After a disappointing finish in yesterday’s Ames straw poll, Tim Pawlenty announced he is dropping out of the presidential race.  Pawlenty’s campaign embraced social and digital media from the very beginning.  For instance, here is his announcement video which he posted to his YouTube account in March: 

The campaign also regularly tweeted, posted highly produced YouTube videos and had mobile check ins from the campaign trail. 

Pawlenty’s campaign suffered in part from a lack of name recognition.  An effective digital campaign could have been a cost effective way to build a national following.  However, despite his creative use of digital technology, his campaign never seemed to connect with voters.  As I argued in May, his videos always seemed over-produced and a bit melodramatic.  While there are many possible explanations as to why his campaign might have failed, his digital strategy certainly did not prove effective.