Social media key election tactic: Campaign guru

Andrew OSMAN ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

Ravi Singh, campaign guru and CEO of Election Mall Technologies Inc., was in Istanbul for a weeklong summit that began on Nov. 14

A tweet can topple governments and also functions as the modern press release, says Ravi Singh, campaign guru and CEO of Election Mall Technologies Inc., as he enlightened Istanbul’s political scene in a weeklong summit that began on Nov. 14.

Noting the cruciality of engagement with the voting public in any successful election campaign, global powerbroker Singh let in the political savvy and potential candidates in on tricks of the electioneering trade, which comprises of what Singh terms “switch voters,” or 40 percent of voters, can be qualified and persuaded by tactfully utilizing the political commodity that is social media, from Twitter to Facebook.

Turkey is amid a turning point in its history, particularly in a regional context, where the educated middleclass, nonchalantly looking beyond political parties in their increasing numbers, has risen and collectively asked, “what about us?” Singh told Hürriyet Daily News on the sidelines of the ‘Political Communication Summit’ held in Istanbul as part of BrandWeek Istanbul.

“Democracy is a painstaking process...and [while the establishment] of political parties is on the rise... the public’s passion and what they [desire for their country] are what political candidates need to capitalize on,” said the electioneer guru, in reference to the upcoming 2014 local and following 2015 general elections.

Reflecting on why his candidature for the U.S. State of Illinois’ Congress “did not go [his] way,” the turban-wearing Sikh-American did not see his turban and beard as a hindrance in his campaign at the start: “I was young with crazy ideals...but people see past the beard and turban now and focus on the content of what I have to say.”

As the first U.S. Cadet to graduate from the military clad in his Turban, Singh viewed the entrance of the four headscarved AKP deputies into a plenary session of Turkey’s Parliament as positive, highlighting the sanctity of maintaining certain freedoms and civil liberties. “I appreciate the fact that Turkey, constitutionally, [protects and provides for] the freedom of its citizens to vote in elections,” said Singh, cautioning the government by touching on its need to incorporate update technologies in how it deals with the Turkish public, whom should be embraced as a powerful entity that requires the government to respect its will.