Emotional Political Branding and Hybrid Campaigning in a Young Democracy: Evidence from Indonesia’s 2024 Presidential Election
- AIOR Admin
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
Martien Herna Susanti, Anandha , Andi Suhardiyanto, Eta Yuni Lestari
Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia
This study examines the personal branding strategies of Prabowo Subianto–Gibran Rakabuming Raka in Indonesia’s 2024 Presidential Election, focusing on the integration of digital campaigning and conventional political practices. The pairing is particularly significant due to Gibran’s position as a millennial vice-presidential candidate, which situates the campaign within broader debates on political communication and youth electoral engagement. Employing a qualitative case study design, this research was conducted in Semarang City, Central Java. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation of digital campaign activities, and analysis of campaign-related documents and social media content, and were analyzed thematically using data and methodological triangulation. The findings demonstrate that Prabowo–Gibran’s personal branding was constructed through a hybrid campaign strategy that combined digital media outreach with face-to-face political mobilization. The emotional “gemoy” narrative functioned as a key symbolic device to reposition Prabowo’s political image as more approachable and inclusive for Millennial and Generation Z voters. At the same time, Gibran’s candidacy embodied symbolic millennial representation in national politics, generating both enthusiasm and ambivalence regarding political competence and legitimacy. Social media—particularly the X (Twitter) platform—emerged as a central arena for shaping public perceptions and facilitating digital political engagement. This study argues that effective personal branding in contemporary electoral politics depends not merely on digital campaign intensity, but on the strategic integration of digital and conventional approaches and the management of generational representation within democratic processes.
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