The Influentials
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Marc López Plana
a parte de estar muy metido
en el ámbito político,
es miembro de la asociación DNODUS
que promueve proyectos digitales
en el ámbito de la política
y la ciudadania.
Carol Darr es profesora adjunta
de políticas públicas en Harvard.
Se dedica a analizar las influencias
de las nuevas tecnologías
en los nuevos perfiles de votantes
como los votantes en blanco
o los abstencionistas.
Good evening Carol
Welcome to Barcelona
this nice place in Europe.
It's your first time in Barcelona
It is. Thank you for inviting me.
It's a beautiful city.
I want to ask you
about influentials.
That is your research
I think.
Yes.
I want to ask you about
what is the real origin
of your research?
There was a book that came out
about 3 or 4 years ago
called "The Influentials"
And the title of the book
says it all.
It say:
One american in ten
tells the other nine
who do vote for,
what to buy,
where the vacation,...
They are The Influentials
and it was written by
the president and the vice president
of a survey research firm
who said:
"We've done 30 years
of research and after survey
after survey, after survey,
we've come to realize
that 10% of the population
are the opinion leaders
and we call this opinion leaders:
Influentials
At George Washington University
we took that methodology
and apply it to politics.
And what we found was
in contrast to
the general population,
when 10% of the people
are Influentials,
69% of people involved
in online politics
are Influentials.
Really interesting, but
what is the real definition
of Influentials?
The Influentials are the people
who are the big networkers.
They were the people in high school
who were on the school newspaper,
and on a sports team,
and in the band,...
When they are young parents
they are people involved in
teachers association,...
They are people who's
laps extend beyond
home and family.
They are people who are out there.
Why it is always corporations
who identify first needs,
trends and innovations
and politics join them after?
Because so much more money
is involved in corporations.
You know,
McDonalds spends more in a year
on it's comercials
than Obama, McCain
and every other candidate
in the primary will spend
all together.
Yes but
politics is about people.
Is about money too.
It is, but
corporations and
selling their products
it's about people
and even more money.
But as socially with both
they are selling a product.
Both selling a product!
With this Influential's book
which is become the bases
of the hottest trend
in comercial marketing.
This world of mouth marketing
The people who did it
were working for corporations.
They were the ones who were paying for.
What George Washington Univeristy did
was to take that methodology
and apply to politics.
To what extent candidates
to the US Presidency are using
your study on the influentials
to make more money
or have more votes.
They are both using it.
Then in 2004 campaign,
when study first came out
called: "Online Political Influentials"
George Bush's campaign
sais it used
"The Influentials" book
and out research as
the bases of their campaign.
So....
Bush's campaign used it
and more broadly
what out study did
was to change
people's attitude,
campaign attitude,
and the presses attitude
about the nature of an online audience.
Before our study
people had regarded them as
a bunch of pimply-faced 18-year-old
living down on their basements.
And our study saw it was just the opposite.
It was the most influential people
in their comunities.
who were on the Internet.
What about Obama?
Is Obama's team using your research
about Influentials?
I think everybody
uses that research
because it changes
people's understanding.
I don't wanna take too much credit.
Obama is doing well
on the Internet
because of his unique
personal characteristics.
In the fact that he understands it.
But the candidates
who do well
on the Internet
are candidates
who are either very carismatic
or have a compelling message
or both.
And he is ver carismatic
so he is naturally someone who would do
well on the Internet.
And my last question for you is
What are your recomendations
about Influentials
for the Spanish politicians?
When you reach Influentials
you reach everybody else.
It is the quickest way
to get a message out
through out a community
it's to persuade the people
who are the opinion leaders
the trend setters.
And those opinion leaders
tend to be on the Internet.
Because they are
comunications experts.
They are always
reaching out for technology
that let's them comunicate.
So, again, If you want
to reach everybody
the best way to do it's
to reach them through the Influentials.
Best way to reach them
is on the Internet and
through other technology.
Thank you very much Carol
Thank you for inviting me, Marc