This is not a partisan post, but rather an observation on what we can learn about gathering data and then leveraging it to produce maximum ROI. The Obama campaign recognizes the power of data, and uses it  to build their brand, involve supporters in a dynamic experience and create a highly intelligence-based approach to understanding their supporters.

Here is the first page that comes up when you go to Obama’s Web site.  Pretty simple, yet a well crafted data-collection tool.  It’s a good illustration of how to develop an personal conversation with your target.

There was an informative article on cnn.com today from Leslie Sanchez entitled, “Obama’s high-tech edge in presidential politics.” A self-identifed Republican, Sanchez was director of the Bush White House Initiative on Hispanic Education from 2001 to 2003 and is the author of “Los Republicanos: Why Hispanics and Republicans Need Each Other.” She is not a paid consultant to any current candidate. Sanchez is CEO of the Impacto Group, which specializes in market research about women and Hispanics for its corporate and nonprofit clients.  It’s a good read and offers further insight into how the Obama campaign is taking data and using it in ways here-to-fore not used in political campaigning.

As marketers search for strategies to improve their overall ROI, I think there’s a lesson to be learned here.  Take a few minutes and see if you can identify all of the opportunities the Obama campaign gives visitors to share information … just like the hidden pictures in Highlight’s Magazine. That dates me.