Social media has become an integral part of society. What was once considered nothing more than a fad that could placate the need for self expression is now a veritable promotional platform for anyone looking for attention on the Internet. This became abundantly clear in the presidential race leading up to the 2008 election. The election showed the power of social media – something candidates for the upcoming presidential election will not overlook.
Barack Obama may have set the bar quite high for those looking to take over the presidency. The President is no stranger to social networking sites and has a well established presence on Twitter. Presidential hopefuls will have to delve deeper into the world of social media if they want to garner the support they need, says Brendan Kownacki, director of strategic innovation at Merge Creative Media, a branding and marketing firm based in Washington D.C.
Yet, simply establishing a social media presence will not be enough for presidential candidates. They will have to find ways to get voters to these social sites quickly and without much trouble. QR codes are catching the eye of candidates as they can be used for this exact purpose. Using the codes, presidential hopefuls can quickly spread their message and link voters to their social networking sites.
Earlier this year, the codes were used to aid Andrew Lang in his bid to become Canada’s next Prime Minister. The codes appeared on promotional signs and billboards and linked to his website. The move garnered him a wave of new supporters who had previously been oblivious to his efforts. U.S. presidential candidates may be able to replicate this success with their own use of the codes.
