Political Communication Vis a Vis Political Campaigns

Abstract

This research analyzes the political activities of candidates in the 2024 presidential election. Candidate pair Anies Baswedan – Muhaimin Iskandar employed the Desak Anies program, facilitating direct discussions with millennials and Gen Z via social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook. This initiative functioned as political communication at the infrastructure level, positioning them as representatives absorbing public aspirations. Meanwhile, Prabowo Subianto – Gibran Rakabuming Raka leveraged the Gemoy icon across mainstream, new, and outdoor media as a political campaign strategy using the reputable mouthpiece technique. This approach proved highly effective, creating trends that sometimes reduced public criticality. Ultimately, Prabowo-Gibran won the election, highlighting the importance of strategic political campaigns and propaganda in securing voter support. While political communication is valuable, a strong campaign strategy is crucial for electoral success.

Keywords

• political communication
• political campaign
• political contestation