US digital strategy firms stand to gain in 2016 elections

New York

BY one estimate US online political advertising could quadruple to nearly US$1 billion in the 2016 election, creating huge opportunities for digital strategy firms eager to capitalise on a shift from traditional mediums such as television.

These firms - mostly small, partisan and based in Washington and surrounding suburbs - have grown in sophistication since the last presidential election in 2012. A niche sector in a multi-billion election industry, they are poised to play a much bigger role in 2016 as digital ads assume more importance and change the way political money is spent on advertising.