The Kamala Harris campaign has built a robust digital operation with over 175 staff members dedicated to countering former President Donald Trump online. This initiative has tapped into a large group of Gen Z staffers from the Harris for President campaign and the Democratic National Committee, aiming to engage voters in the lead-up to November.
A Harris campaign spokesperson told Axios that the digital team’s mission is to “break through a challenging media environment to reach the voters who are most difficult to reach.” This digital mobilization unit operates “rapid response” accounts that react to and capitalize on trends and key moments in real-time, often without requiring approval from higher-ups.
To bolster its online presence, the campaign has enlisted hundreds of online creators and influencers to generate fundraising content and social media posts. Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings revealed by investigative reporter Lee Fang show that Democratic super PACs and other affiliated groups have spent millions on influencer marketing agencies.
One significant expenditure is a $1.9 million payment to Village Marketing Agency, a leading firm for booking social media influencers. This payment is the Harris campaign’s largest non-advertising expense so far this election cycle. Village Marketing, which is part of the WPP Group marketing conglomerate, is working to recruit 5,000 social media influencers to promote Vice President Harris’s presidential campaign, according to the New York Post.
In addition, PrioritiesUSA, a super PAC originally established as President Obama’s main support group during his 2012 reelection campaign, has shifted its focus entirely to digital advocacy. The super PAC is paying TikTok personalities to produce content that supports Kamala Harris. In June, PrioritiesUSA provided $10,000 to Hija Del Nopal Films, a company that recently issued a casting call for an ad highlighting “Trump’s threat to the Latine community,” portrayed from the perspective of a child.