For the first time in the UK, social media is expected to play a key role in the outcome of the General Election. Just as the power to enrich campaigns and engage with voters is only a tweet away, the possibility of humiliation is not far away either.
Even those who were still wondering about the importance of the role social media will play in the election may have had their minds changed by the fierce online response to the Digital Economy Bill.
Inspired by Obama’s troops in the US election, UK parties have been busy organising their digital media activities – with varying success.
The Conservatives took a head start after the last election with their campaign sites, including David Cameron’s successful video diary, WebCameron. The Media Week reported that, up until recently, the Tories’ lead has been so substantial that the party has been hailed as an online pioneer in the April issue of Wired.
A social media attack on Gordon Brown backfired spectacularly and turned the joke on the Conservative Party itself.
The ‘Cash Gordon’ website was launched over the weekend to encourage web users to spread word of the Prime Minister’s links to the trade union, Unite.
What started as a clever social media campaign, ended up as an online embarrassment – by Monday morning, web users had realised that all tweets with a hashtag ‘#cashgordon’ appeared on the website without first being moderated.
North East comedian, Ross Noble, is leading a social media campaign to put little-known funnyman Tommy Trinder at the top of a Channel 4 poll.
According to an article by The Independent, modern comedians want to see Trinder, who kept the nation smiling throughout the war years, featured in the new programme listing the top 100 comedians in the world.
Exciting online campaign meant entire print run was cancelled.
The National Osteoporosis Society had a challenge – to educate children and their carers to recognise the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle to build stronger bones while young.
E3 had to create an exciting online campaign and interactivity was a must.
new media monthly is proudly powered by
WordPress
Entries (RSS)
and Comments (RSS).