Canadian politics

social media and politics in Canada

The Evolution of Social Media and Its Influence on Politics in Canada

Social Media and Politics

Social media has transformed the way political campaigns are conducted in Canada. From shaping conversations to influencing election outcomes, its impact has been revolutionary. This blog explores the evolution of social media in Canadian politics, highlighting its past, present, and future. For a more detailed analysis, check out The Ultimate Guide to Social Media and Politics in Canada—your one-stop resource on this important topic. Social Media’s Rise in Canadian Politics: A Timeline The Early Days: How Facebook and Twitter Shaped Political Discourse in Canada The mid-2000s marked the emergence of social media in the Canadian political landscape. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter provided politicians with unprecedented access to voters, allowing them to bypass traditional media and communicate directly. In the 2008 federal election, politicians experimented with Facebook pages and Twitter posts to reach supporters, sparking the early days of digital political engagement. As these platforms gained traction, they became essential tools for organizing events, amplifying political messages, and engaging with the public. However, their initial impact was limited, as both politicians and voters were still adapting to this new form of communication. Key Milestones: Social Media’s Role in Federal Elections from 2011 to 2021 By the 2011 federal election, social media was no longer a novelty—it had become a critical element of campaign strategy. Politicians began using targeted ads and analytics to identify and engage key voter groups. Stephen Harper’s Conservatives led the way with highly focused digital campaigns, while Jack Layton’s NDP connected with younger voters through vibrant, relatable online messaging. The trend intensified during subsequent elections, and by 2021, political parties were spending significant amounts on social media campaigns. Reports indicate that Canadian political parties collectively spent over $10 million on digital advertising during the 2021 federal election, with Facebook and Instagram being key platforms. This massive investment underscores the importance of social media in reaching diverse demographics, from urban Millennials to suburban families. However, this reliance on digital platforms also raised questions about transparency, data privacy, and the ethical use of targeted ads. For voters, the constant bombardment of tailored messages highlighted both the potential and the risks of social media in Canadian politics. For a deeper dive into social media strategies from 2021, explore our blog Conservatives: Leadership Race 2022 – Facebook Advertising Spending Tracker. The Current Landscape: Emerging Platforms Like TikTok Redefining Engagement with Young Voters In recent years, TikTok has emerged as a powerful platform for engaging younger voters. With its short, creative videos, TikTok allows politicians to present their messages in a more personal and relatable manner. Leaders like Jagmeet Singh have effectively used TikTok to connect with Millennials and Gen Z, creating viral content that highlights key campaign themes while showcasing their personalities. Despite the rise of newer platforms, Facebook and Instagram continue to play a pivotal role, especially in connecting with older demographics and suburban voters. Meanwhile, Twitter remains a hub for political discourse and breaking news, often setting the tone for broader conversations across other platforms. Social media’s evolution has solidified its position as a cornerstone of Canadian political campaigns, driving engagement and reshaping how leaders interact with the public. Transforming Political Strategies Through Digital Platforms Source: Screenshots of Meta/Facebook ads being run by Federal party leaders.  Microtargeting Voter Demographics: Examples from Canadian Elections Political campaigns in Canada increasingly use data to target specific demographics. In the 2019 election, parties employed tailored Facebook ads to reach suburban families, seniors, and first-time voters. These targeted strategies highlight how social media and politics are becoming inseparable. Real-Time Campaigning: The Shift from Static to Dynamic Voter Engagement Gone are the days of static messaging. Now, political figures engage with voters in real-time, responding to questions and criticisms on Twitter or hosting live Q&A sessions on Instagram. This dynamic engagement fosters stronger connections with voters. Building Grassroots Movements: Case Studies of Social Media-Driven Advocacy in Canada Social media has given rise to grassroots movements that shape political agendas. For instance, the #IdleNoMore movement highlighted Indigenous issues, while campaigns like #ClimateStrikeCanada rallied young Canadians to demand action on climate change. Challenges and Risks in a Digitized Political Arena Combatting Misinformation: Examples of Misinformation Campaigns and Responses in Canadian Elections Misinformation campaigns, such as fake news during the 2019 election, highlight the dark side of social media in politics. While platforms like Facebook and Twitter have pledged to combat misinformation, the problem persists. Balancing Transparency and Privacy: How Regulations Like Bill C-76 Address These Concerns Canada’s Bill C-76 aims to increase transparency in online political advertising, ensuring voters know who is funding ads. This regulation helps build trust but raises questions about how data privacy is handled. Navigating Polarization: Social Media’s Role in Increasing or Mitigating Ideological Divides Social media can either bridge divides or deepen them. Algorithms often promote content that fuels polarization, but initiatives like dialogue-based campaigns show how platforms can also foster understanding. Future Trends: Social Media’s Impact on Canadian Elections AI and Automation in Campaigning: Predictive Analytics and Chatbot Interactions Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing campaigns, enabling predictive voter targeting and automated responses through chatbots. This trend is expected to grow in Canadian elections. Platform Shifts: The Impact of Meta’s Decision to Block Canadian News Content Meta’s decision to block news content in Canada under Bill C-18 creates challenges for campaigns relying on these voter education platforms. This shift underscores the need to diversify digital strategies. Increasing Role of Influencers: Using Non-Traditional Political Voices to Engage Voters Political campaigns now collaborate with influencers to reach niche audiences. These partnerships humanize candidates and resonate with younger voters. How Political Campaigns Can Adapt to the Changing Digital Landscape Integrating Emerging Technologies: Tools Like AI for Content Creation and Voter Outreach AI tools can help campaigns generate engaging content and streamline voter outreach, making them more efficient and impactful. Expanding Beyond Meta: Strategies for Leveraging TikTok, YouTube, and Emerging Platforms As Meta faces challenges, platforms like TikTok and YouTube provide alternatives for reaching voters. Creative, platform-specific strategies are crucial for success. Engaging Younger Voters: Tailoring

AI in Canadian Politics

AI Meets Politics: The Past and the Future of Canadian Political Campaigns

Political Digital Strategy

From data-driven voter targeting and social media analysis to AI-powered ad optimization and personalized messaging, AI is revolutionizing how political parties connect with voters. This blog highlights key use cases and examples of AI in Canadian politics, including its role in the Liberal and Conservative parties’ election strategies in recent federal elections. As a leading digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns, we explore how AI influences campaign tactics, voter engagement, and election outcomes, offering a glimpse into the future of political campaigning in Canada. AI’s journey in Canadian politics began subtly, with early applications focused on data analytics and voter segmentation. During the 2015 federal election, the Liberal Party utilized advanced data analytics—an early form of AI—to micro-target potential supporters, laying the groundwork for AI’s future role in political strategy. Although these initial efforts were more about leveraging big data than AI as we know it today, they marked the beginning of a shift toward technology-driven campaigns. Over the years, Canadian political parties gradually embraced AI’s capabilities, experimenting with more sophisticated tools to analyze voter behaviour, optimize ad campaigns, and engage with citizens, setting the stage for AI’s growing influence in the political arena. Use of AI in Canadian Politics Canadian political campaigns have begun to use AI in various capacities, though the extent and specifics can vary depending on the party and the campaign. Here are some ways AI has been utilized: Data Analytics and Voter Targeting: AI can analyze large datasets to identify voter patterns, segment audiences, and target specific voter groups with personalized messaging. For example, AI tools can help campaigns understand which issues resonate most with certain demographics, enabling more effective voter outreach. Social Media Monitoring and Engagement: AI-driven tools are often used to monitor social media trends, track sentiment, and engage with voters. This can include everything from automated responses to certain keywords to more sophisticated analysis of social media conversations to gauge public opinion. Ad Campaign Optimization: AI is used to optimize digital advertising campaigns by predicting which types of ads will perform best with different audiences and adjusting spending in real-time to maximize impact. Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: Some campaigns have experimented with AI-powered chatbots to interact with voters online, answer questions, and provide information about policies or voting. Content Creation: While still in the early stages, AI has the potential to assist in generating content, such as drafting speeches, writing social media posts, or even creating ad copy based on predefined parameters and data insights. Predictive Analytics: AI can help in predicting election outcomes, voter turnout, and even potential voter behaviour, allowing campaigns to adjust strategies accordingly.   Examples of AI being used in Canadian Political Campaigns Here are a few notable examples where AI and advanced data analytics have been reported: Liberal Party’s Use of Data Analytics  In the 2015 federal election, the Liberal Party of Canada employed advanced data analytics, a precursor to AI, to target voters more effectively. They utilized tools like the Liberalist database, which helped them micro-target potential supporters. While this wasn’t AI per se, it laid the groundwork for the kind of voter targeting AI could enhance. Source: “Inside the Liberal War Room: Data Analytics, Targeting, and Technology” – Maclean’s, 2015. Conservative Party’s Voter Targeting with AI The Conservative Party has also been reported to use AI for voter targeting. In the 2019 federal election, they used AI-driven tools to analyze voter data and tailor their messaging more precisely to different demographic groups. This included the use of machine learning algorithms to predict voter behaviour and optimize outreach efforts. Source: The Role of Big Data in Canada’s 2019 Federal Election” – CBC News, 2019. AI in Political Ads During the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, there were reports of AI being used to optimize online ad campaigns. For example, the Liberal and Conservative parties both utilized AI to manage and adjust their ad spending in real-time, targeting ads more effectively based on performance data. Although specific tools and vendors were not always disclosed, platforms like Facebook and Google offer AI-driven ad optimization features that these campaigns likely leveraged. Source: “Digital Advertising and AI in Canadian Elections” – The Canadian Journal of Communication, 2020. AI-Powered Sentiment Analysis Some Canadian political campaigns have used AI to monitor social media sentiment. For instance, in the 2019 election, parties reportedly used AI tools to analyze public sentiment about candidates and issues across social media platforms, helping them to adjust their messaging and strategies in real-time. Source: “How AI Tools are Shaping Canadian Elections” – University of Toronto News, 2019. NDP’s Digital Strategy In the 2019 election, the NDP adopted a more data-driven approach, integrating AI and machine learning to better understand voter behaviour and preferences. They used these insights to guide their digital strategy, focusing on targeting key voter segments more effectively. While these examples illustrate the growing use of AI and data analytics in Canadian politics, the specific technologies and their applications are often kept confidential by the parties. However, the trend toward integrating AI into campaign strategies is evident and likely to become more pronounced in future elections. Source: “NDP Leveraging Data to Fight for Its Survival” – The Globe and Mail, 2019. Ethical and Other Concerns Related to AI in Political Campaigning While AI offers transformative potential for political campaigns, it also raises significant ethical concerns. Issues such as voter privacy, data security, and the potential for manipulation through targeted misinformation must be addressed. The use of AI in analyzing personal data and influencing voter behavior can lead to privacy infringements and ethical dilemmas around consent and transparency. Additionally, the risk of AI being used to spread false information or create echo chambers poses challenges for democratic integrity. This was a concern during the 2021 federal election when there were reports of misleading ads being disseminated through social media platforms. Importantly, AI-driven algorithms used for social media engagement can create echo chambers by showing users content that aligns with their existing beliefs. This phenomenon was

Analyzing Online Ad Spends by Canada's Federal Parties: Insights from Meta Advertising Data

Analyzing Online Ad Spends by Canada’s Federal Parties: Insights from Meta Advertising Data

Campaign Advertising Insights

Updated data for July 2024 As Canada gears up for the next federal election (expected in Fall 2025 if not earlier), the digital battleground is heating up. Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns has become a crucial tool for political campaigns, allowing parties to reach and engage with voters on platforms like Facebook and Instagram in unprecedented ways. Understanding the ad spending patterns of these parties provides valuable insights into their strategies and priorities. In this blog post, we delve into the latest monthly spending data on Meta (Facebook + Instagram) by Canada’s leading federal parties. Why Meta Ad Spending Matters in Canadian Politics The rise of social media has transformed political campaigning. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer targeted advertising capabilities, enabling parties to tailor their messages to specific demographics. This precision can influence voter opinions and, ultimately, election outcomes. By analyzing ad spending on Meta, we gain a glimpse into each party’s focus areas, voter engagement strategies, and overall campaign health. Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns can leverage these insights to enhance their strategies and connect more effectively with voters. Breakdown of Meta Advertising Spending by Leading Federal Parties – July 2024 Canadian federal political parties spent over $57,000 on Meta advertising through their official channels. The data reveals a significant disparity in campaign spending among Canada’s federal political parties. The Conservative Party of Canada spent $36,000 in July 2024, which is more than double the expenditure of the Liberal Party at $17,000. This contrast highlights the Conservatives’ substantial financial resources and strategic emphasis on digital outreach. Liberal Party of Canada Total Spending: $17,000 The Liberal Party’s ad portfolio, including promotions of the Canada Child Benefit, Grocery rebate, Environment-related incentives and other Budget 2024 ideas, and numerous attack ads on Pierre Poilievre, indicates a mixed strategy of highlighting policy achievements while discrediting the opposition. This dual approach aims to appeal to a wide audience, balancing positive and negative messaging to strengthen their image and undermine Conservative credibility. Key Demographics Targeted: Urban young adults, environmental advocates, and healthcare professionals. Conservative Party of Canada Total Spending: $36,000 The Conservative Party’s ad policy for July 2024 predominantly focuses on attack ads, targeting the Liberal government’s censorship law, the NDP and its leader Jagmeet Singh, as well as highlighting issues like rising crime and extortion. These ads aim to draw sharp contrasts with their opponents by emphasizing perceived threats and policy failures. In addition to these attacks, the Conservatives also promote their core promises of “common sense” solutions, including axing taxes, building homes, fixing the budget, and stopping crime. This combination of negative campaigning and positive messaging is designed to both undermine the opposition and solidify the party’s image as the solution-oriented choice for voters, reflecting a strategy that seeks to mobilize their base and sway undecided voters by addressing their concerns and fears. Key Demographics Targeted: Suburban families, ethnic communities, business owners, and senior citizens. New Democratic Party (NDP) Total Spending: $3,700 The NDP’s advertising strategy for July 2024 focused on promoting upcoming by-elections in the ridings of Elmwood-Transcona and LaSalle-Émard-Verdun. This suggests a targeted effort to mobilize support in these specific regions. Alongside these promotions, the NDP also ran a mix of event-related ads and attack ads aimed at Pierre Poilievre, criticizing his stance on cuts and privatization in healthcare. This combination reflects a dual approach: highlighting the importance of local elections and events while also positioning the party as a defender of public healthcare against conservative policies. Key Demographics Targeted: Young progressives, by-election voters, and seniors concerned about healthcare. Green Party of Canada Total Spending: $305 The Green Party’s advertising strategy for July 2024 was focused on a handful of key issues, with ads highlighting their positions on homelessness, climate change, and dental care. This choice of topics reflects the party’s commitment to social justice and environmental sustainability, as well as their advocacy for expanding healthcare coverage. By concentrating on these specific issues, the Green Party aimed to appeal to voters concerned about social equity and environmental responsibility, distinguishing themselves as a party dedicated to addressing these critical challenges. Key Demographics Targeted: Environmentalists, youth activists, and rural communities. July 2024 Fundraising and Digital Spend In July 2024, the Conservative Party of Canada maintained a substantial lead in fundraising, collecting over $9.8 million in the second quarter, slightly down from nearly $10.7 million in the first quarter. This robust financial backing enabled the Conservatives to outspend other parties on advertising, focusing heavily on attack ads targeting the Liberal government’s policies and promoting their key promises. The Liberal Party also saw a fundraising boost, raising nearly $3.8 million, which allowed them to support a mix of policy promotion and negative ads against Pierre Poilievre. Meanwhile, the NDP and Green Party, with their more modest financial positions—raising approximately $1.3 million and $438,000, respectively—focused their ad campaigns on targeted issues and specific events, including by-elections and policy critiques. The disparity in fundraising directly influenced the scale and reach of each party’s advertising efforts, highlighting the critical role of financial resources in shaping political narratives and voter outreach​ Stay updated! To stay updated with the latest blogs and insights, sign up for our newsletter. Stay informed and engaged with the political developments that matter to you. Subscribe now for the latest updates delivered straight to your inbox.

Conservative Party Leadership Race -2022; Facebook Advertising

The Conservative Party’s Leadership Race and Facebook Advertising – What we learned? 

Campaign Advertising Insights

The race to elect the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada just ended. We saw that Pierre Poilievre won decisively with an overwhelming margin over his opponents. As seen in previous federal and provincial elections across Canada, digital media played a prominent role and that was the case in this election cycle as well. What follows is a brief analysis of the conservative party’s leadership race and Facebook advertising. We’ll focus on the key candidates’ social media presence as well as their advertising strategy and spending on Meta (Facebook) ad platform to uncover if social media played a key role in the results or not. Researchers at the Media Ecosystem Observatory found that Facebook remains the No. 1 source of Canadian political news online, YouTube ranks second, and Twitter ranks third. A prominent feature of Pierre Poilievre’s campaign was his extensive use of online video on platforms such as YouTube. That way, he bypasses the traditional media and reaches out directly to voters. Digital media experts believe that Poilievre’s extensive use of the platform could have had a significant impact on the leadership campaign in several ways – including perceived credibility, fundraising, and influencing which issues candidates choose to emphasize with. Social Media Presence of the 6 Candidates: Poilievre has more than 248,000 YouTube subscribers, surpassing his rivals for the Conservative leadership. Leslyn Lewis is closest with more than 4,000 subscribers, followed by independent Ontario MPP Roman Baber with more than 3,000. Conservative MP Scott Aitchison has a little over 300 subscribers, while Charest is not on the platform, having chosen instead to focus on other mediums such as Twitter.  Interestingly, Poilievre also leads the way on Twitter, with over 435,000 followers, compared to Lewis (over 100,000), Baber (over 89,000), Charest (over 26,000), and Aitchison (over 11,000). Additionally, he leads his competitors on both Facebook and Instagram – the two most common platforms for Canadian voters between 18-40. It is only on TikTok that Baber exceeds Poilievre in terms of followers, and even that margin is narrowing. The closest rival of Pierre Poilievre in terms of votes, Jean Charest, does not have a large social media presence. Facebook Advertising (Apr 1, 2022 – Sept 9, 2022) : Not only do we see the gap between the candidates when we consider their social media presence, but also how much they have spent on social media advertising. By analyzing the publicly available data for the period between April 1st and September 9th from Facebook’s Ad Library, we can clearly see that Pierre Poilievre was in the lead with more than $33K. He is followed by Leslyn Lewis with $16K spent on Facebook advertising during that period. Scott Aitchison, on the other side has spent close to $8K, while Roman Baber and Jean Charest are at the bottom of the ranking with $4K and almost $3K respectively. At EOK Consults, a leading Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns, we specialize in optimizing ad spend to ensure campaigns maximize their reach while staying within budget. Poilievre’s strategy of utilizing video ads on social platforms illustrates how digital strategies can dominate modern election cycles. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to examine how many advertisements each candidate ran during that time frame, as well as the content of those advertisements. Pierre Poilievre has run more than 100 ads in that same period. The use of video has been a go-to format for most of his advertising campaigns, since it offers a more engaging method of wooing potential voters and party members. Leslyn Lewis has only created 24 ad campaigns, while Scott Aitchison has done 64. This distinction shows that Aitchison has done more ad variations with less money spent compared to Lewis. The same can be said for Jean Charest who has ran 62 ads but has also spent much less than Lewis. Roman Baber’s strategy was apparently different as he has done only 2 ads while spending $4K. In Summary, we can see that Pierre Poiliever’s campaign not only had an impressive grassroots campaign in play but its digital strategy was on-point as well. Extensive use of well-established social media profiles, leading spending on Facebook and Instagram advertising, and employing a variety of ad formats (including video) worked in their favour and helped ensure a thumping victory over the other candidates in the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race. Running for office or managing an election campaign in Canada, get in touch with EOK Consults Inc – one of the fastest growing digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns with a full suite of services to meet your needs. Speak to us today for a free consultation.

Ontario Elections 2022 - 5 key Facebook stats you should know

5 Key Stats that You Should Know About Facebook Advertising in Ontario Elections 2022

Social Media and Politics

Political advertising on Facebook has increased considerably in Canada over the past few years. The 2021 federal elections, for example, saw a large amount of advertising money spent primarily on Facebook. Therefore, it was not unexpected to see this trend continue during Ontario’s recent provincial election as well. During the campaign period, Facebook remained the leading digital platform, with a total of approximately C$2 million being spent on it by the five key provincial parties.  As a digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns, we analyzed these trends to provide insights into how effectively parties utilized this platform. Here are five facts regarding Facebook advertising in Ontario Elections 2022 that you should know: 1. Total money spent on Facebook Advertising in Ontario Elections 2022 As part of their efforts to promote their ideas and mobilize their supporters, the five main parties in Ontario (Liberal Party, PC, NDP, Green Party, and New Blue Party) did not hesitate to open their wallets for online advertising. Publicly available data indicates that the total budget for Facebook advertising for all parties was close to C$2 million during the campaign period only (May 4th – June 2nd). By spending the staggering amount of C$1.25 million on Facebook ads, The Liberal Party of Ontario outspent all of the other parties and spent more than double what the PC Party spent – C$537 K. Despite the fact it did not win the voters over as they would have hoped, it was certainly a very well-conceived and crafted online strategy. Based on these findings, Facebook advertising is by no means going away as a tool for political advertising anytime soon. 2. Total spending by party leaders combined The leading provincial parties in Ontario also conducted online campaigns through their leaders’ Facebook pages. The Liberals also outspent the other parties by ten times via their leader’s official account to make sure that the little-known Steven Del Duca would be able to garner some brand recognition among the Ontario electorate. While the strategy didn’t turn out favourably at the polls, it does indicate that the Liberals considered Facebook as a viable platform to increase brand awareness for their leader. Steven Del Duca and Doug Ford were jointly responsible for the expenditure of C$182,000. 3. The number of ads ran in total on Facebook All five parties posted a total of 4414 advertisements on Facebook during the campaign period. Considering the amount of money spent, it is unsurprising that the Liberal Party of Ontario was also leading in the number of advertising campaigns it ran – 2697, to be exact. Additionally, the PC party made an overall total of 811 ads, the NDP- 698, ON Green- 201, and the New Blue- 7 ads. In the same manner, as during the Federal elections in 2021, this data indicates that the Liberals engaged in a more sophisticated marketing strategy than their opponents – constantly testing new formats and messaging with new demographic audiences in mind. 4. Money spent by Elections Ontario to get out the vote Elections Ontario utilizes Facebook to inform citizens about all the ways to vote as well as encourage them to exercise their democratic rights. In the three months between March 18th, 2022 and June 15th, 2022, the official Facebook page of Elections Ontario spent over $400,000. 5. Money Spent by 3rd Parties and organizations Besides the five most prominent parties, a number of other third parties and organizations are also using Facebook to get their message across to a wide audience. For instance, OECTA – the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association – spent over $41K, CUPE Ontario spent over $36K, and the Ontario Nurses’ Association spent over $15K. Combined with other key organizations, such as the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Ontario Federation of Labour, and Ontario Home Builders’ Association, OPSEU spent close to $130K on Facebook advertising. As a digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns, we recognize that these investments significantly influence voter outreach. It is also important to consider that there are also a large number of other political organizations and unions that advertise on Facebook, so we could easily increase this number by $50,000. What do you think about the amount of money provincial political parties and leaders spent on Facebook advertising in Ontario Elections 2022? Share your thoughts below! Be sure to follow EOK Consults Inc on social media for the latest updates and insights on political digital marketing in Canada.

Conservatives Leadership Race 2022- FB Advertising tracker

Conservatives: Leadership Race 2022 – Facebook Advertising spending tracker

Leave a Comment / Campaign Advertising Insights

In Canada, Facebook has emerged as a leading digital platform for political advertising over the past few years. Regardless of whether it is a federal, provincial, or municipal election campaign, candidates are taking advantage of the platform because of the high return on investment and wide audience reach that it provides. This holds true for party leadership elections, where a digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns can play a pivotal role in shaping candidates’ strategies. With the Conservative Party’s race for a new party leader around the corner (scheduled for September 10, 2022), each of the six verified candidates is taking advantage of Facebook to strengthen their positions and build the trust among their supporters. During the months before the elections, it is fascinating to observe how much political candidates are spending on social media advertising, on Facebook in particular. In order to make tracking the leader’s advertising expenditures easier for you, we present here a dynamic Facebook advertising spending tracker. With this tool, you can see the total amount of money spent on Facebook by the six Conservative party leadership candidates: Scott Aitchison, Roman Baber, Patrick Brown, Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis, and Pierre Poilievre. The data is directly sourced from Facebook’s advertising library and will be updated daily based on the last 30 days! Go ahead and take a look!  Our Insights: Currently, we observe an interesting dynamic between the six candidates vying to become the next leader of the Conservative Party. As of now, Pierre Poilievre is taking the lion’s share of spending, nearly $25,000. This amounts to almost $5K more than what all of the other candidates have spent combined. Digital and social media marketing agencies for political campaigns are likely to analyze these trends and adjust their strategies accordingly. Will this advertising strategy enable Pierre Poilievre to take over the reins of the Conservative Party of Canada and potentially form the next government? We shall see! Stay tuned to our blog for more insights and updates regarding digital media advertising in Canadian politics!

Political Digital Campaigning - Canada Federal Elections 2021

2021 Canadian Elections Were Truly Digital: Here’s What We Learned

Campaign Advertising Insights

Canada’s 2021 federal elections were ‘special’ (pun intended). Not only was it the first ‘pandemic election’ in Canadian history, but PM Trudeau called it midway through his second term. Digital technologies became the norm as Canadians hunkered down in their homes to protect themselves and their loved ones. This transformation extended to the world of politics as well. Canadian political parties have embraced digital media wholeheartedly to make sense of a 36-day campaign period, the shortest possible election under federal law, and woo voters. A digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns can be instrumental in navigating this fast-paced environment, helping political organizations build effective strategies to reach voters through multiple digital channels. Here are our top takeaways from the 2021 Canadian Federal Elections and the world of digital political campaigning. 1. Digital campaigning was already gaining traction. The pandemic accelerated the growth to unprecedented levels With more than 85% of the Canadian population on social media, online political campaigning was already gaining traction. However, in the wake of Covid-19 stay-at-home orders, internet and social media use skyrocketed. Inevitably, parties naturally turned to social media and online advertising to tap into their base and first-time voters. Political organizations and politicians had to adapt to the changing environment. After all, they preferred the reach and high engagement of digital tools over the traditional methods of political campaigning. 2. Digital Political Campaigning: Record amounts of advertising dollars Spent Given all the interest social media and online platforms have attracted, political parties invested a record amount of advertising dollars. Just in the first half of the campaign, all the federal parties combined spent over $2.7 million, only on Facebook and Instagram! The Liberals consistently outspent their Conservative and NDP counterparts, especially when some initial polls found them lacking behind the Conservatives. Furthermore, analysts saw an increase in online political advertising even with parties who usually don’t spend millions on such campaigns. Namely, the Bloc Quebecois – 700+ ads during the 2021 elections compared to the 16 Facebook ads they ran in the 2019 elections. In the context of other online platforms (news outlets; media conglomerates), the online political advertising estimates for Canada’s 2021 election range from $10-15 million. 3. Facebook and Instagram took the lion’s share of political advertising online With the introduction of Bill C-76 in 2019 and the mandate for online advertisers to maintain a digital archive of all political ads, the options for political campaigning were limited. Importantly, Google banned all political advertising citing the new rules, while TikTok and Twitter had already made global ban announcements after the 2016 US elections. On offer for Canadian politicians and campaigns managers in 2021 were Facebook and its subsidiary Instagram and a host of news conglomerates like Postmedia group. As a result, the majority of digital advertising budgets went to Facebook and Instagram, with estimates pegged at 90%. 4. TikTok helped raise awareness and youth engagement but is not necessarily a vote-getter As TikTok gained popularity worldwide and in Canada, politicians scrambled to appeal to its younger demographic segment by setting up new profiles and ‘experimenting’ with viral content creation. For instance, a prime example is NDP’s leader, Jagmeet Singh, the only federal leader with a TikTok profile and over half a million followers. His unique style and catchy videos generated a lot of media interest at the start of the 2021 campaign and had his campaign strategists believe that “millions watched the NDP leader’s content and got involved”. Even so, Jagmeet’s popularity did not necessarily translate into the electoral success the NDP wanted. Singh and his team had to contend with one more seat and about 2% more vote share in 2021 compared with the 2019 federal election. To sum up, the hotly contested election in 2021 resulted in Justin Trudeau’s Liberals retaining power, albeit in a minority. The party spent nearly twice as much on social media and digital campaigning as the NDP and Conservatives combined. Electoral ideologies, strategies, and campaigns may change as we approach new elections (Ontario and Quebec in 2022; Alberta in 2023). However, one thing is clear – digital political campaigning is here to stay. A digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns will continue to play a critical role as parties adapt to the new realities, accelerated by pandemic and societal changes. Continue to read our blog to learn more about digital marketing for politics in Canada. Lastly, do not forget to contact us to learn how digital media can add an x-factor to your political campaign!

Political digital marketing agency Canada EOK

Digital Marketing in Political Campaigns in Canada

Political Digital Strategy

Interested in learning about digital marketing in political campaigns in Canada? We’ve got a good overview, some historical facts and a quick take on the 5 things you must know! Digital Marketing & Political Campaigns Political campaigning is all about engaging with a specific group (voters) and trying to influence the decision-making process. This is akin to for-profit organizations and businesses trying to woo their target audience (customers). How an organization or political campaign does that is the art and science of marketing. Interestingly, both spheres of these human endeavors seem to draw heavily from each other. Political campaigns are known to employ successful marketing strategies and tools from their business counterparts. On the other hand, businesses often learn a thing or two about connecting with the masses from political planners.  So it’s entirely natural that as marketing for businesses transformed in the last decade or two, political campaigns took note. Marketing that uses an electronic device or the internet has been defining the Canadian business landscape for quite some time now.  In 2019, Canadian advertisers spent over $6.35 billion contributing over 60% of the total media spend. This includes everything from online advertising to social media marketing. The rise in digital marketing is a reflection of how the society and how its people communicate has changed. Since politics concerns the public at large, the toolkit which a campaign employs has changed dramatically as well. Gone are the days when a campaign will only focus on door knocking/canvassing, phone calls, and fundraising events. The first phase of this digital evolution the move to online databases, robocalls and primitive websites. Today, political campaigns are known to employ a sophisticated suite of software and tech tools. Further, digital efforts are manned by dedicated team of digital marketers, content producers, data, and communication specialists. This is where the expertise of a Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns becomes invaluable. Here are 5 key things you must know about political campaigns and digital marketing in Canada   1. Digital Marketing Has Been Around for A While in Canadian Politics Many people regard Barack Obama as the pioneer of digital marketing for political campaigns. While he defintely made a big impact, the years leading to 2008 were significant for the digital world. From Facebook’s humble launch in 2004 to the launch of Apple iPhone’s in 2007, the world was getting ready for a revolution. One that changed the way the massess consumed information and connected with each other. Consequently, Canadians played their part in the growth of social media and digital marketing as well. This ensured that political campaigns could no longer afford to ignore the world around them. In the 2008 Federal Election, over 50% of the candidates reportedly had social media profiles. By 2013, Canadians were the most active Facebook users in the world. As seen in the 2015 and 2019 Federal Elections, digital marketing became the mainstay of the voter outreach and engagement initiatives for political parties. It was no longer ‘an option’ but the key strategic piece in their campaign puzzle. With the onset of the new decade, there’s only one way this bandwagon is headed and that’s forward! 2. Digital Marketing Will Only Grow – Because It Works! In the 2015 Federal Election, the Liberal Campaign credited digital advertising as the key reason behind their electoral success. “And digital had the greatest ROI (return on investment) . . . . We focused on it as a strategic advantage.” Tom Pitfield, the Liberals’ chief digital strategist for the campaign | Toronto Star | Article by Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press, June 20, 2016 With their $8 million on digital vs the $2 million from the Tories, the Liberals leveraged the power of digital media. And that power is the ability to reach and engage with a wide audience in a very cost-effective and measurable manner. This becomes all the more important as campaigning periods get shorter. In the 40 days long 2019 Federal election, the three leading federal parties together spent an eye-popping $10 million on online marketing.  Certainly, the reach and impact of digital marketing will not be limited to Federal elections. Across the country, digital marketing is being deployed by local candidates as well as their provincial counterparts. The ability to test different messaging in real-time, hyper-target the voters based on interests and measure the results accurately are advantages very few other marketing methods provide. 3. Legal Framework Will Continue to Evolve The Elections Modernization Act (Bill C-76) enacted by the Justin Trudeau Government in Dec 2018 aimed to bring in new spending limits and rules for transparency. Subsequently, it sought to govern the ‘wild wild west’ of online advertising in political campaigns and bring in some ground rules. While the opinions on this legislation vary, it did highlight the rise of social media channels and the impact online advertising can make in our election process.  Moreover, a key aspect of Bill C-76 was the requirement for online media platforms to establish a political advertising registry. Identifying sponsors for online ads as well as tracking advertising funds were key objectives for this registry or online archive. Facebook was the only platform that complied with it in time for the 2019 elections. Google Canada decided not to accept the advertising regulations given a lack of preparation time. Meanwhile, Twitter went a step further and completely banned political advertising from its platform across the world. As the nature of digital advertising in political campaigns evolves, so will the conversation around control and regulation. Most importantly, these will not only be from government or the public but also from the platforms themselves. Above all, we can be sure that greater transparency and content moderation will be national discussion topics across Canada. 4. Third-party Advertising Will Take Center Stage Third-party organizations, like unions and private groups, have long been a part of the political landscape in Canada. More than $6 million was spent on electioneering by top 10 third

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