A presentation by Ananda Roy, Global Business Strategy Director, G2, on how Obama used the digital space to increase his chances of election.

1. Thinking Business®
How he did it.
WINNING IN THE
NEW WORLD OF MARKETING

2. Was it ‘Hope and Change’ a2er 8 years,
Or simply his s:rring rhetoric?
Barack Obama’s 2008 Presiden5al Campaign
re‐wrote the rules of engagement in poli5cs,
as it did in the complex new world of marke5ng.
Mobilising millions of disaffected Americans.
Raising half a billion dollars from ‘the liIle guys’ giving under $100.
Empowering others to spread the message.
Crea5ng an army with hope.
The win over formidable opponents came on Nov. 4.
All logos are registered trademarks of their respec7ve owners

3. 01
With no prior na5onal Engaging the 22 dis5nct
profile, Obama needed to demographic segments in
sharpen electoral strategy the American electorate
to deliver results. with relevant and
differen5ated messages
was step one.
Mobilising the poli5cally Notoriously hard to reach
disaffected youth and or engage over fragmented
African American vote was media, deeply distrusVul of
going to be key. formal spin, and having no
electoral ritual were
challenges. And the
opportunity.
Do we define ‘where to play’ and ‘how to win’
on the same bases as our compe55on?
Do we iden5fy new ‘strategic segments’ as soon as they emerge?
And capitalise them with dis5nc5ve product brand offers?
‘Don’t just energise the base, EXPAND the base.’

4. 02
Throughout his campaign, Unlike Clinton and McCain,
Obama delivered an he was focussed
inspiring and emo:onal and disciplined; never to
message, single‐mindedly waver from this plaCorm
focussed on ‘Hope and despite what the
Change’. pollsters said.
Not when the ‘Obama‐girl This ‘cool’ demonstrated
video’ became a rage, a level head likely to
or various associates respond well to a
and pastors came to ‘3 am crisis’ and
© Jim Borgman
haunt him, not even eroded McCain’s
when smears about his carefully constructed
heritage became ‘maverick’ image.
par5cularly nega5ve.
Can we ar5culate our brand essence exactly?
At 3 a.m.? Or in 30 seconds?
Are we consistently on‐message? Across the world?
Do we react to the compe55on, off‐strategy, too readily?

5. 03
In an age of deep cynicism His message of ‘Hope & Change’ Obama touched
about poli5cians, is deeply rooted in a deep human truth.
Obama cut through the Obama’s life history
category cluIer by conveying a and iden:ty. It appealed to people
powerfully‐authen5c connec5on who want to believe again.
between the candidate's vision Everybody else’ message He gave them something
and the candidate himself. appeared bolted on for the to be inspired by.
campaign.
Pu^ng the ‘emo5on back’ into our brands
means consumers have the choice to overlook ra5onal comparisons
Ian Lesley, author of “To‐Be‐President”

6. 04
Obama was not
the first presiden:al
nominee to use the
internet in an elec:on
campaign, to raise funds
or to connect with the
electorate.
But he was the first
to structure and deploy
a focussed, inter‐linked e
Join thent
campaign to achieve key
movem
campaign goals.
DNC
Using technology‐ PartyBuilder
enabled social media.
he word
t
Spread
His team
focussed relentlessly e truth
earn th
on conver:ng online L
chaMer into face‐to‐face
s …
conversa:ons. Medium Talk to u
as a means to ac:ons.
THAT he believed in doing something different;
and followed through was impressive
All logos are registered trademarks of their respec7ve owners
Clearly, HOW he did it was key?

7. YouTube: 20 Mn page views since Sept 2006
Facebook: 3.1 Mn friends added (McCain 609,000)
High‐recall soundbytes, previous speeches,
Commentary, Photographs, Campaign details and links to
media briefing and events; and interac7ve viral tools
fund‐raising, volunteering and connec7ng with other ‘friends’
Online toolkits allow volunteers
to self‐organise and proliferate
the cause among peers.
No cold calls ever again!
All logos are registered trademarks of their respec7ve owners

8. Key volunteers were Interes:ngly, Obama ’08
handed out iPhones with a also creates calling lists in
bundled Obama’08 app. baMleground states from
the address book – and
The applica5on was free to assigns an icon for
download by others from numbers not yet called!
iTunes.
Obama ’08 aggregates It fuels a sense of
campaign news, views, compe::on ‐ by crea:ng a
blogs, policy talkpoints, personal score against
pictures and video. average calls made that
day. Widen reach and
frequency without the
McCain robocalls!
Remember: New Media as a means to Ac:ons
All logos are registered trademarks of their respec7ve owners

9. XBoxLive: Feedback and tes5ng of policy messages
SecondLife: Engage ‘face to face’ online
Understanding what young Americans think
Virtual Q&A and direct response from Obama’s avatar
Remember: New Media as a means to Ac:ons
All logos are registered trademarks of their respec7ve owners

10. First Poli7cal Candidate
in history to leverage
branded content
in‐game
© NBA2K9
Cross‐Segment
Branded Content In‐Game :
Nudge poten5al voters to ballot
Nudge poten7al voters of different
demographics by game choice ‐ who appear
© Need for Speed
not to be vo7ng ‐ to exercise their vote.
All logos are registered trademarks of their respec7ve owners

11. Merchandising Memoir
Illustrated Biography Policy Book
TV Commercials in
baYleground states
$230 Mn
Press across
demographic
reader segments
Radio
Syndicated Na7onal Talk Shows
Business As Usual is s5ll worth doing.
But with flawless execu5on.

12. Google any rumors
or smears about Obama,
and chances are the first
sponsored link you’d see
takes you to
FighMhesmears.com
An adjacent engagement
tool to fight barriers
• Uses search‐engine
keywords against known
percep7on ‘issues’ and
barriers
• Report smears
• Provides well‐evidenced
rebuYals
This allows the main
presiden5al campaign to
stay on‐message and not get
drawn into sidebars.
It gives frontline foot
soldiers the tools to fight
back with good informa5on.
How good are our ‘listening posts’ in compe55ve markets?
How fast do we collect good and bad informa5on in real‐5me?
All logos are registered trademarks of their respec7ve owners
Do we give our TMRs and CRAs (and our consumers)
a diverse set of talkpoints to inform and influence brand choice?

13. 05
By the 5me Obama Obama needed a
entered the race, crea5ve way to raise
$659.7 Mn.
Hillary had already funds.
secured the party’s top
donors and fund‐raisers. He hired 24 year‐old Barack Obama
Facebook Cofounder
Chris Hughes as his
campaign’s online
organiser.
In a campaign And once you give
designed to leverage the money, however liMle,
power of the people, you are less likely to
many of whom made abandon the cause.
dona5ons under $100,
Obama broke Howard Even if you are unsure 2008
Dean’s 2004 record of about Obama, you elec:on
$27 Mn raised online. cannot reject the cause.
$249 Mn.
Hillary Clinton
$238 Mn.
$8.8 Mn.
John McCain
G.W. Bush
2004
2000 $6.7 Mn.
elec:on Al Gore elec:on
$32 Mn. $37 Mn.
$43.8 Mn.
John Kerry Howard Dean
G.W. Bush
Sources: FEC, The Campaign Finance Ins7tute

14. Total Raised Online: $ Half Billion
No. of donors registered: 3 Million
Raised Online in Sept alone: $ 135 Million
0
Fundraisers aMended
by Obama in Sept:

15. 06 Obama announced his
choice of VP Biden by
SMS to 3.1 Mn friends
and on TwiYer before
the na7onal media was
briefed.
All you needed was an Speech Analysis showed Obama volunteers
email address to receive a Obama spoke more about encouraged to blog ‘your
:cket to Obama’s electoral ‘you’ than ‘I’. It was your story’ for wan:ng change.
rallies. No dona5ons were movement, you should Not the cause.
required so more people shape it.
came to explore the Peer referrals and language
build instant trust and
phenomenon. The only other presiden7al
credibility.
nominee to use ‘you’ more: JFK
Carefully‐cramed engagement dynamics and language
ensure peer referrals are generated prolifically,
(and then disseminated effec5vely through tools provided)
Source: Center for Responsive Government, University of Washington

16. 07
During the Primaries As the DNC Nominee Post‐elec:on
2006‐2008 Aug 2008 Nov 2008 onwards
Goal Posi5on dis5nctly Call‐To‐Ac5on Resolve and Reward
Mobilise resources Consolidate
Strategy Focus and Repe55on Recruit volunteers Thank & reward supporters
Proliferate the cause Adjust expecta5ons
Target Wide electoral base Disaffected Youth and Collegiates Include Clinton and McCain
African American & ethnic groups voters and ‘old hands’
Tac:cs S5rring speeches Fund‐raisers in local communi5es Collect dona5ons for DNC
Interna5onal tour of na5ons Collect Feedback
Media Tradi5onal Media; Text/TwiIer Website Only*
Founda5on of non‐ All social media and blogs
tradi5onal media
‘How to Win’ evolves pre‐launch, at launch and post‐launch;
Building on plaVorms previously established.
All designed years in advance.
© All Images: Shepard Fairey All logos are registered trademarks of their respec7ve owners

17. 08
change.gov
Change.Gov
launched hours a2er
Obama was confirmed as
the President‐elect.
Official website of the
Office of the President‐Elect
(s5ll on message)
It’s where he
communicates directly with
his army, where he makes
team announcements,
discusses evolving policy
thoughts and requests
feedback.
It is where he has just
launched a recruitment
drive for volunteers to
serve America as
community organisers.
There is no shukng the door on highly‐engaged consumers.
So what comes AFTER the big, splashy launch?
Can we chart its course NOW?
Source: Change.Gov
All logos are registered trademarks of their respec7ve owners

18. 08
BarackObama.com
With over 3.1 Mn registered users, and Detailed issue‐based survey to
many more across partner sites; the receive grass‐root feedback
Obama marke5ng machine is
s5ll driving change.
Dona7ons s7ll being invited
to help the DNC (read Hillary Clinton)
Under the new HOPE banner, Barack
pay its debts
Obama expects to keep engaging key
audiences well into his run and possible
re‐elec5on drive.
Obama victory merchandise has
created a mul7‐million $ industry
There is no shukng the door on highly‐engaged consumers.
So what comes AFTER the big, splashy launch?
Can we chart its course NOW?
Source: BarackObama.com
All logos are registered trademarks of their respec7ve owners

19. 04
02 03
01
Obama Everywhere
A simple message, Speak to the Heart
Knowing
well told
Where To Play
» New Media & Touchpoints » Try different RTM
» Simple, defined messages
» Iden7fying strategic
» Old Media used well » Conver7ng online chaYer
» Take the consumer POV
segments early
to human interac7on
» Know thy consumer » Make it their cause
05 06 07 08
Be Prepared To Win
No Small Change Building engagement Evolu:on of Message
PlaCorms
» Post‐Launch Build‐up
» Keeping the doors open » Keeping the doors open » Laddering of plaiorms
» Giving social networks the » Giving social networks the » Strategy sejng in good » Keeping up consumer
tools to self‐organise 7me engagement
tools to self‐organise
Thinking Business®

20. Thinking Business®
How he did it.
WINNING IN THE
NEW WORLD OF MARKETING
Ananda Roy
Global Business Strategy Director
G2 Limited
+44.793.222.3088
Ananda.Roy@G2.com