Evaluating Military Use of Social Media for Political Branding during Online Firestorms

An Analysis of the Afghan Troops Withdrawal

Bibliographic Data

ID6437744
AuthorsTemple Uwalaka (0000-0001-7930-4389, University of Canberra, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume24
Issue3
Pages199-215
Publication date2023-06-12
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Political Marketing (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1537-7857 • E-ISSN: 1537-7865
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/15377857.2023.2222683
OpenAlexW4380486332
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited58

This study investigates how the US and Australian Departments of Defence used social media platforms for branding, perception management and to curb online firestorms as well as how their citizens reacted to these political branding techniques during the Afghan troops' withdrawal and evacuations. The study analyzed 11,460 tweets and replies from the US and Australian DoDs. Results show that the US and Australian DoDs strategically used their tweets to communicate professionalism, military efficiency and exceptionalism, information and clarification, duty, commendation, commiseration, and support for mental health. Findings further demonstrate that there was a significant association between the US and Australian DoDs' counterinformation (inoculations) and tweets approving of both the withdrawal and evacuations. The study uncovers that the branding efforts of the US and Australian DoDs during the Afghan withdrawal and evacuations were successful as their high reservoir of trust moderated the short- and long-term effects of the online firestorm

Advertising · Afghan · Business · Duty · Perception · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Social media · Law · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Psychology · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence

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