The concept of change is universally understood. Culturally and philosophically we can all relate to the word and the meaning of it. Change can be an exciting time or a stressful time; it can be an opportunity, a challenge, or a way to motivate. Most importantly, at such difficult times in our nation, change meant hope for everyone. Obama’s key campaign message for change touched every emotions and feelings of the individuals, the nation, and the entire world.To craft a good message it’s important to take into consideration the audience, the speaker, the tone, and the current historic environment that is affecting the audience. Obama with his strong presence, diction, and excellenct deliverance captivated everyone. His ability to choose words that people can personally relate to is very impressive. “We meet at a moment of great uncertainty for America,” said Obama as an introduction on many of his speeches. These particular words set the tone for what was coming next on his speech; it also made the audience feel that Obama was “one of them” and that he could also feel the pressure of the economic challenges that the United States is currently facing.
Obama not only took his message across the nation traveling from town to town, utilizing the media, and attending town hall meetings, but he did something that no one else has done before: he took his message to the social media networks and the heart of the households of the disfranchised communities. From technology to the lowest level of grassroots strategies, he touched everyone, and with that he became the buzz of the world and at the conversation at the dinner table of the American families.
Very similar to Martin Luther King, Obama delivered his message following the Sermonic Tradition. At his inaugural speech at the White House, he started with the disclaimer, “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.” He ends his speech with an open ended statement:
“This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.”
But he also achieved the goal of creating excitement, energizing the community, maintaining the commitments made during his campaign, and setting the tone for realistic expectations: “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.”
Every communication sent by the Obama campaign focused on the message of hope, change, and that “we can do it together” attitude. Messages were delivered from speaking engagements, major media networks, the Internet, and at the grassroots level. In Austin in particular, the community was pleased to have Obama at a town hall meeting where regular people such as attorneys, secretaries, house wives, single men, etc. who could sit very close and ask him questions. This strategy allowed the opportunity for the people who were still undecided to have a closer encounter with the candidate and hopefully persuade the audience to decide to support Obama. In other words, he took his campaign to the level of the masses and to the level of the individuals.
Internet and social media are relatively new communications strategies. Social media started with the concept of a network of “friends” where advertising and publicity communications were not acceptable a few years back. Now, these communication avenues have become an intricate and necessary part of any campaign, though they are still very new and risky. But this is where the genius of the Obama campaign team came into place under his leadership, Internet and social media became one of his key communication channels to send his message and get connected to everyone that uses a computer anywhere in the world. One of his Facebook sites http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/barackobama?ref=ts includes pictures, videos, comments from supporters, and a network of over 5 million people, but interestingly enough, his Facebook site targeting the Latino community http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Latinos-for-Obama/22203686533?ref=ts only has a little over 15,000 supporters. This key sample shows that even though United States still has a large gap in technology between the minority and non-minority populations, Obama decided to maintain a site specifically for the few Hispanics who are connected through the Internet and expanded his campaign to the grassroots level for this specific target market. The “Proyecto Latino Para el Cambio” was the guiding document to target the Hispanic/Latino community. This document laid out the plans, strategies and needs of the Hispanic/Latino community with clear, perfect Spanish and simplicity that everyone at just about any education level could understand.
Communication cannot be analyzed as a flat piece of information because it has many dynamics that make it complex. Visually, Obama picked a logo that was pleasant to the eye, easy to attach to the key message, and marketable enough to add at a series of products such as bumper stickers, t-shirts, baseball caps, purses, etc. The logo was strong enough that it could stand by itself and people could recognize it as the central graphic for all the communication efforts performed by either Obama or his team.
Delivery is another strong talent that Obama presented on every occasion. With a strong stage presence and an easy and calm way to speak in public and under pressure the audience felt that he was the ideal person to represent the nation in local and international matters.
During the different debates between Obama and his opponent McCain, he demonstrated a presidential air, authority, active listening, and openness and yet firmness that surely increased the popularity of his campaign and message and the backing of the voters.
Critics might say that Obama only uses rhetoric with lack of substance, or they might say that it was all a political campaign; the fact is that he does have a track record and so far his campaign and first weeks as President have sent a strong message to the opposition, to his supporters, and to the world that the United States will prevail and we will become a nation respected by all once again.
Works Cited
"Obama Speeches." Obama Biden. Organizing for America. 18 Feb. 2009
http://www.barackobama.com/speeches/index.php
Proyecto Latino Para El Cambio. 19 Feb. 2009
http://obama.3cdn.net/f3fe74c297f597139d_e4m6i2awh.pdf
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