Politics! Politics! Politics! and Social Media?

Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential election is largely accredited to his excellent social media campaigns. The Dragonfly Effect writes that it was “the first political campaign in history to truly harness the power of social media to spread the word, garner support and get people engaged.”

When planning his first and second campaigns, Obama knew that his speeches would be better heard over new forums, like social media, as opposed to traditional political ones. He wanted to speak to the people with open ears (it’s no coincidence he has pretty big ones) and listen to what they had to say.

But how does social media, a tool used to slide into people’s DMs, win you a presidential election? Did Barack direct message his followers asking for their number? Or did he use Facebook’s transparency and ability to communicate with a large audience to win America over? Probably the former.

Syrsly tho, Obama opened his social media toolbox and hired a team of workers who knew how to use them.

Part of why Obama won is because he addressed his campaign to the people and transferred the responsibility of his victory to his voters. His website was utilized to not only share his platform, but to also allow users to create groups to share their views and opinions. Obama created a strong, loyal following by giving voters the opportunity to communicate with the candidate and involving them in the process.

The 2008 Obama Online Operation utilized seven platforms: BarackObama.com, Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, Myspace, SMS/callcenters, and online advertising. In 2012 he upped his game and ditched the outdated Myspace (sorry Justin Timberlake), and used Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Tumblr, Youtube, Flickr, Instagram, Spotify (he’s so trendy!!), and not one, but TWO Twitter accounts! Note that his opponent, Mitt Romney, only used five social media platforms: Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Flickr, and Google +. It’s no wonder why he lost… no Twitter or Instagram = loser.

The Pew Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism analyzed Obama’s, and Romney’s social media campaigns over a course of 15 days during the 2012 Presidential Election…

…and concluded that Obama’s campaign was way more active and thus generated a larger response from users. No shit.

Following Obama’s lead, many candidates have selected a team of social media strategists to head their campaign for the upcoming election; but without as much success as the current president.

Candidate Hillary Clinton has received a lot of criticism for trying too hard to sound hip in her attempt to communicate with the younger generation.

But bad publicity is good publicity right? By raising her head high and creating a Snapchat, Clinton has won over many celebrities, including rapper Waka Flocka.

Who knows what the 2016 Presidential Election will bring? One thing is for sure, more hilarious tweets by Donald Trump!

Marta Alonso: Taking Instagram by Storm

“So you want to know how I am so successful at such a young age?” said Marta Alonso, a guest speaker for my journalism class.

Marta (left) and me (also the left).

She sported an oversized tan suit jacket over a classic white top, dark denim jeans, and leather high heeled booties that screamed “I’m cute, but don’t fuck with me”. Before she even began the lecture she prepared on her rise to success I knew I wanted what she had; ambition, confidence, and a hot bod.

After graduating ISDI (Institute Superior para el Desarrollo de Internet) in 2008 Alonso said it was difficult to even think about finding a job because of the global economic crisis. At least she had an excuse for being bleak about her future, it’s 2016 and I can’t even think about getting an internship! But, as her successful story goes, she caught a break and began working at Thinklink in 2009. Alas, her “break” lasted about five months when the company closed; but as one door closed, another opened.

In 2010 Alonso’s boss asked her to help him create Muuby which would be one of the first digital media and social advertising companies in Spain. “I had no idea how to build a company, but I had nothing to lose. So, I put in all the savings I had towards Muuby and gave it a shot,” said Alonso.

Release a breath of relief, because the risk the young entrepreneur took paid off. Alonso created a campaign for Spain’s Doctors Without Borders called “pastillas contra el dolor ajeno” (pain relief pills).

The campaign sold tins of pill shaped candy whose proceeds would go towards actual medical pills. Muuby’s successful Doctors Without Borders campaign won them their biggest client, Spanair.

For about two and a half years Muuby’s staff was on a high. But, as life goes, the airline went bankrupt in 2012. Not only was this a serious loss for Spain, and an inconvenience for citizens with cancelled flights, but the end of Muuby and Alonso’s second career. 

“It was the experience I had because in two years I learned how to build a company – after all, it was a good learning experience,” Alonso said.

This is the part when her story starts getting good. Alonso had always been interested in Instagram and used it quite frequently to find out the hottest fashion, travel, and food trends. She was one of the first people to join Instagram in 2010 when she created @IgersBCN (Instagramers Barcelona). Initially it started as a hobby, but within one month she had 1,000 followers.

Alonso invited all her followers to meet at a bar to get to know each other and to bond over mutual interests in photography, art, and travel. 200 people showed up, and at that moment something clicked for Alonso.

“When I saw that everyone who came was posting pictures from the meeting and talking about it, I realized the potential of Instagram as an advertising platform,” Alonso said.

This realization is what head speared her title as Instagram Guru. As @IgersBCN grew, people from all over the world slid into her DM’s asking her for Instagram strategy help to create a community like she did. Today there are over 400 Igers groups in 60 countries that congregate regularly to take photographs together while meeting new people.

Alonso’s curious spirit that created Igers landed her another gig from a different airline, Vueling. The company wanted her to create a campaign to commemorate the 50 million passengers who flew Vueling.  Alonso utilized Igers by asking users who flew Vueling to submit photographs of their travels. The photos were then pasted on an airplane to create the first art exhibit in the air.

Alonso’s ability to use Instagram as a tool for advertising attracted the Catalan Tourism Board. They wanted her to invite the ten best Instagramers around the world on an all expense paid visit to Barcelona to promote tourism in Catalunya. One of the perks of being a journalist, Alonso said, is that they’re invited by companies to do shit for free all the time because then they’ll write about it.

After freelancing for a while and absolutely #winning at the game, Alonso landed a job as Head of Digital for Edelman-Spain.

Marta Alonso @ Edelman-Spain

“Huge corporations are like turtles, they’re slow moving. It’s hard to make innovations in a fast way. I felt like a bird trapped in a small cage who couldn’t fly free,” said Alonso.

After quitting Edelman-Spain, Alonso was able to spread her wings and in 2014 she create Circle Line, a digital storytelling agency, where she continues to work today.

“Instagram is a global display that lets you sell your product globally,” Alonso said. “Many companies don’t even have stores, instead they give products to influencers who Instagram themselves wearing them”.

Although excessive social media users receive a lot of backlash for constantly taking photos and tweeting and never being in the moment, Marta Alonso managed to make a high paying career out of it, as have many other Instagramers.

In March, 2015 Alonso released her first, “and I think last” book, called “We Instagram”.

#TwitterLives: If I forget Twitter, let me forget how to use my right hand

There’s been a lot of buzz recently concerning Twitter’s stance in the social media world. After a huge decline of online traffic within the past year, rumors from headquarters suggested a change to the classic reverse chronological order feed to an algorithmic one in an attempt to revamp the platform.

Hello Twitter! Regarding #RIPTwitter: I want you all to know we're always listening. We never planned to reorder timelines next week.

— Jack (@jack) February 6, 2016

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey refuted the claims to keep #riptwitter at bay by denying any such change. While the Twitterverse is alive, it’s hardly thriving, which not only threatens hundreds of people’s jobs, but also puts an extremely useful social platform at risk of extinction.

When I first joined Twitter in 2012 I used it to record the ridiculous things my 10 year old campers said. But as I got older, wiser, and subsequently funnier, I used my refined  humor to tweet original content no longer inspired by children at a weight loss camp.

For the past few years I’ve been totally immersed in the Twitter world. It’s been my outlet, my friend, and my source for current events. Instead of writing in a journal, I wrote 140 character sentences for everyone to see. Instead of reading a book, I read the live newsfeed. Instead of talking to a friend when I was upset, I turned to Twitter to boost my spirit. My thoughts were exclusively carried out in 140 characters and I mastered cutting down sentences

Clearly I am a huge fan of this amazing social media platform where anyone can become a (D-list) celebrity. While I use Twitter primarily as an outlet for creative thinking and entertainment, it’s not solely for having a good laugh.

Twitter has been useful in delivering breaking news to the public before the mainstream media could even get ahold of it. Remember the plane that crashed into the Hudson River in 2009? On his way to help rescue passengers from the flight, Jans Kums snapped a picture of the accident and used Twitter to spread the news.

This social media platform also played a strong role in pulling Spain out of a horrible economic crisis in 2011. #TheSpanishRevolution was an online movement created by respectable Internet celebrities to improve the democratic system. They fought for their rights through silent protests in every major city in Spain, and camping out in plazas.  The Spanish government dug itself into a deep hole of high unemployment rates, and even higher housing prices, populated by incompetent and corrupt politicians, failing banks, and outraged Spaniards.

The movement, 15-M, was born on May 15 (which is how it got its name) when over 15,000 citizens camped out in the Catalunya Square in Barcelona (where my school CEA is located) chanting slogans like, “Fucking once every four years isn’t a sexual life, voting once every four years isn’t a democracy” while they received the short end of policemen’s sticks.

Masks inspired by “V for Vendetta”

To make a long story short, Twitter played a huge role in pulling the country out of its crisis by utilizing the platform to organize silent protests and spontaneous gatherings that petitioned against the civil injustice from the government.

Considering the beneficial global impact Twitter has, I was absolutely shocked to hear about its possible death. It’s a live feed of what people around the world are feeling, seeing, and thinking; how it could not flourish among a generation of avid social media users who would rather Snapchat their food than eat it? Perhaps there is the problem – society has become so accustomed to watching videos, snapping photos, and being visually stimulated by photos of food that reading a maximum of 140 characters on Twitter has become too challenging and mundane.

It’s sad to see a progressive generation let such a useful tool for political activism, entertainment, and breaking news go to the grave. My message to everyone who thinks that Twitter is dying: pull your head out of your ass, and follow me on the best social networking service.