A study released on July 29, 2024 by a team of faculty from the <\/span>Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication<\/a><\/strong> in the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University shows that TikTok and X content that resonates with Gen Z voters, specifically memes surrounding coconuts and Mario Kart, is driving major interest in Kamala Harris and having a positive impact on her presidential campaign.<\/span><\/p>\n Researchers examined more than 265,000 social media conversations on various social media platforms (X, Facebook, Reddit, YouTube, Tumblr, blogs, etc.) over seven days, from July 18 to July 24, 2024.<\/span> Highlights from the study include:<\/span><\/p>\n From the full study about coconuts: \u201cThe reference to coconut trees originated from Harris\u2019 speech in May 2023 to advocate opportunities for Hispanic Americans. During the speech, Harris stressed the importance of considering the context, such as the needs of students\u2019 families, teachers, and communities by stating: \u2018Everything is in context. My mother\u2026would say to us, \u2018I don\u2019t know what\u2019s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The coconut theme was amplified by an edit by @ranvision_official that places Harris\u2019 words over the theme song for the Mario Kart racecourse \u201cCoconut Mall.\u201d Coconut Mall is a famous track in the Mario Kart series, and the music has become a variation of the <\/span>2008 Rick Roll meme<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong> As of July 29, the video garnered more than 1.5 views.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCoconut tree memes and emojis have become a distinct symbol of support and admiration for Harris among younger generations. Young voters found that such a funny, quirky association of the VP with coconut showcased her unique persona and resonated with diverse audiences,\u201d said Dr. Yi Luo, study co-author and Associate Professor in the School of Communication and Media.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWith more than half of Gen Zs who are of age to vote, meme culture is playing an unprecedented role in the 2024 Presidential election. The participatory nature of social media is expected to continue to evolve how voters engage in election campaigns in the future,\u201d said Dr.\u00a0 Jin-A Choi, study co-author and Assistant Professor in the School of Communication and Media.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe integration of meme content and election promotion, seems novel but it has a long history.\u00a0 Frank Sinatra, for example, remixed the song \u2018High Hopes\u2019 turning it into a campaign theme for John F. Kennedy in 1960. It was as unique as the viral coconut content of today,\u201d said Dr. Bond Benton, study co-author and Professor in the School of Communication and Media.<\/span><\/p>\n The full study is the eighteenth from the Montclair team at the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication and can be found here<\/a>. The study was conducted by Dr. Yi Luo, Dr. Jin-A Choi, and Dr. Bond Benton.<\/span><\/p>\n ###<\/span><\/p>\n About the School of Communication and Media:<\/b> The School of Communication and Media offers a range of dynamic programs in communication and media to a talented and diverse student population of over 1,800. Offering degrees in film and television, social media and public relations, advertising, journalism and digital media, sports communication, communication and media studies, animation and visual effects, and an MA devoted to strategic communication, the School prepares the next generation of communication and media practitioners and leaders. The School houses award-winning student programs that include <\/span>WMSC Radio<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>The Montclarion<\/span><\/a> newspaper,\u00a0 <\/span>Hawk Communications<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Agency, the\u00a0<\/span>Red Hawk Sports Network<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Hawk+<\/span><\/a>\u00a0OTT streaming platform, and\u00a0<\/span>News Lab<\/span><\/a>, as well as the\u00a0<\/span>Center for Cooperative Media<\/span><\/a>, which serves the public by working to grow and strengthen local journalism. Student projects and programs have recently received national recognition from PRSSA\u2019s Bateman Competition, an Edward R Murrow Award, several Marconi Award nominations, and a College Television Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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