Digital Media in the Obama Campaigns of 2008 and 2012: Adaptation to the Personalized Political Communication Environment

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis essay provides a descriptive interpretation of the role of digital media in the campaigns of Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 with a focus on two themes: personalized political communication and the commodification of digital media as tools. The essay covers campaign finance strategy, voter mobilization on the ground, innovation in social media, and data analytics, and why the Obama organizations were more innovative than those of his opponents. The essay provides a point of contrast for the other articles in this special issue, which describe sometimes quite different campaign practices in recent elections across Europe.KEYWORDS: Data analyticselection of 2008election of 2012Obamaonline campaignssocial media Notes1. Recognizing influence in the direction from technological innovation to innovation in political practice does not reject the importance of influence in the other direction as well. Digital media are no less the product of politics than other technologies.2. Source is Facebook, observed by the author on November 5, 2012.3. Source is Twitter, observed by the author on November 5, 2012. It is important to interpret counts of Twitter followers with a grain of salt, because they may be grossly inflated. A market exists for the bulk sale of Twitter followers. Brokers exist who acquire and sell Twitter followers. As of this writing, InterTwitter.com sells 1,000 followers for $14, and 100,000 followers for $487,000.Additional informationNotes on contributorsBruce BimberBruce Bimber is professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research interests are in political communication, behavior, and collective action.