Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2024
Abstract
A daunting challenge in political engagement lies in connecting with the younger demographics who are the digital natives. Especially, the 18-24 age group has some of the lowest turnout rates amongst eligible voters. After her sudden ascendence to be the presumptive presidential candidate for the Democrat Party, a tidal wave of meme posts, largely from young Americans, playfully associated Kamala Harris with coconut tree. These coconut-themed memes ignited an unprecedented surge of energy and engagement among young voters on social media platforms, which provides an ideal context to examine their reactions toward these memes in light of a high-stake presidential election. This study thus seeks to examine how young voters react toward the coconut tree memes about Kamala Harris on social media.
MSU Digital Commons Citation
Luo, Yi; Choi, Jin-A; and Benton, Bond, "From memes to message to Mario Kart: An analysis of the reach of social media content related to Kamala Harris" (2024). School of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works. 53.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/scom-facpubs/53
Included in
Advertising and Promotion Management Commons, Business and Corporate Communications Commons, Communication Technology and New Media Commons