Kennedy, Markey spending big on social media

The contentious Democratic primary between Rep. Joe Kennedy III and Sen. Ed Markey is fast becoming the first major Massachusetts race to feature big spending on social media advertising as the platform has surged in the 2020 presidential contest.

Kennedy has spent slightly more than Markey, funneling $167,000 into digital ads since the Brookline Democrat announced his challenge of incumbent Markey last September. Markey has spent $110,000, according to figures gathered by the media tracking firm Advertising Analytics.

But Kennedy has spent more than $500,000 on ads for Facebook and Instagram since the platform started tracking political spending in May 2018, while Markey has spent $154,000 in the same time.

“In the modern age of campaigning we understand the importance of creating online communities that are active, dynamic, and inclusive,” said Kennedy’s digital campaign director Roger Lis, adding that their focus continues to be meeting voters face to face.

Democrats jockeying to become the 2020 presidential nominee have spent more than $600 million this cycle on social media, focusing on Facebook in particular where users are generally older and more likely to vote.

“Some of the early spending in these campaigns is actually dominated by social platform ads,” said Eric Haggstrom, a forecasting analyst for digital research firm eMarketer. “What these candidates and campaigns are using the digital advertising to do is solicit donations as well as get new email addresses and expand their contacts.”

Social media advertising’s popularity skyrocketed after President Trump’s 2016 campaign successfully used Facebook to connect with supporters, and is now becoming integrated into congressional campaigns.

“You see it across the presidential field and in a lot of House and Senate races. Everyone is adopting these techniques,” said Haggstrom.

Markey’s campaign emphasized a focus on door-to-door campaigning but indicated an interest in growing its media campaign.

“We are constantly expanding our social media presence by producing innovative and creative content on multiple platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube,” said Markey campaign manager John Walsh.

And digital ads can only take a candidate so far, Haggstrom said. Television spending continues to dominate most political races, with an expected 66% share of political advertising across all mediums in the 2020 cycle.

“Despite the boom in digital ad spending, TV still offers strong reach, especially among older Americans who are likely to vote,” Haggstrom said.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2T4FJfm