The Candidate as Your New BFF? Don’t LOL, it could happen.
The New York Times reported this week that the text craze
has arrived on the gilded doorstep of the prestigious world of the symphony.
Both the New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic have introduced
new audience texting participation programs, through which audience members can
now text their favorite song to be played during the encore.
Which got me wondering: if it’s good enough for the
Philharmonic, isn’t it good enough to engage more folks in the democratic
process?
Imagine for a moment if during a debate between Meg Whitman
and Jerry Brown, you could text your audience question to the moderator. Or
you could reply to an audience survey, ("What is the greatest issue facing
California today?"), the results of which would be shared at the conclusion of the
forum.
The technology exists. The Candidates certainly have the
funding for it. And Campaigns could reap the benefits of capturing valuable
voter data (hello, cellphone numbers!).
While I’m not suggesting new technology alone can win
Elections, I would venture to say that the applications are endless. Campaigns
could go so far as to test TV ads with texting technology, allowing a small
sampling of voters to choose which new cut of TV ads appeal most to them.
Whichever ad wins, is the one that airs that week. Campaigns could not only
utilize the technology to market the Candidate, but also get instant feedback
on issues, sign up for lawn signs, rally the troops at a moment’s notice (flash
groups, anyone?), and to Get Out the Vote on Election Day. The possibilities
are endless, really.
BTW, Barack Obama did this very well during the 2008
Elections. His campaign e-commerce list (which included countless cellphone
digits) was reportedly worth a whopping $200 million on Election Day. But it
hasn’t been done well since.
The "democratizing influence" of the new technology, as the
Times calls it, is worth investigating. For pennies on the dollar, it allows
Candidates to speak directly (and intimately) with highly-engaged voters. What
could be more intimate than getting a text directly to your handheld device
from the next Governor/U.S. Senator/Congressman of California? Lastly, for
Republicans who are wildly outnumbered in this State, it is yet one more way to
help level the playing field with the simple push of a button.
IMHO, it’s worth a look. Text me and let me know what you
think.