By Mads Keilberg Johansen, Partner and Head of Digital, and Thorstein Theilgaard, Head of Public Affairs.

The election drums are beating and the campaign is really in full swing. The only thing missing is the date of the election itself. An election campaign is also a golden opportunity to put a cause or an issue on the political agenda. 

Modern election campaigns are not just held in town halls and on pedestrian streets. Nowadays, social media play a very important role in political communication - and this is particularly true during an election campaign. Facebook, Twitter and, increasingly, TikTok have replaced the traditional electoral meetings as the places where politicians and parties alike can communicate with voters.

Visibility is hard currency for any politician, and social media has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for visibility. In a nutshell, this is why our politicians on Christiansborg are on social media in spades, just as every self-respecting party has a greater or lesser army of SoMe employees.

During an election campaign, the massive presence of politicians and media on social media therefore also provides opportunities and ways to create responsiveness of one or more politicians to a given cause. This is true for those actors who manage to exploit the potential to promote their cause digitally. There are some actors who are quite sublime at this, but in our view surprisingly few when it comes down to it.

We must expect that elections will be called before the opening of Parliament on 4/10. It is therefore not too late to start sharpening the message, developing concrete campaign elements and putting in place a solid communication strategy.

Partner and digital manager, Mads Keilberg Johansen, and public affairs manager, Thorstein Theilgaard, reveal how a company or organisation can use digital channels to promote its cause during the election campaign:

1. You don't need millions of crowns (although it doesn't hurt)

In addition to the possibilities of mobilising and engaging with politicians, the significant advantage of social media is that, for relatively little money, you have the opportunity both to get your message out very far and to target your message very directly to the public. politicians and relevant target groups at the same time.

2. The right message is the alpha and omega

In our experience, success in putting an issue on the digital agenda in an election campaign is first and foremost about being able to tailor the message in a simple and immediate way. It sounds easier than it is - we often find it's the hardest part of campaign development. And it doesn't hurt if the campaign's tools are surprising and have a twinkle in their eye.

3. A digital campaign can be a (re)way to establish a political relationship 

Far from all companies and organisations have built up relationships with the relevant politicians. A digital campaign effort during an election campaign is therefore a unique opportunity to also engage with relevant politicians. We know from experience that many politicians are particularly responsive to issues during an election campaign.

4. Social media is (still) a food chain news-wise

Rumours of the death of individual social media are greatly exaggerated when it comes to digital lobbying and the possibilities of putting an issue on the agenda. If you are in doubt, try to notice how many times in a week the country's media quote politicians or other actors' statements etc. using social media.

If you would like us to help you develop an effective digital campaign in the run-up to the elections that leaves a digital footprint you can use in the next term, please contact us.