It began as a fun project for two sisters, but quickly received national media attention and turned into a smart PR tactic for the 2016 presidential candidates. The “presidential selfie girls”, Emma and Addy Nozell, have taken pictures with 19 presidential candidates, including Jeb Besh, Rick Perry and Hillary Clinton, and they won’t stop until all are captured on their smartphones and posted to their Twitter.
After the girl’s first selfie with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, they were determined to take a photo with “the future president”. The girls did not think their project would soon be used by presidential candidates to gain positive social media recognition, millennial support and priceless PR.
The teens were interviewed by many national media outlets: Business Insider, CBS, CNN and ABC. Their story is now all over the world in publications such as Daily Mail.com.
At first, the girls asked the candidates for their support in taking the photo, but soon were asked by the candidates for selfies due to the national attention. Even Donald Trump pulled the girls out of a line for a selfie. According to International Business Insider, “His (Donald Trump’s) handlers said, ‘These are the girls,’ and he said, ‘Oh, alright, let’s get the selfie.” These girls are providing these candidates with free, positive public relations by asking these candidates to participate in their project that is nationally recognized and followed by more than 600 Twitter users. Why wouldn’t the candidates participate in a simple photo?
According to Business Insider, “Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s (R) campaign staff invited the girls to a private dinner for supporters, and on Tuesday they sat in the front row of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s town-hall meeting.”
If a candidate did not participate in the selfie, it would be bad PR and bad for the candidate’s image, since this project is now recognized all over the world. Taking a selfie with these girls shows millennials that candidates are willing to understand young adults and their culture. This selfie project is organic, priceless public relations for these candidates and it’s changing the way people campaign for president. Social media is now a necessity for campaigns, not a choice. It is strongly influencing the campaign outcomes, and taking selfies is just another way for these candidates to increase publicity, especially for candidates that are not as famous as Jeb Bush, Hilary Clinton or Donald Trump.
Resources:
Calderwood, I. (2015, July 20). Say President! Meet the New Hampshire sisters who have set their sights on a selfie with EVERY presidential candidate for 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2015, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3167998/Meet-New-Hampshire-sisters-set-sights-selfie-presidential-candidate-2016.html
Deena, Zara. “Meet the Presidential Selfie Girls – CNNPolitics.com.” CNN. Cable News Network, 13 July 2015. Web. 27 Aug. 2015. <http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/13/politics/presidential-selfie-girls-campaign-election-new-hampshire-politics/>.
Goldman, J. (2015, July 20). 2016 presidential candidates pose with New Hampshire teens on “selfie” mission. Retrieved August 27, 2015, from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/2016-presidential-candidates-pose-new-hampshire-teens-selfie-mission/
Haskell, W. (2015, August 1). Presidential candidates are lining up to take a selfie with these teenage sisters. Retrieved August 27, 2015, from http://www.businessinsider.com/emma-addy-nozell-presidential-selfie-candidates-2015-7#ixzz3jy1PqF1B
Menton, J. (2015, August 2). ‘Presidential Selfie’ Sisters: See All 19 Pictures With 2016 Presidential Candidates Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton And More. Retrieved August 27, 2015, from http://www.ibtimes.com/presidential-selfie-sisters-see-all-19-pictures-2016-presidential-candidates-donald-2035256
Mielke, B. (2015, August 13). Meet the ‘Presidential Selfie Girls’: The Teens Trying to Take Selfies With Every 2016 Candidate. Retrieved August 27, 2015, from http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/meet-presidential-selfie-girls-teens-selfies-2016-candidate/story?id=33056568
Allison Nash 