We Can't All Be Obama: The Use of New Media in Modern Political Campaigns

For campaign consultants, the success of the Obama campaign and his utilization of new media technology have posed new conundrums. Candidates witnessed the media hype generated by Obama's techniques and have likely heard of the lower cost in some cases. As such, some candidates have asked consultants to move toward new media-based campaigns—in many cases an implausible request. This article examines two main questions: (1) whether candidates must choose between a tech savvy, youth-oriented strategy and a more traditional one and (2) what factors dictate this choice. Three case studies highlight different variables that potentially impact the ultimate success of local candidates relying on technology-based campaigns.