Executives face to face, Challenges

The latest comment for the German PR magazine PR Report was provided by Ana Laura Espósito from Espósito Marketing, GlobalCom PR-Network partner in Argentina. The article was published in the October issue of the magazine (see image). This is the English version of Ana Laura’s comment.

In Argentina, 2011 is a year with elections and political-economic definitions. It was voted mayor, congressmen and senators. Finally and most importantly, in October 23th will be elected President of the Nation.

Prior to this, the change in electoral law: from now on all politicians must undergo primary elections, open and mandatory in order to present their candidates for president. But there is one thing: those who fail to at least 400,000 votes in these elections, would not likely be submitted in October.

This scenario was not very encouraging for the “Partido frente de Izquierda,” who began their campaign with a television spot where the candidate Jorge Altamira, without euphemisms or metaphors, called reach 400,000 votes looking straight to camera. More than a political campaign, seemed a solidarity campaign. After a few days of broadcast TV, during a radio interview with the influential entertainment journalist Jorge Rial (858,453 followers), it appears the idea of publishing Twitter hashtag # unmilagroparaaltamira. The hash, which started as comic, became a Trending Topic in a few days.

The relay on social networks of information that arises in traditional media, the viral effect and immediacy, force us to think more strategically and in detail any communications campaign. The example of a TV spot in the field of politics is enhanced by the ability of Twitter, Facebook and any other platform of its kind and the results are obvious. What remains to be unveiled is the way this new communication status and will travel if at some point many of the variables that appear as out of control methodology can be under some strategic methodology..

The universe of social networks, which cannot be considered in isolation from other areas relating to information, is still in its testing phase or its beginning, at least in the field of the public. There are many questions posed by new technology applications and their language, which formalities are still considering. Trial and error seems to be the guide of many strategies. The certainties are few and the effects can still generating uncertain.

Anyway the facts are revealed strong and indicate caution: in just 15 days “Partido Frente de Izquierda” in  Argentina could achieve more than 500,000 votes and was entitled to stand for election in October. Now the question is: which will be the #hashtag to reach the presidential chair?