Record digital dollars are driving the USA election campaign – what can Australian marketers learn?

The United States presidential election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Kamala Harris is now leading a historic US$370 million U.S. cross-media campaign dominated by digital spending and targeting Gen Z. Meanwhile, the Australian federal election must be held by May 2025, and this week, Albanese targeted WA with traditional investments in crucial seats. So, what can Australian marketers learn from the US presidential election campaigns?

MUMBRELLA STAFF

September 3, 2024 9:33

Record digital dollars are driving the USA election campaign – what can Australian marketers learn?

Carolyn Kaster/AP

As the US Presidential campaigning enters the final stretch of its most digitally intense presidential election, is Australia’s forthcoming federal election, due by May 2025, poised to follow suit?

Kamala Harris has amassed US$540 million in political donations and is beginning to execute a groundbreaking US$370 million cross-media campaign. US$200 million will be dedicated to digital platforms like YouTube, Hulu, and Spotify, marking a new era in political advertising. From September 3 to November 5, this campaign is laser-focused on engaging Gen Z voters through memes, viral content, and strategic social media efforts.

This digital strategy has lessons from an awkward history and the tactics used by Cambridge Analytica during the 2016 U.S. election. The Trump campaign was alleged to have used digital data mining and micro-targeting to sway voter opinions.

In contrast, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is currently relying on more traditional campaigning methods. His recent activities in Western Australia – a critical battleground state – highlight this approach.

Announcements of key infrastructure investments, such as an $8 million Murdoch University plastics innovation hub and a $250 million electric bus terminal, are part of his broader strategy to secure votes in this region. These investments are crucial for Labor, especially given that their gains in WA during the last federal election were pivotal in securing a majority government.

As Australian politicians prepare for the upcoming election, the influence of U.S. digital strategies will be impossible to ignore. The lessons from Harris’s campaign, particularly the extensive use of digital advertising and social media engagement, will likely be integrated into Australian campaigns, pushing them to evolve beyond traditional methods.