Political Campaign: What Young's Voters Want from Political Advertisement?

Abstract

Young voters played a significant role in Indonesia’s 2024 election, yet their perceptions of political advertising remain complex and varied. This study investigates how young voters respond to political ads across multiple platforms, including television, social media, outdoor media in political campaign. Using a mixed-method approach that combines a survey of 137 respondents aged 17–30 and focus group discussions with the young's voters, the findings reveal that young voters demonstrate a high level of skepticism toward conventional campaign advertisements, especially those perceived as overly promotional or lacking substance. Social media ads—particularly on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube—receive more positive engagement, but only when they present authentic narratives, concise information, and relatable messaging. The study also shows that young voters respond more favorably to political ads that highlight issue-based content, such as economic, education, climate action, and anti-corruption commitments. Visual appeal, message clarity, emotional resonance, and perceived sincerity emerge as the key factors shaping youth responses. The research concludes that political advertising targeting young voters must shift toward authentic, transparent, and issue-oriented communication, supported by creative digital storytelling. These insights provide practical implications for political campaign strategists aiming to strengthen youth engagement in future elections.