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Slow Start For Mobile In 2012 Presidential Campaign

Posted by Soulskill on from the vote-now-for-five-electoralbucks dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Social networks played an important role in the last U.S. presidential election, but the explosive growth in smartphone usage and the introduction of tablets since 2008 could make or break the candidates for president in 2012. As the Republican primaries heat up, the major contenders show on their official websites a strong recognition of social networking and connecting in digital ways via desktop computers. But the GOP and President Obama's campaigns are not yet making many mobile-specific connections to supporters via smartphones or tablets, analysts noted. Some campaigns have special links on their websites for getting updates via SMS to a phone, but they don't appear to have candidate-specific downloadable mobile apps on Apple's App Store or the Android Market so far."

10 of 65 comments (clear)

  1. ... and the demand for this is where? by wanderfowl · · Score: 5, Informative

    I can't think of anything I'd want _less_ than a candidate for public office sending me campaign-related text messages. Does anybody outside of the campaigns themselves actually want this, or is this a social marketing consultant's wet dream?

    1. Re:... and the demand for this is where? by vlm · · Score: 4, Funny

      Ah, you do know Palin shoots her own meat, with a rifle from a helicopter, right? I'm detecting a 5.56mm hole in your otherwise righteous plan.

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  2. always one step behind by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When the world moved to the web, politicians were printing paper flyers.

    When the world moved to social networking, the politicians put up oldschool web pages.

    As the world moves to mobile computing, the politicians learn about social networking sites.

    They are always a step behind, because they react to what their analysts are reporting, and being reactive means you are never up with the times.

    Our web site has seen an absolute explosion in mobile platform use over the last 24 months. No surprise our elected representatives don't get it yet.

  3. The USA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    The country that sells politicians the same way it does sanitary towels. Somehow it seems strangely appropriate.

    1. Re:The USA by plover · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The country that sells politicians the same way it does sanitary towels. Somehow it seems strangely appropriate.

      Oh, that we could discard them as easily as well.

      --
      John
  4. That's a bad thing? by black3d · · Score: 3

    Is there really a demand for "candidate-specific downloadable mobile apps"? I can't think of anything more horrific spamming up the App Store.

    --
    "The true measure of a person is how they act when they know they won't get caught." - DSRilk
    1. Re:That's a bad thing? by black3d · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Or more specifically, if a voter is at the point where they're downloading an app to get the "latest news and updates" on a specific candidate (over and above the email and sms spam they can already get), then you don't need an app to win that individual's vote. For the fence-sitters who just want to get apps for "every candidate", again it's not going to help either. The only advantage here is to the marketing consultants.

      --
      "The true measure of a person is how they act when they know they won't get caught." - DSRilk
    2. Re:That's a bad thing? by srmalloy · · Score: 3, Funny

      Is there really a demand for "candidate-specific downloadable mobile apps"? I can't think of anything more horrific spamming up the App Store.

      If there were a mobile app that was candidate-specific and allowed you to send a high-voltage charge to the rump of the candidate the app was dedicated to, it would sell like hotcakes.

  5. Do we need mobile apps for everything? by Tr3vin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Are full "apps" really required? With constant news coverage, social networking accounts, mailing lists, and websites, why do I need another direct feed from campaigns? Something like twitter is much more useful. I am more likely to see their messages via my twitter stream than via a custom app that either prompts me with annoying messages or that I have to remember to check. The only people I see using the apps are people that have already decided who they are voting for and the mobile app might as well be a "donate now" button. I fail to see how a mobile app is going to do any good at promoting a campaign and actually gaining votes.

  6. Re:Converting vs preaching to the faithful by Darkness404 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Yep, I mean, honestly is someone from the GOP /really/ going to install the Obama 2012 "app"? Or is someone who is a die-hard Obama fan going to install the Gingrich 2012 "app"? I don't understand why this would benefit candidates. After all, I get the messages of the ones I want to via social networking, I don't need an app on my phone for that. What they need to do is cater to the masses via TV and shills... I mean the completely unbiased cable news networks. No one but the most die-hard fans will install an "app" for a candidate. Its easier just to ask them for money and bombard the TV with ads.

    --
    Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.