Digital media disrupts US money politics

Political common wisdom claims a campaign does not start until it runs its first television commercial. But in the 2016 US presidential race, the unexpected rise of candidates such as Bernie Sanders and Ben Carson, who are polling ahead of deeper-pocketed establishment rivals, is showing the power of digital tools that let campaigns reach voters without spending big bucks.

Across the political field, candidates and interest groups are tapping social media, text messaging, online video and robust data to mobilise supporters, raise money and target their messages. “The merging of data with media buying has really levelled the playing field and allowed campaigns at all levels to punch above their weight. This is going to increasingly disrupt politics,” said Michael Beach, co-founder of Targeted Victory, a digital agency that handled Mitt Romney’s online efforts in 2012.