The Obama campaign now has the email addresses of an army of supporters.

Will they respect their permission asset?

I hope so.

Understood. But the point here is that it’s information delivered the way the user wants it, when they want it.

I like notifications via SMS myself, too. Then I can go out and get the whole story using via Twitter, CNN or anywhere else I choose.

I don’t disagree with you that this benefits supporters more than anyone else. But believe it or not, there are people on the fence now. My nephew is one of them. He’s in law school and wants to fully understand both sides. He’s reading McCain and Obama’s books, visiting the websites and absorbing as much information as he can regarding both candidates.

One of the most important things to him: Each candidate’s VP selection.

@Denise You’re right…who knows what will tip the scales? My argument is simply that people who sign up for a particular politician’s SMS messages is not “on the fence”.

Thanks for weighing in. I appreciate you speaking up and asking a question that needs answering.

The Obama campaign is speaking to ‘customers’ and ‘prospects’ using their medium of choice. Whether its through the mass media, video, podcasts, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and in this case—text messaging.

The Obama campaign appears to be media neutral—they deliver their message the way people want to receive it.

If we bring this example back to business, let’s say my credit union offered me the opportunity to learn if my account dropped below $2k via email, I’d appreciate it. But I’d actually prefer to receive that notice via SMS too.

That’s more than good marketing. That’s good business.

It’s the type of thing that people appreciate and then share with others.

I’ve held off on talking about the Obama campaign’s marketing because everyone is seemingly talking about it.

But their use of SMS notifications is another first in a long line of grassroots marketing tactics that have fundamentally changed the way politicians will get elected from here on.

What’s more, they’ve shown marketers new ways to engage customers and prospects using new media in an integrated and open way.

I think I know – I’m still on the fence…..and had “heard” that McCain doesn’t even know how to get into his email. He has “people” do that for him. Not that that won’t make him a good leader……but………damn you PhotoShop and your ability to put the Obama man on the iPhone!!! I may want to be part of that camp……

It’s a whole new ball game……..you never know what’s gonna tip the scales (or increase sales). The fact that his people are even thinking about this is brilliant. Scary. But brilliant.

Or am I missing something?