The role of data collection and interactive marketing needs to be thoroughly examined in relation to political campaigns, as it will contribute to the further manipulation of voters and the political process (an issue we track). This excerpt from this week’s New Yorker on John McCain’s campaign, via comments from his aide (and former VP Cheney staffer) Steve Schmidt, reflects what was going on back in 2004. Note the phrase “anger points,” and consider how the growing role of interactive data collection and behavioral targeting could be used to stroke the flames of irrationality [something both parties and others will use]. Schmidt said that while working for Pres. Bush’s re-election in 2004 [our emphasis] “we targeted voters not where they lived but how they lived their lives, in the same way that credit-card companies do.†He went on, “And so we know, for instance, that among independent voters there are life styles and behaviors that identify them as Republicans or Democrats. For example, the GMC Yukon is a Republican vehicle, and Volvos and Subarus are the most Democratic vehicles. Republicans have Fiji water preferences, versus Democrats, who have Evian water preferences. You have a huge grouping of consumer data, so you can micro-target messages to common groups, finding pleasure points and anger points on issues.â€
From: On the Bus: Can John McCain Reinvent Republicanism? Ryan Lizza. New Yorker. Feb. 25, 2008.
