Run up to elections can have it's own share of controversies as happened in Mexico, where a politician was mocked for campaign hashtag '#campaignhashtag'. Javier Zapata settled on new slogan, ‘Because of my moustache’ – and Netflix – ridicule his rather redundant hashtag; in fact the campaign earned itself the dubious honor of being called “the worst in history” for his choice of hashtag.
Zapata, a gubernatorial candidate with the peripheral Social Encounter party, bought billboards in the Pacific Coast state of Nayarit emblazoned with his moustachioed face and the caption #hashtagcampaña – or “#campaignhashtag”.
Social media across Latin America erupted with mockery at the apparent decision to use an advertisement with dummy text – and then again, when Zapata’s campaign insisted that there had been no error. Zapata ended up embracing the new hashtag instead of his original slogan “#PorMisBigotes” – which roughly translates as “because of my moustache”. He spun the change as moving his campaign closer to the people.
“I’m convinced that ordinary people have more experience in creating political campaign ‘hashtags’ than parties themselves or the many campaign consultants that charge millions,” Zapata said in a statement from Social Encounter, a party formed recently by evangelical Christians.
Political analysts scoffed at the idea the campaign was somehow intentional. But they didn’t disagree with his sentiments that ordinary people could propose catchier and more creative hashtags than high-priced political consultants.
“Speaking from experience, it’s hard to disagree with him,” said Dworak. “There’s so much improvisation in [online political marketing] that there are more misses than hits.”
Social media across Latin America erupted with mockery at the apparent decision to use an advertisement with dummy text – and then again, when Zapata’s campaign insisted that there had been no error. Zapata ended up embracing the new hashtag instead of his original slogan “#PorMisBigotes” – which roughly translates as “because of my moustache”. He spun the change as moving his campaign closer to the people.
“I’m convinced that ordinary people have more experience in creating political campaign ‘hashtags’ than parties themselves or the many campaign consultants that charge millions,” Zapata said in a statement from Social Encounter, a party formed recently by evangelical Christians.
Political analysts scoffed at the idea the campaign was somehow intentional. But they didn’t disagree with his sentiments that ordinary people could propose catchier and more creative hashtags than high-priced political consultants.
“Speaking from experience, it’s hard to disagree with him,” said Dworak. “There’s so much improvisation in [online political marketing] that there are more misses than hits.”