In the election cycle of 2024, Vocal Media partnered with Future Forward to encourage viewers to vote for Kamala Harris on the basis of several key issues affecting voters: the economy, climate change, and reproductive rights. Vocal tailored each issue to a set of creators and made explicit the links between their established content style—beauty, fashion, personal finance—and what was at stake in the election. As part of that program, we paired fashion and thrifting creators with climate messaging. Our goal was to inform viewers of the role fast fashion plays in driving climate change, while encouraging viewers to vote as a climate solution that can lead to strong regulations on carbon emissions from prominent fashion brands.
TikTok and Instagram have made it increasingly difficult to make political content go viral. Their algorithms prefer short-form, entertaining, comedic content that allows viewers an escape. In order to get our messaging in front of as many viewers as possible, Vocal Media partnered with key creators with content that can seamlessly integrate political messaging without losing their authentic styles. To accomplish the goal of increasing awareness for climate legislation, and encouraging viewers to vote on behalf of climate change in the 2024 election, Vocal Media partnered with Maggie Nelson, a creator known for upcycling fabrics into gorgeous gargments. She used her most viral content format—taking former curtains and turning them into a dress—to educate viewers about the perils of buying fast fashion, and why voting for climate champions will help regulate production and pollution from some of our favorite companies.
From extensive and research-proven climate messaging guidance, Vocal Media developed specialized language for creators in a 1-pager entitled: "Your Outfit Should be Hot—The Climate Shouldn't." Creators like Maggie Nelson expanded on their typical content, whether that was Get Ready With Me outfit compilations, thrifting hauls, or sewing clothes, to incorporate the message that investments in climate infrastructure are good for everyone. Creators balanced individual solutions to consumption and pollution, such as thrifting, with more collective actions like voting in order to fight against climate change—and look good while doing so! Maggie Nelson's video exemplified the goals of the campaign, reaching over 42 million viewers across TikTok and Instagram, and incorporating politics at a time when few viewers expected to find it in such an organic TikTok video. She informed viewers of fast fashion brands' unsustainable production, as well as the Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest investment in climate in American history.