MARKETING Resource Center

With the historic presidential election of 2008 now behind us, the innovative nature of this year’s political marketing campaigns can be scrutinized in true Monday-morning quarterback fashion. What was the determining factor of Decision 2008? Was it the economy? Was it the war in Iraq? Some might be surprised with our answer: social media, as it was one of the singular marketing and overall strategies that made a lasting mark on the manner in which political elections will be won and lost in the future.

Social media and social networking have a number of characteristics that distinguish them from traditional media such as newspapers, television, books, and radio. Primarily, social media is dependent upon interactions between people as the discussions and conversations build a shared-meaning, using technology as a catalyst.