Obama Campaign's Online Advertising Soared in January

WASHINGTON -- The amount President Barack Obama's reelection committee spent on online advertising surged in January to $4.26 million, according to federal reports.

A disclosure report filed with the Federal Election Commission on Feb. 17 showed that the campaign spent nearly as much in January as it did for online ads during all of 2011 -- a total of $5.07 million.

The campaign's single biggest online ad buy, which came in January this year, was used to tout a Labor Department graphic showing private sector job growth during Obama's first term. The 15-second video ad showing an animated version of the Labor Department chart is featured in the campaign's advertising across the web, including on the video streaming service Hulu.

In contrast, the campaign reported spending only $3.1 million on television media buys, which are far more expensive than online advertising. The television ad buy included one ad in response to a major advertising campaign from the conservative nonprofit Americans for Prosperity.

Obama continues to stand head-and-shoulders above the Republican candidates in terms of online advertising. The campaign spent $800,000 more on online advertising in January than all of the Republican candidates combined spent in 2011.

The top online advertiser among the Republican candidates is Mitt Romney, who spent $2.45 million on online ads in 2011. None of the Republicans have released their campaign reports covering January yet; they have until Monday.

The majority of the Obama campaign's spending on online ads went through the online advertising firm Bully Pulpit Interactive, founded by the digital marketers of the 2008 Obama campaign. Since the campaign reports spending to Bully Pulpit, it does not list the individual advertisers that received payments from the campaign.

Comments

[FastPlastic]

12:30 PM on 02/18/2012

Considering HuffPost looked like it was owned by Obama for a good month or two. This really doesn't come as much of a surprise.

[MoreFreedom]

12:19 PM on 02/18/2012

Not only does Obama court favorable stories in the media by buying advertising, he also spins up the revolving door between government and the media by hiring 19 reporters and media executives for jobs in the administrator or organizations working on his re-election.

Those familiar with the media industry, know that the media doesn't bite the hands of those that feed it (provide them advertising revenue). And journalists or media execs also know they won't get any of those overpaid government jobs if they write articles that are seen as unfavorable to the politicians.

[poshman2]

09:31 AM on 02/18/2012

I voted for Obama in '08. I understand and, for the most part, agree with the thoughtful Obama defenders who point out the obstructionist Congress and powerul corporate lobbies that the President has to contend with. Still, I'm very troubled by his signing into law on the New Year's Eve of 2012 The National Defense Authorization Act. Many scholars claim that this law authorizes the arrest by law enforcement of persons who the President suspects are terrorists. Apparently, under the law, the arrestee can be held indefinitely without charges, legal representation, or judicial process. Obama issued a signing statement saying that he won't enforce the law in this way, but that says nothing of what future presidents might do. In my view, to the extent that we sacrifice our civil liberties or freedoms, that used to make America so special, under the guise of making us "safer", we have already lost the so-called War on Terror. We have allowed the terrorists to errode America's fundamental unifying principle of justice and liberty. Many informed commentators suspect that Obama is paving the way for the imposition of marshal law once the sentiment of The Arab Spring permeates Main Street U.S.A. I'm hoping that readers will help convince me to still vote for Obama for reasons other than merely the lesser of two evils.

[MDCA]

09:55 AM on 02/18/2012

You need to make your own decision on this one. I sat out voting in 2000 and 2004 because I was a Republican at the time, but hated W. from the start. In 2008, I was waiting to see who the Republicans nominate. Once McCain was picked, I knew I would not be voting again, until Obama won the Democratic nomination. On that day, I switched party affiliation. Although I do not agree with some of Obama's decisions, I am wholeheartedly a supporter and admirer of the President. Good luck with the soul searching.

[kpacvt]

12:44 PM on 02/19/2012

Obviously you've made a huge mistake unless your a communist

[shershomenow]

10:27 AM on 02/18/2012

I agree he is the lesser of the two evils. I am beginning to believe that the Republicans want him re-elected. With campaign financing as it is, corporations chose who we get to vote for. President Obama has continued and pushed for too many of President Bush's policies, trade agreements, Patriot Act, etc. It will take a Democrat to eliminate Social Security. Is President Obama that democrat? He placed it on the table during budget negotiations even though SS is not part of the budget. Is this the Republican agenda? Get a right leaning dem in office, to push Republican agenda, and turn democratic votes away from the party for the next generation? Lesser of the two evils, shameful that is our choice.

[l78lancer]

01:12 AM on 02/18/2012

Although Obama is the master of the game of online advertizing and fund raising, it will be interesting to see if the GOP pushes hard to catch up or if they rely on outside support.

[MDCA]

09:57 AM on 02/18/2012

Republicans do not have the intellect and the savvy. They are too busy concerning themselves with America's collective vagina.

[l78lancer]

04:11 PM on 02/18/2012

OMG...LOL! Now there's a vision for you...

You get the Gold Star for today.

F/F.

[kpacvt]

12:44 PM on 02/19/2012

you're in for a huge surprise

[MUDPUPPY]

11:50 PM on 02/17/2012

Obama won't have to worry about a job after 2012. He will be able to make millions speaking and fundraising. He has proved that he is proficient in those areas if noting else.

[Hooponopono]

02:05 AM on 02/18/2012

"if nothing else" I guess:

1. Preventing the second great depression that we were plunging towards the day Obama was sworn in doesn't count.
2. After seeing Bush lose 4 million jobs in 7 months, seeing Obama create 3.8 million net new jobs, a 7.7 million jobs improvement doesn't count.
3. I guess that getting Bin Laden doesn't count.
4. This list goes to 223 more line items that don't count.

[respiratorymandl]

04:44 AM on 02/18/2012

you are correct ..however you got the year wrong 2017

[MUDPUPPY]

11:15 PM on 02/17/2012

President John F. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country."
Obama says, "Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what your country can do for you."

[Hooponopono]

02:06 AM on 02/18/2012

BS !

[cbsguards]

10:33 AM on 02/18/2012

Realy and when did he say that? Betting that you said it and hope he does since it would sound nice. No one buys your lie get on board or hate your President another 4 years

[opiniongirl18]

11:07 PM on 02/17/2012

te second OBAMA GIRL == IS GOING TO WACTH TV with mom and dad and some company = but i wanna wish all of you who are my friends a happy healthy life with happiness love and best wishes to you and all your prescious loved ones to to all of you have a great night no sex tonight republicans are wacthing you == just beying funny == sweet dreams and blessings and i LOVE YOU ALL NIGHT

[mater]

07:43 AM on 02/18/2012

Try decaf

[steve11407]

10:30 PM on 02/17/2012

Smoke and mirrors. When the campaign starts in earnest it will all be fleshed out.

[cbsguards]

10:34 AM on 02/18/2012

Good point the country will see the 23 months of growth the Leadership the improvements next to the NO NO NO they are hurting us party

[castlemike]

10:24 PM on 02/17/2012

http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/giant-sucking-sound-california

President Obama was in town, fundraising.

His first stop in San Francisco after a breakfast fundraiser in Southern California was the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental on Nob Hill. $38,500 a person.

With 70 people attending, the take was $2.7 million. Then they drove to a fundraiser at a private home in the Pacific Heights neighborhood NO REPORTERS ALLOWED.

Also $38,500 a person, 70 people, $2.7 million. A cool $5.4 million between the two. It’s all very democratic. The elite got to buy access to the President and got to bend his ear.

Then in the evening, finally, there was a fundraiser for the hoi polloi at the Nob Hill Masonic Center. 2,500 people paid $100 or more for their tickets.

And they got what they expected: after hobnobbing all day with some of the richest people in California, Obama remembered ... the middle class. During his 30-minute speech, he promised to do what he could to improve their lot—having suddenly become a populist.

But unlike the intimate groups of the prior two fund raisers, these attendees got no access. Their hundred bucks just gave them an opportunity to see him on stage in the distance, and later, some of them got to shake his hand.

But when a couple of people did speak up against him and made their way down the aisle, they were promptly removed—not arrested and not shot, just thrown out. No dissent allowed.

[LeslieNeilson]

11:18 PM on 02/17/2012

I not only shook his hand,I reached out to touch the hem of his garment. With tears rolling down my cheeks and eyes staring up at him,,,,I felt that it was selfish to see his demise. By none other than a Repuglician.

[respiratorymandl]

04:48 AM on 02/18/2012

sorry your confused the nightmare begins for republicans on 11/6/2012 as they are swept from office and banished from politics for the next 20 yrs.

[LeslieNeilson]

11:21 PM on 02/17/2012

Amazing what a billion of hopefuls dollars will do.Like buy the election.

[gulamon]

09:24 PM on 02/17/2012

Not impressed - you should see the years previous to the crash.

[Byron Sarge Watson]

08:24 PM on 02/17/2012

President Barack Obama "Lets stay together" for 4 more years you have earned it

[blissnsmiles]

08:42 PM on 02/17/2012

Yeah, he should give up his day job and sing backup for Al.

[WellReadAussie2]

09:12 PM on 02/17/2012

Not nice!!

[rockysparks]

09:21 PM on 02/17/2012

Why sing backup when you can sing leadership?

[WellReadAussie2]

09:11 PM on 02/17/2012

Nice!!

[efffox]

07:30 PM on 02/17/2012

Love that graph!! Go get 'em Mr. President!!

[blissnsmiles]

08:44 PM on 02/17/2012

Yeah, go get those Americans and put them in indefinite detention!

[efffox]

09:03 PM on 02/17/2012

It was started under Bush and no Republican would change a thing.

[WellReadAussie2]

09:12 PM on 02/17/2012

Nice!!

[Bryant Wikins]

06:53 PM on 02/17/2012

Obama 2012

[ArizonaDavid]

07:57 PM on 02/17/2012

FOUR MORE YEARS, FOUR MORE YEARS, FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!!!!!



OBAMA 2012

[Osmona]

08:07 PM on 02/17/2012

CO-SIGN

F/F

[blissnsmiles]

08:46 PM on 02/17/2012

No more years, no more years, no more years! And thus, no more war!

[Osmona]

08:06 PM on 02/17/2012

CO-SIGN

F/F

[blissnsmiles]

08:46 PM on 02/17/2012

Barf.