Designed Howard Dean's Groundbreaking Campaign Website
Background
In early 2003, I reconnected with a former client who had recently met the Governor of Vermont, Howard Dean. At that time, Dean was not yet a national figure, but there were whispers about his potential presidential run. My client, eager to support Dean, saw an opportunity for us to contribute by developing a website and digital strategy for the campaign.
Over a couple of days, I mocked up a home page. With only two photos of Dean (one of him in a canoe), I opted to illustrate the site's potential by using images of Josiah "Jed" Bartlet, the fictional president from "The West Wing," portrayed by Martin Sheen.
I envisioned a small site to start, with two primary call-to-actions prominently placed in the header: "Contribute" and "Volunteer." Integrated into our strategy, the mockups also had multi-language, audio, video, forums, and ways to spread the word. While all this may seem commonplace today, it was revolutionary at the time for a presidential campaign site.
A few days later, I received more images and updated my designs. With mockups and a strategy deck, our former client landed a role in the campaign, and that’s how we (Motive) got our start with Howard Dean.
Headquartered in my apartment's dining room, my agency now had the responsibility of creating Howard Dean's first campaign website, deanforamerica.com.
My responsibilities included strategy, site architecture, design, technical coordination, client relations, and more.
Howard Dean's Campaign and Website Skyrocketed
Howard Dean's presidential campaign website is recognized for its innovative approach to user engagement and digital strategy. According to Wikipedia, the site was one of the first to leverage the Internet for grassroots organizing and small-donor fundraising, which Dean had pioneered. This method enabled the campaign to collect numerous small contributions, democratizing campaign financing and building a robust, engaged supporter base (SourceWatch) (Wikipedia).
Home Page: April 9, 2003
The site’s design was clean and intuitive, prioritizing user experience. It featured interactive elements like forums and discussion boards, which allowed supporters to share ideas and strategies. This fostered a sense of community and enabled direct interaction between the campaign and its supporters, creating a collaborative atmosphere.
Moreover, the site used advanced analytics to personalize content and engagement strategies for individual users. This ensured that visitors received tailored messages and calls to action based on their interests and behaviors, maintaining high levels of engagement and effectively mobilizing supporters.
Dean's campaign was groundbreaking in its fundraising efforts. Prior to the 2004 primaries, the Democratic record for the most money raised in one quarter was held by Bill Clinton. Dean’s campaign shattered this record by raising $14.8 million in the third quarter of 2003, largely through small online donations, with an average donation size of just under $80 (SourceWatch) (Wikipedia).
Howard Dean’s campaign website set a new standard for political campaigns, emphasizing the importance of digital engagement and the power of small donors. This model influenced future campaigns, including Barack Obama’s, which refined and expanded upon the Dean for America team’s pioneering strategies.
