Revolution Forum: London 2012 turns to Obama for social media advice

by Gareth Jones, revolutionmagazine.com 02-Jul-09, 11:52

LONDON - The organisers of London 2012 are working with the brains behind Barack Obama's presidential election campaign to utilise social media in the run up to the Olympic Games.

LOCOG (London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games) has been working with Obama's digital marketing gurus to develop a social media strategy aimed at engaging users via Facebook, Twitter and other sites ahead of the London 2012 games.

Speaking at the Revolution Forum, Alex Balfour, head of new media at LOCOG, said social networks will play a key role building interest in the forthcoming games. LOCOG has already launched My2012, an initiative tracking the public's involvement in the games.

Barack Obama used social media to great effect in his recent election campaign, with mybarackobama.com creating a community of millions of American voters.

During the course of Obama's social media campaign, Apple's iPhone, BlackBerry apps and Google Android emerged as powerful marketing tools, while the growth of Facebook and Twitter also exploded.