Evolution of Campaigning in the Digital Age
Campaigns still focus on generating clicks, but now they also worry about the efficacy of their ads and the potential impact of AI-generated content on their strategy.
In 2004, a microsite called FlipperCam was created to upload videos of interns dressed in dolphin costumes, labeling John Kerry a "flip-flopper."
The mission was to brand him a "flip-flopper" and shape the public narrative of a presidential candidate.
The tools used at the time included HTML, Windows Movie Maker, and a $30,000-a-month streaming server. Despite initial uncertainty, the site went viral and helped shape the public narrative.
Two decades later, the incentives remain the same: to grab attention, shape perception, and win the story before someone else does. However, the landscape has changed, with social media platforms evolving into artificial intelligence companies, raising the stakes and introducing both dazzling and potentially dangerous tools.
Author's summary: Campaigning in the digital age has evolved significantly over 20 years.
- Key challenges: ad efficacy and AI-generated content
- Early successes: FlipperCam and viral marketing
- Current landscape: social media platforms and AI companies