There’s no shame in not being able to keep up with all the social media platforms out there, especially if you hail from an older generation. But when you’re running for office, as Javier Zapata is, you’re a public figure, so even if you don’t a retweet from a subtweet from a Snapchat, you might want to enlist the help of people who do.
It appears from the Mexican politician’s social media campaign that Zapata didn’t have those people around. If he did, he should probably fire them and find some new ones.
Why?
Because his election team landed on “#campaignhashtag” as his, uh, campaign hashtag.
For what it’s worth, the hashtag is garnering a lot of attention, but probably not in the way a campaigning politician would want.
Here’s the tagline’s dubious debut:
Either the sign company erected a draft mock-up of the final product or this guy really doesn’t know how hashtags work. Regardless, he’s getting hilarious criticism from even mainstream publications. El Mundo, not pulling any punches, asked if Zapata’s campaign was the worst in known history.
Some think that this was an act of subversive genius, drawing attention to the candidate. However, that plan’s only sound if the attention drawn to the candidate helps get him elected and doesn’t just make him look like a bumbling caricature who can’t even get a sign right.
Netflix got in on the fun, mocking the billboard in a promotional tweet for an upcoming release, featuring a far savvier campaigner, Frank Underwood:
Before you feel too bad for Mr. Zapata, it may behoove you to learn that his platform as a Social Encounter Party candidate is rooted in the rejection and repudiation of gay marriage, abortion, and pornography.
If you still feel pity for the hapless Zapata, you might take some solace in knowing that his original campaign hashtag was “#PorMisBigotes,” which translates to “because of my mustache.”
Yes, really.
Thanks to the attention (and the beyond-awful alternative), Zapata has embraced the goofy hashtag, saying in a statement, “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.”
That’s some quality spin there, Javier. Mistake or not, this guy sure is owning this new asset. Look no further than the header image on his campaign’s Facebook page.
