Amelia Chasse, who is a VP at a Republican online communications consultancy, has some thoughts on reaching voters who may be more influenced by the popular culture than by more traditional political communications channels:
The 2008 Obama campaign broke ground by advertising on Xbox video games, prompting thousands of stoners to get off the couch and out to the polls. In 2012, when young women visited a beauty blog, they were likely greeted with video ads of Eva Longoria or Scarlett Johansson telling them Obama was fabulous. And lest we forget the infamous ad where Girls star Lena Dunham invited her fellow young women to make their “first time” special with Barack Obama.
via Instapundit, who notes:
There’s a lot of free press too. At women’s lifestyle sites, about one article in 10 is soft PR for the Dems — why Barack & Michelle’s marriage is so great, 10 hot celebs who are voting for Obama, etc. The women’s lifestyle media are another arm of the Dems, and their stuff, especially the general sense of who’s cool and who’s uncool, often presented in a sort of Mean Girls style, is highly effective with low-information voters.
An interesting piece on the Obama’s campaign’s marketing efforts, especially their tech-based youth-targeted angles:
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-21/corporations-want-obamas-winning-formula
Seriously, the celebrity worship was enough to make me gag terminally. I suppose the worst of it for me was Michelle O. on the covers of all those magazines in 2008 and 2009, where she was touted as the most beeeeeyoutiful, tasteful and stylish First Lady evah! Or at least, since Jackie Kennedy.
Ummm, no. She is not that beautiful, although with careful makeup and lighting, she could be called a handsome woman, and appealing on those grounds. Oh, g*d give me strength, her dress sense is hit or miss at the best of times. The boob-belts and the too-tight sweaters, the combinations that look as if she has raided a designer’s fashion closet … and her daughters’ cast-offs.
I really wish that she would hire whoever advises Nancy Pelosi when it comes to fashion. And this is the only-ever nice thing that I will say about Nancy Pelosi; which is that she is always timelessly, beautifully and tastefully dressed, whatever the event. Her clothes do not overwhelm her, they are serious, perfectly flattering, immaculately coordinated with tasteful accessories … one does not cringe when regarding San Fran Nan … or if we do, it is not on account of how she is turned out.
Can’t say the same about Mrs. O.
Nancy has had millions for years. Michelle is only achieving that now. She could use someone to advise her on slimming clothes. Ann Romney is very well dressed and the complaint of one designer was hilarious. “Where did she get my designs ?” She bought them. Unlike Michelle.
Photo today of Mitt pumping his own gas in La Jolla.
That might be the same station where a guy pulled in behind me in his 1926 Bentley Roadster. God, I loved it ! I walked back and talked to him for a few minutes. He told me it wasn’t intact as he had had to replace the engine with a 1928 Bentley.
The one in the photo is available for $1.2 million. Life in La Jolla. All the lefties making fun of Mitt will never know how little he cares. I suspect he’s glad it’s over. If he’d won everyone would have hated him and Ryan by 2016. Bad tasting medicine is never popular.
Oh,yes – I remember that about Ann Romney’s dress! She bought the darned thing; she didn’t depend on a comp from the designer? Oh, the horror! Mega-giggles all the way around. Still, Madame O-Deficite could use a good fashion advisor.
“Low information voters.” I’m not sure what that even means. I guess it’s stupid people who get their information from places you don’t think are “serious”.
Obama beat Romney like a gong in the technical arena. Fox news was relying on gut feelings and doing their level best to influence “low information voters” with their massive confidence. Obama had a very good set of operational system concepts and implemented them quite well. This is really why he won. He got more people out the door and to the poll than the GOP did.
Appears that Obama indeed beat Romney in the application of technology to marketing, as the BW links suggests. Most likely, this kind of marketing is most important with low-information voters…there might be a better term, but I’m referring to people who just don’t think or seek information about current events and political issues all that much, for whatever reason….for the same reason that marketing dollars are generally better spent on people who haven’t already made their purchase decision.
The definition of a low information voter is the woman who called Hugh Hewitt during the 2004 election. She said she “voted for the man, not the party.” He asked her if she would be willing to answer a few questions and she agreed. He asked her who the vice-president was (Cheney, hardly a secret). She didn’t know.
PenGun knows as much about the election as he does about US healthcare.
}}} “Low information voters.” I’m not sure what that even means.
Then you’re an idiot without any possible opinion worthy of expressing.
It’s really kind of DUH, but even there, you could do something REMARKABLY simple and just look it the eph up. NAWWWW. Much better to demonstrate you’re One Of Them.
Here, I’ll even esssplain it to chu…
A “Low Information Voter” is someone who makes essential franchise decisions based not on any understanding of the issues, not on careful study of the backgrounds of the candidates, not on understanding ANYTHING that should be essential in order to be allowed to vote.
They make decisions based only on who is “cool”. They make decisions based only on skin color. They make decisions based on Who Is Gonna Give Them Free Stuff. They make decisions based on who they saw on TV most recently.
In short, they make their franchise decisions based on low value and/or low quantity of information about their choices.
Perfect Democrats. Why ask why? Bud Dry. MMMmmmmmbaaaaahhhhhh! Sheep.
See? Ephing DUH.
It’s the reason why this nation was never meant to be a “warm body” Democracy — because warm body democracies are the death of the nation at every time and place they’ve occurred in human history. And the Founding Fathers knew this.
I see irony is completely lost in your case. Hi ho.
PENGUN,
You’re the smart one of the bunch. Not the same as smart, mind you.
It’s the hapless fools who voted for BHO based on their Obamaphone, or a celebrity endorsement.
The story of this election is 10 million plus voters have enough information to realize it’s not worth voting. THEY’RE RIGHT.
Congratulations PenGun, this is the Triumph of the Left’s Will in the United States.
Now give Thanks to Gaia..or the Indians..or whoever. Because really this is as good as it gets, and it will never get this good again.
Michael – if you like Bentley’s from the Mid 20s-early 30s you would have gone nuts at the Monterey Historics a few years ago (2009) – Bentley was the featured marque – trying to find a picture to upload to you of about 2 dozen BRG Bentley’s all lined up from all over the world – in BRG – but they apparently got lost in the bit bucket.
PenGun, I would be very circumspect about offering opinions about Canadian politics. Obviously, you are smarter than I am, or something.
Bill, I was so entranced with the Bentley that pulled in behind me at the La Jolla gas station. I hadn’t been that aware of them before. I just wish I could afford one. MG TDs are more my price range. At one time, I was going to buy one to use in Tucson.
Mike – there is a whole story about The Bentley Boys , wealthy gentlemen-drivers that would party hard and win at Lemans during the 20s and early 30s. .
I think it is cool when someone takes a classic, valuable car and uses it as a “daily driver”.
Jay Leno is known for this, driving Bentleys and Duesenbergs to work on the freeway.
Years ago I was driving in Palm Springs and pulled up behind an old 50s era Mercedes. The back looked a bit like an Adenauer (the 50s-era limo that Mercedes designed after the war) – but it was a coupe.
The only thing really giving it a hit of exclusivity was the rear bumper which said ‘Einspritzmotor” – fuel injected engine.
It was a 300Sc – made in what was called Mercedes’ Sonderbau (special building) area of the factory – hand built. Clark Gable had one.
These cars are worth 100s of thousands today and this car I saw – a bit weather worn – but apparently used every day – no garage queen – and I think that was/is pretty cool –
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mehow911/6133513964/