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Here’s hoping it’s your lucky day…
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I just finished teaching a three-day Political New Media 101 class in Dubai, and I’m more hopeful than ever about the future of democracy and free speech in this part of the world.
One of the first things I did in the class was show trainees how to start their own very basic blog and use it effectively. Over the course of the three days I posted training materials and answers to some of their questions on the new blog so the participants and their colleagues can easily access the info when they return home to Egypt.
If you’re curious, you can view the training blog here. And yes, the photo at the top is the view from my hotel room. Not too shabby.
I’m in the Middle East this week as I teach a three-day course in political new media communications in Dubai.
I haven’t gotten to see much of the city yet, but I have been happy to see that almost all of the Western news and social networking sites – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. — are freely available here. One notable exception, though, is Flickr, which is blocked, presumably because it allows nudity.
In any case, here’s the view from my hotel room:
Filed under: Online Video, Uncategorized | Tags: crist, florida senate, rubio
For all the wit, creativity and special effects available to political candidates these days, often the most devastating political web videos only feature a candidate’s opponent using his own words to hang himself.
The most recent example is the video below, which was released yesterday by Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio. You’ll note that Rubio doesn’t even utter a word in the clip – he just lets Charlie Crist, who’s now apparently planning to mount an independent bid, to go way out on a limb. A limb he’s going to saw off himself today.
It reminds me of our Creigh Deeds post-debate video in last year’s Virginia gubernatorial campaign, also posted below. It all reinforces the old campaign adage: when your opponent is self destructing, just get out of the way and let him do it.
Via TubeMogul, here’s a pretty cool – and constantly updated – series of charts showing combined online video views for Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate.
While there are spikes from week to week as big issues and big videos catch the public’s attention, it looks like the GOP has a big lead over Democrats in all-time views – roughly 20 million to 12 million in the House and 2.6 million to 1.6 million in the Senate.
So while reading this morning’s Wall Street Journal over a cup of coffee, I noticed a large ad at the bottom of page B3 (yes, I still read the old-school dead-tree version.)
The ad features a beautiful picture of lounge chairs on what appears to be Waikiki Beach and the headline “Rediscover Sheraton with Unlimited Free Weekends.” The ad touts that if you stay three times at a Sheraton, you get a free weekend night at one of 920 Starwood properties around the world.
Since I’ve got a multi-night stay at a Sheraton scheduled for next week, I happily logged onto the advertised website, Sheraton.com/Freeweekends, to register. There’s just one problem: it’s not even possible to register for the promotion until Saturday – May 1.
What are the odds I’ll remember to register for this promotion when I’m on a business trip next week, or when I return the following week? I might. But then again, I probably won’t.
And therein lies the lesson for all marketers. If you take out an expensive, beautiful half-page ad in a national newspaper – or run a TV ad, or send a direct-mail piece – you’d better make sure that whatever action you’re urging people to take can actually be taken when people see your ad. Because they’re almost certainly not going to come back in five days and do what you want them to do.
There’s absolutely no reason why Sheraton’s website can’t handle a simple registration signup right now – just enter your name, email address and maybe your Starwood Preferred Guest number. Boom. Simple. Piece of cake. But how many prospective loyal customers are trying to do that today, only to be turned away frustrated, never to return? Probably only Sheraton’s web metrics folks will ever know.
Dying to know how the Internets are being used in the current UK campaigns? Here ya go.
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The latest Frank Strategies LLC video, shot and edited outside President Obama’s health-care reform rally in Fairfax a couple of hours ago:
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As a University of Tennessee grad, I’m as big a Peyton Manning fan as there is out there, but New Orleans and the Saints deserve the championship. A little video in their honor, courtesy of one of the greatest ever:
