Biden Campaign Unleashes Digital Strategy to Engage Tuned-Out Voters Ahead of Debate

As the presidential race continues, the Biden campaign is focusing on reaching out to voters who have not yet engaged with the election. Their goal is to capture the attention of these voters through the upcoming presidential debate. The campaign is implementing an extensive digital strategy to ensure that the best version of the president is presented to the public.

The Biden campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, is hosting 18 creators with a combined social media following of 8 million people. These creators will be part of a digital war room where they will receive briefings with the campaign’s rapid response team before the debate. Additionally, they will have access to the campaign’s studio to produce content for their channels. In Atlanta, the campaign is deploying other content creators to the spin room post-debate to share their perspectives on the key exchanges and engage with Biden officials. The campaign is also hosting a content creator watch party in Atlanta to amplify key debate moments and messages.

Rob Flaherty, the deputy campaign manager who oversees the digital team, has been strategizing about the debate at Camp David. This preparation is aimed at informing the content team to be ready to post quickly if the president lands key arguments against former President Donald Trump. The campaign is aware of the unpredictability of viral moments and is prepared to identify and amplify unscripted events as they unfold.

The Biden campaign's strategy is focused on engaging with voters who have voted in the past but are now turned off by politics. They aim to communicate with these voters through non-traditional information sources and social networks, both online and in real life.

Traditional Footprint and Watch Parties

In addition to the digital strategy, the campaign maintains a traditional presence in Atlanta. Senior officials and surrogates are conducting media interviews before and after the event. Watch parties are being organized across the country, including in battleground states where committed supporters will connect with local campaign leadership.

The upcoming presidential debate will mark the first time in decades that a single news organization hosts the event, rather than the Commission on Presidential Debates. While most news organizations are planning to carry it live, the viewership is uncertain. The Biden campaign is preparing for a significant audience, both in real time and through subsequent coverage and clips that emerge in the hours and days following the debate.

Engaging Different Audiences

The campaign is tailoring different approaches to engage with various audience types, including those who will primarily consume the debate through clips or coverage. They are considering how to engage with viewers who may watch the debate while also engaging on a second screen.

The BidenHQ accounts on X and TikTok will serve as the primary outlets for the campaign’s content during and after the debate. Additionally, the campaign is producing materials that will be shared through the campaign’s relational organizing tool, known as Reach, and the “Texts with Julie” program, where supporters sign up for messages from campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez.

Local Engagement in Atlanta

The campaign is actively working to capture voters’ attention in Atlanta, deploying 50 billboards across the city and projecting the “Dark Brandon” Biden meme on major downtown buildings. They have also released “man on the street” style videos featuring local supporters discussing the debate and their memories of Trump.

The Biden campaign will closely monitor the Trump camp and Republican National Committee and be ready to respond to any moments they highlight. They aim to match the aggressiveness of their counterparts in addressing any emerging issues or narratives.