Politics Collide With Mobile As Election Day Nears
Recently, we commented on the lack of activity around mobile device-based campaigns in the political space – surprising given the impending presidential election. We also noted that while things had been fairly quiet in the U.S., there were some innovative election-based services coming out of the U.K. With tomorrow being election day, we have seen a sudden influx of U.S.-based wireless players jumping on the bandwagon.
While seemingly last-minute, it makes perfect sense for the wireless industry to leverage the mobile device as a communications tool to cover the election results. According to an article in RCR Wireless News, a slew of election-based services will be offered tomorrow in hopes of exploiting the buzz around tomorrow’s race for the White House to attract mainstream consumers to the world of mobile content.
Some of the sites and services outlined in the article include: the partnership between Associated Press and U.S. Cellular to launch an on-deck site focused on election content; Campaign Tracker, a free app for Microsoft Windows Mobile-enabled phones from NewsGator, based on WashingtonPost.com and Newsweek content; and Slate.com’s interactive polling application for iPhones.
I think it’s safe to say that the paradigm shift in mobile politics has already begun, and it will be interesting to see where wireless providers take the election in 2012.
- Stacey Infantino
Tags: mobile content, wireless industry