IN A world where people increasingly distrust mass media and official spokesmen, Barack Obama had shown how to reconnect with the public, his campaign manager, David Plouffe, told a packed Festival audience at the DDB seminar on the Audacity Of Successful Brands.
“Barack Obama was a community organiser. He wanted to get people involved, particularly young people,” Plouffe said.
While John McCain had been the first candidate to seek donors online in 2000, “we did it bigger – half a billion dollars from four million contributors. The two categories who gave most were retirees and students.”
They were not passive donors but fundraisers, who connected with other people. “We valued these people and they got conference calls from Barack Obama. Any time anyone makes a financial contribution, they become deeply involved in a cause.”
The campaign also registered millions of voters and focused on those outside the Democrats’ core support. “Your supporters switch off, because they know what you are going to say. Independents listen that bit more intently.
“We used our grass-roots army to change the electorate. If you have a business which has 20% frequent customers and you can make that 30%, then the owner of that business is going to retire to the French Riviera.”
Obama treated people like adults, avoiding soundbites. In September, as recession took hold, the campaign sacrificed several 30- and 60-second TVCs in favour of a two-minute one where Obama spoke direct to camera, explaining his economic programme.
Canvassers were encouraged to recruit supporters by explaining policies in their own words, not from a script. “People have a very sensitive bullshit meter. In a world where people don’t trust official sources, they believe their neighbour or sister more than experts.”
The campaign used web and email, rather than social networking sites, to communicate regularly with 10 million voters – “more people than ABC and NBC News reach combined” – and Obama continues to explain his policies to those individuals.
Plouffe predicted that Obama’s success would lead to more independents and outsiders seeking political office. “That is good, because competition is good.”

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