Have the party leaders become influencers?

That - and whether likes on Facebook and Instagram can be turned into votes on election day - is the topic of Wednesday's episode of "Politikbyrån".

According to David Orlic, former vice president of the PR agency Prime and advisor to the Social Democrats in the 2014 and 2018 election movements, it is clear that social media will trump traditional media when the election campaign starts in earnest in a year.

- It is always said that they will be more important than ever, but this time it is true, because the most important media channel in the 2022 election campaign will not be "Ekot" or "Agenda".

It will be the Instagram account Dyngbagge Gala, he says in "Politikbyrån".

What made you draw that conclusion?

- Because there are so many who do not take part in news or politics via established media but via social media and there are today humor accounts with very many followers who daily post political content with a completely different twist.

"Ebba Busch uncrowned queen of meme"

If his reconnaissance is correct, it will also become increasingly important that party leaders and other politicians have so-called "memetic capital".

- It is the art of posting content that people want to pursue, reproduce and laugh at.

We live in the age of meme culture and whoever masters the ability to become a meme will eventually gain all the power in the world.

The Politburo's second section "Like-hunters" is about whether the party leaders have become influencers and whether likes on Facebook and Instagram can be turned into votes on election day.

Photo: SVT / Private

Which party leaders are best at memes?

- I think the Prime Minister did a good job this weekend when he posted a picture from this year's first dip, it was spread very quickly by various meme accounts, says David Orlic and adds:

- But the uncrowned queen of meme in Swedish politics is the KD leader Ebba Busch.

"Not a guarantee of success on election day"

Marie Grusell, media researcher at the University of Gothenburg and expert on social media, however, wants to tone down the importance of social media.

- An exposure on social media is really not a guarantee of success on election day, she says in "Politikbyrån".

You can not translate interactions and engagement into voices?

- If you ask me, I would say no.

If you talk to a PR agency, it is not entirely impossible that they might say something completely different.

If you build relationships with voters, there is a good chance that it can pay off, but I would not like to say that social media per se gives more votes.

The Politburo's second section "Like-hunters" is about whether the party leaders have become influencers and whether likes on Facebook and Instagram can be turned into votes on election day.

Watch the whole episode here on SVT Play

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