Aligning with her recent nomination by Joe Biden, presidential candidate Kamala Harris has turned Charli XCX's iconic 'brat' album into the face of her campaign. The move aims to strategically gain the vote of young, Gen Z consumers eligible to vote this year. Notably, Harris' X page sports a neon green banner and arial font reminiscent of the album.
XCX was asked by BBC to define 'brat,' explaining that "[she] feels like herself but maybe also has a breakdown. But kind of, like, parties through it. Is very honest, very blunt. A little bit volatile. Like, does dumb things. But it’s brat. You’re brat. That’s brat."
The Harris campaign's social accounts showcase a range of graphics that closely resemble popular visuals seen elsewhere, mainly focusing on memes that have captured the attention of younger demographics.
Pop Culture Presidency Campaigns
Kamala Harris Adopts Charli XCX's 'Brat' Trend for Her Campaign
Trend Themes
1. Pop-culture Integration - Kamala Harris' campaign employing Charli XCX's 'brat' album themes highlights a significant trend of pop culture integration in political marketing strategies.
2. Youth-centric Campaigns - Targeting the Gen Z demographic through relatable and modern motifs marks a growing trend in focusing on the youth vote in political campaigns.
3. Memetic Marketing - Utilizing meme-like graphics that resonate with younger audiences underscores the increasing importance of meme culture in shaping contemporary political communication.
Industry Implications
1. Political Campaign Management - Creating voter engagement through pop-culture references points to evolving strategies in political campaign management.
2. Digital Marketing - The adoption of high-impact, meme-inspired visuals by political campaigns signals transformative trends within the digital marketing industry.
3. Entertainment-marketing Fusion - Blending entertainment elements with marketing efforts, as evidenced by the integration of Charli XCX's album theme, reveals a dynamic fusion industry with potential for cross-sector collaborations.