By Chris Lennartz

Garrett Graff, an editor at Washingtonian magazine and a former Webmaster for Howard Dean, pointed out in an op-ed in The New York Times last month the growing importance of text messaging in the presidential campaigns, particularly the Obama campaign.

And, of course, around the world text messaging is being used in many countries in many ways to quickly form protests or groups of supporters, to remind people where and when to vote, and even to target the youth demographic to raise interest in voting.

But guess what? These examples are just the beginning of the power of text messaging. The potential for even larger scale and more strategic uses is right in front of us.

For example, the use of voting reminders could be expanded substantially by using systems that ensure personal SMS message traffic won't be impacted by the sending of 160-character voting reminders to millions of people.

Additionally, savvy campaign managers will be using embedded links in SMS messages to their candidate's mobile Internet page with more information about the platform, position on key issues and scheduled appearances.

MMS also carries huge potential for political campaigns. We will undoubtedly see video captures of photogenic political candidates delivering messages directly to their supporters, or audio reminders to 'Rock the Vote' much as the MTV medium was able to do in the past.

Operators are now able to tap into demographic information, which means these messages could be tailored to a subscriber's specific and identified interests or even their location to ensure that the message has a personal impact that only the mobile phone can offer.

Mobile's mandate
I believe the most exciting potential for text messaging, however, takes place on Election Day itself.

Mobile messaging 2.0 holds the promise of becoming the voting booth in a handset by enabling operators to implement the supporting infrastructure.

The potential is there. According to The Pew Internet And American Life Project, 46 percent of Americans have used the Internet, email or text messaging to get news about the campaign.

As a result, Nielsen Mobile reports that 2.9 million users received Obama's SMS message announcing Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate.

What better way to tap into the popular vote than to let this vast number of people vote with their thumbs?

After all, people are paying bills online, buying goods and services, donating to charities with their mobiles. Why not vote for their next president or political representative?

So what does this mean for mobile marketers across the board?

The Obama text campaign has set a new benchmark for mobile messaging and has shown that under the right conditions the mobile platform has the ability to ignite action from millions of people.

One of the most talked-about aspects of political text campaigns has been the cultivating of qualified, opt-in, voter information.

By offering voters a sneak peak at the VP pick, or VIP access to a candidate's event, campaigns have been able to gather a huge following , a lot of which is highly involved in grass roots campaigning (in marketer speak, helping to build the candidate's brand).

Marketers would be wise to tap into the same tactics. Offering premium content and mobile-only offers is a great way not only to inspire real action among potential customers, but to use the mobile platform to cultivate a more loyal base.

Come Nov. 4 we'll have a better idea of whether the mobile efforts of both candidates will make a significant impact on voter turnout.

What is certain is that mobile messaging campaigns are forever changed and future campaigners along with the marketing world will be held to new standards for reaching constituents and customers through mobile. With mobile messaging 2.0 it's all possible.

Chris Lennartz is vice president of product marketing at Airwide Solutions, Burlington, MA. Reach him at .