NEW RESEARCH SHOWS PROLIFERATION OF NEW MEDIA, NOT THE OBAMA AND MCCAIN CAMPAIGNS, IS ENGAGING YOUNG INTERNET VOTERS IN 2008 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 25, 2008 – Waggener Edstrom Worldwide (WE) today released groundbreaking research on how young Internet voters (those 18 to 25 years old) are using digital communications to gather information on the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Contrary to previous reports this election cycle, The Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Young Internet Voter of 2008 Study, conducted June 9–12, 2008, found that the proliferation of digital communications, not the Barack Obama and John McCain campaigns, is the key to engaging this demographic in politics. It also uncovered this group’s candidate preference, and how their online engagement drives their consumer behavior.

“Just as radio and then later television in the 20th century vaulted American elections into distinctly new political eras, so will the Internet in the 21st century as even now the young Internet voters are transforming the way millions of voters want to be heard in this 2008 election,” said Lance Tarrance, WE Global Public Affairs Advisory Council member and veteran political pollster.

The Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Young Internet Voter of 2008 Study offers a different data set than previous studies because it focuses exclusively on the media consumption habits of the Millennial and Generation X demographics.

“This is the first presidential election where new media is fundamentally changing how the important 18- to 25-year-old demographic participates in the political process,“ said Torod Neptune, senior vice president and Global Public Affairs Practice lead at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide. “The Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Young Internet Voter of 2008 Study provides the only factual view, based on this topical proprietary research, into how the young voter demographic is engaging and interacting with digital communication. By helping us understand how social networking, blogs and Web sites are being used, the study allows us to see the digital effect on a campaign’s communications strategy. In addition, the data extends beyond politics to broader consumer behavior for those looking to effectively communicate with this important and emerging demographic.”

The study demonstrated that young Internet voters are not caught up as much in Internet campaigning as was previously thought from journalistic accounts (i.e., “Internet Obamamania”).

• Only 23 percent of those surveyed perceived a new enthusiasm generated by candidates campaigning online and the new increase in political sources on the Internet.
• “Obamamania” is not creating an increased interest in the campaign (or his campaign), but the Obama campaign’s proficiency in using the Internet to reach the Millennial demographic is resulting in support among this age group.
• Of those surveyed, 57 percent believe they are more engaged in the election process because of digital communications.
• Nearly one quarter (23.3 percent) have sent or received a text message about candidates.
• When asked which party is doing a better job advancing digital communications and campaigning online, 55 percent said Democrat and 13 percent said Republican.

When asked which candidate is their presidential preference, 48.9 percent said Obama, 29.2 percent said McCain, 10.2 percent said someone else and 11.6 percent said they were undecided.

Larry Irving, WE Global Public Affairs Advisory Council member and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce and NTIA Chief, said, “The survey demonstrates that it is the changing use of technology, not the political message or messenger, which is propelling the evolution in media consumption habits. By chronicling the change in its nascent stages, we are providing the opportunity to further monitor the use of new media in politics from this election forward.”

Full study results can be found at http://www.waggeneredstrom.com/what_we_do/Observations_innovations/Millennial.asp.

About The Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Young Internet Voter of 2008 Study

The proprietary survey was directed by Lance Tarrance, researched by Promark Research Corp. of Houston, and included 400 telephone and 400 online interviews. The margin of error is +/- 4%. Respondents were all under the age of 36 and fell into the following age groups: 18 to 21, 14 percent; 22 to 25, 19 percent; and 26 to 35, 67 percent. Young Internet voters or Millennials are defined as those 18 to 25 years old; Generation X is defined as those 26 to 35 years old.

Note: One-third of phone respondents were reached by cell phone, reinforcing data that shows approximately 30 percent of Young Internet Voters do not have a landline.

About Waggener Edstrom Worldwide

Waggener Edstrom Worldwide is a multiservice global public relations agency. Founded in 1983 and independently owned, the agency was named PRWeek’s Large Agency of the Year for 2004, and was named Best Agency to Work For in 2004 and Best Large Agency to Work For in 2006 by the Holmes Report. The agency has more than 800 employees, 16 offices around the world and six global practices — Corporate Communications, Consumer Marketing, Environment, Healthcare, Public Affairs and Technology. More information can be found at http://www.WaggenerEdstrom.com.

# # #

© 2008 Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, Inc. – All Rights Reserved

Waggener Edstrom and Innovation Communications^SM are either registered service marks or service marks of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information, press only:
Jenny Krentzman, global marketing communications manager, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, +1 (617) 576-5787, jennyk@waggeneredstrom.com