Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have both released big campaign ads in the last day or two, each attempting to define Harris’ candidacy while it’s still fresh. Scaremonger Trump goes on the attack, branding his opponent as a weak and dangerous liberal who has failed to control immigration.
Harris, meanwhile, wants America to see her as “fearless”, a would-be president who stands up to bullies, banks and big pharma. She says “Donald Trump wants to take our country backward. We are not going back.”
It’s interesting that the very same footage that Trump uses to put Harris down is being used by her supporters on social media to show how cool she is. On TikTok, Harris is dancing and laughing and making meme-worthy content with stars like Megan Thee Stallion and Nsync, while Trump is doubling down on his macho image with help from YouTube pugilists Logan and Jake Paul.
Harris’ TikTok following (3.8m) is only half that of Trump’s 9.4m, but the vice-president is getting all the media attention thanks to the virality of the #coconuttree and #brat memes. Meanwhile, the Republicans are getting a lot of unwanted traction with a supremely random (and also false) meme about Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, having sex with sofas.
Ultimately, as with all marketing campaigns, both traditional and social media have their place. The TV ads are there to frame the message and social media to create a vibe – although it’s the debates, media interviews and rallies that really make or break a candidacy.
