The political world is boring without its Gen Z spice. Whatever Gen Z , posts, or fights on the internet is always a hot topic, even when it comes to an issue as rigid as politics. How can this organic shift from our familiar ‘pesta demokrasi’ could be used by the older generation, sitting on our nation’s most potent chairs?
According to IDN Times in their Indonesian Gen-Z Report 2022, the largest demographic group in Indonesia is Generation Z, individuals born between 1997 and 2012. They constitute 27.94% of the total population, 74.93 million people. Notably, their numerical strength surpasses Millennials, the second-largest generation in Indonesia, representing 25.87% of the total population or 69.38 million people. Based on existing data from The Jakarta Post, Gen-Z made up 22% of eligible voters in the upcoming election. This is a number that all 2024 presidential candidates could not look away from. The implications of the Gen-Z surge in Indonesian election politics and its influence on election campaign strategies became a topic that my fellow Gen-Z readers or even politicians must read about.
Gen Z’s Own Twist on The Pesta Demokrasi
They have their unique characteristics that differentiate them from other generations. We are all familiar with their character as a tech-savvy and digital native generation. They put entertainment first rather than keeping up with the news. As digital entertainment becomes their way of living, they have little attention span, known as the ‘goldfish’ attention span. This attention span is not a surprise; data from the same report mentioned before shows that Instagram is a daily engagement for 74% of Generation Z; they introduced 10-second short videos as a daily source of entertainment. YouTube is also popular amongst them as it introduced “YouTube Shorts” to stay relevant. However, the winner is still TikTok, as 40% of Gen Z access TikTok daily. Notably, TikTok’s appeal is more pronounced among the younger demographic.
The ‘goldfish’ attention span made hard news has an insignificant impact on them unless, of course, it is wrapped as a meme. Besides their short attention span, they are also easily swayed by influencers and popular culture. Whatever they feel in their daily lives can always be connected to their parasocial relationship with either celebrities or fictional characters. Just after the presidential debate on December 12th, 2023, new memes recapping each candidate surfaced.
Instead of being seen as a serious political event, the recent presidential debate was quickly transformed into a meme-fest on social media. A user named jeongssaem on X (formerly Twitter) compared the debate with Boys Planet, a South Korean reality boy group competition by Mnet. The user shows a capture of the three candidates standing with both hands visible on the front as if they are waiting for a big reality show announcement. X users view serious debate as another entertainment show with Anies, Prabowo, and Ganjar as their “KPop Trainee” in line for their “debut”.
Not just international pop culture references, Gen Zs also have their ways of connecting it to local celebrities as last night, a presidential debate moderator said something along the lines of “pernyataan pamungkas.”, a user named nokitron inserted Pamungkas, a famous Indonesian musician, introducing himself. Over one million people have watched the clever pun meme on X and reposted on big meme accounts on other platforms, like rolldepan on Instagram. Most Gen Z found this hilarious amidst all the political chaos.
It is not only limited to popular culture references; they also change the context of the debate to express their current personal emotional feelings. Each candidate’s clips from debates is taken out of context and made into relatable content. Gen Z’s way of creating content is not new. It has even happened by millennial voters in the 2019 general election. However, the scale and the creativity are nowhere near today’s Gen Z voter’s internet habits.
Effective Way to Gen Z-fy Your Political Campaign
Politicians, in turn, have had to adjust their communication styles to connect with Gen Z effectively. Instead of relying solely on traditional campaign speeches and policy discussions, they embrace more informal and relatable approaches. However, one may succeed in doing this; one might fail.
The challenge for politicians is clear — to strike a delicate balance between conveying their political messages and adapting to the evolving modes of communication preferred by Generation Z. Those who authentically engage with this demographic will likely find themselves with a distinct advantage in the fast-evolving landscape of Indonesian politics.
The success of politicians in adopting a Gen Z approach to campaigning can be attributed to several key factors that align with this generation’s unique characteristics and preferences. So, what makes a good Gen Z-targeted campaign?
- Authenticity and Transparency: Gen Z values authenticity and transparency. Politicians who can present themselves in a genuine light are more likely to gain the trust of this discerning generation. Openness about policy intentions, personal experiences, and acknowledgment of societal challenges resonates well with Gen Z. However, this is a tricky thing to do, as authenticity is a subjective concept.
- Inline with The Politician’s Branding. Whatever politician do, it is best to stick to the branding that they are creating. While it is necessary to be relevant to Gen Z, making contents that does not in line with the politician’s characteristic may ruin the branding that has been built. Gen Z always know when something fishy and out of character are depict. Jump only to the trend that resonates to the campaign.
- Engage with Gen Z: Social media is not just a broadcast platform but a space for meaningful interaction. Previous political parties that are big on social media platforms always have their way of engaging with users, whether it is responding to comments and participating in online trends or challenges. An important note for this is that Gen Z has their own radar when politicians are doing “too much”. Therefore, authenticity can enhance a candidate’s relatability.
- “Jangan Sok Asik” or Do Not Overdo It. This is the most important point regarding content relating to Indonesian Gen Z. They do not like it if politicians are overdoing the popular culture. Especially when politicians do not know the context of it. For example, a trend that has been going around is utilizing AI as a political campaign, ignoring its problematic impact on Indonesian artists.
- Addressing Social Issues: Gen Z is known for its commitment to social causes and activism. Politicians who align their campaigns with social issues that matter to this generation will likely gain support. Whether it’s environmental sustainability, social justice, or inclusivity, candidates authentically champion these causes can appeal to the values Gen Z holds dear.
- Embracing Diversity and Inclusivity: Gen Z is characterized by its diverse and inclusive worldview. Unfortunately, this approach seems to be lacking for the upcoming general election.
- Accessible Information: Recognizing the ‘goldfish’ attention span, politicians condense their policy positions into easily digestible formats. Infographics, short videos, and visually appealing content are becoming staples in political communication, ensuring that the message is not lost in the sea of online information.
- Ask Gen Z for Context. Sometimes older generation politicians do not know the context of certain jokes or phrases. There is nothing wrong with being blatantly honest to the Gen Z audiences if they are lost in context. It is best to understand the context than to be embarrassing.
These are just short and shallow conclusions that may or may not depict Gen Z’s liking because my points only consider Gen Z’s recent positive behavior towards internet content that shares similar principles. Gen Z’s reaction to political campaigns is still unpredictable. Nonetheless, it is still worth paying attention to.
The political landscape will likely witness further transformation as Gen Z’s influence grows in the coming years. The true impact of the Gen Z approach on Indonesian politics remains an ongoing narrative — one that is still being written with each like, share, and comment.
