Since stepping up in the presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris has shown a new side of herself to the media — specifically, her brat side.
Over the past month, a speech given by Harris about youth educational leadership opportunities last May has resurfaced and taken over social media by storm. Her now iconic line, “Do you think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” has caught the attention of millions of Americans and netizens around the world through video edits being posted on TikTok and other social media platforms, featuring the short clip layered with songs from pop star singer Charli XCX’s latest album, “Brat.”
Riding off the momentum of this latest trend, Harris’s marketing team has embraced the internet memes and “Brat” association, implementing them into her campaign. They continue to post Kamala moments on their TikTok over Charli XCX soundbites and have completely rebranded Kamala HQ’s X profile to match the aesthetic of the singer’s album, including a neon green banner reading “kamala hq” in the “Brat” album cover’s same font.
Charli has also shown her support of this mashup. On July 21, she wrote, “kamala IS brat” on X. Viewers unfamiliar with the new meaning of brat speculated that Charli is calling Kamala a brat in the traditional sense, but brat is a compliment — she considers it to be someone or something that is cool, chic and a little messy, but in an “I love to party” way. Whether it was a result of her colorful Schiaparelli pantsuits, her coconut tree line, or her viral laugh, Harris was deemed a party girl by the internet.
Many Democratic senators have supported Harris in creative, nontraditional ways, much like her campaign. Hawaii senator Brian Schatz posted a picture of himself climbing up a coconut tree with the caption, “Madam Vice President, we are ready to help.” California representative Eric Swalwell was also seen walking out of the Capitol holding a coconut.
The political media has also formed opinions of the current hype around Harris’ “brat” movement. Some who oppose its light-heartedness call her “crazy,” “drunk,” or “in a very strange state,” as the Daily Dot asserts. On the other hand, younger generations have made her, the Brat album and coconut trees a sensation, leading the summer of 2024 to be named Brat Summer.
This type of periodization is a frequent historical occurrence used to track time periods, such as the Victorian era or the Gilded Age. In a TikTok video posted by @etymologyners, an etymologist discusses how people have recently begun to label our summers based on what is being marketed. For example, 2023 was dubbed “Barbie Summer” because of the movie’s release. Similarly, due to the release of Brat at the beginning of the vacation season, the media has attributed it to the essence of summer 2024. In this way, Harris’ campaign has advanced beyond meme status, coming to define an era.
Creators on TikTok have made videos praising the work done by Harris’s marketing team, most notably for their ability to connect with young voters through humor. Time will tell if it persuades them to head to the polls this November, but for now, “Brat Summer is here to stay.
