LOUD

• 03.02.2012 Posted by Donna
  Hangout with Obama
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When the White House joined Google +, we knew something was up. And lo and behold, a week later, it was announced that President Obama would be holding his very own Hangout or the first “completely virtual interview from The White House.”

If you missed live Hangout, watch the whole thing below.

No matter what your politics are, in terms of social media, you’ve got to give it to the Obama Administration. They know how to do it.

Following the success of Facebook and Twitter in his 2008 campaign, in October 2011, Obama joined Tumblr, rounding out his social media collection. The behind-the-scenes photos and user submissions are an attempt to create grassroots support.

Like any product, politicians have a brand that needs to be fostered and managed. Considering that one of the principal attributes of social media platforms is their ability to create conversation, it’s a shrewd move for Obama who positions himself as someone different to the elitism and loftiness traditionally associated with politics. That’s why ‘Change’ worked for him so well in 2008.

This new level of interactivity is definitely a step forward in this space and with these technologies at everyone’s disposal; there shouldn’t be a reason why our local politicians and government organisations can’t use these platforms to engage in a similar way.