Stacey Davidyants
Programs such as Rock the Vote encourage young voters to get involved by strategically targeting the specific media that they watch. Rock the vote places television campaigns during the commercial breaks of popular TV shows, having their actors and actresses encourage them to get involved and vote. Their new media tactics are a central part of their campaign to target young voters. In the 2008 Presidential election, Rock the vote implemented celebrities from Christina Aguilera to Robert DeNiro to Fall Out Boy in order to encourage young adults to get involved -- which they in fact, did. 2.2 million individuals used RTV's tools to register to vote!
Programs such as this one know what they are doing in order to effectively grasp the attention of their audience. With the specific target being young adults, RTV uses new media outlets and interactive websites in order to catch the attention of its young age group. To someone interested in politics, a program such as this one is important as it clearly demonstrates outlets in order to appeal to younger generations and encourage them to get involved. The youth is vital in the voting and government process, as we are the ones who will be making decisions in the future.
