Crowdfunding is really just another moniker for funding projects. Really. In the Internet era of Social klout and a mobile populace, technology is available to leverage social / mobile into funding for whatever the imagination can capture and sell to the virtual masses. Efficiencies have leveled the information playing field and now (or soon) everyone can play at the same table.
In the season of a Presidential cycle, I think it is appropriate to point out that campaigns have evolved dramatically too. The days of direct mail dominance have been replaced by robocalls, home page takeovers and political spam.
Mitt Romney has over 1.5 Million “Followers” on Twitter. Barack Obama has over 31 Million “Likes” on Facebook.
All of this social love is designed to do two things: Vote and give money. Lots of it. Face it political campaigns are a form of Crowdfunding. It used to be the bastion of fat cats, corporate PACS, unions and “Independent”groups but, while their influence is still prevalent the growth in individual outreach has been dramatic.
The 2012 Election will be the most expensive to date. Estimated totals are pushing over $4.2 Billion through this past Sunday. Expectations are for that amount to breach the $6 Billion mark. The previous cycle raised a mere $3.8 Billion in 2008. That’s quite an economic stimulus.
The Obama campaign has claimed that 98% of its donations are small at $200 or less. And they donate online via the most massive Crowdfunding campaign of all time.
So has technology improved the effieciency and efficacy of our elected leaders? The question, at least in my mind, remains open. So today the voting population will elect, or crowdsource, our next President. Best of luck to all.
