Adia Keene and Abi Koehler

March 12, 2019

Refined Social Media Approach

“Soldier. Veteran. Surfer. Member of Congress.” Tulsi Gabbard uses those four words in

her Instagram and Twitter biographies to characterize herself. These could be taken at face value

as mere descriptors, but they could also be the beating heart behind her social media campaign.

Alongside Pete Buttigieg, Gabbard is one of the youngest and more underestimated in the

Democratic primary race. Standing out in the crowded primary race starring household names

like Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris is a difficult ordeal, but it’s harder to emerge as another

liberal Democrat than as a surfing veteran from Hawaii who unexpectedly surpassed a

long-reigning incumbent in Congress. She’s already off to a good start, kicking off most of her

videos with a friendly “Aloha.” Now is the time to sustain this unique appeal across all platforms

with a standardized message that rings true for her target audience.

Using a combination of narrative and authenticity, Gabbard would be able to hook in

voters with her background story and win them over with her genuine commitment to the

country. Gabbard has a unique history with her interfaith, interracial family and experience of

growing up in ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse Hawaii. By emphasizing those

experiences, Gabbard can appeal to a more diverse audience. She can also use her young age to

appeal to a younger audience. According to a study by Pew Research, in the 2020 presidential

election, Millennials and Generation Z will collectively take up 37% of the electorate, so if

emphasized in her narrative, Gabbard’s youth could give her an advantage in connecting with

those voters. As a former member of the Army National Guard, Gabbard can further attract

supporters with stories about the impact of her service in Iraq. After highlighting these key points

in her narrative, Gabbard can then transition to speaking about her policies with authenticity. For
example, because of her experiences with pollution on the beaches of Hawaii, voters will believe

that Gabbard is genuinely committed to helping the environment. Furthermore, because of her

experience as a soldier, voters will believe in Gabbard’s dedication to this country and her

commitment to removing the U.S. from costly regime-changing wars. Gabbard’s life story can

connect her with audiences and build credibility to her campaign promises, so narrative and

authenticity would best work together to teach voters to trust that Gabbard knows what she’s

talking about and is true in her commitments and campaign promises.

Kight, Steph W. “Millennials and Gen Z Will Make Up 37% of the 2020 Electorate.” ​Axios​, 30

Jan. 2019,

https://www.axios.com/2020-presidential-election-millennials-generation-z-8c54a77a-c6f

5-40bc-850c-95e4f1217e62.html. Accessed 12 Mar 2019.

Tulsi Gabbard Official Campaign Site.​ Tulsi 2020, 2019, tulsi2020.com. Accessed 27 Feb 2019.