Blue carpet rolled out for online influencers – could they swing the election for Kamala Harris?
Inside Chicago’s cavernous United Center, where the Democratic National Convention is being held, there is a cordoned off “creators lounge” and a blue carpet, where influencers can film videos.
They have been given prime seats inside the arena and some have even been invited to speak on stage, an honour usually reserved for luminaries of the Democratic Party.
For the first time, 200 influencers and content creators have been invited to attend the DNC and document the experience for their combined millions of followers.
It indicates that the Kamala Harris campaign team now values the reach they have as much as traditional media.
Heather Gardner has nearly 400,000 followers on TikTok and believes influencers are the future of political communication.
“There are millions of Gen Z voters who are voting for the very first time,” she says.
“And they are not getting their information from the New York Times. They are not getting their information from CNN Cable News or traditional news outlets. It’s on social media.”
Pic: Reuters
Peter McIndoe became famous by pushing a satirical conspiracy theory called “birds aren’t real” and now has thousands of followers on social media.
“People are on TikTok,” he says. “They’re in algorithmic pockets. We’re looking at targeting those algorithmic pockets, getting into groups that are swing voters.”
Harris’s own social media channels, Kamala HQ, are being operated by her social media strategy team, most of whom are in their mid-20s.
The convention is also being streamed in vertical for the first time to cater to an online audience.
Deja Foxx is a 24-year-old model and content creator who worked on Harris’s presidential primary campaign in 2019.
Influencer Deja Foxx at the Democratic National Convention Pic: AP
She spoke on stage, focussing her comments on abortion.
“Reproductive rights is the issue of this election,” she says.
“Particularly in some swing states like Arizona. It isn’t just about winning the electoral battle. When we see a combination of race and gender-based attacks, it’s about winning the narrative battle because little girls are listening to see what is possible.
“So content creators, like the ones you see here, have the opportunity to shape a generation’s political understanding in this election cycle.”
One of the criticisms of the Harris/Walz campaign is that it feels like it’s more sustained by style and soundbites than substance at the moment.
Brandy is an influencer from Atlanta
“I think we’re all on the same level when it comes to policy,” says Brandy, a 24-year-old influencer from Atlanta.
“It’s been like three weeks to a month now [since Harris became the nominee], like give my sis a break. She has time, right?
“But at the same time, I feel like the DNC stage is going to be the perfect opportunity to start laying things out. We saw the economic policy come through.
“I look forward to seeing more and more, particularly what she’s going to do when it comes to healthcare.”
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Many people, before they decide which way to vote, will want to know more about what Harris would do in power.
But the clout these influencers carry online could be key – especially when it comes to pulling young people from behind a screen and into the ballot box.
Donald Trump has waded into the debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad.
The American Eagle ad, which features the 27-year-old actress, who starred in the HBO series Euphoria and White Lotus, has the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
It has sparked a debate in the US over race and Western beauty standards.
One of the Sydney Sweeney jeans ads. Pic: AP
In a Truth Social post, the US president described it as the “hottest ad out there”.
Hailing Sweeney as a “registered Republican”, he said the jeans are “flying off the shelves”, adding: “Go get ’em Sydney!”
Most of the criticism of the ad has centred on videos using the word “genes” instead of “jeans”, with one in which Sweeney says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
Critics argued the play on words potentially promotes eugenics, a discredited theory that believed humanity could be improved through the selective breeding of certain traits.
But others have defended the ad, saying the critics are reading too much into its message.
The video appeared on American Eagle’s Facebook page and other social media channels, but is not part of the ad campaign.
In a statement on Instagram on Friday, American Eagle Outfitters said the campaign “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Stocks in American Eagle Outfitters jumped by 23.3% after Mr Trump’s intervention.
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In his Truth Social post, which he reposted three times to fix various typos, Mr Trump compared the ad with “woke” ones “on the other side of the ledger” – as he criticised other companies, as well as hitting out at Taylor Swift.
“The tide has seriously turned – Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be,” he wrote.
Sky News has contacted Sweeney’s agent for comment.
Police in Tennessee have discovered 14 improvised explosive devices in a man’s home as they were arresting him, the local sheriff’s office said.
Officers were executing a warrant in the home of Kevin Wade O’Neal in Old Fort, about 45 miles (70km) east of Chattanooga, after he had threatened to kill public officials and law enforcement personnel in Polk County.
After arresting the 54-year-old, officers noticed “something smouldering” in the bedroom where he was found.
Kevin Wade O’Neal. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
On closer inspection, they discovered an improvised explosive device and evacuated the house until bomb squad officers arrived at the scene.
Fourteen devices were found inside the property – none of which detonated.
Improvised explosive devices were found in Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home in Old Fort, Tennessee. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
O’Neal was charged with 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder, corresponding to nine officers and two other people inside the property when the suspect tried to detonate the devices.
He also faces 14 counts of prohibited weapons and one count of possession of explosive components.
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O’Neal is being held at the Polk County jail and his bond is yet to be determined.
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