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Importing Wikidata short description: "Washington, D.C.-based Internet strategy and technology firm"
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| homepage = {{URL|https://www.bluestate.co}}
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.bluestate.co}}
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'''Blue State Digital''' is a digital strategy and technology firm that specializes in online fundraising, advocacy, social networking, and constituency development. It was founded by former staffers of the [[Howard Dean 2004 presidential campaign]] and provided digital strategy and technology services for the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]] and [[2012 United States presidential election|2012]] [[Barack Obama]] presidential campaigns. The company is led by the one remaining co-founder, Joe Rospars (CEO). Co-founder Jascha Franklin-Hodge (former CTO) left in July 2014 to become the CIO for the city of [[Boston]].<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.bluestatedigital.com/staff/# |title=Meet Our Leadership {{!}} Blue State Digital |access-date=2014-03-11 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140311180335/http://www.bluestatedigital.com/staff/# |archive-date=2014-03-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=linkedin>{{cite web
'''Blue State Digital''' is an [[Ad tech|adtech]] <ref>{{Cite journal |date=2022 |editor-last=Smits |editor-first=Malte |title=Information for a Better World: Shaping the Global Future |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96957-8 |journal=Lecture Notes in Computer Science |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-96957-8 |issn=0302-9743}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |title=Inside The Correspondent’s $2.5m crowdfunding drive to be the ‘antidote to breaking news’ |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/11/14/inside-the-correspondent-s-25m-crowdfunding-drive-be-the-antidote-breaking-news |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=The Drum}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |title=Employees at Creative Agency Blue State Secure First Collective Bargaining Agreement |url=https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/employees-creative-agency-blue-state-secure-first-collective-bargaining-agreement |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=Communications Workers of America |language=en}}</ref> that specializes in online fundraising, and campaign consultancy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Emily |title=Google and Facebook will dominate the $1 billion digital ad spend for election 2016 |url=https://www.thestreet.com/politics/google-and-facebook-will-dominate-the-1-billion-digital-ad-spend-for-election-2016-13592885 |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=TheStreet |language=en-us}}</ref> The company was founded by 4 former staffers of the [[Howard Dean 2004 presidential campaign]]. <ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.bluestatedigital.com/staff/# |title=Meet Our Leadership {{!}} Blue State Digital |access-date=2014-03-11 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140311180335/http://www.bluestatedigital.com/staff/# |archive-date=2014-03-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="linkedin">{{cite web
| url = http://www.linkedin.com/in/jascha
| url = http://www.linkedin.com/in/jascha
| title = Jascha Franklin-Hodge
| title = Jascha Franklin-Hodge
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| publisher = LinkedIn
| publisher = LinkedIn
| accessdate = 2014-08-08
| accessdate = 2014-08-08
}}</ref> The company became notable after providing digital strategy and technology services for the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]] and [[2012 United States presidential election|2012]] [[Barack Obama]] presidential campaigns.
}}</ref>


Blue State Digital has offices in [[New York City]], [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Boston]], [[San Francisco]], [[Chicago]] and [[London]]. In December 2010, Blue State Digital was acquired by [[WPP plc]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2010/12/30/wpp-buys-obamas-campaign-agency-blue-state-digital/|title=WPP Buys Obama's Campaign Agency Blue State Digital|last=Rao|first=Leena|date=December 30, 2010|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-11-08}}</ref>
Blue State Digital has offices in [[New York City]], [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Boston]], [[San Francisco]], [[Chicago]] and [[London]], and in December 2010, Blue State Digital was acquired by [[WPP plc]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2010/12/30/wpp-buys-obamas-campaign-agency-blue-state-digital/|title=WPP Buys Obama's Campaign Agency Blue State Digital|last=Rao|first=Leena|date=December 30, 2010|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-11-08}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign pioneered new applications of new media to engage voters and raise campaign funds. In 2004, four former Dean staffers—[[Jascha Franklin-Hodge]], [[Clay Johnson (technologist)|Clay Johnson]], [[Joe Rospars]], and [[Ben Self]]—founded Blue State Digital<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101230005201/en/WPP-Digital-acquires-Blue-State-Digital-LLC|title=WPP Digital acquires Blue State Digital, LLC|access-date=2018-04-30|language=en}}</ref> to improve technology solutions for political campaigns and provide online strategic services to complement the technology platform. The company launched with offices in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington, DC]], and [[Boston]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2020}}
Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign pioneered new applications of new media to engage voters and raise campaign funds. In 2004, four former Dean staffers—[[Jascha Franklin-Hodge]] (CIO), [[Clay Johnson (technologist)|Clay Johnson]], [[Joe Rospars]] (CEO), and [[Ben Self]]—founded Blue State Digital<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101230005201/en/WPP-Digital-acquires-Blue-State-Digital-LLC|title=WPP Digital acquires Blue State Digital, LLC|access-date=2018-04-30|language=en}}</ref> to provide campaign technology ([[voter database]], [[Fundraising|fundraising technology]], and [[Campaigning|campaign recruitment]] )<ref>{{Cite web |title=The technology that powers the 2020 campaigns, explained |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/09/28/1008994/the-technology-that-powers-political-campaigns-in-2020-explained/ |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=MIT Technology Review |language=en}}</ref> and strategic services. In July 2014, Jascha Franklin-Hodge (CTO) who left to become the CIO for the [[Boston|City of Boston]].


⚫
In 2005, Thomas Gensemer from [[America Coming Together]] (a Democratic-allied advocacy organization) became the managing partner. Their earliest clients included [[Ted Kennedy|Ted Kennedy's]] Senate campaign,<ref>{{cite web|title=Blue State Digital Takes Over the World|url=http://techpresident.com/blog-entry/blue-state-digital-takes-over-world|publisher=TechPresident}}</ref> [[Communications Workers of America|the Communications Workers of America]],<ref>{{cite web|title=WPP Adds Blue State Digital to Media Empire|url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/142123/wpp-adds-blue-state-digital-to-media-empire.html|publisher=MediaDailyNews}}</ref> the Democratic National Committee (chaired by Howard Dean), [[Harry Reid]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Salesforce: trouble for Blue State Digital? Don’t bank on it|url=http://www.jarretthousenorth.com/2007/04/18/salesforce-trouble-for-blue-state-digital-dont-bank-on-it/|publisher=Jarret House North}}</ref> and [[AT&T]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Obama's Secret Weapon|url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_27/b4091000977488.htm|publisher=Bloomberg Business Week|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628170230/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_27/b4091000977488.htm|archivedate=2008-06-28}}</ref>
The following year, Thomas Gensemer joined Blue State Digital from [[America Coming Together]], a Democratic-allied advocacy organization, to serve as managing partner.


⚫
In 2007, the company was recruited in the early phases of the [[Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign|Barack Obama'2008 US Presidential campaign]] <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theconversation.com/getups-brand-of-in-your-face-activism-is-winning-elections-and-making-enemies-116672|title=GetUp's brand of in-your-face activism is winning elections – and making enemies|last=Rolfe|first=Mark|website=The Conversation|language=en|access-date=2019-11-08}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> to provide technology services, and for Rospar to create and lead the internal new media strategy team. These technology services included web hosting, an online fundraising product called BSD tools<ref>{{Cite web |title=View Features {{!}} BSD Tools |url=http://tools.bluestatedigital.com/pages/view-features |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527205020/http://tools.bluestatedigital.com/pages/view-features |archive-date=2012-05-27 |access-date=2012-05-14}}</ref>, and a custom social networking platform. Over the course of the campaign, more than $500 million was raised, millions of volunteers were mobilised, and an online database of 13 million supporters was created<ref>{{cite news|title=The Geeks Behind Obama's Web Strategy|url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2009/01/08/the_geeks_behind_obamas_web_strategy/|publisher=Boston.com | first=David|last=Talbot|date=8 January 2009}}</ref>, This was reported in the media as being, in large part, due to their platform, and services.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Learmonth |first=Michael |title=How Obama Won The Internet: Blue State Digital |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/2008/6/how-obama-won-the-internet-blue-state-digital |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>
⚫
Blue State Digital's earliest clients included [[Ted Kennedy|Ted Kennedy's]] Senate campaign,<ref>{{cite web|title=Blue State Digital Takes Over the World|url=http://techpresident.com/blog-entry/blue-state-digital-takes-over-world|publisher=TechPresident}}</ref> [[Communications Workers of America|the Communications Workers of America]],<ref>{{cite web|title=WPP Adds Blue State Digital to Media Empire|url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/142123/wpp-adds-blue-state-digital-to-media-empire.html|publisher=MediaDailyNews}}</ref> the Democratic National Committee (chaired by Howard Dean), [[Harry Reid]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Salesforce: trouble for Blue State Digital? Don’t bank on it|url=http://www.jarretthousenorth.com/2007/04/18/salesforce-trouble-for-blue-state-digital-dont-bank-on-it/|publisher=Jarret House North}}</ref> and [[AT&T]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Obama's Secret Weapon|url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_27/b4091000977488.htm|publisher=Bloomberg Business Week|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628170230/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_27/b4091000977488.htm|archivedate=2008-06-28}}</ref>


⚫
After their work in the successful Obama Campaign, the company opened offices in New York, Los Angeles, and London. [http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/does_the_truth_matter_anymore.html] Their porfolio of clients now included [[American Red Cross]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Blue State Digital Takes Over the World|url=http://techpresident.com/blog-entry/blue-state-digital-takes-over-world|publisher=TechPresident}}</ref> [[United Way of America|United Way]], [[Carnegie Hall]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Web fundraiser that aided Obama acquired|url=http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20101230/FREE/101239994|publisher=Crain's New York}}</ref> and [[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue Magazine]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Wall Street Journal: Vogue Sees Web Lessons in Obama’s Campaign|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/11/23/vogue-sees-web-lessons-in-obamas-campaign/|publisher=Wall Street Journal | first=Russell|last=Adams|date=23 November 2009}}</ref>. By 2010, the company had offices in London. Washington, and Boston[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2010-12-30/wpp-agrees-to-purchase-barack-obama-s-campaign-agency-blue-state-digital#xj4y7vzkg], and on December 30, 2010, they announced that they were to be wholly acquired by the multinational public relations company [[WPP Group|WPP Digital]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=WPP Digital Acquires Blue State Digital, LLC |url=http://www.bluestatedigital.com/blog/entry/wpp-digital-acquires-blue-state-digital-llc/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121228101959/http://www.bluestatedigital.com/blog/entry/wpp-digital-acquires-blue-state-digital-llc |archive-date=2012-12-28 |access-date=2017-11-25}}</ref>.
⚫
In 2007, Barack Obama's nascent presidential campaign recruited Blue State Digital to lead its digital efforts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theconversation.com/getups-brand-of-in-your-face-activism-is-winning-elections-and-making-enemies-116672|title=GetUp's brand of in-your-face activism is winning elections – and making enemies|last=Rolfe|first=Mark|website=The Conversation|language=en|access-date=2019-11-08}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Blue State Digital provided technology services—including web hosting, online fundraising tools, and a custom social networking platform—while Rospars built and led the campaign's internal new media strategy team. Over the course of the campaign, this team raised more than $500 million, mobilized millions of volunteers, and built an online community of 13 million supporters.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Geeks Behind Obama's Web Strategy|url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2009/01/08/the_geeks_behind_obamas_web_strategy/|publisher=Boston.com | first=David|last=Talbot|date=8 January 2009}}</ref>


The European expansion of US [[Voter database|Voter information]] companies (such a [[NationBuilder|Nation builder]], [[Change.org|Change.org,]] and Blue State Digital) depended on the [[International Safe Harbor Privacy Principles]]. This agreement allowed the companies to avoid the complexity of Europe’s patchwork of privacy protections<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bennett |first=Colin J. |date=2016-12-10 |title=Voter databases, micro-targeting, and data protection law: can political parties campaign in Europe as they do in North America? |url=https://academic.oup.com/idpl/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/idpl/ipw021 |journal=International Data Privacy Law |language=en |volume=6 |issue=4 |pages=261–275 |doi=10.1093/idpl/ipw021 |issn=2044-3994}}</ref>, and allow them to provide detailed voter information (from social media habits to voting records) to the [[Labour Party (UK)|U.K.'s Labour Party]], [[François Hollande|French President Francois Hollande]], and [[Swedish Social Democratic Party]]. [https://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/campaign-tech-firms-europe-obama-218039] In October 2015, this agreement was declared invalid by the [[European Court of Justice]] in October 2015. <ref>{{Cite news |last=Nast |first=Condé |title=What does the end of Safe Harbour mean for you? |language=en-GB |work=Wired UK |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/what-does-the-end-of-safe-harbour-mean |access-date=2022-09-30 |issn=1357-0978}}</ref> The result was "Uncertainty over whether the talks can succeed has U.S. political tech firms scrambling to find ways to keep doing business in Europe."<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. political tech firms hit European turbulence |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/campaign-tech-firms-europe-obama-218039 |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref>
⚫
Blue State Digital expanded after the Obama campaign, opening offices in New York, Los Angeles, and London. It also expanded its client base, working with clients like the [[American Red Cross]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Blue State Digital Takes Over the World|url=http://techpresident.com/blog-entry/blue-state-digital-takes-over-world|publisher=TechPresident}}</ref> [[United Way of America|United Way]], [[Carnegie Hall]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Web fundraiser that aided Obama acquired|url=http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20101230/FREE/101239994|publisher=Crain's New York}}</ref> and [[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue Magazine]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Wall Street Journal: Vogue Sees Web Lessons in Obama’s Campaign|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/11/23/vogue-sees-web-lessons-in-obamas-campaign/|publisher=Wall Street Journal | first=Russell|last=Adams|date=23 November 2009}}</ref> The company is identified with its fundraising service and has supported the efforts of the [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|United Nations Refugee Agency in the United Kingdom]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/09/16/the-un-refugee-agency-appoints-blue-state-catalyse-digital-fundraising-efforts|title=The UN Refugee Agency appoints Blue State to catalyse digital fundraising efforts|last=Watson|first=Imogen|date=September 16, 2019|website=The Drum|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920174706/https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/09/16/the-un-refugee-agency-appoints-blue-state-catalyse-digital-fundraising-efforts |archive-date=2019-09-20 |access-date=2019-11-08}}</ref> as well as the charity organization Tommy's.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prolificlondon.co.uk/campaign-news/2019/06/tommys-appoints-blue-state-digital-fundraising-campaign|title=Tommy’s appoints Blue State Digital for fundraising campaign|last=Johnson|first=Mark|date=2019-06-17|website=Prolific London|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108233150/https://www.prolificlondon.co.uk/campaign-news/2019/06/tommys-appoints-blue-state-digital-fundraising-campaign |archive-date=2019-11-08 |access-date=2019-11-08}}</ref>


<!-- How did they continue to do business? -->
On December 30, 2010, Blue State Digital announced that they had been wholly acquired by [[WPP Group|WPP Digital]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bluestatedigital.com/blog/entry/wpp-digital-acquires-blue-state-digital-llc/ |title=WPP Digital Acquires Blue State Digital, LLC |access-date=2017-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121228101959/http://www.bluestatedigital.com/blog/entry/wpp-digital-acquires-blue-state-digital-llc |archive-date=2012-12-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


Blue State Digital employees at the Brooklyn office started process of forming a union with [[CODE-CWA]] in September 2020, at a time when less than 5% of WPP employees (its parent company) are unionized, with the majority of them in Europe.<ref>{{Cite web|title=In What Would Be A First For The Ad Industry, WPP-Owned Blue State Said It Was Forming A Union|url=https://portside.org/2020-09-22/what-would-be-first-ad-industry-wpp-owned-blue-state-said-it-was-forming-union|access-date=2020-12-31|website=Portside|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Coffee|first=Patrick|title=WPP-owned ad firm Blue State is forming a union in a first for the industry|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/wpp-agency-blue-state-unionizing-could-change-the-ad-industry-2020-9|access-date=2020-12-31|website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Miller|first=Sean|date=October 21, 2020|title=Employees At Democratic Firm Blue State Unionized By CODE-CWA|url=https://www.campaignsandelections.com/prestitial|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515060416/https://www.campaignsandelections.com/prestitial |archive-date=2018-05-15 |access-date=2020-12-31|website=[[Campaigns and Elections]]}}</ref>
By 2019, the company had expanded into nonprofit fundraising, with United Kingdom clients [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|United Nations Refugee Agency]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Watson |first=Imogen |date=September 16, 2019 |title=The UN Refugee Agency appoints Blue State to catalyse digital fundraising efforts |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/09/16/the-un-refugee-agency-appoints-blue-state-catalyse-digital-fundraising-efforts |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920174706/https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/09/16/the-un-refugee-agency-appoints-blue-state-catalyse-digital-fundraising-efforts |archive-date=2019-09-20 |access-date=2019-11-08 |website=The Drum |language=en}}</ref> as well as [[Tommy's (charity)]] which raises funds for the [[St Thomas' Hospital]] in London .<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Mark |date=2019-06-17 |title=Tommy’s appoints Blue State Digital for fundraising campaign |url=https://www.prolificlondon.co.uk/campaign-news/2019/06/tommys-appoints-blue-state-digital-fundraising-campaign |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108233150/https://www.prolificlondon.co.uk/campaign-news/2019/06/tommys-appoints-blue-state-digital-fundraising-campaign |archive-date=2019-11-08 |access-date=2019-11-08 |website=Prolific London |language=en}}</ref>


In 2019, Blue State Digital was rebranded as Blue State, and BSD Tools was sold to Every Action. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Dorbian |first=Iris |date=2019-06-24 |title=EveryAction buys Blue State Digital's BSD tools unit |url=https://www.pehub.com/everyaction-buys-blue-state-digitals-bsd-tools-unit/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=PE Hub |language=en-US}}</ref>, In September 2020, Brooklyn office emmstarted process of forming a union with [[CODE-CWA]] in September 2020, at a time when less than 5% of WPP employees (its parent company) are unionized, with the majority of them in Europe.<ref>{{Cite web|title=In What Would Be A First For The Ad Industry, WPP-Owned Blue State Said It Was Forming A Union|url=https://portside.org/2020-09-22/what-would-be-first-ad-industry-wpp-owned-blue-state-said-it-was-forming-union|access-date=2020-12-31|website=Portside|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Coffee|first=Patrick|title=WPP-owned ad firm Blue State is forming a union in a first for the industry|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/wpp-agency-blue-state-unionizing-could-change-the-ad-industry-2020-9|access-date=2020-12-31|website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Miller|first=Sean|date=October 21, 2020|title=Employees At Democratic Firm Blue State Unionized By CODE-CWA|url=https://www.campaignsandelections.com/prestitial|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515060416/https://www.campaignsandelections.com/prestitial |archive-date=2018-05-15 |access-date=2020-12-31|website=[[Campaigns and Elections]]}}</ref>
==Services==
Blue State Digital provides both strategic and technology services. Blue State Digital is also a full-service digital agency that develops and executes multi-platform engagement campaigns. Its strategic offerings include strategy, design, production, content strategy, digital communications, video, analytics, and online advertising.<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.bluestatedigital.com/pages/services/# |title=Services {{!}} Blue State Digital |access-date= 2012-05-14 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120512020211/http://www.bluestatedigital.com/pages/services# |archive-date= 2012-05-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The BSD Tools are an online platform that integrates constituent databases, email management, online fundraising, content management, social networking, and web analytics.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://tools.bluestatedigital.com/pages/view-features |title=View Features {{!}} BSD Tools |access-date=2012-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527205020/http://tools.bluestatedigital.com/pages/view-features |archive-date=2012-05-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


==Notable alumni==
==Notable alumni==

Revision as of 11:54, 1 October 2022

Blue State Digital
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryConsulting
Founded2004
FoundersJascha Franklin-Hodge, Clay Johnson, Joe Rospars, Ben Self
HeadquartersNew York, NY, United States
Washington, D.C., United States
Key people
Joe Rospars, founding partner and Chief Executive Officer
ParentWPP
Websitewww.bluestate.co

Blue State Digital is an adtech [1] [2] [3] that specializes in online fundraising, and campaign consultancy.[4] The company was founded by 4 former staffers of the Howard Dean 2004 presidential campaign. [5][6] The company became notable after providing digital strategy and technology services for the 2008 and 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaigns.

Blue State Digital has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, San Francisco, Chicago and London, and in December 2010, Blue State Digital was acquired by WPP plc.[7]

History

Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign pioneered new applications of new media to engage voters and raise campaign funds. In 2004, four former Dean staffers—Jascha Franklin-Hodge (CIO), Clay Johnson, Joe Rospars (CEO), and Ben Self—founded Blue State Digital[8] to provide campaign technology (voter database, fundraising technology, and campaign recruitment )[9] and strategic services. In July 2014, Jascha Franklin-Hodge (CTO) who left to become the CIO for the City of Boston.

In 2005, Thomas Gensemer from America Coming Together (a Democratic-allied advocacy organization) became the managing partner. Their earliest clients included Ted Kennedy's Senate campaign,[10] the Communications Workers of America,[11] the Democratic National Committee (chaired by Howard Dean), Harry Reid,[12] and AT&T.[13]

In 2007, the company was recruited in the early phases of the Barack Obama'2008 US Presidential campaign [14][7] to provide technology services, and for Rospar to create and lead the internal new media strategy team. These technology services included web hosting, an online fundraising product called BSD tools[15], and a custom social networking platform. Over the course of the campaign, more than $500 million was raised, millions of volunteers were mobilised, and an online database of 13 million supporters was created[16], This was reported in the media as being, in large part, due to their platform, and services.[17]

After their work in the successful Obama Campaign, the company opened offices in New York, Los Angeles, and London. [1] Their porfolio of clients now included American Red Cross,[18] United Way, Carnegie Hall,[19] and Vogue Magazine[20]. By 2010, the company had offices in London. Washington, and Boston[2], and on December 30, 2010, they announced that they were to be wholly acquired by the multinational public relations company WPP Digital[21].

The European expansion of US Voter information companies (such a Nation builder, Change.org, and Blue State Digital) depended on the International Safe Harbor Privacy Principles. This agreement allowed the companies to avoid the complexity of Europe’s patchwork of privacy protections[22], and allow them to provide detailed voter information (from social media habits to voting records) to the U.K.'s Labour Party, French President Francois Hollande, and Swedish Social Democratic Party. [3] In October 2015, this agreement was declared invalid by the European Court of Justice in October 2015. [23] The result was "Uncertainty over whether the talks can succeed has U.S. political tech firms scrambling to find ways to keep doing business in Europe."[24]


By 2019, the company had expanded into nonprofit fundraising, with United Kingdom clients United Nations Refugee Agency[25] as well as Tommy's (charity) which raises funds for the St Thomas' Hospital in London .[26]

In 2019, Blue State Digital was rebranded as Blue State, and BSD Tools was sold to Every Action. [27], In September 2020, Brooklyn office emmstarted process of forming a union with CODE-CWA in September 2020, at a time when less than 5% of WPP employees (its parent company) are unionized, with the majority of them in Europe.[28][29][30]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ Smits, Malte, ed. (2022). "Information for a Better World: Shaping the Global Future". Lecture Notes in Computer Science. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-96957-8. ISSN 0302-9743.
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  25. ^ Watson, Imogen (September 16, 2019). "The UN Refugee Agency appoints Blue State to catalyse digital fundraising efforts". The Drum. Archived from the original on 2019-09-20. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  26. ^ Johnson, Mark (2019-06-17). "Tommy's appoints Blue State Digital for fundraising campaign". Prolific London. Archived from the original on 2019-11-08. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
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External links

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