Creating a Powerful Movement - Ten Lessons from the Obama Campaign

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.clickafrique.com/Magazine/ST014/CP0000003264.aspx

Last Updated: 2/10/2009 9:36:30 PM

Obama’s inauguration into the White House has inspired millions of people around the world, with many also looking for change in their own country. We have highlighted ten lessons they can take from the Obama campaign to start their own grassroots movement.....

The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States has been heralded as a watershed moment in American history. Obama, at the time a junior senator from Illinois, overcame his more senior collages, Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Party nominations, and John McCain, in the presidential elections, to become the first African American president. Many analysts have pointed out that while a few things went in Obama’s favour, he ran the most effective and efficient campaign seen in very long time, probably ever, in American political history.

Many articles have been written analysing how Obama won the race to the White House, on an almost unprecedented wave of support from around the world, with some poignantly pointing out that it was almost as if his campaign had become a movement because of its wide appeal amongst Americans.

Obama’s election has inspired many around the world, some of whom will be looking to replicate his winning formula in reaching out to people. A search on Facebook.com reveals there are many Nigerian-centred advocacy groups, many clamouring for change in a country, which despite its great wealth, majority of its citizens live in poverty. Here are ten tips for those advocacy groups can turn themselves into an Obama-like movement and bring about the changes they desire.

1. Develop a Consistent Message
From the beginning throughout over the 18 month electoral campaign, Obama had one message and that message was “Change”. The word was everywhere in his campaign, and he was able to channel over the long campaign period. More importantly the word not only fitted in with the Obama’s views and promises, it hit a chord with the American public. Indeed, it was also a hit with the rest of the world, who were yearning to see a change of hands and policies coming out of Washington D.C.

Now contrast Obama’s message with that of Hillary Clinton and John McCain. Can’t think of anything? That is probably because they struggled to come up with a consistent message early in the campaign, and when they did settle on a message, it was not exactly resonate with want the public wanted. What they wanted was change and Obama had made sure from the very beginning that everybody knew that what exactly what his campaign was about.

“Change” is also a running them almost the online groups on Facebook. With some, it is imbedded in their name, such as “Movement for Positive Change Nigeria”, “I want to Change Nigeria”, “Ideas Capable of Changing Nigeria”. With others is generally implied – “The League for a Better Nigeria”, “Fixing Nigeria”

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