The Harris campaign harnesses the power of viral memes, but do the social media references that resonate with Gen Z also appeal to older voters?
Vice President Harris’ campaign has embraced the viral “coconut tree” and “brat” memes that exploded online last week, capturing the attention of Gen Z. However, this unconventional strategy may puzzle older voters, many of whom were left questioning the meaning of “brat.”
Sergio José Gutiérrez, CEO of Espora and digital political advisor to campaigns worldwide, told Fox News Digital that a “meme” represents a concept, behavior, style, or piece of media that propagates among individuals in a culture, typically to convey a specific phenomenon or theme.
He explained that memes can manifest as images, videos, phrases, or other types of content that circulate rapidly and may be altered by users online in a humorous or satirical manner, especially related to political or social events.
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Vice President Kamala Harris has not held a press conference for 10 days since becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Gutiérrez noted that memes’ popularity is largely due to humor’s effectiveness in communicating political messages, fostering shared meanings in popular culture.
“Essentially, these symbols simplify complex issues, making them more relatable for younger demographics,” he remarked.
Eric Dahan, founder of Mighty Joy, which assists commerce-centric brands in converting social communities into sales, described memes as a unique medium that conveys information cleverly, creating “headlines with ease.”
After pop star Charli XCX tweeted, “kamala IS brat” just hours after President Biden ended his reelection campaign and endorsed Harris, the campaign’s X account seized the “brat” trend and updated its cover photo to reflect the lime green associated with Charli XCX’s album, changing “Brat” to “Kamala HQ.”
“I see it as a tool, and like any tool, she’s using it to her advantage, but it can certainly be wielded against her,” Dahan said. “She’s embracing the playful content she’s been mocked for to reframe it as just part of her character, but she’s actively building her brand around the ‘brat’ culture.”
Nevertheless, Dahan cautioned that many Gen Z individuals perceive the political meme strategy from Harris as “super cringe,” which could diminish her perceived seriousness. Moreover, older Americans may be left confused about the meaning of “brat” in relation to a presidential candidate.
“It implies someone who’s a bit reckless, unaccountable, behaves poorly, might indulge in drugs, and can be irritating—someone who defies social norms and tends to express sloppy thoughts and presentations,” Dahan explained. “Is that the type of persona we want from someone leading our country during such critical times? I don’t believe it’s a smart branding move.”
Dahan’s interpretation aligns closely with Charli XCX’s own explanation of the “brat” persona in a TikTok video discussing her album.
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Following the announcement of Harris’ presidential campaign, a viral clip surfaced of her from 2023 detailing a conversation with her mother, who asked, “Do you think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” Harris added, “You exist in the context of all that surrounds you and your history.” This led to a flurry of coconut-related memes intertwined with the ‘brat’ trend.
Kamala Harris / Charli XCX
From a social media perspective, she’s currently the focus of conversation, not Trump,” Dahan noted. “That carries weight. However, this approach could backfire, and I do not think ‘brat’ is a suitable image for a presidential figure. This doesn’t align with the serious issues at hand, and she will have to confront some tough questions ahead.”
Dahan further commented that the rise of “meme culture” in politics reflects society’s diminishing attention span, exacerbated by social media dynamics.
“Social media incentivizes engagement, creating a feedback loop that essentially hacks our brains into staying engaged. They’re rewarded with content that’s typically not in-depth or nuanced, but rather more extreme, attention-grabbing, and frequently devoid of substance,” he elaborated. “The growth of meme culture is fascinating because it allows for heightened attention without necessitating an emphasis on substantive information that may be more challenging or controversial.”
Yet, Gutiérrez argues that memes can serve as powerful political instruments for a candidate gaining visibility.
“These must be approached with caution since the emotions a meme can elicit may be unpredictable,” he stated. “Once integrated into the digital sphere, the messages will generate various emotional responses among voters. Ultimately, what Kamala Harris is striving for is to engage voters persuasively. This doesn’t need to be entirely logical, and for that reason, it seems effective for her.”
Kamala Harris / Charli XCX (Getty Images)
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However, Gutiérrez mentioned that Trump remains the most “memeable” personality in American politics.
“When it comes to being the ultimate meme agent in the U.S., it’s Donald Trump, not Kamala Harris,” Gutiérrez noted. “Trump consistently leads meme culture with high engagement in viral content.”
“He thrives on the fact that whether the discourse around him is negative or positive, what matters is that his message reaches the desired audiences,” he continued. “By being provocative and controversial, he allows others to circulate his message, effectively using social interaction as a tool for his advantage.”
Dahan concluded that regardless of Harris’s viral meme presence, she will eventually need to address the challenges faced by the Biden administration.
“Does this lighter, more comedic aura really suit us considering the serious issues we’re confronting?” he pondered. “We’re involved in two major global conflicts, dealing with inflation, economic downturns, and immigration issues… that’s what people care about.”
“Is this truly what we want as we grapple with substantial concerns?” he questioned.
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