Mobile Media More Popular With Dems Than Republicans

Barack Obama’s campaign made political history when it used text-messaging to announce Joe Biden’s V.P. selection to 2.9 million mobile users. Obama’s campaign also maintains a mobile website with news, video, and downloads.
In contrast, John McCain’s campaign has largely eschewed mobile marketing. But that may just be the right strategy, according to Nielsen Mobile, which reported Monday that mobile advertising is a more efficient way to reach Democrats, rather than Republicans.
As of the second quarter of 2008, mobile media of all types were slightly more popular among Democrats, who were more likely than their Republican counterparts to use data services on their mobile phones, send text messages, or use mobile Internet, according to Nielsen.
Data Type | Mobile Media Use: Democrats (past 30 days) |
Mobile Media Use: Republicans (past 30 days) |
---|---|---|
Data User | 61.6% | 54.6% |
Non-data User | 38.4% | 45.4% |
Text Messaging/SMS | 52.5% | 46.0% |
Picture Messaging/MMS | 26.5% | 21.2% |
Ringtone downloads | 18.5% | 12.9% |
Mobile Internet | 17.2% | 13.1% |
15.8% | 12.8% | |
Software/Application downloads | 11.0% | 8.2% |
Instant Messaging | 10.9% | 7.2% |
Game downloads | 7.7% | 5.7% |
Location-based services/GPS | 6.2% | 5.8% |
Video/Mobile TV | 4.4% | 2.5% |
Source: The Nielsen Company (September 29, 2008). |
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Read coverage of Nielsen’s findings in MediaPost, Wireless and Mobile News, and Fierce Mobile Content.
https://www.qa.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2008/mobile-media-more-popular-with-dems-than-republicans/