PONTIAC - A Republican state-wide candidate who has been at the forefront of utilizing social media strategy in his campaign announced the latest addition to his eCampaign: an iPhone/iPad app that can be downloaded free of charge from the Applie iTunes store.

Senator Dan Rutherford has put social media at the forefront of his campaign for Illinois State Treasurer - even announcing his candidacy via Twitter and Facebook. The iPhone app, he said, was a natural way to take another step in reaching voters through technology.

"The iPhone app was the next logical addition to our portfolio of activity," Rutherford said. "It provides another way for our supporters to become more involved in the campaign and follow us as we travel the state - and best of all, it's a free app for the user."

Electronic and Social media is nothing new to Rutherford. The Pontiac leader's Internet campaign has more than 60,000 profiled email contacts - all of which required an opt-in from subscribers. A devoted Facebook poster, Rutherford has more than 6,800 fans. In fact, even his campaign car - Pongee (short for Pontiac G6) - has a Facebook page with more than 1,000 fans.

CommonM@n Innovative Technologies, Inc. of Peru, Illinois, developed Rutherford's app, which consolidates the campaign's video, photo and Twitter updates in a single mobile location. Followers can get updates on campaign speeches, fundraisers and press releases as well.

"An iPhone app differentiates a company or a candidate from those using only traditional means of communication," said Brian Peterlin, founder of CommonM@n Innovative Technologies, Inc., which specializes in iPhone app development. "It is contemporary and innovative."


Rutherford Receives National Attention for iCampaigning

Rutherford's campaigning innovation has caught the eye of national news media, with Bloomberg citing the Treasurer nominee for his iCampaigning efforts. The Associated Press interviewed Rutherford for a national story about candidates finding new ways to get their message out. (Links to stories below)
That leadership and innovative thinking not only speaks to Rutherford's campaign philosophy, but also how he will address services and programs provided by the Illinois Treasurer's Office.

"Government agencies are never quick to adopt new technology, and there is no excuse for it," Rutherford said. "My experience is rooted in business and the private sector, and I understand the importance of finding new ways to communicate and streamline operations to reach new audiences and drive down costs. That is one approach I will bring to the Treasurer's Office."

Link to the Press Release: http://danrutherford.org/home/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=b5yda3tnms4%3d&tabid=40

Link to the Bloomberg article:
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9GFM6QO0.htm

Link to the Dan Rutherford App:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dan-rutherford/id343203909?mt=8