How Kamala Harris Used World of Warcraft to Connect with Voters
The Kamala Harris campaign took a unique approach to political outreach by combining a Tim Walz rally with live World of Warcraft gameplay on Twitch. The event, which streamed at 6:30 p.m. ET, featured Minnesota Governor Walz's speech from Arizona, alongside gameplay commentary from Preheat, a popular WoW streamer.
Walz was chosen as Vice President Harris' political running mate in August, bringing his Experience to the Democratic ticket. The Harris campaign’s use of Gaming culture to reach potential voters reflects a growing trend in political campaigning, mixing traditional outreach Strategies with Digital techniques to engage younger, Tech-savvy audiences.
Preheat, known for his WoW expertise and with over 50,000 Twitch followers, provided live commentary on the Game during the rally. As Walz spoke, Preheat continued playing, immersing viewers in the world of Azeroth while blending it with real-world political messages.
Connecting Political Messaging with Gaming
- Preheat highlighted his own volunteer work with the Harris campaign during the stream.
- Encouraged viewers to make a plan to vote.
- This was the first time the Harris campaign integrated live gaming with a political rally on Twitch, part of its efforts to engage younger voters, especially among the platform’s male-dominated user base.
The campaign’s Twitch account launched in August, with a strategy to increase visibility among hard-to-reach voters by combining political content with gaming. In recent weeks, the campaign has also advertised during major sporting events and on gaming Platforms like IGN.
Political Outreach on Twitch
Using Twitch for political outreach is gaining popularity, with both the Joe Biden and Donald Trump campaigns utilizing the platform during the 2020 election. While Trump’s Twitch account was suspended after the January 6 Capitol riots, it was reinstated earlier this year.
By leveraging the gaming community on Twitch, the Harris campaign aims to connect with voters in a unique and engaging way, appealing to a broader audience beyond traditional political avenues.
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