Obama yells, "Yabba-Dabba-Doo!"

While campaigning for the Whitehouse, Obama hosted massive events, kept in constant contact with his grassroots supporters via e-mail, and has thousands of people working for his cause. Upon entering the Whitehouse, his Blackberry seems the only thing Obama was allowed to keep.

As President Obama pushed his message for a new economic stimulus package, it lacks the same effectiveness of his many messages prior to entering office. Some critics blame the cave-man technology the Whitehouse embodies. The political blog, Politico compares this to a battle between the Jetsons and the Flinstones. Obama was cut off /blocked from his more than a million- person e-mail support. According to Politico, because of government ethics Obama’s grassroots organizations were forced to disassemble. As we all know, these grassroots organizations played a major role in the wide spread popularity in the Obama campaign. How does the Obama fortress hold in this Stone Age territory?

Politico see’s Obama currently loosing the “message war.” Without the large scaled events, Obama is having trouble making newsworthy events. Making the move from “ I” to “we” also seems to be plaguing the Obama camp. Politico sees the Whitehouse competing for attention right now. As Obama hosts important political figures at the White House, Hilary Clinton is sworn in as Secretary State--- immediately focus shifts away from the stimulus package.

Politico suggests isolating a presidential appearance for maximum impact--- something Obama’s PR team has no mastered yet.

The internet has struck an age of user-based content; advertisements, products, and services are now based on what the consumer wants. Is it time the government work on a more user-based model? Would it be unethical to allow grassroots Obama sectors to continue to work through the next four years?

Industry Trend--- Audiences Blur

An article out of PRWeek entitled, “Multicultural Marketing Comes of Age,” summarized the sudden shift in reach Barack Obama’s campaign produced during the election.

Esther Novak, author of the article and CEO of Vanguard Communication, described Obama’s strategy as “ending the image of America as a ‘ one culture’ nation.”

I argue that although he ended the image of America as a ‘one culture’ nation, he created a nation working towards a common good, that within itself is a culture— a newly formed, pride-bearing American culture.

Demographically speaking, Novak makes a valid point about Obama’s ability to blur the line between separate target audiences. No longer is it about reaching either Caucasians or ethnicities or white-collar or blue-collar workers. It is more so reaching a broader audience accepting of a lifestyle— progression.

An Integrated Marketing Strategy
To reach this progressive, mixed audience the Obama campaign used television ads, social networking sites, endorsements, and the use of his website. Most importantly he organized at the grass root level.

As practitioners, marketers, and advertisers is this the beginning of the change in how we send our messages? To whom we send them to? Will demographic audiences begin to blur?

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Presidential Campaign Decided

The results are in— Senator Obama is the president-elect and first African American president. Democrats also took control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. What does this mean for America? For you?

With the election over and our president- elect decided what do you expect to happen in the next year?

Your predictions, opinions, and expectations are welcomed!

Vote

Today's the day, get out there and vote.

Here's a reminder from rockthevote.com:

Tomorrow is the Big Day

The 2008 presidential election is one day away. Where do you get your information regarding the presidential candidates? Are your sources credible, fair and balanced? These are two sources I’ve used in the past:

http://www.publicagenda.com/citizen/electionguides

http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm

Whether you’re Democrat or Republican, it’s your responsibility to know the facts. As public relations practitioners, we stay up-to-date on the news. We often read more than one newspaper, magazine and blog. We try our best to form unbiased opinions by cross-referencing the news.

With blogging and instant news at our finger-tips we’re able to stay connected. We understand the presidential candidate’s platforms on social issues. However with this informational overload sometimes we don’t analyze the news. We need to make sure all of our sources are credible. I came along this Web site http://www.politico.com/ after reading a September 2008 PRWeek article. (http://www.prweekus.com/The-medias-candidate/article/115945/) Politico is a compilation of journalists from different backgrounds across the United States reporting on national politics.

In conclusion as young professionals, we all must adhere to the public relations ethical standards. Please be an informed voter! Get out there and vote tomorrow – make your voice heard.

If you’re planning on not voting, what are your reasons? Do you feel the election coverage of both candidates has been fair and balanced? What are your thoughts?