#DearNextPresident is a video series, hash tag campaign, and user-generated social media project built around the idea that everyone should have a voice in telling America's next president about his/her most pressing concerns going into the next four years. We sought out to hear from all different types of people all over the country, and we succeeded. Our #DearNextPresident videos highlight all ages, races, sexual identities and demographics.
The goal of this project was to be big and broad and personal. We hoped to inspire every reader and viewer to record a short personal message of their own and share it via any social platform with the hashtag #DearNextPresident. We continue that goal today as we expand #DearNextPresident even further.
Fusion is dedicated to covering the 2016 election through the issues, not the horserace. This project is about giving every person a voice. #DearNextPresident is not about why you think Candidate X or Candidate Y is going to win. It's about what you want the next president to do once he or she gets to the White House, and why it matters to all of us.
We have sought out to …. And succeeded…. in tackling the issues that matter most to young people. That includes climate change, immigration, social justice, LGBT and gender equality, criminal justice reform, reproductive rights, the economy, and college affordability. (But the project is not limited to those. We take ideas of all kinds!).
The #DearNextPresident campaign has utilized all of Fusion's platforms to extend our reach. Our videos can be found on the #DearNextPresident landing page on Fusion, #DearNextPresident Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages, and on the network television side on Univision and Fusion.
-Produced 100+ videos of celebrities, influencers, and everyday citizens sharing their messages for the next president
-Top #DearNextPresident videos have millions of views (including anti-bullying activist Lizzie Velasquez: 2.5m, Salma Hayek: 1.2m, Kristen Bell: 738k, Antonio Banderas: 527k, Nas: 457k
-The #DearNextPresident hashtag spiked on Twitter as a series of moving videos from Iowa played during the Brown & Black Forum in January and *again* during the Univision debate in March
And we are far from done! We've reenvisioned #DearNextPresident to be a brand, not just a format. New #DearNextPresident Q-and-As feature Fusion talent with celebrities who are first-time voters and/or have a major stake/involvement in the election (examples: Chloe Grace Moretz and Lena Dunham). Next up, we are set to launch the #DearNextPresident in the Classroom kit to encourage educators to get their students involved with the social media campaign and partnership with National Writing Project to reach educators across the country.
Also in the works, we have videos with celebrities/influencers in key Fusion demographics (coming up: the entire cast of East Los High, the most popular show on Hulu, which follows students in a predominantly Latino LA high school).
