The Harris campaign capitalizes on viral memes, but do Gen Z social media references resonate with older voters?

Vice President Harris' campaign leaned into the viral "coconut tree" and "brat" memes that stormed the internet last week and garnered the attention of Gen Z, but the unconventional campaign strategy is foreign to older voters, many of whom were left wondering what "brat" even means.

Sergio José Gutiérrez, CEO of Espora CEO, which serves as a digital political advisor to campaigns across the world, told Fox News Digital that a "meme" can be defined as a concept, behavior, style or piece of media that spreads from person to person within a culture often with the intent of conveying a particular phenomenon, theme or meaning. 

A meme, he said, can take the form of images, videos, phrases or any other kind of content that is rapidly shared and could also be modified by individuals across the internet in a way that is humorous or satirical in service of a political or social moment in time.

JOE ROGAN WARNS KAMALA HARRIS WILL WIN BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ‘GIVING INTO THE BULLS---’ LIKE NEVER BEFORE

One of the reasons memes are so popular, Gutiérrez said, is because humor is an effective way to communicate political messages, because it helps create and consolidate shared meanings in popular culture.

"In other words, to have these kind of symbols makes complex issues more understandable by everyone, more relatable for younger people," he said.

Eric Dahan, Founder of Mighty Joy, which helps commerce-focused brands convert social communities into sales, described memes as a unique format because it packs information with spin to create "headlines really easily."

After the pop phenomenon Charli XCX tweeted, "kamala IS brat" hours after President Biden ended his own reelection bid and endorsed Harris, the campaign's X account capitalized on the "brat" phenomenon and changed the account's cover photo to feature the lime-hued color used on Charli XCX's album cover, replacing the words "Brat" with "Kamala HQ." 

"I think it's a tool and like any tool she's using it for her, but it also will continue to be used against her," Dahan said. "She's leaning in to a lot of this stuff she was made fun of to just kind of laugh it off [and] make it seem like just a personality trait, but she's sort of building her brand around this, specifically with the whole brat culture thing."

But, Dahan warned that there are a lot of Gen Z Americans who see the political meme campaign by Harris as "super cringe," which could make her seem "less serious." In addition, many older Americans were left scratching their heads about what "brat" means in the context of an American president. 

"It's someone who's maybe untethered and unaccountable, behaves badly, does drugs, is kind of annoying, breaks social norms, says stupid things, is messy in terms of thought and presentation," Dahan said. "Is that a brand you want from the person leading your country when there are so many issues? I don't think that's smart from a branding standpoint."

Dahan's definition is similar to what Charli XCX herself explained in a TikTok video about the "brat" album.

10 DAYS: KAMALA HARRIS HAS NOT HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE SINCE EMERGING AS PRESUMPTIVE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE

In the days following the announcement of Harris' presidential run, a viral clip of her from 2023 recirculated in which she told a story about her mother asking her "You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?" in which she added "You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you." Coconut memes ensued amid the "brat" phenomenon. 

"From the social media standpoint, she's the one we're talking about now, not Trump," Dahan said. "So, there's something to say for that. But yeah, I mean, I think this could very well hurt her and I don't think ‘brat’ is a good thing for a president. I don't think that's what we want, and I think, particularly, there are a lot of really tough questions she's going to have to answer."

Dahan also said the idea of a "meme culture" dominating politics speaks to the limited attention span of a society fueled by social media. 

"Social [media] rewards engagement and this feedback loop that's just rigged to hack our brains, to just keep us paying attention and it does that by showing us the most engaging stuff, which is typically not longer form or more nuanced bits of information," Dahan said. "It's typically bolder, salacious, louder, typically more vapid or empty pieces of information," he added. "The embracing of meme culture is interesting to me because maybe, I'm not talking about politics, I'm not a political expert, but… gaining attention without having to focus on information of substance that might be more difficult or more controversial."

But, Gutiérrez maintains that memes are a powerful political tool that helps a candidate gain notoriety.

"Of course, these must be considered with a kind of prospective risk, but the emotions that a meme can provoke aren't planned or can be planned," he added. "Once in the digital ecosystem, the reception will evoke different emotions in the voters. In the end, what Kamala Harris is trying to do is to address voters with a focus, which is to persuade them. It doesn't have to be rational, so it's working for her."

EX-CNN HOST DON LEMON CELEBRATES BEING FREE FROM ‘CORPORATE OVERLORDS’ SO HE CAN OPENLY SUPPORT KAMALA HARRIS

Although, Gutiérrez said Trump remains the most "memeable" figure in American politics. 

"Who's the best meme agent in the United States?" Gutiérrez asked. "It would be Donald Trump, not Kamala Harris. Donald Trump continues to dominate the meme culture with a high engagement in viral content."

"He doesn't care that people are talking bad about him as long as the message reaches the targets he is aiming for," he added. "He just provokes them, so they become the human tools or the human mules to spread his message. Just by being controversial and provocative, that's enough for him and he's really good at it."

Dahan said regardless of how viral Harris memes become, at some point the vice president is going to have to face the problems of the Biden administration. 

"This sort of less serious, more jovial tone… is that really what is going to work given all the issues that we're facing?" he asked. "We're in, what, two major wars on a global stage, there's inflation, economic slowdown, immigration issues… that's what people are talking about." 

"Is that what we want when we have a lot of problems on our hands?" he asked. 

There was a fiery test yesterday, not just for Donald Trump but for the National Association of Black Journalists.

The organization, which has "journalists" in its name, did not fare well in my view.

Nor was it Trump’s finest hour.

VANCE BRANDS HARRIS A 'COWARD'; TRUMP DINGED FOR 'ATTACKS AND INSULTS' AS CAMPAIGNS WAR AFTER FIERY EVENT

But I will say this: I don’t buy the post-game commentary that Trump went to the Chicago gathering to appeal to his MAGA base by picking a fight with Black folks.

Keep in mind that when Joe Biden was still running, Trump drawing Black support in the polls at levels not seen for a Republican in decades. Obviously the passing of the torch to Kamala Harris scrambles that calculation.

Trump’s view, as I see it, was that he was stepping into the lion’s den, knowing he’d get some negative questions but hoping he’d get some credit for showing up and highlighting such initiatives as helping finance historically Black colleges and universities.

But on the NABJ side, there was something of a revolt at the opportunity to question a former president who heads the Republican ticket.

The group’s co-chair resigned, in part because of the invitation.

April Ryan, who constantly tangled with Trump and is now a White House reporter for The Grio, tweeted that the invite "is an affront to what this organization stands for and a slap in the face to the Black women journalists (NABJ journalists of the year) who had to protect themselves from the wrath of this Republican presidential nominee who is promoting an authoritarian agenda that plans to destroy this nation."

TRUMP CLASHES WITH ABC NEWS REPORTER OVER 'NASTY QUESTION,' BLASTS 'FAKE NEWS NETWORK' DURING HEATED Q&A

No bias there, right?

This is how the panel, which included Fox’s Harris Faulkner, began.

ABC’s Rachel Scott didn’t so much ask a question as deliver an indictment.

"You have pushed false claims about some of your rivals," she said. "From Nikki Haley to former President Barack Obama, saying that they were not born in the United States, which is not true. You have told former congresswomen of color who were American citizens, to go back to where they came from. You have used words like animal and rabbit to describe black district attorneys. You've attacked black journalists, calling them a loser, saying the questions that they ask are, quote, stupid and racist. You've had dinner with a white supremacist at your Mar-a-Lago resort. So my question sir, now that you are asking black supporters to vote for you. Why should black voters trust you after you have used language like that?"

Trump’s response: "Well first of all, I don't think I've ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner. First question. You don't even say ‘hello, how are you?’ Are you with ABC? Because I think they're a fake news network, a terrible network. And I think it's disgraceful that I came here in good spirit. I love the black population of this country."

Trump also said he was invited under false pretenses because he was told he had to be there in person. But yesterday, after rejecting a virtual appearance by Harris, the group changed its mind and allowed it.

WHITE HOUSE FIRES BACK AFTER TRUMP ANSWERS QUESTION ABOUT HARRIS BEING CALLED A 'DEI HIRE'

Trump’s biggest misstep came after another question by Rachel Scott.

"Do you believe," she asked, "that Vice President Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she is a black woman?"

Trump’s response: "She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn't know she was black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn black. And now she wants to be known as black. So, I don't know, is she Indian or is she black?"

Scott interjected: "She has always identified as Black. She went to a historically Black college."

"I respect either one," Trump said, "but she obviously doesn't because she was Indian all the way. And then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went. She became a Black person."

Questioning the racial identity of a Black woman who went to Howard University is not the way to win friends in that community. 

KAMALA RIDES TSUNAMI OF POSITIVE PRESS, BUT SKEPTICS SEE A RISKY CHOICE

But it was not a great day for NABJ either.

Meanwhile, I was scrolling through X the other day – yes, it’s part of the job – and within a couple of minutes came across plenty of controversial past stances by Harris.

"THE ROOT: ’Should black people get reparations?’  

"KAMALA HARRIS: ‘There have to be some form of reparations.’"

"Kamala Harris says mandatory gun confiscation is ‘a great idea’ — then says she'll do it by executive action within her ‘first 100 days.’"

"Kamala Harris Once Pledged To Keep Transgender Criminals Out Of Prison As President"

"Here's Kamala bragging about her work to ensure ‘every transgender inmate in the prison system’ has access to taxpayer-funded gender reassignment surgeries."

These were originally posted by the RNC, the Trump campaign or conservative groups – but have drawn remarkably little media attention.

Now this might surprise you – I don’t think most voters particularly care about flip-flops. After all, Donald Trump used to be a Democrat. He used to be pro-choice. He donated money to Harris when she was a California official.

Most Americans want to know what you’re going to do tomorrow, not what you said four or five years ago.

And while the mainstream media don’t much care, it helps to offer an explanation.

When I interviewed Donald Trump, I asked why he had tried to ban TikTok as president and now supports it. He said it would unfairly help Facebook, which people can buy or not, but at least he had a rationale. 

SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE'S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY'S HOTTEST STORIES

Harris has made no attempt to do that, in part because she’s basically taking no questions (though she regularly talks to her traveling press corps off the record). That was a major criticism of the president, for reasons we now more fully understand.

And that gave the Trump campaign an opening to counter her taunts on why he won’t commit to debating her:

"It has been ten days since Kamala's coup to force Crooked Joe Biden off the ballot, but she hasn't done a single interview nor press conference…The only logical conclusion is that she's terrified.

"Is Kamala trying to make history as the first major nominee to take zero questions from the press?"

I really hope that’s not the case.