Celebrity Endorsements: A Double-Edged Sword

The phenomenon of using pop-culture icons in political campaigns is not new. Celebrity involvement in political campaigns can be traced back to the 1920s and possibly even earlier. In the current election cycle, specifically with the Trump and Harris campaigns, we have seen an increased reliance on celebrity endorsements. The use of celebrity endorsements can be a powerful campaign strategy employed by public relations professionals to increase their candidate’s appeal to certain groups of voters. However, this strategy can also alienate some voter segments, meaning one must be careful when utilizing it. For this post I will specially look at the differences in endorsements received by the Harris and Trump campaigns. While this discussion will focus primarily on the national election, celebrity endorsements can be effective at every level of campaigning. Now, you may not get Beyoncé to make an appearance at your state governor’s race, but obtaining the endorsement of popular figures in the community can be just as beneficial.  

When comparing the celebrity endorsements of the Harris and Trump campaigns, it is clear that both campaigns are trying to reach different audiences. Starting with the Harris campaign, some of her most prominent endorsements include Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, Jennifer Aniston, LeBron James, Bad Bunny and many more. All these celebrities have traditionally held fan bases that Harris is trying to appeal to. Primarily this audience includes, women, people of color, the queer community and Gen Z. By utilizing these celebrity endorsements and having them make appearances at her campaign events, she is not only appealing to her target voters but also increasing her visibility as a candidate. Both of these strategies can be very helpful for campaigns.  

In contrast, when looking at Trump’s celebrity endorsements, the list looks quite different. His most prominent endorsements include Kid Rock, Hulk Hogan, Elon Musk, Kodak Black, Jason Aldean and Tony Hinchcliffe. Similarly to Harris, all of these celebrities have fans that Trump is trying to reach. However, the case of the endorsement and appearance of Tony Hinchcliffe and Trumps recent rally illustrates how some celebrity endorsements can negatively impact a campaign. When Hinchcliffe made a racist joke about Puerto Rico, it greatly disenfranchised many individuals of Puerto Rican dissent who may have been considering voting for Trump.  

Overall, celebrity endorsements can have both positive and negative impacts on campaigns. They can help candidates appeal to their voter base and expand their visibility, but they can also make some voting groups feel unsupported. As a public relations professional working on campaigns at all levels, it is important to assess the potential consequences of certain celebrity endorsements and weigh these consequences against the potential benefits. No matter what level of your campaign, these types of endorsements can be a very powerful strategy if used correctly.