Mark Turner
Assistant professor in the Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. He is the former executive news editor at the Akron Beacon Journal in Ohio. Turner’s research focuses on media effects on language and culture, as well as diversity in news media as it relates to journalism education and practice.
Email: turnerm4@ohio.edu
U.S. Election 2024
78. Momentum is a meme (Prof Ryan M. Milner)
79. Partisan memes and how they were perceived in the 2024 U.S. presidential election (Dr Prateekshit “Kanu” Pandey, Dr Daniel Lane)
80. The intersection of misogyny, race, and political memes... America has a long way to go, baby! (Dr Gabriel B. Tait)
81. Needs Musk: Trump turns to the manosphere (Dr Michael Higgins, Prof Angela Smith)
82. “Wooing the manosphere: He’s just a bro.” Donald Trump’s digital transactions with "dude" influencers (Prof Mark Wheeler)
83. Star supporters (Prof John Street)
84. Pet sounds: Celebrity, meme culture and political messaging in the music of election 2024 (Dr Adam Behr)
85. The stars came out for the 2024 election. Did it make a difference? (Mark Turner)
86. Podcasting as presidential campaign outreach (Ava Kalinauskas, Dr Rodney Taveira)
87. Value of TV debates reduced during Trump era (Prof Richard Thomas, Dr Matthew Wall)
88. America’s “fun aunt”: How gendered stereotypes can shape perceptions of women candidates (Dr Caroline Leicht)
Could it have been the ongoing and seemingly obsessive support from the billionaire tech entrepreneur and social media-platform owner that changed voters’ minds and, thus, the course of history? Could it have been the endorsement that came on the day before the election from the most popular podcaster in the United States? Could it have been the star NFL player who wore the “Make America Great Again” hat on primetime television’s Sunday Night Football? And could it have been the throng of singers, online influencers, podcasters, and other celebrities who offered up their endorsements that helped win the day for President-elect Donald Trump?
If the answer is yes, does that mean that the cat-cuddling queen of pop’s Instagram declaration supporting his opponent didn’t move the needle? Or that the NBA’s all-time leading scorer’s support and that of more than a dozen Oscar winners meant nothing? Music stars, big screen actors and other Hollywood elites told their fans they supported Vice President Kamala Harris, but their backing did not translate into victory. But it could have.
About one in 10 U.S. citizens (11%) said that a celebrity caused them to rethink how they viewed a political issue, and about 7% said they ever supported a political candidate because of a celebrity endorsing them, according to a 2024 survey by pollster YouGov. Those percentages could be enough to turn a presidential election, especially when a state’s outcome as “red” or “blue” is decided by just a few percentage points.
The endorsements were not necessarily meant to sway those on the other side or those sitting on the metaphorical fence. They predominantly serve to mobilize fans and supporters of the celebrities. Endorsements are most impactful at getting people enthusiastic. If folks are moved from one position or one candidate to another, then that’s the icing on the cake. Also, endorsements can bolster civic engagement. A 2024 Harvard study found that there is significant evidence that celebrities have real impact in terms of voter registration.
Think about the number of fans celebrities have and can rally to their cause. Trump endorser and actor-turned-podcaster Joe Rogan boasts more than 11 million listeners per episode and more than 35 million combined YouTube and Instagram followers. Elon Musk, commander of X (formerly Twitter), has more than 200 million followers, using the biggest reach on X to support Trump. Pop star Taylor Swift, who endorsed Harris, has more than 90 million monthly listeners on Spotify and around 280 million Instagram followers. LeBron James, the NBA’s most prolific scorer and Harris backer, has more than 150 million followers on Instagram and helps Nike sell millions of pairs of his shoes in the United States. How many followers laced up those trainers to walk into the ballot box is uncertain.
Celebrity endorsements aren’t unusual, particularly in times of higher-than-usual polarization or when divisive societal issues have taken over the discourse in the public sphere. Some might think endorsements are risky for some celebrities as they have the ability to alienate parts of their fan bases. Considering the “cancel” culture where wrong utterances have elicited strong backlash, it is conceivable to think that an endorsement for president for a candidate fans did not support, also runs that risk. Some celebrities believe, however, that with great power and influence comes great responsibility. In the 2024 election, the phrase “right side of history” was used by some celebrities to indicate that the presidential election would have lasting significance and that there was a correct choice to make.
There are a few theories that talk about why survey numbers like those from YouGov might not tell the whole story of what influences public perception and to what extent. Consider the power of our parasocial relationships. Parasocial relationships, through repeated exposure, are psychologically influential. People identify with celebrities and what they stand for. The desire, the need, to emulate celebrities with whom we identify and have “bonded” is often stronger than we might realize.
The value of a celebrity endorsement goes beyond just the backing of the celebrity. Think about the publicity a well-timed announcement could provide a candidate. During the final push of the campaign, leading podcaster Rogan, wielding millions of listeners and viewers, threw his weight behind Trump. Beyonce, without singing a note, trained the eyes of the public on her as she stood to endorse and introduce Harris just days before the election.
Not surprisingly the makeup of celebrity endorsements seemed to fall in line with the demographics of non-celebrity support, especially for Trump, whose big-name celebrity supporters were largely male. Like in 2016 and 2020, the 2024 election again found he did better with men than his opponent. Big-name women celebrities came out to support Harris, tracking with what happened at the ballot box.
The question will remain as to what extent celebrity endorsements might help or hurt a candidate. Do they reach the people that candidates need? How much should candidates acknowledge or play up the endorsements? It seems no matter the outcome of elections, celebrity endorsements are still welcome and coveted.