TO: Candidate Smith

FROM: Aaron Liang, Analytical Candidate Adviser

DATE: June 6, 2014
SUBJECT: Analysis of the 2012 Presidential Campaign
The strategies Obama used on his 2012 presidential campaign has many aspects to it that were
both effective and to the point to where he would amend current economical and global issues. A
major role he executed in his winning was the use of social media. The use of social networks
such as Facebook and Twitter. Before his 2012 campaign he used text and email where he also
was successful in gaining a lot of supporters and at the same time reaching out to them. A good
way to follow-up on Obama's actions and also take advantage of the current trends and social
networks to reach out to the population.
Aspects of an Advertisement
A well produced advertisement that is brief and conveys a strong message is what would appeal
to the people. Obama and Romney has made a few advertisement that sets this example on their
2012 campaign. A lot of the elements shown in this advertisements are aspects to take critical
notice of because of the way producers formulate the sound, visuals, and setting. A few Obama
and Romney 2012 advertisements I analyze to its core that you should really consider on your
advertisements:
1. The Choice - Obama For America TV Ad
This advertisement by Barack Obama is a standard yet powerful message to the
citizens. Obama sits in a nice and formal setting but that should not distract the
message he has to say about the future of America. There is also a soft-playing piano
that gives a soothing setting combined with the formal background room that seems
to look from the inside of the white house. I think the producers want the viewers to
think that Obama has a serious yet comforting message. He opposes Romney with a
gentle attitude and in turn his plans in this commercial is more reasonable and could
be affective. Furthermore, I think it is affective because instead of having the wealthy
being benefited the most from Romney, Obama's approach is more friendly to the
middle-class and lower. Sometimes politics can seem very small. But the choice you
face, it couldn't be bigger." I think this quote has struck a major impact on what my
decision would be if I was voting.
2. Go - Obama Ad
This advertisement has a lot of compiled images and videos of people searching for
jobs and people who are working. A lot of the visuals is focused on the economy
being at its lowest and is suffering. Obama is the main candidate shown here to solve
this economic problem to help bring it back instead of people continuing to suffer
from it. There is a serious narrator with suspenseful music combining to set a serious
setting and to show that Obama is the one to change America. I think the producers is
showcasing the power and positivity of Obama and how promising he could to
support and guide America. I think the advertisement is moderately effective because

maybe Romney can equally help the economy too but in his own terms. I do favor
democracy more because is it more people-focused and gives more freedom than
someone who is run by a Republican.
3. Right Choice - Romney Ad
This advertisement shows the working class and comparison images of Bill Clinton.
These visuals target the working class and it would be easy to relate because
everyone is working and the main topic here is welfare. In this advertisement there is
a narrator to set a serious tone on this issue of Obama trying to drop welfare reforms
by dropping work requirements. The message from Romney in this advertisement is
that he is serious about the working class and how welfare is gained. With the
opposition of Obama's reform on welfare and dropping work requirements Romney
is asserting that the lazy can even get welfare while the hardworking people get the
same type of welfare. This sets an example that Obama is supporting the lazy and not
see the working class as something higher and more deserved. I think this ad is
effective because no one likes someone who is lazy to achieve the kind of reward as a
hardworking individual. This deduction on welfare work requirements has made it
that people are required less to be in welfare and that is a sign of how that should not
be run.
4. Who Will Do More? - Romney Ad
This particular advertisement is visually focused on cars and automobile brands. The
video shown has people who are in cars and seem to enjoy driving. It also shows a
Lee Iacocca who supports Romney in this job-protecting plans. The noises in this
advertisement is only a narrator and background music. The narrator talks with a
serious to low tone and backed with saddened sounds. This is to create a type of issue
that is severe and that Romney is here to resolve it. I think the producers what
viewers to think is that people who are car enthusiasts and are loyal to a particular
car brand it would affect them most. The main topic seems to be that Chrysler is
being sold off to China to build Jeeps. Furthermore, Obama has made GM and
Chrysler into bankruptcy and sold Chrysler to Italians. I do not think the
advertisement is effective because it focuses on a matter that is not quite relevant to
the world. The issue with these car brands should not be a major problem to the rest
of the world.
Sufficient Supporting States
The two swing states I chose is Colorado and Ohio and I thin these two states are a great support
to gaining more votes. These states each have their own strengths and weaknesses but it should
increase our chances of winning. The statistics I have recorded should give a good visual
representation of the population knowledge that would benefit us.
Colorado

Income
100000
50000

Amount
in
Dollars $58244

0
Median Household Income

Income
Percenta
20
ge 10
12.9%
0
Percentage Below Poverty Line

Education

High School Graduate

percentage- 89.9%

Bacherlor's or Higher
Percentage - 36.7%

Bacherlor's or Higher
HighSchool Graduate

Ethnicity/Race

Hispanic or Latino

100

American Indian and Alask

Native

50
0

Native Hawaiian and Other

Pacific Islander
Black or African American

Age and Gender

20-34

35-54

Asian
White Only

55-69

70+

Ohio

Income

Income

Amount
100000
in dollars
50000
- $48,246
0
Median Household Income

20
10

Percenta
ge 15.4%

0
Percentage Below Povertyl Line

Education
HighSchool Graduate in
Percentage - 88.2%

Bacherlor's or HIgher
Percentage -24.7%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher

High School Graduate

Ethnicity/Race
100
50
40
300
20
10
0

Hispanic or Latino 3.3%

Native Hawaiian and Other

Pacific Islander - 0%
American Indian and Age
Alask and
Black/African
Gender American - 12.5
Native - 0.3%

20-34

35-54

55-69

Asian - 1.85
White - 83.4%
1
2
3
4
70+

Summary of an Obama and Romney Campaign Article

The article I read talks about how Obama took social media to a new level to gain a lead into his
campaign in 2012. With the use of Facebook and Twitter he has boasted a lot of followers and
shares to spread his message of "I'm in!". From his 2008 campaign that only consists of web,
texts, and emails it was not as superb as social media in 2012. In his previous campaign of 2008
he successfully raised $500 million because of his continual communications through texts and
email. These strategies Obama used has made a great challenge to Romney because utilizing
Facebook,Twitter, and Text he gained a great advantage. The article also explains that Facebook
was a key source in gaining more supporters. For example, "A recent study by the Pew Internet
& American Life Project found that Facebook users are more likely to engage in political activity
than someone who browses the Internet or uses other social media services"(Obama 2012
Campaign). Because more people are active in social media and especially how popular
Facebook is, campaigns used in it would be more enjoyable. There was also an introduction on
an app to track households and made easy for canvassers to search for new voters. Besides all of
this social media and apps, email was the number one use of making Obama having a successful
campaign. The article lastly talks about how it would be a digital age where online is a key role
in political campaigning. Where, whoever utilizes both Twitter and Facebook to gain the extra
lead over another in a presidential campaign between two candidates.

Reference List
Go, Youtube video, 1:01, posted by BarackObama.com, May 7, 2012,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0OVngTHkNg
Infoplease. "." Infoplease. http://www.infoplease.com/us/census/data/ohio/demographic.html
(accessed June 26, 2014).
Infoplease. "." Infoplease. http://www.infoplease.com/us/census/data/colorado/demographic.html
(accessed June 26, 2014).
"Right Choice, "Youtube video, 0:30, posted by "mittromney's channel, " Aug 7, 2012,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F4LtTlktm0
"The Choice" - Obama For America TV Ad, Youtube video, 1:01, posted by
BarackObama.com, July 23, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBorRZnqtMo
Thomas, Ken . "Obama 2012 Campaign To Go Beyond Email and Text." .
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110628/us-digital-obama/ (accessed June
25, 2014).
"United States Census Bureau." Colorado QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/08000.html (accessed June 26, 2014).
"United States Census Bureau." Ohio QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/39000.html (accessed June 26, 2014).
"Who Will Do More?" Youtube video, 0:31, posted by "mittromney's channel, Oct 28, 2012,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ8P04q6jqE