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The 2012 campaigns for President have been very interesting in terms of Internent communications and voter outreach. In this article I have collected all of my comments during the past months and years leading up to election day. These are my unbiased honest opinions as an observer, not as a voter.  I have Blogged on numerous issues, mostly focusing on Internet Political Communications, Political Marketing and Political Issues that I felt passionate about. You can browse though my articles here:   The problem with political emails asking for money: TV Ads  I do not oppose online fundraising, I understand that both campaigns are tapping into their hardcore supporters; The problem is that for the most part both campaigns are asking contributions in order to outspend the opponent on TV air time! Barack Obama Vlogs on YouTube   During the past few days I enjoyed the videos coming from the Obama campaign on YouTube. #debate politi...

During the past months both the Democrats and Republicans have send an abundance of emails, driving home their message for the future.  At the same time all emails asked for money in the form of donations or contributions. Here are some punch lines the campaigns used to urge supporters to click-through and donate: Please chip in $5 or more today. Chip in $5 or more before our final budget deadline. Your generosity and efforts can make a great difference. Chip in $5 or whatever you can today. Don't wait. Supporting this campaign once more will move us closer to victory. Please don't wait any longer. Help us out with a donation of $5 or more today. Donate $5 or more right now to keep this campaign strong straight up until the last vote is cast on November 6th. Contribute $5 now to be automatically entered for a chance to win. Chip in $5 or whatever you can and you'll be automatically entered. Close the gap -- chip in $5 or more now. Thanks to you, our camp...

During the past few days I enjoyed the videos coming from the Obama campaign on YouTube. I really liked the style of these videos, being a Vlog-like series with Barack Obama taking directly to the camera. It feels very DIY, and definitely without the production quality of other videos from the Barack Obama channel. These videos feel real; the president talks directly to the camera, they are backstage and give a behind the scenes look into the campaign. These sort of videos give the opportunity for the YouTube campaign to become more real and Barack Obama to connect with voters using informal videos. In doing so the campaign utilises YouTube like a Vlog Platform, rather than just uploading TV ads. Below you can find a collection of them:

I must say that I enjoyed watching the first debate between the nominees for President of the United States. It was quite clear from the start that Romney was in charge, and President Obama seemed settled in reciting talking points. Some of my tweets included:  To start, disappointed with @ barackobama - @ mittromney is doing a good job. — Vas Gkinopoulos (@VasGk) October 4, 2012 hmm @ mittromney is definitely in control of the #debate — Vas Gkinopoulos (@VasGk) October 4, 2012 I was quite surprised to read some articles on social media and politics, that suggested TV debates were obsolete, or that it was an "old media" approach to political campaigning. Such smug approaches are missing the point. The statistics show 10.3 million Tweets in 90 minutes. An amazing number that not only is a first in presidential debates, it makes the #debates more dynamic than ever! So I look forward to the next 3 debates for 2012.  Internet engagement makes the #debates ever more impor...

I found this update of " Mitt's VP App " on the iPhone. I must say that it made me laugh! A few days before the VP announcement,  Mitt Romney gives his  VP nominee "Performance Improvements".  The Mitt's VP App states: There's no telling when Mitt will choose his VP. But when he does, be the first to find out with Mitt's VP app. Share with friends and earn exclusive campaign gear. Reading  Picking Through the Romney VP Chatter , I wondered whether there might be a clue in this recent App Update... In any case, the update on the App only contains bug fixes and enhancements or  "Performance Improvements" . If you read more into this, you're probably hooked on election news.

To my surprise I got this email from Rufus Gifford and the Obama 2012 campaign:  Friend --  I am just so happy.  If you're proud of our president, this is a great time to make a donation to the campaign:   https://donate.barackobama.com/This-Is-Why Quoting from the Obama 2012 campaign site ( This is why ):  The President's support for marriage equality is a clear distinction in this election. We only get to move forward if we re-elect President Obama.  Please donate today. Is it just me, or is the Obama campaign chasing donation money by creating an election issue? If so, the wording is clearly wrong! The campaign should not ask people to donate money just because the Obama national finance director feels happy! To make it clear, I do not oppose donation emails, however this email does not sell the recipient on marriage equality, as it states in the website, but tries to sell the recipient just because Rufus feels happy and proud. Just an ...

It's me again, blogging from my iPhone. So please excuse any spelling errors and/or abbreviations.. By the by, I will be using the blogger app more! On topic.. I love how the Mitt Romney campaign actually forwarded an email from the Obama Campaign! The main message is this: "If you don't like what you saw in President Obama's State of the Union last night, consider this: Pitch in $3 or more to the Romney campaign now" Excellent email communications! Simple, to the point & including the opponent's email in the message! Brilliant! I like this method of email communications, because it shows that you don't need to structure a huge newsletter, or stay on message, in order to send a great email. You just need to be creative, smart, and timed! I think this might be a first..

Email newsletters can be considered to be the first direct to citizen tool of online political communications, before social media or other engaging technologies.  The Obama 2012 campaign is using a style of email communication that started in the 2008 campaign. People in our days are so overwhelmed by email, because everyone is getting so many newsletters that clutter their inbox with advertisements, offers, promotional messages and, in this case, emails from the 2012 campaigns. So, how can you make your political campaign email stand out? What the Obama campaign understands is that you don't need fancy graphics, banner ads, or digital signatures. The above email was "sent out" by the President with "(no subject)" in the title of the email. It has no banners, no photos, no videos embedded. Just like an email you would receive from a friend. Simple, Short, Single-Issued. (SSS) (Hey! I created an acronym...) You would except that each and every email that c...

Sarah Palin concludes her latest facebook note with "November 2012 can’t come soon enough." , while Obama promotes a Strategy update video on: "What We're Building This Summer" . When you compare these two facebook messages one can understand that Obama is building on an ongoing campaign with volunteering initiatives and grassroots organizing; while Palin is asking: "Should we be borrowing money from China to turn around and give it to the Muslim Brotherhood?". This is the time to start organizing to campaign for 2012; not the time to engage in creative political rhetoric or 2012 debate talking points.  Here you can watch battleground States Director Mitch Stewart reporting on the nuts and bolts of what volunteers are building, for Barack Obama 2012.

According to Bill Maher the logo of the Mitt Romney campaign for 2012 looks like a toothpaste ad; and yes funny enough it does. My assessment on the logo is different. When you look at it, it clearly represents the number 2. Most noticeably the middle white number 2, but also the left red and the right blue. Isn't it obvious? Any respectable logo designer or copywriter will tell you so! Now, you don't put the number 2 on the logo of someone aiming for the office of the President of the United States.  Is it just a bad logo design? Here you can watch the Mitt Romney "Believe in America" Video:

Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, came out with a video on April 15th in asking people to send YouTube videos and tell the GOP why they "Can't Afford 4 More Years". The winning submission will receive a $100 gift certificate to the GOPStore.com and could be showcased in the GOP.com website. My first comment is that this contest seems outdated. Yet another example of a safe political communications strategy in trying to copy-paste tried ideas. This has already been done before, it's not innovative or cool anymore, and by the looks of it, with 3,355 views of the Reince Priebus video in 6 days, the Video contest is not going to be a success. It all seems really amateur in setting up a YouTube contest. But worry not, I am sure the GOP online communications team is only just beginning, that's right, Reince Priebus also opened a facebook page ; I bet this comes really handy in getting the video contest " viral ". I don...

I have been paying close attention to the communications & multimedia campaign from the White House and I really enjoy the West Wing Week , a video diary that is produced by the White House communications staff. The series aims to be " your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. " You can watch the latest episode of West Wing Week (1/21/11 or "A Rather Large Painting") here: Browsing YouTube, I came across the CNN White House week in review. Which is basically the exact same weekly diary, but produced by professional journalists. You can watch the CNN piece here: I believe that the White House production is far more better, covers more issues, has access to the President that mainstream media journalists do not, and offers a view that was not previously offered from mainstream media. The White House West Wing Week came out yesterday, the 20th of January, and the CNN White House week in review, came out today, the 21st of Januar...

President Obama paid a surprise visit to the troops in Afghanistan . I am intreaged to contrast and compare with President G.W. Bush surprise visit to Al Asad Airbase in Iraq back in September 3rd, 2007. As you can see there are strark defferences. I wouldn't go as far as this video , but you can understand that Obama is on a campaign mode, speaking to military personel in Afganistan like rallying troops and military families in America. Now that the mid-term campaigns are over, the 2012 Presidential election is getting closer. President Obama is now also Presidential contender Obama. Although Obama has always been on a campaign mode, even as president, switching to a election mode may proven to be tricky. Ceteris paribus the economy will be the main election theme in 2012. But the war strategy, the military families in America, and the outcome of defeating terrorists in Afghanistan and elsewhere can/ will play a crucial role in, not only gaining votes, but providing result...