Obama raises the bulk text messaging bar

Mobile messaging providers must be jumping for joy as the new poster boy for mobile communication, the 44th President of the United States Barak Obama, effectively used bulk text messaging to warn tens of thousands of people about public transportation issues, crowd control and even text notifications about the weather in the run-up to his inauguration as President on the 20th January, 2009.

The last American president to harness the power of media so effectively was Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Through a series of 30 radio broadcasts he urged the American people to have faith in the banks and to support his New Deal measures. The similarities between the economic situations facing both of these presidents are striking – a severe recession, collapse of the banking systems and a general lack of faith in government.

In the same way that Roosevelt endeavored to give hope to the American people, Obama launched his bulk text messaging campaign, ‘Yes We Can’, which quickly became a successful data basing tool as well as a great fund-raising opportunity. Obama encouraged people to sign up for text message updates on specific issues. They would receive news on campaign appearances, updates and could even download Obama speech sound bites as ring tones. His mobile media staff relied on the latest forms of communication such as social networking sites and text messaging to organize volunteers, raise funds and motivate people to vote.

The enormous success of his presidential campaign can be put down to this effective use of modern mobile media technology. His mobile campaign initiatives have set new benchmarks for the use of text messaging or bulk text messaging  in mobilizing people to get involved in national service. President Obama’s initiative, ‘Renew America Together’ is a mobile platform offering volunteers an opportunity to organize and participate in local-service events.

What President Obama has clearly demonstrated is the enormous opportunity for campaign and marketing managers to really impact on their target market through the use of clever text messaging campaigns. Over 262 million Americans use mobile phones, it is one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S. and given that the mobile phone is normally kept with people at all times; it is simply the most effective manner in which to reach people through text messaging or bulk text messsaging. Marketers under pressure to deliver higher returns on investment and show greater accountability for their ad spends would do well to look at the impressive text messaging success shown in Obama’s presidential campaign.

The White House’s Director of New Media wrote in a blog moments after Obama had been sworn in that: “Citizen participation will be a priority for the administration.” One of the immediate advantages of mobile messaging is the option of 2-way text messaging that allows consumers to directly and immediately respond to the text messages that they have received. Because messages can be personalized or set to keyword and real time transaction alert triggers, bulk text messaging can be used by a variety of industries for a variety of objectives.

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