The last 10 days were a whirlwind of activity on my social media. From election coverage to music videos, I am surprised how much commonality the two have. Trinidad and Tobago was swept away by the general elections held on August 10, but this is not about the results but about how they transformed social media as their main platform to educate, connect, inspire and motivate the masses.
Because of the pandemic, political parties had no choice but to dig into their creative juices to find ways to stay connected with their electorate. Everything was online and whether you were interested or not, there was no getting away from it. From virtual community meetings, to competitions, polls, memes and 1 on 1 discussions with candidates, social media and online platforms were the only way to stay connected. What it did do, was also bring out a lot more youth voters who may not have necessarily been interested in the elections if the parties maintained their grassroots approach. Healthy discussions were encouraged (both good and bad!) but needed either way.
I thoroughly appreciated the mini series of information that was being filtered to the general public on Facebook and Twitter every day. Quite noticeably, I did not get any political news on either Instagram or Linkedin. But social media reigned supreme during this short election period. It even gave birth to new groups and businesses whose main aim was to educate the population about our election procedures. Shout out to The Picong Party on Twitter for their unique approach.
What struck me as fascinating was how viewers shared polar opposite responses to the political candidates being presented on each platform. Facebook shifted to one party while Twitter leaned the opposite way. Is this an indication of any research done about ideal clients and where they can be found for each party and did this influence where they spent the most money in ads online? Want to know about your ideal client? – Everything you need to know about your ideal client
But the winner of them all was our music! Trinidad and Tobago music walked away with the biggest prize of them all. Because no matter which party you supported, music was being streamed and shared across all platforms. Our Trinibad entertainers got a hefty ‘bligh’ this season as their music not only rang out on the radio but accompanied so many of the ads and memes that circulated.
And that brings me to music videos, both local and foreign. In the midst of our political rallies, Cardi B and Meg The Stallion dropped what is looking like one of the biggest songs for 2020 – WAP
(not forgetting my queen Bey the week before). But again, the power of social media reigned supreme and these ladies were able to infiltrate the laptops and phones of everybody glued to it. Love it or hate it, they tapped into an audience hungry for entertainment through social media. They dropped their song and sultry video, did their own interviews on Instagram and literally crashed the internet with their inclusion of Kylie Jenner. Like elections, Instagram praised them for their bravery and Twitter was filled with people condemning the sexiness of the video and lyrics. It was a game well played on their part. Fans got immediate access and they got immediate sales.
All of this, thanks to the power of social media. So, what do political parties and entertainers have in common in 2020?
1. They both understand the importance of social media
2. They both understand their audience
3. They both took charge of their narrative
4. And they leveraged their reach by tapping into a bigger audience (Trinibad and Kylie Jenner)
It is now a foregone conclusion that social media affects voting decisions and music purchases in 2020 as more entities and businesses are recognizing it is not just a place to post meaningless information. But a portal to build a healthy, engaged and ready fan base who can help you grow your business.
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