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Posted by Kate Butler Apr 4, 2007 |
The federal Liberals have begun to launch a campaign this week to attract young voters to their party by using You Tube and Facebook to advertise their message. The Liberals have decided to use these decidedly 'young' mediums in an attempt to play to the grassroots side of the party.
Although Stephen Harper and all other party leaders claim that they do not want an election, there seems to be increasing evidence to the contrary. The Conservatives showed off their high-tech war room this week, and the NDP have also shown that they are getting ready to fight another election.
Some of the ads being shown on You Tube, such as the one showcasing the leadership abilities of Stephane Dion, and how other political leaders have all touted Dion's horn at various points in time, are not that different than advertisements that could potentially be shown on television. However, there are other ads, including one that uses the Price is Right theme song, that are certainly a bit different than what we might expect from a tv commercial.
While You Tube has become relatively mainstream, it is still somewhat of a surprise to see that Stephane Dion has joined the Facebook community, but I suppose it's not a bad idea: this is a way for Dion to connect with youth, which is supposedly something he did extremely well during his leadership campaign, and gain a visible presence across the country.
What the Liberals must avoid, however, is the appearance of using these new media tools as simple political ploys. To have any lasting impression at all, the You Tube commercials, and the Facebook stunt, must be seen as true gestures of support and encouragement to the grassroots of the Liberal Party. Otherwise, they will be seen as a colossal waste of both time and money by Liberals in particular and Canadians in general.