It goes without saying that politics is a messy arena. A lot of information is put out there, and often it gets misconstrued, shadowbanned, or manipulated. Now that many Gen Z-ers can vote, it is the responsibility of politicians and their media teams to release information in ways that resonate with these audiences. A lot of the time, they miss the mark. However, one politician has mastered his campaign strategy and has won over a large number of young voters — with trolling.
Trolling isn’t a new phenomenon. We often see it when someone is getting taunted or even bullied online. Rarely is it used for positive reinforcement, let alone political gain. But Jack Schlossberg has found a way to use it to fuel his campaign.
Schlossberg is a political commentator who has recently announced his bid for New York’s congressional seat. He is also the grandson of Former President John F. Kennedy, a cousin of RFK Jr., and a cousin of White Lotus actor Patrick Schwarzenegger. Based on this information alone, it’s safe to assume that he lives a pretty chaotic life. It’s evident through his various social media posts that he likes to play up his bizarre connections and use them to shock and engage his audience.Â
Clearly, he likes to stretch a bit. But sometimes, far is too far — especially one tweet in particular. On Jan. 20, Schlossberg tweeted, “True or False? Usha Vance is way hotter than Jackie O.” The tweet got a lot of heat since “Jackie O” refers to Schlossberg’s grandmother, a.k.a. Former First Lady Jackie Kennedy.
Schlossberg responded to the backlash on The Blueprint with Jen Psaki, saying, “Creepy, weird. Why would I say something like that? Well, that’s why I did it. The internet is a place to be weird.”
“Why is he talking about his own family that way?” Schlossberg said. “But to be honest, then you get all these retweets, quotes, and everybody flips out about it.”
I am in no way defending his incestual innuendo, but speaking strictly on a factual basis, he’s right: it got people’s attention. That is the cornerstone of effective marketing.
I don’t think Schlossberg’s “unhingedness” is part of a larger marketing strategy, at least I don’t think it started that way. Schlossberg confirmed this in an interview with Vogue, stating, “You’ve got to bring some positivity and good energy to the things you think are important. That’s the only strategy I have.”
A strategic communications team didn’t cultivate his most unhinged posts — they’re an extension of his personality. Viewers are aware of this, and they love him for it. Unlike other political commentators, Schlossberg’s videos don’t feel calculated or pointed; instead, they feel like a FaceTime call with your cousin.
Schlossberg knows precisely how to play the game. “The internet is a place where it’s difficult to break through, and it’s difficult to break through, especially if you’re not saying something that’s controversial, or at least, somehow unexpected,” Schlossberg told Psaki.Â
“I think I’ve broken through to a younger audience,” he continued. “I think everyone’s looking for a little bit of levity and humor here, and if it’s all so serious all the time, it’s just too heavy. I think a lot of people are confused, but I think a lot of people understand what I’m doing.”
As an advertising and public relations major, I understand what Schlossberg is doing. Shock value is an underused advertising method because it’s risky, but Schlossberg’s posts prove it works.
In the same interview with Vogue, he stated, “If you’re going to ask people to think about something serious, you need to make it entertaining or fun. That’s what all the great leaders do.”
From an Ad/PR perspective, this statement is partially true. People like fun content, but with the overexposure of quick, short-form content, all content is entertaining. Sometimes, hitting people with hard facts is more effective in pushing out content that resonates. But in Schlossberg’s case, posting fun content works because it aligns with his brand. He racks in views because of his personality, and he uses this to guide his posting strategy.Â
While Schlossberg’s methods are unconventional, the numbers prove that they work. As a student studying this line of work, I am interested to see how his trolling methods will play out throughout the course of his campaign.Â