As the father of a daughter who had Tay Tay on repeat 24/7, I wouldn’t call myself a full-blown Swifty—but I’ve definitely been Shake It Off-ed into submission.
More importantly, Taylor Swift’s most recent venture into political activism got me thinking: what happens when pop stars go from topping the charts to trying to have an effect on the political process?
Time to explore how much sway our favorite celebrities really have when it comes to politics!
The research:
Title: Celebrities Strengthening Our Culture of Democracy: A Study on the Impact of Celebrity Engagement on Civic Participation
Peer Review Status: This study is not a peer-reviewed academic paper but part of the Ash Center’s Policy Brief Series.
ASPA Citation: Spillane, A. (2024). Celebrities Strengthening Our Culture of Democracy: A Study on the Impact of Celebrity Engagement on Civic Participation. Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School.
Introduction
Celebrities have long shaped American culture, influencing everything from what we buy to what we care about.
The study focuses on a more critical aspect of their influence: boosting voter participation and civic engagement. It expores how celebrities use their platforms to engage fans in the democratic process, leveraging their fame to increase voter registration, participation, and overall civic engagement.
Methodology
The research draws on interviews with 15 participants, including managers, publicists, nonprofit partners, and celebrities. It also analyzes data from 10 different civic engagement initiatives by notable celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Kerry Washington. These initiatives vary in approach—some primarily used social media while others integrated offline efforts such as concerts and events.
Results/Findings
Celebrities are effective in encouraging voter registration and participation. For example, Taylor Swift’s 2018 Instagram post led to 65,000 new voter registrations in 24 hours.
note: within hours of Taylor Swift’s post about endorsing VP Harris in the 2024 election – the General Services Administration told ABC News that more than 330,000 people had visited the voter registration link shared by Swift. (source: ABC News)
Activations, like Ariana Grande’s voter registration booths during her 2019 tour, signed up over 33,000 voters.
Celebrities like Questlove and Kerry Washington have also spearheaded large-scale efforts to recruit poll workers and promote voting, contributing to significant spikes in civic action.
The impact varies based on authenticity and alignment with the celebrity’s existing brand. When executed well, these initiatives benefit both democracy and the celebrity’s public image.
Critiques of the Research
While the study provides valuable insights, there are limitations:
The sample size of case studies is relatively small and mostly focused on high-profile celebrities.
The study could benefit from more granular data on long-term voter engagement beyond the initial mobilization effort.
There’s little focus on the potential negative backlash celebrities might face from politicizing their brand, which could affect their broader fanbase. After all Michael Jordan famously said about his absence from politics “Republicans buy shoes too!”
Future research could expand to include more detailed metrics on the effectiveness of these initiatives over time and explore the dynamics of celebrity-led civic engagement in smaller-scale, local efforts.
Conclusion
The study concludes that celebrities play a meaningful role in encouraging civic participation.
Their ability to attract media attention and connect with diverse audiences makes them powerful allies in promoting voter engagement.
The key takeaway is that when celebrities engage authentically, they not only benefit democracy but also enhance their own public standing.
So to sum it all up, I am not saying Tay Tay is in charge of the world, but I wouldn’t cross her.
Often we get asked what is it that we do – exactly. It is difficult to answer that in a elevator speech, but the best I have come up with is “We manage political affairs by understanding and shaping political environments. Ozean does this through research, data, message development, and media.”
So, public affairs? Not exactly. but kinda.
So, public relations? Not exactly, but kinda.
So, you do politics? Yes.
What is Public Relations?
Public Relations or PR is the practice of managing an organization’s reputation and building relationships with its publics. In theory, it is much broader than garnering press coverage, but in most smaller PR shops, they believe managing a organization’s reputation is primary done through the media.
What is Public Affairs?
Public Affairs is one hand a subset of public relations in that is target audiences are generally those involved in crafting public policy and on the other hand at times broader than public relations in that it works to build relationships with more than just media reporters such as lawmakers and regulators.
Cynically, Public Affairs is what political operatives are called when laws won’t allow governments to hire public relations firms.
What is Political Affairs?
Political affairs is the practice of influencing government policy and legislation via all legal means. At times this can be inside the building and at other times outside the building.
This means, depending on the situation, political affairs professionals could be identifying and targeting not only political elites but also public opinion. Our activities could also be an attempt to bring indirect pressure on the process.
We do this through:
Research: Can take the form of surveys, focus groups, and generating data sets or studies and reports to be used in the process. In addition, properly identifying all stakeholders can be a crucial and painstaking process.
Data: This can be part of research or can be part of building and augmenting data sets to reach digital audiences. Very often data services are intertwined with Research services.
Message Development: developing persuasive messaging in today’s hyper-partisan and polarized political environment is much more delicate – often being nuanced to each identified stakeholder.
Media: creating and executing media plans – whether paid or earning – whether in a traditional media or digital media – is in a sense putting it all together.
Shaping Political Environments
In a sense this at the heart of what Ozean does – shaping political environments, and it includes things that don’t always fall neatly into research, data, message development, or media. We use all our knowledge to understand the political process and decide what levers to pull or sometimes more importantly not pull to win.
After deliberate research, Ozean identifies the stakeholders and conceives different tactics to manage a clients activities and messaging to win. At times, those activities don’t fall neatly into the services commonly thought of performed by public relations or public affairs officials. These political operations could be before the voting, during the voting, or after the voting because frankly we believe that politics never stops.
At times, we wear all the hats, but depending upon the scope and size of the project and because we understand all facets of the process, Ozean may act at the organization that assembles the team and coordinates efforts.
Political Affairs
So now you know the difference between political affairs, public affairs, and public relations. All three fields play important roles in helping organizations achieve their goals, but they have distinct approaches and target different audiences.
In the bustling world of politics, where power and influence dance in a delicate waltz, a crucial role is played by those who navigate the intricate web of relationships and perceptions – the political affairs professionals. Often misconstrued as mere public relations practitioners, political affairs specialists possess a unique blend of expertise that extends far beyond crafting press releases and managing media relations.
Navigating the Political Landscape
Political affairs professionals are the strategists who guide organizations through the complex political landscape, ensuring their interests are not only heard but also considered in the decision-making process. They are the architects of influence, deftly weaving relationships with key stakeholders, from elected officials and government bureaucrats to industry leaders and community groups.
While public relations focuses on shaping public perception and maintaining a positive image, political affairs delve into the nitty-gritty of public policy development, legislation. and or regulatory environments. They are the advocates who champion their clients’ causes, presenting compelling arguments and building consensus among policymakers.
Beyond Press Coverage: A Multifaceted Role
The realm of political affairs encompasses a diverse range of activities, extending far beyond the realm of press coverage. Here’s a glimpse into the multifaceted role of a political affairs professional:
Identifying Stakeholders: Identifying stakeholders, often with indirect associations, are the key to success or failure.
Lobbying: Engaging with policymakers to promote or oppose specific legislation or policies.
Grassroots Mobilization: Activating supporters to voice their concerns and influence decision-making.
Coalition Building: Forming alliances with like-minded organizations to advance shared goals.
Issue Management: Identifying and addressing potential challenges or crises that could impact the organization’s interests.
Demystifying the “Political” Aspect
The term “political” often carries a negative connotation, conjuring images of backroom deals and partisan maneuvering. However, in the context of political affairs, it is more about understanding and navigating the political process to achieve positive outcomes for the organization and its stakeholders.
Political affairs professionals are not merely spin doctors or political operators; they are experts in understanding the motivations and dynamics of the political sphere. They possess a keen understanding of the political process, the players involved, and the levers of influence that can be employed to shape policy and opinion.
A Crucial Role in the Modern World
In today’s increasingly interconnected world, where government policies and regulations have far-reaching impacts on businesses, communities, and individuals, the role of political affairs has become more critical than ever. Organizations across industries recognize the need for strategic engagement with the political system to protect their interests, promote their values, and contribute to a more informed and engaged public discourse.
Political affairs professionals play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between the private sector and the public arena, ensuring that diverse perspectives are heard and considered in the decision-making process. They are the architects of influence, the advocates for change, and the guardians of a well-functioning democracy.
Simply put, political affairs practicioners are much more than writers and distributors of press releases.
In the email bag “Alex, I contend we have a 3 party system now: Democrats, Traditional Republicans, and the Tea Party/MAGA/Hard right. These three parties rarely agree on anything. Prove me wrong and write it up online!”
As always, your wish is my command.
As you read this, keep in mind Party Identification is not equal to Political Ideology.
Party Identification
Gallop tracks party identification, by asking “do you consider yourself a Republican, a Democrat or an independent?”
Yes, we know there are Libertarians, Green, and a host of small additional parties, but we mostly discount them. Why?
Because in America, where the parties and politicians write the rules for ballot access, it becomes difficult for small parties to get on the ballot.
In addition,
Independents don’t agree on much, other than their dislike of politics or the two major parties.
Donors are partisan and don’t like investing in flyers.
So, we have two main parties in the US. However, these two parties house many political ideologies.
Political Ideology
America is much, much more diverse than right/left, red/blue, Rep/Dem.
There is no one definitive answer to the question of how many political ideologies are in American politics because political ideology is a complex and fluid concept.
However, many are familiar with a two-axis approach with social and economics being the two scales. I have read addtional research identifying up to 16 distinct ideologies, but I think that is splitting hairs a bit.
These clusters are not mutually exclusive and at times do over-lap.
My friends at Echelon Insights recently updated their nationwide survey of ideology based on these two axes, identifying 4 clusters.
Echelon continues their research asking, if America was a multi-party system, what would that look like?
Conclusion
So, when our reader writes “Alex, I contend we have a 3 party system now: Democrats, Traditional Republicans, and the Tea Party/MAGA/Hard right. These three parties rarely agree on anything.”
I would disagree, we still have two major parties in America by design and infrastructure.
These two parties house different ideologies that often in other proportional systems of government would be viable political parties. But rather than proportional government, America has first past the post elections, leading to two parties.
Within these parties, these clusters fight for power at times these clusters change, meld, and eject themselves. It has been like this since America’s founding.
In modern times, the GOP traditionally housed Republicans who believed in free markets and limited government intervention in the economy, low taxes, and a strong national defense.
Now, it also houses a newer, MAGA faction that believes in supporting former President Donald Trump and his policies (whatever they may be). They are often characterized by their nationalist, populist, and protectionist views. MAGA Republicans are typically more “conservative” than traditional Republicans on both social and economic issues.
It is hard to tell, noting that the current GOP officially has NO PLATFORM.
The populist / birch / maga sect has traditionally been housed in the GOP to varying degrees of strength. Buchanan and Goldwater times are two examples, but the group never really gained much power within the GOP.
That has changed. In fact, one could make the argument that DJT was an independent/third-party candidate who instead of running outside the party structure, ran inside, took over, and captured the GOP.
As seen this week in the House’s cluster of an operation of the election of a new Speaker and the charts above, the MAGA sect is now the dominant faction in the GOP.
Traditional Republicans are now faced with a choice:
Go the Mitt Romney route and retire/quit, or
Adopt new beliefs, or
Stay inside the party and fight to re-establish dominance, or
Leave the party.
Here is a dirty little secret – I have little to no faith in Traditional Republicans’ ability to re-take control of the GOP. I have witnessed their cowardness in the face of the rise of MAGA, and without massive losses at the ballot box, the GOP is MAGA.
In the coming months and years, Traditional Republicans will assimilate (justifying it by saying that anyone is better than any Democrat), be ejected, drop out, or choose a different path. Simply, Traditional Republicans are not welcome in today’s MAGA GOP.
And because of that, I do think depending on how the 2024 election goes, we may be witnessing a major realignment happening that could further extend the chart above with yet another cross-over.
So, here is the bottom line: we have two parties, the rules and first past the post elections in America virtually guarantee a two-party system, but in the coming months and years, we may have a slew of free agents.
“I have already intimated to you the danger of Parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on Geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, & warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party, generally.
“This Spirit, unfortunately, is inseperable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human Mind. It exists under different shapes in all Governments, more or less stifled, controuled, or repressed; but in those of the popular form it is seen in its greatest rankness and is truly their worst enemy.
“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissention, which in different ages & countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders & miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security & repose in the absolute power of an Individual: and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.
“Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight) the common & continual mischiefs of the spirit of Party are sufficient to make it the interest and the duty of a wise People to discourage and restrain it.”
I was recently gifted a signed first edition of Kermit Roosevelt’s book “Countercoup: The Struggle for the Control of Iran”. It is a first-hand account of the CIA’s involvement in the coup in Iran.
I have been thinking about the power of memes and their appeal while reading the book.
On page 188, Kermit writes:
“I also ordered the CIA artists to get to work on artwork that could be used to support the coup plan. I wanted posters, leaflets, and other materials that would appeal to the Iranian people and encourage them to support the new government. I also wanted to have some propaganda materials that could be used to discredit the Mossadegh government and make it look like they were working against the interests of the Iranian people.”
To put this into context, he asked for artwork before he received approval for the plan to foment a coup in Iran.
Said a different way, the very first thing done to foment a coup, was to have the CIA create memes. Why?
“Persuasion runs through the peripheral route.”
Humans have amazing brains that excel at keeping us (for the most part) alive. Because we are so efficient at this, our brains are often processing information much quicker than we can keep up.
The Limbic System
The brain can be split into two intertwined systems.
System 1 is quick (lighting quick) and operates at a subconscious level. It is automatic and we are almost powerless to stop it. It is a massive undertaking of processing stimuli including emotions to quickly assess a friend or foe. System 1 is often called the peripheral route.
System 2 is slower and operates when we DECIDE to use it. It is where we attempt to do our rational thinking. It requires great effort and is taxing. As a rule, we don’t spend much time here. System 2 is often called the deliberate route.
It is estimated that 5% of our thinking time may be spent in System 2.
Most of the time, especially in politics, and for those that aren’t that into politics, we spend a vast majority of time in system 1. Even those that have a well-thought-out political ideology and framework, set it and forget it.
It is the two-system brain that makes memes so persuasive.
The peripheral route of persuasion involves the recipient of the message focusing on peripheral cues, such as the attractiveness of the source, the credibility of the message, or the emotional appeal of the message, rather than on the content of the message itself.
Memes are little nuggets that operate in system 1. Often they confirm our biases, but they also are entertaining. Memes can be used to appeal to people’s emotions, values, and identities. All System 1 thinking.
On top of that, memes are easily shareable garnering discussion among peer groups and creating a shared understanding.
The quote “persuasion runs through the peripheral route” is a reminder that we should be critical of the messages we receive, especially when the messages are trying to persuade us to do something. We should not simply accept a message at face value, but should instead try to evaluate the arguments presented and consider the peripheral cues that are being used to influence us.
If we don’t, we may have grumpy cat to blame for our next revolution.
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