Obama has officially launched his bid for re-election with a short video posted on YouTube. The tw0-minute video is embedded as the centerpiece at BarackObama.com and features average Americans telling us why Obama should be re-elected. Obama himself appears in the video for only a few seconds, but doesn’t actually say anything.
The site has been stripped down to the bare bones and reminds me of what you might find from a startup in closed beta, even down to the Twitter and Facebook sharing buttons. A note above the video states:
This campaign is just kicking off. We’re opening up offices, unpacking boxes, and starting a conversation with supporters like you to help shape our path to victory. 2012 begins now, and this is where you say you’re in.
The site is using the question “Are You In?” to gain supporters and invites visitors to the site to sign up for a mailing list. Taking things a step further, the site integrates with Facebook so that you can share your support for Obama with your Facebook friends. Once you’ve connected with Facebook, you can scroll through a list of all your friends to see who is not in yet. For those who haven’t yet taken the plunge, you can post to their Facebook wall with an optional message directly from the site. The site also invites you to check back to see how many people you inspired to join.
The launch also included an email blast to Obama supporters. While it may seem early for Obama to make this announcement, the campaign is trying to hit the ground running and some are quick to point out the fact that Republicans have basically been campaigning against Obama his entire term.
“We’ve always known that lasting change wouldn’t come quickly or easily. It never does,” the Democrat said in the e-mail. “But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we’ve made—and make more—we also need to begin mobilizing for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest.”
The site links to official Twitter and Facebook pages, where the announcement has also been posted, and even uses the new Twitter web intents feature to make it easier to connect with the Obama campaign there. Not surprising at all to see Obama reaching out via social media and it will be interesting to see how they continue to use social media to engage their audience.
via WSJ, BarackObama.com