Campaigning in the Digital World: Obama's Use of Dynamic Advertisements

ABSTRACT In 2008, Barack Obama made history as the first politician to advertise in video games, but this was overlooked by political scientists and received little media coverage. Obama's decision marked a major turning point in campaign strategy because he used the new technology of dynamic advertising to target voters in specific states and only in the month before Election Day. He was able to speak directly to young voters for a small cost compared to his expenditures on traditional media. This article explores Obama's use of dynamic advertising and shows why other candidates are likely to emulate him by running their own virtual campaigns.

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