The 2024 Democratic National Convention had no shortage of viral moments that kept young voters tuning in: among them, a Lil Jon performance of “Turn Down for What” during state roll call, a surprise appearance from Oprah, and a shockingly believable Beyoncé rumor. Still, at times the attempts to reach the youth via pop culture felt a little out of place. The internet collectively cringed at references that felt straight out of the 2016 election, like comparing Nancy Pelosi to Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones , or playing “Fight Song” to usher Hillary Clinton offstage.
Younger voters have long criticized the Democratic Party establishment for being out of touch, whether the “when they go low, we go high” ethos, or their stuffy approach to social media. But now, it seems the tide is finally turning. Throughout the convention, Democrats have referred to President Joe Biden’s decision to bow out of the race and Vice President Kamala Harris’s subsequent nomination as “passing the torch” to the next generation.
With that transition comes a new emphasis on engaging with the zeitgeist—and a steep learning curve for the older generation, who are taking it in their stride. Following Biden’s exit from the race, British musician Charli xcx tweeted “kamala IS brat,” in reference to her album of the same name, which lionizes a messy, party girl persona. While Harris may not truly embody the “ brat summer ” spirit (you’re unlikely to find the Vice President “ bumpin’ that ” on a Saturday night), an endorsement from an of-the-moment artist sent young, chronically online Democrats into overdrive.
Across the convention, it was hard to miss the flashes of chartreuse, be it delegates wearing “kamala” pins in the telltale font from Charli’s divisive album cover, or the “she’s so kamala” shirts on merch tables, a nod to her single “360.” On the final day of the convention, New York delegates receiving their credentials were even treated to a “ny dems” sticker in the style of Brat. While the younger generation has certainly leaned into the reference, what does the older generation make of it? Foster Hoch, creative director at the New York State Democratic Party—who was responsible for developing merch for the New York delegation—reports an outpouring of enthusiasm from senior delegates.
Though, he admits, he does often have to educate them on what Brat actually is. “They’re really into it, but it does take a little bit of explaining to get them to that point of getting into it, but they’ve been eating it up,” he says. So how does one explain Brat? “I say it’s a music album by a very popular artist, and that Kamala team is playing off of it.
And as soon as they hear the Kamala team is playing off of it, they love it.” It wasn’t just delegates and Gen Z staffers getting into the spirit. Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey hit the convention floor making Brat -related content —including with Vogue ’s election correspondent Jack Schlossberg .
Markey feels that playing into pop culture is an avenue to get young people engaged in politics. “I do my absolute best to make sure that I’m constantly communicating to young people in our country, because they’re the ones with the new ideas: They’re the ones saying that we need to have a Green New Deal,” he says. “They’re the ones saying we need to protect the transgender community.
They’re the ones who are saying we have to get guns out of school. They’re the ones who were saying we need racial justice in our society. So the closer you stick to young people, the more you’re going to learn, and the more you’re going to be able to change the policies that our country needs to see change.
” Markey, however, notes that he’s not personally scrolling through TikTok. “My campaign is and I have the most talented digital staff in America, and so I listened to and am educated by and informed by them.” Taylor Swift’s presence also loomed large over the 2024 DNC—not just because she was among the rumored surprise performers.
The hand-beaded, summer camp-esque friendship bracelets that have become akin to trading cards at the singer’s concerts made their way to the convention floor as well. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro told Vogue about a young woman who made him a red, white, and blue bracelet with his motto: “Get shit done.” Elsewhere, Schlossberg traded bracelets with a member of Illinois Governor J.
B. Pritzker’s staff, swapping a white beaded “DNC” bracelet he was gifted at the Pennsylvania rally for hers, which read “Kamala.” Across the convention, people hand-beaded their own bracelets.
Some referenced Harris’s more viral moments like “ I’m speaking ,” and “YTYJFOOACT,” (or, You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? ” a reference to a story Harris tells about her mother). Others, meanwhile, paid homage to Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz with his moniker “Coach.” The Democrats may still be playing catch up with their cultural touchstones, but this year’s DNC proved to be a turning point in how the party engages with young voters.
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