Politics
“We find that celebrities who use their platforms to encourage people to vote can not only increase participation but also strengthen their brands,” the Harvard said.
Celebrities can “significantly” impact election outcomes and civic engagement, a new Harvard study found.
The study examined the impact of public statements by celebrities like Taylor Swift, Trevor Noah, Kerry Washington, and Questlove on nationwide voter participation.
The report, published by Harvard’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, found that when a celebrity promotes civic engagement, it both benefits the celebrity’s image and strengthens democracy by encouraging voter turnout.
“We find that celebrities who use their platforms to encourage people to vote can not only increase participation but also strengthen their brands,” the study said.
Take the example of Taylor Swift, a key figure in the report. In 2018, she shared an Instagram story post that asked her fans to register at vote.org. The site reported 250,000 new voters in 72 hours.
Or look at the case of YouTuber David Dobrik, who pledged a free Tesla to 5 lucky followers. The catch — they had to check their voter registration status. More than 125,000 people registered to vote as a result of the raffle.
“While some polling shows that people claim they aren’t influenced by celebrity voices when it comes to politics, more rigorous evidence indicates that these voices are incredibly powerful,” the study said.
The study comes at a time when both leading presidential candidates have had celebrities present at various rallies and fundraisers to drum up support.
Wrestler Hulk Hogan spoke at the Republican National Convention in July, where he ripped his shirt off to reveal a “Trump Vance” shirt right under it. Rapper Megan Thee Stallion and band Bon Iver both made appearances at separate Kamala Harris rallies, drawing large crowds.
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