For over 100 years, endorsements from celebrities and news outlets have been heralded as key turning points in many elections. While it can be difficult to quantify the exact outcome of endorsements for campaigning candidates, there is no question that they have had impact on voters and the actions, opinions, and thoughts of the American people throughout history.
As a strategic communications group that understands the influence both groups and individuals have over the public through their words, we took a look back at some of the most interesting and impactful endorsements on political campaigns over the last century.
1920 Presidential Election: Warren Harding, a.k.a. “The Man for Us”
Now best-known for his role in The Jazz Singer (1927), Al Jolson used his voice—literally—to endorse 1920 presidential candidate Warren G. Harding. This has been widely regarded as the first ever celebrity endorsement in American history. Jolson wrote a song titled “Harding You’re The Man For Us,” which he sang at an Ohio campaign march for Harding. It is notable that Harding indeed won the 1920 presidential election, and Jolson began a movement of celebrity endorsement that continues to this day.
1952 Presidential Election: TV Turns Up the Volume
In 1952, televisions could be found in over a third of American households. The presidential election this year was one of the first to have a national stage through TV communication. This was also one of the first years where computer forecasting became a part of elections—predicting a winner became a major part of election reporting. While it’s hard to say if TV studios had any specific influence on this election, this began a long history of broadcast news personalities chipping in their two cents about candidates, and with such a large and growing platform, voters’ thoughts could now possibly be swayed by media opinion.
1960 Presidential Election: Sinatra Hits a Highnote for Kennedy
Taking a page from Al Jolson’s book, Frank Sinatra showed his support for presidential candidate John F. Kennedy in 1960 through song—he sang “…everyone is voting for Jack, because he's got what all the rest lack…” in his song “High Hopes.” When Kennedy subsequently won the 1960 election, Sinatra was placed in charge of his inauguration ball. Arguably one of the most influential figures of the time, Sinatra’s popularity with the American people—especially young voters—would have allowed him to have some influence over their political affiliations.
2008 Primaries & Presidential Election: The Oprah Effect
The 2008 election marked a couple turning points for celebrity and media endorsements. Oprah Winfrey famously backed Barack Obama during the Democratic primary as a close race between him and Hillary Clinton had the nation on the edge of their seats. Her support contributed greatly to Obama being chosen as the Democratic nominee—she had a strong influence on the national population, to the point where she could praise a book and millions would be reading it the next day. A study done by Northwestern University found that Winfrey’s endorsement of Obama swayed around a million votes in the primaries.
Another study, from opinion analysis website 538, found that once the primaries were over and the race between Democratic candidate Obama and Republican candidate John McCain was in full swing, Obama received many more newspaper endorsements than McCain. While 296 publications endorsed Obama, only 180 endorsed McCain. With support from both celebrities like Winfrey and hundreds of newspaper outlets, it is probable that this contributed to Obama winning the 2008 presidential election.
2018 Midterm Elections & 2023 Voter Registration: Taylor Swift Breaks Her Silence
It is nearly impossible to talk about modern celebrity endorsements without talking about Taylor Swift. After many years of refusing to take a public political stance, she threw her support behind Tennessee Democratic candidates Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives in the midterm elections. She also publicly criticized Tennessee Republican Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn and said later in a documentary, “I can’t see another commercial [with] her disguising these policies behind the words ‘Tennessee Christian values.’ I live in Tennessee, I am Christian, and that’s not what we stand for.”
In 2023, Swift also encouraged people to register to vote on National Voter Registration Day, and just an hour after speaking out online, there was already a 22.5% increase in voter registration for that year. There is no doubt that her influence has had a strong effect on voters over the past several years, and she is not alone amongst celebrities who have contributed similarly to election outcomes. The influence of her endorsement for 2024 Democratic candidate Kamala Harris will likely be studied in years to come.
As we look at this year’s election, it is particularly interesting to see the buildup of endorsement impacts over time. Beginning almost a century ago, celebrities have thrown their support behind candidates and helped sway public opinion. It is important to look back and understand how each event throughout election history has led us to where we are now, and our team at Hawthorne Strategy Group is committed to having these conversations and to looking at the big picture when it comes to communication and how it shapes our world. Ultimately, the influence of endorsements can at times be crystal clear, measured by hard data at the polls. Other examples seem more tenuous, an anecdotal push from a well-known name or institution with little data to assess its impact. Examining these historical instances helps us stay sharp—whether casting our own votes as informed citizens, or as strategic communication professionals offering insights to clients as they enter the arena of our nation’s Democracy.
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