We are two weeks away from the 2024 US presidential election day. Current national polling averages show that Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are neck and neck. 

Both candidates have invested heavily in paid media, which now accounts for 46 per cent of total campaign spending. The candidates are competing for votes in an era where digital marketing increasingly outshines traditional canvassing methods, such as door-to-door solicitation and phone banking. 

Current Vice-President Harris’ campaign has distinguished itself through its use of reactive marketing — quickly responding to real-time events and trending topics to engage with the audience at the moment. Her approach mirrors corporate marketing strategies, such as Coca Cola’s billboards promoting social distancing during COVID-19. Harris’ campaign has utilized trending meme formats and celebrity endorsements to connect with Gen Z. 

About Harris’ campaign 

Shortly after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race on July 21 and endorsed Harris, she rapidly rebranded her image, focusing on engaging Gen Z with more relatable and culturally relevant messaging. 

Harris’ campaign accounts on X, TikTok, and Instagram were emblazoned with blurry lowercase letters on a bright green background: a design inspired by the cover of Charli XCX’s recent album, Brat. This design emerged following Charli XCX’s public endorsement of Harris, in which she posted on X that, “Kamala IS brat.” 

Similarly, kamalahq’s best-performing TikTok video, which has garnered over 59 million views, references Chappell Roan’s song, “Femininomenon.” Harris has embraced a playful and approachable persona on social media, often going by her first name or the nickname “Mamala,” and leaning into light-hearted, viral moments, such as her story about coconut trees. 

Recent polls show that these efforts are making a difference. A SocialSphere Survey in battleground states found that Harris’ favourability among registered voters aged 18 to 29 rose by 16 percentage points, from 33 per cent to 49 per cent, between July and August. 

Financing the campaign 

Marketing Harris’ campaign has been costly. In August, her campaign spent $135 million on media buys and ad production — which accounts for nearly 78 per cent of her total spending, and is more than three times Trump’s expenditure in the same category. According to The Washington Post, Harris has allocated additional funds for bells and whistles, typically used in corporate product launches and professional sports championships, to generate more noise.

However, this investment has paid off. By August, Harris had spent a total of $174 million on her campaign, garnering attention and support that translated into $190 million in donations. This means her campaign raised $16 million more than it spent. In contrast, Trump’s campaign spent more money than it raised, resulting in a deficit of $16 million. 

Reactive marketing behind Harris’ appeal to Gen Z 

According to Time Magazine, Harris has invested heavily in data collection and analysis, enabling her campaign to gain insights into voter demographics, identify key issues, and engage effectively with potential voters. 

One unique aspect of Harris’ campaign is its use of reactive marketing exemplified by the campaign’s embrace of the “Brat” persona. Both Forbes and the United States Studies Centre agree that her strategy resonates particularly with Gen Z, as it aligns with the generation’s values of authenticity and rejects the polished “clean girl” aesthetic: a phenomenon reflected in the popular Brat album.