Kamala Harris clearly knows how to grab the Gen Z vote. As the Vice President of the United States flagged off her Presidential election campaign on July 22, social media has been seeing a wave of niche pro-Harris memes that reveal the creativity and enthusiasm of young supporters. From pop culture crossovers to TikTok trends, the internet has been flooded with content that highlights the Indo-American politician's appeal to the younger generation. Harris' campaign reportedly raised $81 million in 24 hours, showing the overwhelming excitement about her candidacy.
Now Trending: Kamala Harris For President
Kamala Harris is banking on the power of social media and pop culture to energise her campaign with the support of young voters. It all started with her official campaign account on X (formerly Twitter) rebranding itself to a 'brat' theme, referencing musician Charli XCX's latest album which has been creating a cultural impact.
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Charli XCX also wrote on X, "kamala IS brat," which further legitimised Harris' campaign among pop culture-savvy voters. Soon, Gen Z supporters embraced the Democratic leader as 'one among us'. Who knew calling a politician a "brat" would one day be a sign of support?
Charli XCX explained on her social media earlier this year, why 'brat' is not a derogatory word to her. "That girl who is a little messy and likes to party... Who feels like herself but maybe also has a breakdown. But kind of like parties through it, is very honest, very blunt... That’s brat.”
More similar patterns of memes emerged-- from Barbie-themed graphics to comparing Harris with beloved celebrities like Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Lana Del Ray, and SZA. Some netizens are also comparing the Democratic politician's campaign to the previous year's Barbie movie.
What Is Coconut Tree Meme?
A voice clip of Kamala Harris saying, "You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?" had been trending for the last few months on social media, with TikTokers lip-syncing to it and making hilarious memes. The meme has now exploded as Harris is in the run to be a candidate for the Presidential election.
The background to this viral audio is a 2023 speech in which Harris was discussing initiatives focussing on young people. The Vice President stated how each individual is a product of their 'context'-- their families, teachers and communities as "none of us just live in a silo."
That was when Harris recalled her upbringing and shared, "My mother ... 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."
The clip of the anecdote has now become viral and Harris' supporters are using the 'coconut tree' as a quirky yet meaningful symbol of support for her. Social media users are now making video edits and 'Coconut Tree Summer' references, which some are even calling a way to "idolise" the politician.
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