Campaigns have often been slow adopters of digital innovations. Now, that’s starting to change.
There’s a growing interest in new, goal-driven advertising methodology among strategists and candidates. Those looking for true innovative are watching the bleeding edge of hot commercial sector strategies.
Few have incorporated these consumer ad innovations into the political space because the technology is so new. Still, it’s possible for it to be reinterpreted, leveraged, and used for campaigns. Here’s some of what can migrate from Madison Avenue to the Beltway:
1. Smart Voting
It’s so vital to create a mobile-optimized online experience, but now there are tools that enable digital strategists to not only drive outreach across mobile but actually determine if physical action was taken based on the mobile strategy.
Whether we call an individual a shopper or a voter, most times, it’s about mobilizing the person to make a physical move and do so via “dynamic distance” (i.e. messaging the nearest polling place to the device detected).
Now, you can track and measure how effective your mobile game has been on the campaign front. This takes physical voter turnout monitoring to a new level — 64 percent of American adults now own a smartphone of some kind, up from 35 percent just three years ago.
2. Neo-Digital Storytelling
While the political realm is just now beginning to explore the power of storytelling, major brands such as UnderArmour and Purina are already onto the next thing: Disjointed storytelling coupled with Interactive Touch Hotspots on the video.
Moreover, UnderArmour also uses storytelling via opposing narrative. They created an emotional web spot based on cultural intelligence. For instance, their Misty Copeland ad sends the message that female consumers didn't want "permission" to be great.
It’s storytelling around new values for a particular demographic. If this type of thinking can be applied more to digital storytelling from the campaign end, it could be a difference maker.
We are moving past linear. This is driven by a growing trend within several sub-segments of millennials. Reinforcing engagement is the capability of video touch-points that, in the commercial world, lead to e-commerce revenue opportunities but should easily be applied to donating, policy positions and more. This new technology lifts mobile video to a completely new level, which is important given that there is a 400 percent jump in growth on mobile video viewing in just the last few quarters.
3. Smart Products
Greater usage of products that integrate RF (radio frequency) technology is barreling ahead. This methodology allows for two-way communication between devices for frictionless engagement and access to the cloud anywhere and anytime. It enables a “smart experience” so that hand-to-hand materials become more compelling and enriched for data capture.
The next wave of proximity marketing is forecast to be extremely impressive — 59.5 percent of mobile proximity promotion activity is delivered by apps.
Getting onto the radar of today’s citizens means creating not only relevant outreach, but that which is on or ahead of the curve. This isn’t simply a game of technology but a more complex one of intuitively applying new and seasoned platforms in ways that truly connect with the target end user. Those who understand and apply outside-the-Beltway tactics such as these, inside the Beltway, will have an advantage.
Lauren deLisa Coleman is a digi-cultural trend analyst, consultant, and founder of the Influence agency, Lnk. A full report on insights from select advertising technology conferences, along with proprietary research, can be found here.