We all know that "money makes the world go ´round" (compare my blog entry "money wins elections"). But how did Obama and McCain spend it?
Short answer: Mostly for media, TV rules, Google is the winner.
Obama spent 38,3% for Media, 160 million for broadcast, 13,8 m print and 11,8 m for internet media - according to the Center of Resonsive Politics (CRP).
McCain spend 24,7% for Media, 63 million for broadcast, just 4,000 to print (?), 3 m on internet media.
Caution: High percentige of their expenditures are uncoded yet - so difficult to compare - gzzzz. (Media covers payments for advertising and media production, including TV and radio air time, print advertising, blast faxes, phone banks, Internet ads and media consultants. NOTE: All the numbers are for the 2008 election cycle and based on Federal Election Commission data released electronically on Saturday, October 25, 2008.)
Let's check a few other sources I stumbled across during my little research.
Caution: to my concern they do not match/add up at all with the CRP numbers.
TV/Web ad disparity
"...if the amount of money spent online is any indication, the first honest-to-goodness Internet election has yet to come." ClickZ
"Obama spent a record-shattering $293 million on TV ads between January 1, 2007, and October 29, 2008, according to TNS Media Intelligence. McCain spent $132 million during the same period." quoted from blog.wired
"According to preliminary estimates from Borrell Associates, overall spending will total $2.16 billion, with about $2 billion spent on traditional media, including TV and radio and $17.9 million spent online. quoted from MediawwekConclusion: less than 1 percent went toward the Web!
Why is that?
In the commercial advertising world, online ads are widely considered good for direct response efforts, but are used less for branding purposes. The same is true in the political sphere, where television is viewed as the ultimate persuasion medium and the Web more akin to direct mail -- mainly a fundraising vehicle. ClickZ
On CNN media expert Evan Tracy discussed the gap in ad spending between the Obama and McCain campaigns (video).Let's have a look at the online advertising efforts by the presidential campaigns. To bad, that according to ClickZ McCain's campaign hasn't broken out online ad expenditures in FEC filings.
Borrell expects streaming audio and video to account for 42 percent of all online ad spending, about $7.4 million. Paid search should make up 34 percent, or $6 million. Only $2.5 million or 14 percent will be spent on standard display ad formats, predicts Borrell. E-mail will take a 10 percent share, $1.8 million. quoted from ClickZPresident-elect Barack Obama's campaign "shelled out nearly $8 million through October to Google, Yahoo, Facebook, news Web sites, ad networks, and in-game ad firm Massive." ClickZGoogle is the winner - no suprise to me
Nearly 60 percent of Obama's online ad dollars went towards Google as of August, no numbers yet for October.
Obama for President January-August 2008 online ad spendings - source ClickZ
Google: $3,311,253
Yahoo: $706,005
Centro: $600,252
Microsoft/MSN: $247,522
Turner/CNN.com: $215,200
Facebook: $111,974
Politico: $97,328
Advertising.com: $80,000
Broadband Enterprises: $80,000
Community Connect (BlackPlanet.com): $64,420
Keep in mind that some of the google money is trickling down to other sites via the AdSense network.Main purpose of web ads
According to ClickZ, "the presidential hopefuls relied on web ads almost entirely for building supporter lists and garnering donations."More numbers about number of TV ads and where placed, TV coverage or News traffic etc can be found at Nielsen Wire.
With all the numbers I hope I didn`t get confused and all mixed up. If you find any error or better data, please leave a comment.
Where does all the money come from? Some parts from Sillicon Valley.
"Employees of the computer and Internet industry contributed five times as much to Obama's presidential campaign than to Republican opponent John McCain, $7.3 million to $1.4 million." And: "The communications/electronics sector gave five times as much to Obama than to McCain, $21.6 million to $4.3 million." CRP.
