LABOUR leadership contender Ed Miliband sent me a text message on Saturday.
“Hi it’s Ed Miliband,” it read. “Hope you don’t mind me contacting you about the leadership election. Can I count on your support? Reply Y or N. To opt-out text stop to 86888.”
I didn’t reply, immediately. But i did immediately give Miliband 10 out of 10 for using new technology effectively in a political campaign.
There are parallels with Obama’s scintillating campaign in the States two long years ago, of course. Texts were used to notify supporters of Obama’s choice of Joe Biden as running mate as he continually set the pace for digital communications throughout.
Miliband claims that he has recruited 1,300 potential new recruits as a result of the SMS stunt.
That’s not a bad result for an afternoon’s work – beats leafletting any day of the week.
But Miliband has done more than that. With one well-executed idea, he has shown a) mastery of a new communications medium b) the willingness to engage in a two-way conversation with his electorate.
No doubt other candidates will follow his lead in the run-up to the election at the end of September.
But Miliband has stolen a valuable march on them.
The challenge for the successful candidate in future, will be to embed such communications firmly at the centre of political campaigning.
And to do it with some style.
