Promotional videos, billboards, and articles are all staples for election campaigns. These have been the key components for many of our elected officials advertisements both in the past and present. This year, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign team have taken advantage of her meme worthy social media presence, creating Kamala HQ.

     Kamala HQ is the official social media page for Harris. It is run by multiple Gen Z media managers who use trends and memes to advertise her brand to a younger audience. This summer, Kamala HQ has used Charli XCX’s ‘brat’ album in their marketing campaign. On the album, Charli samples the infamous ‘Coconut tree’ quote. This viral line comes from Harris talking about her mother at an event in the White House in 2023.

      “My mother used to – she would give us a hard time sometimes, and she would say to us, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?‘ You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you,” Harris said.

     The song solidified her place in ‘brat summer’ after Charli XCX, herself, called Kamala ‘brat’. “Kamala HQ’s X account has also started to repost memes (which often feature a recognizable image or video clip, paired with a witty caption or phrase) and swear words.” BBC news writer Lucy Clarke-Billings said in her article ‘What is Kamala Harris’ ‘brat’ re-brand all about?’

     “I think it [Harris’ re-brand] is interesting,” WAHS sophomore Gunnar Riesland says. “I like Kamala’s campaign more because, I don’t know. It just makes more sense than Trump’s.” Riesland further explains how he thinks the campaign is targeting a younger audience. “Younger people that are just starting to vote, who are in their young twenties would use [social media see the marketing] more than commercials… I think that’s so much more important.”

Not pictured: Gunnar Riesland