Mitt uses JumpCut.com to go Dean 2.0?

Mitt uses JumpCut.com to go Dean 2.0?

Jumpcut.com blasted on to the political scene this week when the Romney campaign asked its supporters to create their own political advertisements on Jumpcut that the campaign promised to put on air. And they responded – big time. This is the next step in online political innovation – call it Dean 2.0.

In just 24 hours this new site has clearly gone viral and is featured in many blogs along with garnering the focus of the MSM. As of this afternoon over 50 videos had been created and linked to the "Team Mitt: Create Your Own Ad!" challenge.

This site allows the campaigns (or anyone else) to unload content – video, graphics, audio, etc. – and then users can remix the content to mash up their own ads…all for free. Romney supporters will vote for the best spot and the campaign will purchase a major media buy to feature the winning ad.

Alex Castellanos, Senior Adviser and media strategist to Governor Romney, said, "It is truly groundbreaking for amateur, grassroots supporters to so directly assist in introducing their candidate to the American people. This contest demonstrates Romney for President's commitment to using unique and democratizing online tools to engage voters and harness the extraordinary enthusiasm of its growing team of supporters."

Conservative bloggers and GOP Internet activists have lavished praise on the Romney campaign for taking a risk and utilizing the power of the Web. Until recently it has been the Democrats who dominated innovation on the ‘Net. Republican internet guru Patrick Ruffini, who is pleased to see a GOP candidate integrating the web into his campaign, said “Mitt Romney’s create- your-own-ad contest is exactly the kind of online innovation I’ve been waiting for out of the Republican candidates for President.”

Jumpcut is based out of San Francisco and was acquired by Yahoo on Oct. 2, 2006.

Source: PoliticsOnline [editor@politicsonline.com]