American Dream went on to become a part of the New York Times Best
Seller list.

Once elected into the state Senate of Illinois, Obama took deep
interest in reforms and policies, making and changing some
consequently. He initiated the requirement of mandatorily videotaping
interrogations in cases of homicide. He enthusiastically participated in
creating the Earned Income Tax Credit program for state, meant for
helping people in the low-income groups. He went on to initiate reforms
in the fields of healthcare and childcare. An interesting law that came
into being because of him was the law to monitor racial profiling. It
became mandatory to note the race of the drivers that are detained by the
state police.

Following his election into the United States Senate, Obama

showed extreme interest in immigration reforms and border security
improvements. He became a co-sponsor of the Secure America and
Orderly Immigration Act; the act was introduced by John McCain, his
Republican rival who ran for the United States Presidential post. A year
later, Obama also favored another security bill that later
became the Secure Fence Act.

Obama, in association with Tom Coburn, brought the

Coburn- Obama Transparency Act into being; the act made the
government expenditure transparent via a website called the
USAspending.gov. Also, in association with the Republican, Richard
Lugar, a Lugar- Obama program went on to make additions to the
existing Nunn-Lugar cooperative threat reduction concept.

In 2007, Obama, in association with Senator Russ

Feingold, brought into being the Honest Leadership and Open
Government Act. He later introduced the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of
2007.
 In February 2007, he declared that he will be running for the post of
the President of the United States. He has showed his dislike to negative
campaigning. Obama has been advocating an end to the war in Iraq, a
universal health care mechanism and increased energy independence as
his most important agendas in his manifesto. Obama has surprised his
critics by raising enormous amount of money through his campaigns. In
that year, his campaign raised 36.8 million US dollars, the highest
amount raised ever in the Democratic primaries. In the first six months
of his campaign last year, 58 million US dollars were raised, breaking
earlier records. Following a series of hate mail sent to Obama, the US
Secret Service instated special protection for Obama. “Fired up! Ready
to go!” is a cry doing the rounds at Obama’s campaigns.

Obama logo:-

The Obama logo is the flagship symbol of

Barack Obama's presidential
Campaign. The design became one of the most
recognized political brand logos during the
election. The logo was designed by Chicago
based Sender LLC (a brand development and
design company) on assignment from Chicago-
based mo/de (a motion design studio). The latter had been brought on
board early on by David Axelrod, Obama’s chief campaign strategist,
although it had never done a political identity before. Project managers
at mo/de were Colin Carter and Steve Juras. "We were looking at the “o”
of his name and had the idea of a rising sun and a new day,” according
to Sender. “The sun rising
over the horizon evoked a new sense of hope. "The design expression
was so constrained and so bland for so many years in politics," Sender
says. "I think we had a fresh approach because we’d never worked on a
campaign before” — and, of course, the power of the logo had a lot to
do with “the power of the candidate’s message. The final design was
decided among seven or eight options in the first round. "In terms of our
internal process, though, I believe the logo — as we now know it —
came out of a second round of design explorations."The design began
late in 2006 and the finished logo made its debut when Obama officially
announced his candidacy for president February 10, 2007 in Springfield,
Illinois. There was also identity for Republicans and Independents
supporting Barack Obama.

Branding:-

“Whether it is viewed as an art form or simply a means of selling a

product, there is no doubt that advertising plays a huge role in the
modern world”

“Advertising is the greatest art form of the 20th Century.” Marshall

Obama has understood modern consumers like no other marketer on the
globe Obama’s approach revealed his true DNA. He really wanted to
become part of consumers, in an authentic way. How can I become one
of them, that must have been the key question that was on Obama’s
mind Most marketers shout at consumers. Via one way mass
communications. Marketers have learned to do this since the industrial
revolution. It’s in their DNA.
But remember; Today is a New Day!! Due to interactive
media, consumers started to interact with brands. Consumers suddenly
talked back! Marketers we’re freaked out and scared. They did not know
what to do. For almost 100 years, marketers were the ones talking and
shouting at consumers. Consumers just listened. But, It’s a New Day!
And it even went further! Consumers started conversations
about brands within blogs, forums and social networks. At YouTube
consumers started to criticize brands, their ads, their products, their
services And the worst part of it all; brands were not even aware of these
conversations amongst peers. Marketers did not even know what was
being said about them… But Obama had seen the mistakes brands
make..
He tapped into online conversations with an extended
conversational tracking program. Mapping where the conversations took
place, who were the social influencers per topic/theme By listening to
peer conversations within the social space, Obama gained great insights
about consumers behavior and emotions.
Obama had the vision and guts to put the crucial “brand
engagement architecture” in the hands of a 24 year old rookie.

Why Do We Feel Connected To Obama?

Because we feel we are running into that same wall over and over
again,If Obama is using social networks. If the Pope is launching a
YouTube channel whilst The Vatican has understood that screenagers
are no longer reached and engaged by newspapers and TV channels! it’s
so difficult to reach modern consumers??? It’s not so hard. Just look at
Obama and the Pope! If they can do it, why can’t you? Change your
DNA and fire your media agency, if you have to. Remember; It’s a New
Day!
The gap between old skool marketers and new consumers is
getting bigger and bigger. Each day hundreds of brands prove by their
poor websites and lousy media-mixes that they really do not understand
the needs of modern digital consumers. If we look at the same world
again, we must understand that consumers simply think: So we feel we
have a mission. And our mission to break old patterns is supported the
Obama’s approach. I know some of you will say: yeah, but Obama is
different than my brand! Very true! But Obama proved it’s all about a
new DNA. Being open. Being authentic. Shout AND listen! We Love
Obama’s Brand Interaction campaign. Why? Because our mission is to
help brands launch smart brand interaction programs.
We started with creative digital branding agency
LaComunidad in 2003. In 2004 we launched ViralTracker and in
2007 we launched global social media marketing agency SocialMedia8.
This triple play proposition was acquired by world leader in marketing
communications WPP.
 Since March 2008, the partnership with WPP has enabled
us to expand our services rapidly amongst global brands. he want to join,
tap in and let’s create a movement… Brand Interaction Strategies,
Interaction Platforms or Brand Engagement Architectures or Platform
Communications? Honestly, I don’t
know how you should label LaComunidaton
In 2003 we thought- internet will transform into a platform for
audio, video, music, gaming, commerce, entertainment and more. From
plain text and photos into full motion. With ViralTracker we can prove
the creative power of viral commercials, videos, games/movie trailers
and widgets. It gains insights and knowledge about what content
embrace and what they do not like. Using it, brands can improve their
digital content strategies. Most viral videos have response rates from 3-
9%!
The programs delivered by SocialMedia8. Not only campaigns, also
long lasting social media marketing programs, like the program of
Obama that we love so much.
Do you want to buy attention or earn attention? Strong virals need
no paid seeding. Just wait what ViralTracker will tell you about the
results. With a viral that is really viral, smart social media planning,
strong seeding skills your viral will become a weapon of mass affection.
But not always in a period of 6 weeks. We understand you have needs,
and we understand your media agency wants guarantuees.
But no PR agency or WOMMA agency can guarantee you
a number of views. We can estimate them due to the many campaigns
we run with ViralTracker. And with paid seeding we can give you
guaranteed reach. But why not wait 3 weeks and see if your viral is
really viral or not. We know it might feel as a strange advice: no we do
not need a massive media budget from you now. Just wait what the viral
incubation period (21 days) tells you. If your viral is not really viral,
than we can tell you how much budget you need, but for now: keep the
money in your pockets.
Strange? Might be. But remember, It’s a NewDay! Strange and
change can be good!
 Candidate Web sites have fully embraced politics as a two-way
conversation with voters. Twelve sites also offer the opportunity for
visitors to turn that dialogue into grassroots action (organizing their own
Events, fundraisers, etc). Add dialogue and action together and
Democrats have the most interactive sites, led by Barack Obama,
followed by Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Bill Richardson.

Blogs, a novelty in 2004, are now mainstream. In the road to

nomination, Obama had fundraised $ 150 Million in September 2008
alone. His fundraising strategy worked.
Can you imagine how incredibly smart the fundraising part was
embedded in his engagement strategy? Micro donations were a strategic
very smart choice, but what if it had failed? He would have had no
buying power and would have lost the elections!
Obama knew he could win swing states. He dared to target and to
make difficult but strategic choices. In the road to nomination Obama
focused and swing states. He needed quick wins and allocated 50% of
his budget (at that moment) to win the swing states. Most brands focus
at campaigns and spend their money on media.
My.BarackObama.com is the epic:

It is the epic center of the campaign. Here supporters can join local
groups, create events, sign-up for updates and set-up personal
fundraising pages. his website is his greatest brand interaction asset,
make it part of the your brand team and work with integrated teams. he
has an internet strategy, so marketers should put internet within the right
place. Use your website to create engagement. Invite people to
participate and create a movement of brand ambassadors. People are
smart and willing to help. Facilitate consumers, share and help them to
help you! If you enable the community, the community will help you
reach your goals. Obama used the power of the web to mobilize people
towards offline events.

In-game advertising:-
With it Obama surprised Millions of Xbox users! And immediately these
gamers shouted online to other Xbox users (through Xbox Live, in game
communities, blogs and forums): wow have you seen how Obama
tapped into our Burnout Paradise game?? The guy must really
understand my likes and passion.

OTHER SOURCES:-

Facebook:-
LinkedIn:-
Flickr:-
MySpace:-
Twitter:-
LaComunidad:-
iPhone.:-