Digital Retail Politics: Interpersonal Messaging via Social Media

• In Event: Politicians Online: Antecedents and Effects

Abstract

Since the 2010 election cycle, social media has become a meaningful and important aspect of digital campaigning. What began as sites for traditional campaign content like press releases and endorsement announcement have increasingly become spaces to highlight the pleasant interpersonal elements of campaigns. This mixed method, qualitative study reveals that retail politics, the baby-kissing, hand-shaking, bread and butter of campaigns have found a home online, as have descriptions of the everyday ins and outs of life on the campaign trail and behind the scenes views of campaign headquarters. The emergence of this new genre of interpersonal content not only marks an addition to the landscape of information, but a move away from providing information and attempting to persuade, in favor of strengthening the social connections that are necessary to mobilize citizens.

Author

• Jessica Baldwin-Philippi, Fordham U