Is Political Consulting Going Digital?

Abstract

Every four years consultants all over the world look at American presidential elections trying to unveil new techniques that can be adopted in their own countries. In 2012 databases and metrics become the cornerstone for a successful campaign and therefore, there is a need for new professionals, and for a new way of approaching the profession. The campaign for the re-election of Obama residential is a turning point not only for political communications but also for political consulting: digital revolution will open doors for a new generation of consultants not only in the United States, but also in Europe and South America.

Keywords:

• Digital media
• Fast politics
• Political consulting
• Social networks
• USA presidential elections

Notes

ComScore Releases, May 2012. U.S. Online Video Rankings. Retrieved from http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Press_Releases/2012/6/comScore_Releases_May_2012_U.S._Online_Video_Rankings.

Pew Research Institute, “The Explosion in Mobile Audiences and a Close Look at What It Means for News,” October 1, 2012. Retrieved from http://www.journalism.org/analysis_report/future_mobile_news.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marco M. Cacciotto

Marco Cacciotto is a strategist and one of the first political consultants in Italy giving advice to parties, candidates, public administrations, interest groups, and labor unions since 1996. He is an adjunct professor at the Università degli Studi in Milano, Italy, where he teaches political marketing and public affairs in the postgraduate program in Public and Corporate Communications. He is general secretary of the Italian Association of Political Consultants and board member of the International Association of Political Consultants and the European Association of Political Consultants.