AGRAWAL: Do celebrity political endorsements matter?
As celebrity endorsements for presidential candidates go, there might not be a bigger one than Taylor Swift's. Minutes after the presidential debate ended on September 10, Taylor Swift took to Instagram to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race.
The idea behind celebrity endorsements is that they serve as "information shortcuts," which means that fans tend to believe what a person with influence says because they have some reputation and perceived credibility attached to their name by their idolizers.
Even though Swift very carefully stated that she has done her research and encouraged fans to do the same, this endorsement may still be their only source of information as they might adopt her views as their own.
Social media has strengthened the connections between celebrities and their fans. This increase in the influence of celebrities further stems from an overall distrust in political institutions shown by Americans after the pandemic.
The question now is, how likely is it that this endorsement will translate into increased voter turnout or a change in voter behavior toward Harris? The evidence from popular research studies around this is mixed. The general consensus is that these endorsements get people enthusiastic about a candidate. Still, their effect on the final vote count is hard to quantify.
While Swift's endorsement may seem like a major boost for Harris, given Swift's vast audience, it is important to notice the sensationalizing and hype around this event.
For instance, the custom vote.gov link Swift shared on her Instagram story was widely misinterpreted on social media. It was reported that the link resulted in nearly 406,000 new voter registrations, but in reality, this figure merely reflects the number of visitors to the link, not actual registrations.
"The evidence that celebrity endorsements have an effect on presidential general elections is somewhat tenuous," said Douglas Cantor, a professor in the Department of Political Science at Rutgers, in an email exchange. "What drives voter preferences in 2024, for the most part, is the same thing that has always driven voters: their values, and values generally drive partisan or ideological decisions."
Taylor Swift's endorsement is more likely to motivate people who were previously undecided about registering or voting rather than swaying their voting preferences. This highlights the potential of celebrity endorsements to increase voter engagement, especially among those who may be on the fence about the process.
But it is critical to remind ourselves that Swift is not a regular celebrity, with her sway extending beyond typical celebrity endorsements. Her exceptional influence as a major cultural figure could trigger new and unexpected patterns in the election.
Swift's endorsement can potentially reach younger audiences who might typically be disengaged from politics. When an apolitical teenager comes across this endorsement on platforms like TikTok or Instagram, it could catch their attention and make Harris more visible, putting her on their radar in a way they might not have otherwise encountered.
Oprah Winfrey's endorsement, a celebrity with unparalleled popularity, significantly boosted former President Barack Obama's vote share, campaign contributions and voter turnout in the 2008 Democratic primary. The effect was powerful in areas with many Winfrey fans, but its relevance to Taylor Swift or general elections remains uncertain due to differences in popularity and election dynamics.
Cantor explained, "Celebrity endorsements have been shown to have more of an effect in things like primaries, donations or even voter registration … There are undecided voters every election, absolutely, but what captures those voters is good old campaigning, not necessarily celebrity endorsements."
According to Michael Platt, a professor in the Departments of Neuroscience, Psychology and Marketing at the University of Pennsylvania, these endorsements can even backfire. His 2023 study on celebrity endorsements highlights that the endorsement may have a negative effect if a celebrity is disliked or misaligned with a voter's political views.
Additionally, Platt warned of the "vampire effect," where the celebrity's fame overshadows the candidate, drawing attention away from the political message and diminishing its impact.
This is all to say that while celebrities undoubtedly play a vital role in generating political excitement, excessive dependence on their influence can be a double-edged sword. For instance, many of the same celebrity endorsements for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election cemented her elitist status that could have turned away voters in key swing states.
As the Harris-Walz campaign enters the final two months, it must craft a cohesive message that resonates with the diverse range of voters it aims to engage.
Cantor said, "This isn't to say a celebrity can't help changing a person's mind. The question is, really, can a celebrity change enough minds to make a difference in an election?"
Ultimately, celebrity endorsements can very well help amplify a message, but they are no substitute for meaningful engagement with the issues — and without that, the spotlight may fade faster than the impact.
Khushi Agrawal is a sophomore in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in Cognitive Science and Information Technology and Informatics and minoring in Digital Communication, Information and Media. Agrawal's column, "Scarlet Perspectives," runs on alternate Mondays.
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