A great deal has been written about why Barack Obama won the election. In most analyzes, new-media is given a prominent role. The power of blogs, his use of Youtube, text messaging, web sites, and even the fact that Obama is a Blackberry addict have been cited as proof that new media played a major role in his victory. At least that's what the new-media pundits want you to believe.
Well the numbers are in, and of the $2.5 Billion spent this election cycle, $2.2 Billion went to television. Something like less than $300,000 to $500,000 went to other media. That means nearly 90% of media dollars went to television.
An analysis of Obama's spending by tns media intellegence estimates that Obama outspent John McCain two to one in television. The Obama campaign ran at least 117 unique TV ads in more than 430,000 airings. It turns out that McCain spent $30 Million less on television than John Kerry did in 2004.
TNS does give radio some credit. They note that in 2008, Obama's playbook was a throwback to the past. Saying that what was old, was new again, they identified the three key elements as network television, long form ads, and yes, even radio.
Your next campaign needs television too. It remains the best marketing tool to reach potential listeners. Social networking, email campaigns, and all the other new-media alternatives still don't have the impact of an effective television campaign.