The Kamala Harris campaign's strategy to leverage the influence of new-age celebrities to boost her popularity seems to be hitting a roadblock.
A number of prominent online influencers and streamers are not only declining her overtures but are also openly endorsing her political adversary, Donald Trump.
According to RedState, Kai Cenat, a Twitch streamer with a staggering following of nearly 13 million, revealed that he had been approached by the Secret Service and the Harris campaign for a potential collaboration. However, Cenat was unambiguous about his disinterest in such a partnership.
While some influencers have indeed accepted the invitation to collaborate, it appears that monetary compensation is a significant factor in their decision. Arizona state senator Jake Hoffman reportedly received a letter from an influencer, which revealed that a woman named "Alicia Howard," associated with a company called MJ Ventures, was offering paid partnerships to influencers to endorse the Harris campaign.
Hoffman shared the letter on social media, stating, "An Instagram whistleblower with nearly 150k followers contacted me with screenshots exposing a sophisticated Astroturfing effort underway by the Harris-Walz campaign."
Despite these efforts, not all influencers are taking the bait. Some, like Kick streamer Adin Ross and Twitch's most viewed streamer, XQC, are actively supporting Donald Trump. TheWrap reported that Trump's interview with Ross attracted a peak viewership of 564,000. The stream featured Ross presenting Trump with a Tesla Cybertruck adorned with an image of Trump raising his fist beneath the American flag, while XQC wore a shirt displaying Trump's face.
In the current digital age, reaching out to streamers is an effective strategy to engage with the Gen Z and Millennial demographics, as the appeal of traditional Hollywood stars seems to be waning. Streamers often cultivate parasocial relationships with their viewers, making them highly influential, particularly among younger audiences. However, Harris's attempts to garner support from these influencers appear to be less successful than anticipated, with the most popular ones either rejecting her or endorsing Trump.
Adding to the campaign's woes, some influencers are not adept at concealing their acting, leading to awkward and embarrassing situations. Streamers like Ross, XQC, and Cenat, known for their authenticity and candidness, are resonating more with audiences. Cenat's live announcement of his refusal to collaborate with the Harris campaign was particularly embarrassing. This, coupled with Hoffman's revelation of influencers being paid to generate artificial support, is likely to further tarnish the campaign's image.
This series of events could potentially trigger a domino effect, with more streamers and influencers coming forward to disclose their interactions with the Harris campaign and their subsequent refusal to endorse her. This could pose a significant challenge to the campaign's efforts to connect with younger voters and leverage the power of digital influencers.
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