Successful Campaign that Shirky Would Agree With?
In the time of the Obama campaign, many use social media to create MyBarackObama.com and myBO.com that allowed many citizens to participate and to help the situation. People positively use social media to spread the message they were going for. Even after Obama changed his mind about his decision on the FISA bill that upset many, people realize that Obama never shut them down or did anything shady against the group. He allowed the people to voice their own opinion however they like as he understood and addresses the situation to the people.
“ I have considered the issue. I understand where you are coming from. But having considered it all, I’m still going to vote the way I’m going to vote. But I wanted to reach out to you and say, I understand that you disagree with me, and I’m going to take my lumps on this one“ -Obama.
Obama’s response allowed people to become mature people as it allowed the people to realized their role in myBO.com. The role that did not consist of controlling their supporter but to convene them. The way the people understood their role in the situation is what Shirky refers to as the mature use of social media.
In February 2020, I noticed Starbuck did a campaign that positively used social media. The brand campaign of #whatisyourname allows people to focus on their identity and to feel accepted. Starbuck partnership with an organization called Mermaids which is an organization that supports gender diverse groups and transgender. Many can go on social media such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and post #whatisyourname. I feel like Starbucks did well with this campaign as they led with the values and a clear hashtag that work with their campaign. Starbucks made an advertisement that addresses the issue and allows people to tweet the hashtag for a cause. Starbuck is already known for writing down the customer name when they ordered a drink so I believe it works well. I believe Shirky would consider that a good use of social media since it allows people to spread and support positivity. Although there will always be those that disagree with the cause, Starbuck was able to win over many by standing up for the people and having their own supporting group which Shirky probably would agree with.
