Top line
Some speakers and attendees at the Democratic National Convention are wearing neon green or coconut-themed clothing, invoking Charli XCX’s “Brat Summer” aesthetic, as the Democratic Party embraces viral memes that have given Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign a boost online.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ suit at the DNC on Monday night was “coconut brown” – a possible allusion … (+)
Key data
Senator Cory Booker attended the DNC wearing a bright green pin that read “NJ is Brat,” a reference to Charli XCX’s album that has become a nickname for Harris and her supporters, promoted by both the Harris campaign team and the singer herself.
Actress Mindy Kaling also invoked Charli XCX when she introduced former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) on stage on Wednesday night, declaring, “This woman sang ‘Brat’ before ‘Brat’ was ‘Brat.'”
Some DNC attendees wore neon green clothing, and some of the merchandise sold at the event referenced the viral memes. For example, hats sold by the Democratic lieutenant governors were decorated with images of coconuts and parts of Harris’ viral quotes, such as “unencumbered” and “existing in context.”
In her surprise appearance at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, Harris may have been subtly alluding to her own viral “coconut tree” quote: She wore a tan suit by Chemena Kamali of French brand Chloé that was indeed “coconut brown,” although a Chloé representative told the Washington Post the color was a “pure coincidence.”
The DNC offered press credentials to hundreds of social media influencers, some of whom have posted TikTok videos with memes, including deaf influencer Chrissy Marshall, who posted a video signing Harris’ “coconut tree” quote, and entrepreneur and TikTok influencer Nadya Okamoto, who told NBC News why Harris is a “brat.”
How did “brat” become a symbol of the Democratic Party?
Charli XCX released her album Brat in June, ushering in what she and her fans are calling Brat Summer. The singer describes Brat Summer as “being confident, showing off, going out, being out and about, being the center of attention,” and embodying a Brat personality means “being that girl who’s a little bit messy and maybe says stupid things sometimes, who feels herself but then maybe has a breakdown but still celebrates.” The album’s simple cover art – just a light green background with “Brat” written all in lowercase – has been easily copied by companies and organizations looking to capitalize on the Brat Summer trend. This summer, as speculation grew about whether President Joe Biden would drop out of the race after a weak debate performance, supporters of Harris, who would take over the Democratic ticket, campaigned for her on social media, with coconut emojis and green-tinted videos of Harris laughing or dancing to songs from “Brat.” The Harris campaign was quick to pick up on the social media discussions, and shortly after Harris announced her candidacy, her official X-account, “Kamala HQ,” updated its cover photo to a neon green banner modeled after the “Brat” cover. Charli XCX further fueled the comparisons between “Brat” and Harris, posting, “Kamala IS a brat.” The first post on the “Kamala HQ” TikTok account after Harris announced her presidential bid is set to Charli XCX’s “360” and includes a screenshot of the singer’s post.
Key quote
“I think she’s … what you call a ‘brat’ or something, I call it a ‘gangster,'” Patti LaBelle said of Harris in an interview after performing her 1978 song “You Are My Friend” at the Democrats’ memorial.
tangent
The Harris campaign is focusing on social media to court young voters. On Thursday, Harris joined the streaming platform Twitch, where she is scheduled to stream her address to the DNC. The TikTok account “Kamala HQ” has amassed nearly 4 million followers by following TikTok trends, using popular audio and repurposing memes about Harris.
What you should pay attention to
Harris will speak at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night, where she will formally accept her party’s nomination for president. Harris is expected to focus on her civic-minded upbringing and contrast her “New Way Forward” agenda with Project 2025 – a right-wing blueprint for a Republican president that is not officially endorsed by former President Donald Trump but was written by some former Trump officials.
News Peg
The DNC began in Chicago on Monday evening with a speech by Biden that was seen as a kind of passing of the baton to his vice president. Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, spoke at the DNC on Wednesday evening and called Project 2025 “strange,” “wrong” and “dangerous.”
More information
Kamala Harris uses memes like “Brat Summer” and “Project Coconut Tree” by Charli XCX (Forbes)
Here’s where and when you can see Kamala Harris at the DNC tonight – and what to expect (Forbes)
Kamala Harris chases TikTok trends – and gets lots of views – in the fight for the votes of Generation Z (Forbes)
