Politics, Pop Stars and Public Relations
Published on Feb. 27, 2025, at 7:53 a.m.
by Evie Feinour.
As November 2024 approached and the United States Presidential Race intensified, it seemed like each day brought a new celebrity voicing support for a candidate or sharing reasons for opposing another. Public figures like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Elon Musk and others from diverse industries used their platforms to express political views, hoping their influence could sway election outcomes.
While this surge of celebrity activism may have felt heightened during the recent election season, celebrities have been intertwined in politics long before now. The rise of social media and increased access to information have amplified their influence, shedding light on how endorsements can impact election outcomes, public policy and social movements.
Historical background
While today’s political headlines might make you think of Taylor Swift, celebrity political endorsements have been a strategic PR tool for decades. During a recent interview with Platform Magazine, Dr. Mark Harvey, author of “Celebrity Influence: Politics, Persuasion, and Issue-Based Policy,” noted milestones in this history, dating back to 1920.
That year, Al Jolson, the self-proclaimed “World’s Greatest Entertainer,” was paid to endorse presidential candidate Warren Harding, even recording a catchy song to show his support. Harding went on to win the election.
Despite Jolson’s outspoken advocacy for Harding and later Calvin Coolidge, many celebrities of that era didn’t have the same freedom. Stars were often bound to a single studio through strict contracts, which included morality clauses. These clauses acted as a warning: “If you say anything that seems to be against the commercial interests of the company, we could blackball you and terminate your contract.” Fearing job loss, many stayed silent about their political views.
However, not all celebrities were deterred. Frank Sinatra, a superstar at the height of his career, recognized both his influence and his immunity to these contractual constraints. He used his platform fearlessly, knowing his voice carried weight with the American public. Sinatra may not have actually influenced public opinion, but his statements most definitely gained traction and media attention by publicly endorsing both Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.
According to Harvey, political endorsements began to shift in influence during the 1960s. As the Beatles skyrocketed to fame in America, they used their platform to push for social change, making political demands that influenced how their business was run. Harvey explained that the band refused to perform at segregated venues, forcing venue owners to desegregate if they wanted to host the iconic group. This shift began to change the entertainment industry as the studio system broke down and so did these binding contracts.
Since the 1960s, celebrities have become increasingly vocal about their political views, with growing media attention pushing their influence to the forefront of American culture.
Media transformation
The media transformation of the past century has also played a large role in celebrity involvement in politics. The rise of cable news in the 1990s was a strong catalyst for paying more attention to the actions and whereabouts of celebrities. Because networks had extensive airtime to fill, they began covering stories about celebrities who probably would not have been covered before cable news.
Dr. Josh Bramlett, an assistant professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at The University of Alabama who specializes in political public relations, echoed this sentiment, stating, “In the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, you’d have celebrities show up at rallies and events, but that may not be the main story when there were only a few television outlets to watch.” As media expanded, more airtime created greater opportunities for celebrities to not only appear in the news but sometimes become the entire story.
Today, social media remains a dominant source of communication and news for many people — celebrities included. With their own platforms, public figures can now share their views and make an impact without relying on traditional media outlets to amplify their voices. With these individual platforms, however, comes direct communication with the public, which can be both positive and negative for a celebrity’s image.
Current celebrities often share their views on various issues or political candidates for reasons ranging from feeling strongly compelled by their personal beliefs, feeling pressured by public demand to speak out or seeing it as an opportunity to use their platform to influence positive change or raise awareness. Whether celebrity advocacy truly influences others remains debatable, but there’s no denying its presence in our culture and on our social media pages.
The true impact
When asked about how much weight he believed these public displays of support of political candidates, policies or social movements truly held, Harvey said, “There is a difference between issue advocacy and candidate advocacy. … The research says yes, [celebrity endorsements] can raise people’s interest over an issue … [but], on endorsement of candidates, there is practically no evidence to suggest they matter whatsoever.” So while many A-List figures have posted their views, imploring their followers to think or act the same way, it is not particularly clear if these posts genuinely influence their followers or the voting public’s view.
For example, following the Presidential Debate in September, ultra-popstar Taylor Swift posted to Instagram to announce she would “be casting [her] vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election.” She explained her reasoning and encouraged her followers and fans to vote. She explained the importance of registering to vote as a young voter and linked registration websites on her Instagram story.
Swift, who in recent years has been known to share her political thoughts, was not always this open about her views. In 2018, following the election of President Trump, there was an extremely large, impactful Women’s March on Washington, but Swift posted nothing about it until she received major backlash from fans for her silence. It was only following the heavy reactions from the “Swifties” that Swift tweeted in support of the efforts, but it was almost too little too late.
Fast forward to 2018 when Taylor Swift made her first public political endorsement, supporting Tennessee Democratic House of Representatives candidate Jim Cooper and Senate candidate Phil Bredesen. Her 2020 documentary, “Miss Americana,” revealed that this decision was not made lightly. Swift grappled with her management team and parents over whether to speak out against President Trump and Senator Marsha Blackburn. Ultimately, she chose to move forward with the post, stating, “I need to be on the right side of history.”
Most recently and notably, Swift threw her support behind Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. While her endorsement wasn’t enough to secure their election wins, her influence was undeniable in other ways. After she urged her followers to register to vote, over 400,000 people visited vote.gov. Within just three hours of her sharing the link, the site saw a 585% surge in users accessing registration and verification tools compared to the same period over the previous eight days.
In a study conducted by Dr. Harvey and his colleagues, they discovered that Swift’s endorsement may have unintentionally turned voters away from Harris and Walz, having the opposite effect of what she intended. The researchers surveyed over 1,000 people nationwide, exploring their connection to Swift while showing them images of the pop star encouraging them to vote. Unsurprisingly, Trump-leaning respondents remained unaffected by her pleas, while those already planning to vote for Harris saw no significant change in their enthusiasm following the endorsement.
Upon analyzing the survey data, Harvey found that Swift’s influence was strongest among undecided voters. When shown a photo of Swift encouraging them to vote, respondents reported a high likelihood of heading to the polls. However, when presented with an image of Swift urging support for Democratic candidates, that intent dropped significantly.
As mentioned earlier, Dr. Harvey argues that there is little evidence to suggest celebrity endorsements significantly influence election outcomes — with one notable exception. Leading up to the 2008 election, talk show host Oprah Winfrey publicly endorsed Barack Obama for president, generating widespread attention. According to Pew Research, nearly 66% of Americans were aware of Winfrey’s endorsement, and 60% of those aware believed it would boost Obama’s chances at the polls. While the overall voting impact was more complex, studies found that Winfrey’s support resonated deeply with Black voters, with 28% stating her endorsement would make them more likely to back a candidate.
Although both Oprah and Taylor Swift have been vocal about their political views, celebrities should carefully consider several factors before making public political statements.
PR implications
In addition to influencing the political agenda they support, celebrity endorsements can significantly shape public perception and impact the celebrity’s personal image. Most celebrities have a team that carefully evaluates the pros and cons of making potentially controversial public statements, as their careers often rely heavily on public perception.
Dr. Bramlett stated that “from a PR standpoint, [celebrities] have to assess how much [they] will gain versus lose in terms of [their] audience.” He explained that when Nike famously partnered with Colin Kaepernick after he kneeled during the national anthem — a decision that ultimately cost him his job — the potential for financial gain outweighed the risks, with Nike sales increasing exponentially following this partnership. Similarly, while some fans may disagree with Taylor Swift’s political views, her celebrity status remained largely unaffected by her statements.
Bramlett highlighted a recent example involving podcaster Alex Cooper, who invited Kamala Harris onto her show to discuss issues relevant to her audience during Harris’ presidential campaign. Before releasing the episode, Cooper carefully weighed the potential losses and gains. While the episode sparked division among her loyal listeners — with some criticizing her for engaging in politics — others supported her decision and aligned with her sentiment. Despite losing thousands of followers across her personal and podcast accounts, the media coverage ultimately expanded Cooper’s reach, introducing her podcast to new audiences.
More broadly, a study done by YouGov revealed that one-third of Americans believe speaking out on politics harms a celebrity’s career, while only 10% think it has a positive impact. For the amount of celebrities who speak out about political candidates, policies or social movements, it is shocking to find that Americans believe these statements mostly harm careers.
Dr. Harvey shared an interesting insight about celebrities engaging in politics, noting that their statements and advocacy should align with the brand images they project for them to be taken seriously. Like major brands or companies, celebrities should act in ways that align with the values and knowledge they’ve demonstrated.
For example, if Justin Bieber suddenly spoke out on social justice issues, it might raise the question of whether people would take him seriously — given his lack of publicly exhibited passion or expertise in that area, the answer would likely be no. In contrast, someone like Angelina Jolie, who has actively advocated through her work with the U.N. and built a brand around her commitment to humanitarian causes, is more likely to capture public attention and credibility, because her actions align with the brand she has created and perpetuated online.
Ultimately, while celebrity endorsements can amplify awareness and spark important conversations, their actual influence on political outcomes remains uncertain. Public figures must weigh the potential impact on their careers and credibility, carefully aligning their advocacy with their established brands. As social media continues to blur the line between entertainment and activism, one thing is clear: Celebrities will remain powerful players in shaping public discourse, even if their influence at the ballot box is less decisive than it seems.
