Harris 2024 Strategy.

As of April 3, 2021, Kamala Harris's official Twitter account boasted 9.7 million followers (Osei Fordjour, 2024, p. 316). Fast forward to August 8, 2024, and her online presence has expanded significantly: she now has 20.8 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), 4.5 million on TikTok, and 18 million on Instagram. This impressive growth reflects her strategic embrace of social media as a tool for political communication and engagement.

Harris has successfully tapped into trending memes and cultural narratives, including a humorous meme about a coconut tree story, which showcases her ability to relate to constituents through contemporary digital culture. Additionally, she has embraced the concept of “brat summer,” gaining traction through an endorsement from the popular artist Charlie XCX, who has been pivotal in popularizing this cultural phenomenon (Johnson, 2024; CE Noticias Financieras English, 2024).

In a notable move, Harris took her engagement a step further by creating a second TikTok account modeled after Charlie XCX's album cover. This account functions as her "rapid response" platform for her campaign, where she addresses political issues, critiques Republican positions, and counteracts conservative talking points with engaging video content (CE Noticias Financieras English, 2024). By aligning herself with modern musical trends and issues of identity, she fosters a connection with younger voters, particularly through her shared experiences with racial dynamics. This collaborative effort resonates deeply, as Charlie XCX herself has faced racism related to her Indian heritage (Orenstein, 2016).

Harris's strategic modernization is also evident in her campaign appearances. For instance, she entered her Vice-Presidential victory speech in 2020 to the empowering beat of Mary J. Blige’s "Work That," a choice that speaks directly to youth culture and demonstrates her commitment to appealing to younger voters. This tailored approach appears to be paying off, as she is polling 7% better than President Biden did with young voters (Waymer & Hill, 2023, p. 7; Johnson, 2024).

Through these innovative tactics, Harris not only showcases her political acumen but also sets a precedent for how modern politicians can effectively engage with emerging social trends and the complex dynamics of their diverse constituencies.

References.

1. CE Noticias Financieras English. (2024, August 8). What Kamala Harris' social media campaign looks like. https://advance-lexis-com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:6CNY-HRB1-JCG7-83FX-00000-00&context=1519360.

2. Osei Fordjour, N. K. (2024). Personalization as a strategic political tool on social media: The curious case of VP Kamala Harris on Twitter. Howard Journal of Communications, 35(4), 375–396. https://doi.org/10.1080/10646175.2023.2289980.

3. Johnson, T. (2024, July 25). Kamala Harris joins TikTok as campaign sees boost from social media memes. Deadline. https://advance-lexis-com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:6CJX-XJ51-JB0P-B3TR-00000-00&context=1519360.

4. Orenstein, H. (2016, February 23). Charli XCX responds to racist comments: "I am extremely proud of my Indian heritage" after a hateful commenter called her "dirty." Seventeen. https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/news/a38322/charli-xcx-responds-to-racist-comments-i-am-extremely-proud-of-my-indian-heritage/

5. Waymer, D., & Hill, T. E. (2023, June). A conceptual update to image restoration theory (IRT) via an analysis of the vice-presidential campaign of Kamala Harris. Public Relations Review, 49(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2023.102306.