DA launch new site
by Fred on 20/02/09 at 9:37 am
6 comments
So yesterday I attended the unveiling of the new DA website at a press conference held at Mandela Rhodes Square in Cape Town. With a room packed full of journalists and bloggers, I was bitterly disappointed with the response.
The crowd was calm cool and collected. Everyone sat quietly through the whole thing; everyone nodded politely at the outlining of DA’s marketing strategy; and they all clapped when they saw the site being unveiled.
No one heckled the speakers, including Helen Zille, Ryan Coetzee and Ant Hazell (who took the audience through the various sections of the site). No tomatoes; no fights breaking out in the aisle and, worst of all, no shouts of ‘Obama rip-off!!‘
There wasn’t even an opposition party presence outside singing struggle songs!
Is this what a political press conference is supposed to be like? I was underwhelmed. I was expecting at least some drama, but this thing went off way, way too smoothly.
I almost wanted to organise a punch-up with Justin Hartman from Afrigator, just to liven things up.
On a side note, it was great to see the ’sphere represented, with Ron Bach (Amabacha), Chris Mills and some other familiar faces there
Anyway, let us know what you think of the site. You can also read more about it at The Heavy Chef blog.
Fred Roed is the marketing guy in the Ideate crew. He runs a web marketing company called World Wide Creative and loves writing about people out there doing marketing right. View more articles by Fred.
Stii
Feb 20th, 2009
Expect the punch-up to start online, I would venture a guess!
Here are a couple:
http://www.kilps.za.net/blog/2009/i-dont-think-the-da-gets-it/
http://www.moralfibre.co.za/2009/02/19/da-social-media/
And here is a link to watch this space:
http://afrigator.com/search/index/da%20social%20media
Now it remains to be seem if they can tame the bloggers. They asked for it, so they’re probably going to get it!
vince
Feb 20th, 2009
I’m almost glad I didn’t get the nod to go to this obviously important launch. I think their entire strategy is flawed, digital media isn’t an entity unto itself, as in the case of Obama’s campaign it both catalyzed and was catalyzed by offline conversation which centered on very proactive, down to earth campaign.
Now let’s hope @helenzille doesn’t get pissed because her twitter tone seems to suggest she’s quite brutal and very clinical – unless of course, dare I say it, her twitter team is really just an old linux box in the back of the DA Cape Town office.
Fred
Feb 20th, 2009
Haha Stii – we’re just surprised no one has thrown a brick through the World Wide Creative window yet…
As Andrew Smith was saying yesterday, when it’s a political party people take ownership over it, and it’s fair game for some pretty vehement criticism.
Chris M
Feb 20th, 2009
I have to agree, it was extremely calm indeed.
When I started asking my questions about how they were going to now drive traffic to the website, I realised that no strategy was in place at all and to push forwards on this matter is what I should have done, but I am no reporter..
Ants World
Feb 26th, 2009
[...] as well as Contribute to Change, our social networking platform for DA volunteers. A number of people have blogged about it, and I’d say the verdict is, on balance, positive. However, some of the [...]
Cherryflava
Feb 26th, 2009
Please – South Africans hardly get a hard on at a Metallica concert, not really surprised that they dont have anything meaningful to add in person at a political launch.
All the heckling happens online. Safe from the ass kickin they know will be heading their way if they have the balls to disagree in person.
The DA must go right ahead with their social media sites, billboards and Obama-like tactics. Whats the big problem? At least theyre giving it a full go. Better than sitting back and doing stuff all.