Memorandum

To: Romney Campaign

CC: Professor Nesbit
From: Jessica Sanclemente (Campaign Consultant for Candidate Smith)
Date: !"!#$%&
Re: 'nalysis of the #$%# Presidential (lection
Introduction
)he #$%# Presidential (lection *as *on my President +ara, -bama. )his analysis *ill loo, more
closely at *hat made President -bamas Campaign so successful. /t *ill ser0e as a guide in the #$%"
Presidential (lection campaign.
Analysis of the facts
Campaign Commercials
)he -bama campaign commercials sought to sho* ad0ersity1 progress and had a moti0ating theme of
mo0ing for*ard. )he commercials highlighted some of the -bama administrations achie0ements1
such as1 the death of -sama +in 2aden1 the return of many soldiers1 and the rescue of the auto
industry. )he commercials also laid out challenges that need to be faced1 such as1 the national debt1
and rebuilding the middle class1 healthcare and education. )he commercials reach out to middle class
citi3ens1 they utili3e *ell li,ed public figures to present the information and music that inspires and
embodies the true 'merican spirit.
)he Romney campaign produced a lot of negati0e commercials. )he music used in the Romney
commercials taps into 0oters insecurities. /t ma,es people *orried about the issues and the opposing
candidate. )he commercials highlight negati0e comments made by President -bama1 li,e 40ote for
re0enge and you didnt build your business on your o*n.5 )he comments are true but it is not clear
under *hat conte6t they ha0e been said that ma,es the comments less effecti0e. S*ing states ha0e to
see campaign commercials repeatedly throughout the campaign and negati0e ads can become 0ery
ineffecti0e because the public becomes irritated and o0er*helmed by the negati0ity. )he Romney
campaign also focused their efforts on appealing to small business o*ners in -hio by saying 4/n
-hio 7e +uilt /t.5 Romney tried to con0ince -hio to support him by saying President -bama
insulted e0ery entrepreneur and inno0ator in 'merica by saying 4small business o*ners didnt build
their companies on their o*n.5 'lthough1 great effort by the Romney campaign *as put into *inning
-hio the -bama campaign had already co0ered -hio by rescuing the auto industry.
S*ing States
Colorado
Colorado is a state that has been ,no*n to s*ing either republican or democrat. )he -bama
Campaign *on the Colorado 0ote in #$$8 and did so again in #$%# by focusing their efforts on t*o
different groups9 the 2atino 0ote *hich ma,es up #%: of the population and 0oters bet*een the ages
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May 6, 2014
of %8;#& *hich ma,e up #.: of the 0oting population. )he -bama campaign ran %<1#<# spots on
Spanish;language )= stations1 compared *ith <1&< for Romney. )he -bama campaign also focused
on Colorados younger population in cities that ha0e ma>or uni0ersity campuses li,e ?en0er and
+oulder.
/o*a
)he -bama Campaign also *on the support of /o*a by appealing to9 0oters under <$ years old that
ma,e up #: of the 0oter population1 middle;aged 0oter from & to "& that ma,e up @<: of the 0oter
population and 0oters o0er the age of " that represent %&.A: of /o*a residents. )he campaign also
focused on issues concerning the state such as social security1 farming and rene*able energy.
Social Media
)he -bama campaign ne* the importance of utili3ing social media. )hey spent &@ million dollars on
digital campaigning. )he Romney campaign only spent &.@ million on digital campaigning. )he
Romney campaign decided to in0est money into a program called -rca. /ts purpose *as to help get
as many republican 0oters to the polls as possible but the program failed to *or, pro0ing to be a bad
in0estment. Social media sites li,e Baceboo, and )*itter played a 0ery influential role throughout the
campaign1 during the presidential debates and on election night. )hey helped encourage 0oting and
promoted the candidates1 as *ell as1 the issues through posts and t*eets. Social media created a *eb
of -bama supporters and Romney supporters. +efore the digital era 0oters didnt announce *ho they
*ere 0oting in the #$%# Presidential campaign #: of -bama supporters and #$: of Romney
supporters announced *ho they *ere 0oting for through social media.
Conclusion
/t is e0ident that the decisions made by the -bama Campaign *ere prudent and effecti0e. )hey
fought ferociously for s*ing state 0otes1 made use of social media1 and created appealing
commercials that reached out to middle class citi3ens. 'll of these choices made a strong campaign
that can ser0e as a model for future candidates.
Cnited States Census +ureau. State & County QuickFacts Iowa. 2ast modified9 )hursday1 #@;Mar
#$%& '0ailable9 http9!!Duic,facts.census.go0!Dfd!states!%A$$$.html E%# 'pr. #$%&F.
Cnited States Census +ureau. Voting and Registration in Election of November !"#$etailed
%ables. 2ast modified9 )hursday1 #@;Mar;#$%& '0ailable9
http9!!***.census.go0!hhes!***!socdemo!0oting!publications!p#$!#$%#!tables.htm E%# 'pr. #$%&F.
?eborah 7hite1 4/o*a in #$%# (lections15 &bout'com '0ailable9
http9!!usliberals.about.com!od!+attlegroundStates#$%#!a!/o*a;/n;#$%#;(lections.htm E%# 'pr. #$%&F
?eborah 7hite1 4Colorado in #$%# (lections15 &bout'com( '0ailable9
http9!!usliberals.about.com!od!+attlegroundStates#$%#!a!Colorado;/n;#$%#;(lections.htm E%# 'pr.
#$%&F
P+S =ideo. G-bama spent %$ times as much on social media as Romeny.G 'ccessed9 'pril %<1 #$%&.
http9!!0ideo.pbs.org!0ideo!#<$@&@#$!.
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May 6, 2014
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