President Joe Biden’s campaign is making strides to reach younger voters in preparation for his reelection bid by launching an official TikTok account. Their first video, titled “lol hey guys,” cleverly taps into the Super Bowl hype. In the lighthearted video, someone off camera asks the president a series of playful “this or that” questions related to the game.
One notable aspect of the video is how it humorously addresses the conspiracy theory that Biden rigged Sunday’s game. Instead of directly responding, Biden jokingly says, “I’d get in trouble if I told you.” The video then transitions to his profile picture, featuring a black and white photo of Biden with red lasers shooting out of his eyes, injecting some humor into the TikTok post.
The campaign’s decision to embrace TikTok is aimed at connecting with young voters. However, it comes at a time when the popular social media platform is facing ongoing controversy due to its ties to the Chinese company, ByteDance. The Biden administration had previously threatened to ban TikTok in the United States if ByteDance did not divest its stake in the company.
Despite these concerns, the campaign believes it is crucial to utilize all available tools to effectively convey their message. Biden’s advisors recognize the importance of reaching voters through every available channel and platform in today’s fragmented and personalized media landscape.
TikTok is particularly popular among Generation Z, ranking as the third most used app within this demographic. While YouTube and Instagram hold the top spots, the Biden campaign already has a presence on those platforms. To expand their reach even further, the campaign has joined Truth Social, where they currently have over 86,000 followers.
Acknowledging the power of memes in internet culture, the Biden campaign aims to tap into the president’s “memeability.” They plan to incorporate a “Dark Brandon” meme aesthetic on their social media accounts. Memes provide a unique opportunity to engage with younger generations, allowing the campaign to connect with Gen Z and Millennials more effectively than traditional advertising methods.
As the next presidential election approaches, Gen Z will play a pivotal role, with over 40 million eligible voters. The strategic use of TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms by the Biden campaign aims to capture the attention of this progressive and socially active generation.
In summary, Joe Biden’s TikTok debut is a bold move to engage with young voters who are increasingly influential in shaping political discourse. Through playful content and meme culture, the campaign hopes to resonate with Gen Z and Millennials, ultimately securing their support in the upcoming election.