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Campaign E-Mails. By Alyssa Ray. Forms of Interactivity. One way communication (e.g. web pages). Two way communication (e.g. private e-mails ). One to many communication (e.g. e-mails , list servers, discussion groups, computer conferences).
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Campaign E-Mails By Alyssa Ray
Forms of Interactivity • One way communication (e.g. web pages). • Two way communication (e.g. private e-mails). • One to many communication (e.g. e-mails, list servers, discussion groups, computer conferences). • Many to many communication (e.g. group projects submitted to a computer conference). *Doherty, A. (1998) "The Internet: Destined to Become a Passive Surfing Technology?", Educational Technology, Vol. 38 (Sept-Oct), No. 5, p61-63
Benefits • Delivers information directly to user • Easy to forward • Source credibility • Targets specific demographics (age, location, education, etc)* • Low cost • Quick and easy to produce • Enhances user perceptions of trustworthiness, responsiveness, sensitivity. • Fundraising interactivity *Yi, Zhixian. (2007). E-Mail Use Patterns in the United States. Chinese Librarianship: an International Electronic Journal, 24. URL: http://www.iclc.us/cliej/cl24yi.htm
Detriments • Effectiveness? • Information Overload • Wasted time/effort
E-Mails from “McCain” • directly and personally communicating with more than 43,000 supporters during the 2000 election cycle.* • HOWEVER… McCain’s Computer Literacy *Andrew Williams and Kaye Trammell, “Candidate Campaign E-Mail Messages in the Presidential Election 2004”
E-Mails from “Obama” • High Quantity • Multiple Authors • Messages and Information • Interactivity VP Announcement
2004 Election E-mails • Quantity • Direct Address • Self-Promotion vs. Attack • Messages • Issues vs. Character • Interactivity Trammell, Kaye and Paul Williams, “Candidate Campaign E-Mail Messages in the Presidential Election 2004”.American Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 49, No. 4, 560-574 (2005)
E-Mail Quantity 2004 • Overall increase in quantity closer to election However…
…Huge Increase for 2008 Election Obama: (since 5/16)-111 (9/15-10/4)-26 McCain: (9/15-10/4): 13 Obama roughly doubling McCain in quantity • Frequency attributed to variety of authors, donation requests, and interactivity with events/supporters
Direct Address Bush: • direct address in 82.1% of messages Kerry: • direct address in 92.0% of messages
Self-Promotion Vs. Opponent Attack Kerry: • promotion (44.6%), attack (24.4%) and combination (31.1%). Bush: • promotion (51.9%), attack (7.4%) and combination (40.7%).
Interactivity • Bush’s e-mail messages contained twice the interactivity features of Kerry’s
Issues • 38.5% of the e-mail messages. • Bush’s campaign focused on issues (66.7%) at a greater rate than Kerry’s (33.3%)
Most frequent: 1) invitation of participation 2) emphasizing hope for the future Messages
2004 E-Mail Trends INTERACTIVITY INCREASE… • Hyperlinks- “get involved,” “send this message to a friend,” or even contact the campaign with feedback. • Graphics- banner at the top of the e-mail message (97.4%), photographs (17.9%) and special event icons (6.4%) • Multimedia- flash movies (1.3%) or video (5.1%), including ads (1.3%) …BUT STILL LIMITED • Used 3/12 possible interactivity variables (1/4 of possibilities) AUTHORSHIP • Campaign staff- 60.3%, candidates (14.1%), other politicians (6.4%), family members of the candidates (2.6%), and celebrities (1.3%)
E-Mail Substance • Issues (12.8%) • Personality or attributes of the candidate (10.3%). Kerry: • focused on horserace (84.0%), issue coverage (8.0%), and personality (8%). Bush: • focused on horserace (64.3%), issue coverage (21.4%) and personality (14.3%).
Another Election 2002 Florida Gubernatorial Jeb Bush (R-I) and Bill McBride (D) Characteristics of E-mails: • Personal qualities (24.7%) • Candidates omitted mention of their opponent in the e-mail messages. • Addressed the reader directly (62.1%) • Increase of candidate campaign e-mail messages being sent during key campaign dates. Trammell, Kaye and Paul Williams, “Beyond Direct Mail: Evaluating Candidate E-Mail Messages in the 2002 Florida Gubernatorial Campaign”. Journal of E- Government Vol 1, Issue 1: November 10, 2004.
Effectiveness 2004 Bush: • Substance: candidate as voice of people, standing for hope, emphasizing political accomplishments. • Issue focused • Twice the interactivity • More promotion, less attack • Consistent (increased) quantity over last half of campaign
Do these trends lead towards Obama Victory? …We’ll just have to wait and see