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Celebrification in Politics: A Dramatistic Analysis of Celebrity-Featuring

Political Campaigns in the 2016 Philippine Presidential and Vice-presidential

Elections

An Undergraduate Thesis

presented to the

Department of Communication,

Ateneo de Manila University

In partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

by

Alba, Darl Anne Dominique D.

Antiporda, Maria Jacyline P.

Chua, Nicole S.

2020
Celebrification in Politics 2

Acknowledgements

We would like to extend our gratitude to the people who were with us on our

journey in making this thesis possible.

Thank you to our families who have given their unconditional support every

step of the way. We extend our sincerest thanks to our friends who were with us

through the ups and downs of the most trying year of our lives (yet). Here’s to all the

missed hangouts, and here’s to hoping that someday we’ll be able to work together

again like we used to.

We would like to thank our wonderful thesis adviser Ma’am Inez Ponce de

Leon for her constant guidance, unending patience, and her heartfelt concern for our

wellbeing. We are also very grateful to our panelists Doctor Severino Sarmienta and

Sir Gershom Chua for extending their time and energy to help our thesis reach greater

heights.

And finally, to Ajax, Li, and Albedo: We have nothing but love and gratitude

for your unwavering presence in our lives​.

You motivated us to get up at 4 AM in the morning every single day​ to get the job

done.
Celebrification in Politics 3

Abstract

There is celebrification in the Philippines’ political landscape, particularly in the

propaganda publicized during election seasons. This research explored the use of

celebrities as tools for politicians to fulfill their political agenda by conducting an

analysis on celebrity-featuring campaign videos released for the 2016 Philippine

presidential and vice-presidential elections. The researchers used Burke’s Dramatistic

Theory, Jungian Archetypes, Booker’s Seven Basic Plots, and Hatch’s Typological

Analysis to examine 12 campaign videos. Findings revealed recurring character

archetypes of the ‘Hero’, ‘Caregiver’, ‘Everyman’, and ‘Ruler’, and the story

archetypes ‘Phoenix from the Ashes’, ‘Superhero Story’, and ‘Simple Man’s Tale’.

These archetypes are used by politicians and celebrities to effectively convey a

narrative in order to garner the audience’s votes. The narratives are a diorama of

society, reflective of the existing themes revolving around gender, family, class

hierarchies, and Filipino culture.


Celebrification in Politics 4

Table of Contents

List of Tables​.................................................................................................................4
List of Figures​…...........................................................................................................5
Chapter 1: Introduction
Background of the Study​..............................................................................8
Statement of the Problem​...........................................................................10
Research Questions & Objectives​..............................................................11
Significance of the Study​...........................................................................12
Scope and Limitations​................................................................................14
Ethical Implications....................................................................................14

Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature


Narrative as a Tool of
Persuasion​...............................................................​1​6
Political Narratives​.....................................................................................17
Archetypes in Media..................................................................................19
Celebrity Culture​........................................................................................20
Celebrification in Politics​...........................................................................21
Chapter 3: Conceptual / Operational Framework
Conceptual Framework​..............................................................................23
Operational Framework​..............................................................................27

Chapter 4: Method
Sampling​.....................................................................................................30
Data Gathering​...........................................................................................31
Data Analysis​.............................................................................................32

C​hapter 5: Results and Discussion


General Discussion​.....................................................................................88
Chapter 6: Summary and Recommendations
Summary.....................................................................................................9
5
Conclusion..................................................................................................96
Implications​................................................................................................97
Recommendations​......................................................................................99
References​.................................................................................................................101
Celebrification in Politics 5

List of Tables

Table 1.​ Defining Elements of Dramatistic Pentad......................................................25

Table 2.​ Defining Jungian’s Character Archetypes......................................................26

Table 3.​ Defining Booker’s Seven Basic Plot Archetypes...........................................27

Table 4.​ Breakdown of Operational Framework..........................................................28

Table 5.​ Complete sample of celebrity-endorsed political campaign videos...............31

Table 6.​ Working Analysis Sheet for each

campaign...................................................33

​ orking Analysis Sheet for typological


Table 7. W

analysis...........................................33

​ nalysis Sheet for Disiplina Duterte..............................................................38


Table 8. A

​ nalysis Sheet for Fast Forward....................................................................40


Table 9. A

Table 10.​ Analysis Sheet for Daniel Padilla Kay Mar

Roxas.......................................42

Table 11. ​Analysis Sheet for Go

Digong!.....................................................................43

Table 12.​ Analysis Sheet for Abogado si Leni.............................................................45

Table 13.​ Analysis Sheet for

Pangarap.........................................................................46

Table​ ​14.​ Analysis Sheet for Chiz for VP....................................................................48

Table​ ​15.​ Analysis Sheet for Only Binay.....................................................................50

​ nalysis Sheet for Pilipinas.........................................................................52


Table 16. A

Table 17. ​Analysis Sheet for Gawa Hindi Ngawa.......................................................54

​ nalysis Sheet for Ang Vice President Ko!.................................................55


Table 18. A
Celebrification in Politics 6

​ isiplina Panawagan Analysis Sheet...........................................................57


Table 19. D

List of Figures

​ ain elements in the conceptual framework................................................24


Figure 1. M

​ he Dramatistic Pentad................................................................................25
Figure 2. T

​ raphical representation of the typological analysis process.......................32


Figure 3. G

​ uest for ​Pilipinas​........................................................................................58


Figure 4. Q

​ scudero’s first appearance in


Figure 5. E

Pilipinas.​ ......................................................58

​ ark and dreary scene in ​Pilipinas​...............................................................59


Figure 6. D

​ hopeful scene in
Figure 7. A

Pilipinas.​ ........................................................................59

​ iza Seguerra in​ Go Digong.​ .......................................................................60


Figure 8. A

​ acquiao and Binay in ​Only Binay​...............................................................60


Figure 9. P

​ amon Bautista as a construction worker in ​Fast Forward.​......................61


Figure 10. R

​ ar Roxas and Leni Robredo in ​Fast


Figure 11. M

Forward.​.........................................62

​ scudero ripping a slip of paper in ​Pilipinas.....​ ........................................63


Figure 12. E

​ aniel Padilla in ​Daniel Padilla Para Kay Mar


Figure 13. D

Roxas..​ ............................64
Celebrification in Politics 7

​ obin Padilla in ​Disiplina Duterte.....​ ........................................................64


Figure 14. R

​ race Poe and her mother Susan Roces in ​Pangarap..​ ..............................66


Figure 15. G

​ eart Evangelista on-stage in ​Gawa Hindi Ngawa.​...................................66


Figure 16. H

​ ris Aquino in ​Abugado si Leni.​ ................................................................66


Figure 17. K

​ athNiel in​ Fast Forward..​ ........................................................................68


Figure 18. K

​ ianca Gonzalez-Intal and JC Intal in ​Ang Vice-President Ko!​.................75


Figure 19. B

​ iza Diño​ in ​Go Digong!..​ ..........................................................................77


Figure 20. L

​ uterte and Robin Padilla in ​Disiplina Duterte.​ ........................................77


Figure 21. D

​ ar Roxas in ​Fast Forward.​ ......................................................................78


Figure 22. M

Figure 23. 1​ 986 People Power Revolution..................................................................78

​ elebrities and politicians in ​Fast Forward.​ ..............................................78


Figure 24. C

​ hiz Escudero with supporters in ​Gawa Hindi Ngawa…


Figure 25. C ​ ………....……..80

​ eni Robredo with supporters in ​Abogado Si Leni……


Figure 26. L ​ …….....................82

​ scudero in his youth in ​Chiz for VP…​…………………………………..83


Figure 27. E
Celebrification in Politics 8

Chapter 1: Introduction

Background of the Study

Celebrities are an integral part of Philippine culture. The reach of free

television, widely accessible movies, and the boost of internet access in recent years

have continuously allowed Filipinos to support their favorite showbiz personalities.

Even in the world of politics, the integration of celebrities is evident through the

increasing number of celebrity endorsers, celebrities turned politicians, and politicians

exhibiting celebrity behavior (Atun & David, 2015). With this phenomenon of

celebrification becoming more prevalent in the Philippine landscape, the role of

celebrities in political affairs has become integral in defining the future of governance

in the Philippines (Centeno, 2010).

The Philippines consistently having a high voter turnout level could be linked

to its low performing economy. Schraufnagel and colleagues (2014) suggest that

economic hardships may be the main force that drives people towards the polls.

However, these hardships may also be what hinders citizens from casting their most

well-informed vote. Studies have shown that a large lower class voting block is

susceptible to simple political ploys (Atun & David, 2015), which can be attributed to
Celebrification in Politics 9

several factors such as limited access to critical information about politicians, poor

education systems, or the constant exposure to celebrity appearances in campaigns.

Television content may also hinder voters from making well-informed votes due to

news bias and media manipulation (Beltran, 2017).

The Philippines is one of the countries most devoid of programmatic politics

in Southeast Asia despite its high voter turnout. It is noticeable how politicians

seldom bank on their initiatives or promote policy programs in their campaigns

(Schraufnagel et al., 2014). In place of this, a variety of political ploys are utilized for

their campaigns. Due to these political ploys executed in conjunction with the boost in

media and internet access, the country’s political landscape has developed a very

distinct culture in recent years.

The 2016 presidential and vice-presidential elections were dubbed as the

country’s first “social media” election. In the same year, there were 41 million active

Facebook users between the ages of 18 and 65. Millennials and Gen Z (aged 18-29)

made up 31%, Gen X (aged 30-44) 32%, and Baby Boomers (aged 45-64) 28% of the

voting population respectively in 2019 (Paris, 2019). In total, approximately 91% of

voters could have possibly been exposed to content shown on social media. This is

without taking into account other news and information sources available on the

internet. These are important factors because the addition of social media into the

picture changes the political playing field. Televised political campaigns are now

being uploaded on the internet, and it is foreseeable that these uploads will only rise in

number and accessibility in the future years.

It is also worth noting that the presidential and vice-presidential elections

usually have a higher turnout in comparison to the midterm elections. Once again,

several factors may contribute to this, such as the smaller number of national
Celebrification in Politics 10

candidates to choose from for the midterm elections, and the higher national stakes in

the presidential and vice-presidential elections. In addition to this, political scientist

Hansley Juliano points out that senators are usually considered as having less “star

power”, compared to the two highest government positions. (Pobre, 2019).

Instead of using their programs and initiatives to strengthen their platform, it is

a common trend for politicians to utilize star power and include celebrities in their

campaigns. Celebrities possess a certain ability to connect with people, and because

they are constantly seen in the media, they are well-known by audiences. News

program MSNBC (2016) produced a segment on the effectiveness of celebrity

endorsement in the United States. When asked about her opinion, actress Susan

Sarandon answered, “Sometimes what a celebrity can do is just shine a light and get

some space in the media, when the media hasn’t been covering…”. Show business

and politics in the Philippines are rather similar as the fields are generally dominated

by the rich, powerful, and famous, and p​olitical rivalries continue to be based largely

on personality and faction rather than on ideology or political identity (Kenny, 2020).

As a result, there is a developed tendency to focus on the personal qualities of

politicians and their endorsers, rather than to prioritize their competence and

experience, consequently affecting one’s decision-making for political matters. These

qualities often exude similar characteristics to familiar archetypes commonly found in

literature, films and other forms of media. Due to this, it is common for audiences to

feel a strong sense of attachment towards these celebrities, which is the result of both

the media’s portrayal of these big personalities and archetypes they represent (Atun &

David, 2015). The political landscape of the country resembles an elaborate

production; parts are played to convince audiences to believe certain narratives.


Celebrification in Politics 11

Statement of the Problem

With propaganda constantly presented to viewers, it becomes necessary to

regularly examine the social systems upon which campaign culture stands, as these

are big factors in determining the outcome of political affairs that require citizen

participation. While previous research focused on the correlation between voter

attitudes towards celebrity endorsers and election outcomes (Atun & David, 2015;

Centeno, 2015), there is an evident lack of research that focuses primarily on the

content of these campaign videos.

As the 2022 presidential and vice-presidential elections draw near, it has

become increasingly evident that social media and television advertisements will most

likely be the main platforms for political campaigns and may replace most on-site

political events due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic. As citizens are

encouraged to stay home as much as possible, their primary source of knowledge for

the upcoming elections would then rely on these platforms. If voters are unable to

discern and understand the underlying motives of these political campaigns, they may

fall victim to strategies of persuasion instead.

Perron (2012) states that in order to comprehend a country’s campaign culture,

it is important to look at factors such as a country’s existing political systems,

geography, and most importantly, its history. With this, the researchers will be

focusing on the most recent large-scale event concerning the practice of politics in the

Philippines; the 2016 presidential and vice-presidential elections. Through examining

how politicians use celebrities to further the agenda of their political narratives, the

voting population will be more aware of these devices that serve to persuade, and

consequently allow them to reclaim their agency as voters.


Celebrification in Politics 12

Research Questions & Objectives

The study focuses on the use of celebrities in campaign videos as tools for

politicians to fulfill their political agenda. Hence, the researchers ask: How did the

candidates of the 2016 Philippine presidential and vice-presidential elections utilize

celebrity endorsers in their video campaigns to drive their narratives forward in order

to appeal to the voters? In order to fully answer this research question, the following

objectives must be fulfilled:

1. To identify the narrative patterns through analyzing the campaign

videos.

2. To identify the roles that celebrities play as agents who drive the

narrative forward.

3. To explore the celebrity-politician dynamic evident in the campaign

videos.

4. To determine possible emerging character and story archetypes in the

political campaigns.

5. To reveal the underlying agenda of the politicians in their campaign

video.

Significance of the Study

A majority of studies on the topic of celebrification in politics are

predominantly quantitative in nature (Centeno, 2010). These studies would revolve

around the cause-and-effect relationship between celebrity campaigns and the

audience attitudes (Atun & David, 2015), and would use surveys and experiments as

their primary method of data collection (Centeno, 2010). Previous studies also

centered on the implications behind the linguistic patterns and rhetorical devices used

by politicians in their speeches (​Dunn, 2018; ​Alico & Rivera, 2017). Textual analyses
Celebrification in Politics 13

were then conducted to examine the common characteristics in political speeches to

uncover the underlying message of the politicians (Canel & García, 2016). There were

also studies that looked into the correlation between voter statistics, election results,

and outside influences (Atun & David, 2015; Centeno, 2010).

However, there is a lack of research that focuses primarily on the relations

between the persons directly involved in political campaigns; the politicians and

endorsers themselves. The researchers find it imperative to address and examine the

possible motives and agendas that exist in these partnerships. Veering away from

studies on campaign effectiveness, this research leans towards studying the nature of

the relationships between the politicians, celebrities, and the narratives formed out of

these interactions. In addition to this, the research will contribute to the field of

communication research because it explores how celebrities extend their influence

beyond entertainment purposes. The study will also aid future researchers in

analyzing avenues of communication present in politics, and will be useful in offering

solutions to address these communication issues.

On another note, the recent ABS-CBN shutdown last July 2020 may

significantly impact the airing of political campaigns for the upcoming elections as

the masses tend to rely mainly on television in order to update themselves with

current events (Atun & David, 2015). Considering the fact that ABS-CBN was

previously the top broadcasting network in the Philippines (Brillon, 2015), its recent

closure may deprive the vast majority of the voting population of a major source of

information on political matters.

Access to a wide range of information from reliable sources will help develop

an individual’s political awareness, which would improve the overall quality of their

decision-making as voters. However, with the current situation of the Philippines in


Celebrification in Politics 14

regards to the COVID-19 pandemic and limitation of mass gatherings, the majority of

campaigns and other political information for the 2022 elections will most likely be

centered on digital platforms. This further supports the pressing need for studies

concentrating on media in order to help voters discern well when absorbing

information.

The study may help the voting population be more aware of how politicians

would use celebrities as tools to further their political agenda. As a result, they may be

able to think more critically in order to cast a well-informed vote in the upcoming

elections.

Scope and Limitations

The primary focus of this research was on the content and narratives of the

political video campaigns themselves, and did not tackle the effect of these campaigns

on the results of the 2016 Philippine presidential and vice-presidential elections. The

researchers were limited to the concepts found in Burke’s Dramatism Theory and

archetypes under Jung and Booker. The data collected was analyzed with Hatch’s

typological analysis. The research primarily focused on three constituents: the

political candidate, the celebrity, and the narrative within the campaign video. The

aforementioned components were analyzed to determine the underlying themes found

in the narratives of the campaigns.

Consequently, voter attitudes and behavior were not explored in this research.

The research did not include the voters’ response to political campaigns, and was

unable to cover the external factors that influence the audience’s perception of the

celebrities and politicians in the campaign videos. The relationship between the vote

turnout and voter attitudes towards political campaigns was not explored as well.
Celebrification in Politics 15

The sample only consisted of video campaigns and did not explore other

media such as posters, tarpaulins, and in-person campaigns. A total of 12 videos were

selected for further analysis, and these were limited to videos that were released

within the campaign period, or within 90 days before election day was held.

Ethical Implications

The sample was limited to video campaigns that were available to the

researchers and could be found in the online sphere. This refers to political campaign

videos that are accessible to the general public, and it was important for these to be

legally published on the internet. Political advertisements were obtained through legal

means such as the verified social media pages of political candidates and other official

channels such as the production houses that produced these campaigns. The

researchers also ensured that these videos were published during the official campaign

period.
Celebrification in Politics 16

Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature

Several studies have explored multiple aspects of celebrity politics, ranging

from broad topics such as the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements on voter

attitudes (Centeno, 2010), to specific topics that focus on individual politicians, such

as Donald Trump (​Street, 2019) ​and Grace Poe (Alico & Rivera, 2017). The

following review of related literature discusses narratives as tools of persuasion,

celebrity culture in the Philippines, the way political narratives are constructed, the

emergence of archetypes in media, and the celebrification in politics.

Narrative as a Tool of Persuasion

Narratives are accounts of events or experiences that may be true or fictitious

that relay information about characters engaged in actions (Bruner, 1991). These are

defined as the processes or techniques of telling stories through various means, may it

be written, verbal, audio-visual, or with other media. Hamby and colleagues (2017)

have discovered through their findings that narratives are able to persuade by using
Celebrification in Politics 17

mechanisms that are distinctly different from other modes of persuasion, as it

integrates attention, imagery, feelings, and the events in the story themselves.

Stories play a key role in human life as Krause and Rucker (2019) state that

narratives often bypass our natural resistance mechanisms towards new information.

This results in audiences either responding more positively to speakers that utilize

narratives or passively accepting whatever is presented to them. Ooms and colleagues

(2019) add that narratives also work towards changing people’s inherent attitudes,

behaviors, and perception towards certain things as they are transported into the

narrative and identify themselves with the protagonist. This identification allows the

audience to transcend their own self-awareness and replace it with both the emotional

and cognitive connections with the characters present.

Due to the effectiveness of narratives as tools of persuasion, the advertising

industry has constantly utilized these to persuade potential consumers into purchasing

their products. Lien and Chen (2011) concluded in their research that while the

strength of an argument matters significantly in non-narrative advertising, this effect

diminishes and has less impact in narrative advertising. Advertisers then opt to utilize

a narrative approach instead as they sway their target market not just with facts, but

also through the emotional investment that the narrative elicits. A study conducted by

Kim and colleagues (2017) compared the persuasive ability of advertisements and

concluded that narrative advertising fared far better than non-narrative advertising in

terms of emotive response, hedonic value, credibility, and perceived goal facilitation,

which resulted in the overall effectiveness of these advertisements in eliciting positive

brand attitudes and responses. Narrative then proves itself to be a powerful tool of

persuasion.

Political Narratives
Celebrification in Politics 18

A well-crafted political campaign has the potential to influence public opinion

(Dewan, Humphreys, & Rubenson, 2013). There have been several studies that

analyzed how politicians would justify their advocacies by employing different

strategies in their campaigns (Alico & Rivera, 2017). Dewan and colleagues (2013)

identified various persuasive techniques used by candidates in their campaigns, as

well as the success rate of such methods. An analysis of political campaigns may also

provide insight about the possible motives of candidates (Alico & Rivera, 2017).

Researchers have studied the interactions between politicians and their audience in an

oratorical setting, and how the established contexts within the political speeches play

a significant role in analyzing these speaker-audience interactions (​Choi, Bullb, &

Reeda, 2016)​. These researchers emphasized the importance of understanding speech

contexts in order to gain deeper insight into the different aspects of political

persuasion and audience response. Other researchers focused mainly on the speeches

themselves, without including the audience attitudes. Alico and Rivera (2017)

dissected Senator Grace Poe’s campaign speech through rhetorical discourse analysis,

and were able to identify specific elements that revealed her hidden agenda. Poe’s

emphasis on her late father’s political endeavors and on the positive qualities of

Filipinos implies the use of emotional appeal as a tool for persuasion.

Furthermore, previous researchers have studied the advantages of a

well-crafted narrative in a political campaign. Duterte’s victory in the 2016 elections

was attributed to the use of compelling narratives in his campaign. Teehankee (2016)

divulged on how the recurrent theme of ​Para sa Masa (​ For the Masses)​ ​and the

promise of a great nation were crucial points in the underlying narrative of Duterte’s

campaign. Researchers have also identified the linguistic strategies that were

employed by the politicians in their speeches, and how the effective usage of such
Celebrification in Politics 19

techniques may be beneficial to their political image. Canel and Garcia (2016) found

that several factors come to play when politicians address a public concern, and an

in-depth analysis can reveal their possible intentions as well.

Generally speaking, politicians who adapt to various advertising tools and

maximize their potential have higher chances of dominating the election polls (Perron,

2012). Political candidates who take advantage of the escalating popularity of

television advertisements also gain a considerable amount of media attention (​Street,

2019)​. Additionally, televised campaigns give politicians the opportunity to

manipulate and enhance their public image accordingly to appeal to their potential

audience (Noggle & Kaid, 2000).

Archetypes in Media

Archetypes are considered to be typical character or story tropes that can be

seen in various forms of media. These are universally understood concepts that

writers would tend to use when introducing their characters and plot to their audience.

These archetypes follow a pattern that is usually deemed familiar to the audience, and

in effect, this enhances audience recall (Bradshaw & Storm, 2013). A particular set of

archetypes that have been commonly used would be the 12 Jungian archetypes,

pioneered by psychiatrist Carl Jung. In Jung’s perspective, these archetypes may be

seen as universal motifs that have been brought about by constant repetition across all

cultures throughout history (Braga, 2016).

It was also found that the utility of archetypes is not only limited to literature,

as they have the potential to extend their reach beyond this. Djakeli (2013) utilized

Jungian archetypes in his research on political marketing. It was found that effective

usage of Jungian archetypes in marketing has the potential to bear positive results
Celebrification in Politics 20

when it comes to popularizing a particular candidate during campaign season. The

archetypes contributed to the enhancement of each of the candidates’ brand and

image, and has boosted consumer recall. These political candidates had aimed to

connect with the audience through their respective campaigns. A particular archetype

may emerge from each publicly perceived action, and these political candidates took

the opportunity to utilize these tropes in order to embody their desired image.

Archetypes are not only limited to common character tropes, as they can also

be in the form of popular story tropes. Booker (2014) introduced the Seven Basic

Plots, and these were influenced by Jung’s own archetypes. Booker claimed that all

stories come in the form of established archetypes, especially since plots have the

tendency to follow certain formulas. In Booker’s perspective, these Seven Basic Plots

have the capability to shape a narrative, and this may also be possible even in

advertising. The mere recognition of these plots and archetypes prove the existence of

a universal language. Therefore, if utilized to its fullest potential, these archetypal

plots can prove to be effective in advertising as these tropes can be easily grasped by

the audience.

Celebrity Culture

Celebrities are defined as personalities who enjoy a high degree of public

awareness from large groups of people (Schlect, 2013). They are often defined by

their heightened popularity and mass following which equip them with a significant

ability to influence. Celebrities may take on a wide variety of roles, ranging from

performing artists, musicians, politicians, athletes, media personalities or beauty

queens among others. While not always the case, most of them have extraordinary

skills or lifestyles that set them apart from common citizens (Ahmed, 2015) as their

social group deviates from the social norm.


Celebrification in Politics 21

Fame then becomes one of the most prominent conditions of the celebrity

status and is defined as the condition of being glorified through the processes of

media exposure (Rockwell & Giles, 2009). This fame cannot exist without one of the

key stakeholders, which are the fans or the following population of these certain

celebrities. In order to keep up with these celebrities, followers may turn to social

media platforms to be updated with their upcoming projects, relationships, and

personal lives.

While celebrities primarily keep their audiences entertained, they also serve

as marketing tools as companies take advantage of their influence to sell their

services. A comparative study (Blanco, Frando, & Agulto, 2016) concluded that

celebrity-endorsed products fared better in grabbing market attention, customer

product recall, and yielding positive attitudes in comparison to non-celebrity endorsed

items. An analysis of celebrity endorsement and brand loyalty claimed that celebrities

build brand awareness, establish emotional connections with customers, and become

sources of imitation for their fans (Sharma & Kumar, 2016).

In the Philippines, celebrities make up a significantly big part of Filipino

popular culture that goes beyond their usual television features as they double as

brand advertisers, political endorsers, and some would even run as politicians

themselves (Atun & David, 2015). Centeno (2010) notes that as a consequence of this

continuous media consumption, audiences would feel an intimate connection to these

figures and consequently giving them a bigger role in their lives.

Celebrification in Politics

It is undeniable that every step a politician takes is purposeful to their motives.

The result of linking a politician with a specific agenda, and a celebrity with a large

following that feels an intimate connection with them, equals a powerful tool of
Celebrification in Politics 22

persuasion. The specific agenda or goal in mind may differ between politicians,

however, the common denominator is that utilizing celebrities in campaigns will

always be geared towards persuading voters.

Although celebrities turned politicians is not the focus of this research, it is

useful to look at the power of persuasion that this combination can bring. Atun and

David (2015) found that people who watched television often were more likely to

vote for celebrity politicians such as action star Joseph Estrada and newscaster Noli

de Castro; an example of familiarity as a form of power, an asset that politicians strive

to obtain.

Another study by Street (2019) exhibits how this crossover of power

encompasses not only the celebrity-politician dynamic, but extends to journalism and

news coverage, and runs in the culture of the country itself. The researcher elaborated

that the spread of the superstar politician narrative is not only a one-sided movement,

but is pushed further by their publicity teams, media coverage, and their supporters,

whether or not they are aware of it.

Prior research on celebrity politics relied mostly on the use of either surveys or

focus group discussions. Research that utilized surveys covered the attitudes of

audiences and voters towards political campaigns, showing how the use of celebrities

resulted in an audience inclination towards these particular politicians as seen in the

study by Atun and David (2015). On the other hand, the use of focus group

discussions resulted in a deeper and more personal understanding of what audiences

look for in a political campaign and how celebrities aid this cause. However, the lack

of focus on celebrities and politicians as the essential constituents in a political

campaign is a matter to be addressed in order to understand the underlying motives

behind political campaigns.


Celebrification in Politics 23

Chapter 3: Conceptual / Operational Framework

The framework of the study provides an outline of the procedure conducted by

the researchers as they gathered data and analyzed their findings. The conceptual

framework begins with the discussion of the main concepts in this research which

include the theoretical and archetypal concepts, and the combination of the two as a

unified concept. As for the operational framework, the concepts mentioned were

contextualized to the research and indicators of measure were created. These provided

a criteria for the researchers to follow when it comes to extracting and dissecting data

as preparation for analysis.

Conceptual Framework

This section elaborates on the theoretical concepts employed in the research

which were derived from Burke’s Dramatism, and subsequently discusses Jung’s

Archetypes and Booker’s Seven Basic Plots which were utilized in analyzing the

Agent. Jung and Booker’s archetypes were utilized under the subcategory of Agent as
Celebrification in Politics 24

this concept further delves into the embodied character tropes of the politicians and

celebrities in the campaign. Identifying, and then adapting these archetypes allowed

the researchers to determine recurring patterns utilized within the narratives. Figure 1

shows the graphical representation of all of the concepts that were looked into for this

research.

​ onceptual Framework
Figure 1. C

Burke’s Dramatism Theory

Kenneth Burke’s Dramatism (1945) likens life to a theatrical play. Dramatism

focuses on motives of persuasion; first he defines​ identification​ as the recognized

common ground between two parties. Identification is anything relatable, similar, and

analogous between one person and another. Identification plays an important part as

individuals are more likely to react to means of persuasion if some sort of

identification exists and is acknowledged by the persuader. In political campaigns,

there are plenty of methods utilized as identifiers to influence the public’s preference.

For instance, politicians would alter their messages and means of communication to

cater to different audiences with the aim of securing their support.


Celebrification in Politics 25

On the other hand, Burke defines ​guilt-redemption​ as the ultimate factor that

drives human actions forward. Guilt-redemption identifies ​victimage​ as the act of

pointing out a common enemy to blame for adversities, and ​mortification,​ which is

the act of appealing to audiences by eliciting sympathy. Jointly, victimage and

mortification make up the guilt-redemption concept—and like identification, this

plays an important role in persuasion as it affects audiences as well.

The ​dramatistic pentad​ is another central concept in Burke’s Dramatism. The

pentad is made up of the Act, Scene, Agent, Agency, and Purpose; these concepts are

defined in Table 1. As seen in Figure 2, the Pentad’s elements are linked to form a

strategic method for analyzing motivation and human action, which can be found in

the narratives and structure of political campaigns.

Table 1.​ Defining Elements of Dramatistic Pentad ​(Burke, 1945)

​ he Dramatistic Pentad (Burke, 1945)


Figure 2. T
Celebrification in Politics 26

Kenneth Burke’s dramatistic pentad has been utilized by past researchers to

analyze the narratives of public relations crisis statements (Canel & Garcia, 2016),

presidential addresses (Dunn, 2018), and the portrayal of disabilities in film (Rutten,

Roets, Soetaert, & Roose, 2012). The aforementioned studies, similar to this research,

also approached the study by using a qualitative content analysis as their primary

method.

​By using Burke’s Dramatism Theory as a lens, the researchers analyzed the

campaigns by breaking them down into individual elements in order to determine the

underlying motives behind the narratives.

Archetypes

Carl Jung’s archetypes were derived from commonly used tropes that can be

found in various forms of media. There are a total of 12 Jungian archetypes, and each

have their respective goals to be achieved throughout the course of the narrative (see

Table 2). The researchers identified which specific archetypes were embodied by the

agents in the political campaigns. Various attributes of the celebrities were taken into

account such as their typecasting, roles they have previously taken up in their career,

or the image that they have projected as showbiz personalities. As for the politicians,

the researchers looked into the archetypes that they embodied in the duration of their

respective campaigns, and in what can be inferred from the advertisement in itself.

Lastly, possible similarities and differences between the personalities of the celebrity

and politicians were examined to determine whether the celebrity complemented or

reinforced the politician’s archetype.

Table 2.​ Defining Jungian’s Character Archetypes (Djakeli, 2013)

Jungian Character Archetypes


Archetype Core desire
Creator To create something of value
Celebrification in Politics 27

Caregiver To protect and care for people


Ruler To control by exercising power
Jester To live in the moment
Everyman To belong with the people and stay down-to-earth
Lover To experience intimacy and connection by being with other people
Hero To do courageous acts in order to save the world
Rebel To overturn what is not working and start a revolution
Magician To make dreams come true
Innocent To attain happiness ​and experience paradise
Explorer To experience a better, more authentic, more fulfilling life through exploration
Sage To use intelligence and analysis to understand the world

For the narrative archetypes, Christopher Booker’s Seven Basic Plots (see

Table 3) were utilized in order to identify and then derive emerging narrative patterns

within the campaign videos. Booker’s (2014) Seven Basic Plots were actually

influenced by Jung’s own archetypes. Booker claimed that all stories come in the

form of established archetypes, especially since plots have the tendency to follow

certain formulas. In Booker’s perspective, these Seven Basic Plots have the capability

to shape a narrative, and this may also be possible even in advertising. The mere

recognition of these plots and archetypes prove the existence of a universal language.

Therefore, if utilized to its fullest potential, these archetypal plots can prove to be

effective in advertising as these tropes can be easily grasped by the audience.

Table 3. ​Defining Booker’s Seven Basic Plot Archetypes (Booker, 2014)

Booker’s Seven Basic Plots


Archetype Definition
Overcoming the Hero sets out to confront a monster and eventually defeat it
monster
Rags to Riches Hero starts from humble beginnings and eventually achieves
happiness
The Quest Hero sets out to fulfill a quest
Voyage and Return Hero sets out on a journey and returns having matured in the
process
Comedy Initial confusion involving love relationships is eventually
resolved happily
Tragedy Traces the fall from grace of a particular character to a tragic
Celebrification in Politics 28

ending
Rebirth Main character almost falls from grace but repents at the last
minute

Operational Framework

Using major concepts under Burke’s theory of Dramatism, the following

framework was constructed to serve as a guide for the data analysis. The selected

concepts of identification, dramatistic pentad, and guilt-redemption were further

broken down into applicable indicators and measures (see Table 4).

Table 4.​ Breakdown of operational framework

Concept Definition Variables Indicators Measure


Identification The Similarities The way the politicians The politicians
recognized and celebrities would expressing their
common connect themselves with relatability to the
ground the audience audience
between two
parties
Dramatistic Act Action Deed The actions performed The interactions between
Pentad performed in by the politicians and the celebrities and the
an event celebrities politicians in the video
Agent Person/s Person The celebrities and The celebrities and
performing the politicians in the video politicians appearing in
action/s the video
Agency Means by Method The way the celebrities The various means used
which an and politicians presented to present the campaign
action occurs themselves and their (Ex. Jingle, infomercial,
campaign etc.)
Scene Where and Setting The locations chosen for The places where the
when the the campaign video video was shot in
event took
place
Purpose Motivation by Intent The celebrities and The way the politicians
which an politicians express their and celebrities address
action is intentions their intentions to the
performed audience
Victimage The creation of a Politicians naming an
The ultimate common enemy to unite external enemy as the
motivating the audience source of public
Guilt- factor that problems
Redemption drive human Mortification Politicians appealing to Politicians citing their
action emotion to elicit shortcomings
sympathy from the
audience
Celebrification in Politics 29

The concepts were specifically chosen because of their relevance to the

objectives of the research, allowing the researchers to delve deeper into the narrative.

Using the variables stated, the researchers were able to identify the indicators for

measure, which provided a criteria that allowed them to extract the data needed from

the video campaigns. The measures served as more specific criteria already applied in

the context of the research. The data was then analyzed through a typological method,

as the researchers utilized a pre-existing set of concepts from Burke’s Dramatistic

Theory.

As a subcategory for the Agent, the researchers identified character archetypes

for the celebrities and politicians in the political campaigns. At the end of the analysis,

an overall assessment was conducted using Booker’s Seven Basic Plots in order to

determine the overarching narrative archetypes present in the campaigns.


Celebrification in Politics 30

Chapter 4: Method

This section shows the step-by-step process behind the retrieval of the sample,

and the qualitative techniques used in order to analyze the political campaigns. The

researchers utilized Hatch’s typological analysis in order to compartmentalize each of

the elements found within the sample, and analyze these elements both individually

and as a whole. The subheadings were then derived from the patterns, relationships,

and the themes.

Sampling

The political video campaigns selected by the researchers as their sample

featured celebrity endorsers in the 2016 Philippine presidential and vice-presidential

elections. This sample was gathered by searching the internet for political

advertisements that were shown either on television or social media during the

campaign period. The researchers created a criteria for the selection of the political

campaign videos with celebrity endorsers. The celebrity endorser must have either:

1. Appeared in the campaign,

2. Spoken or delivered lines in the campaign, or

3. Interacted with other personalities in the campaign

The celebrities must have had significant exposure in the video for it to be
Celebrification in Politics 31

considered a valid celebrity appearance. It was essential for the focus to be directly on

the celebrities at any point in the campaign. It was also preferable if the celebrities

heavily contributed to the dialogue portion of the videos. Lastly, any form of

interaction between the celebrities and the politicians, whether direct or indirect, were

noted for further analysis. All things considered, if the video campaign satisfied at

least one of the requirements, it was deemed eligible for sampling.

Data Gathering

The researchers collated presidential and vice-presidential campaign videos

from the 2016 Philippine elections that featured celebrity endorsers. These videos

were gathered from different social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and

Twitter. The researchers verified and ensured that these campaigns were publicly

published and are official campaign materials of said candidates. After collation, the

researchers selected the videos that best fit the criteria. At the end of the data

gathering process, the following 12 videos were selected (see Table 5).

Table 5. ​Complete sample of celebrity-endorsed political campaign videos

Title Politician Celebrity Endorser/s Duration


Disiplina Mayor Rodrigo Duterte Robin Padilla 1:22
Duterte
Fast Forward Mar Roxas, Leni Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Maricel 4:07
Robredo Soriano, Karylle, Angelu de Leon, Carla
Abellana, James Yap, Ramon Bautista,
Melai Cantiveros, Jason Francisco, Rufa
Mae Quinto, Martin del Rosario​,
Chokoleit. Billy Crawford, Jay-R, Kris
Lawrence
Daniel Padilla Para Mar Roxas Daniel Padilla 0:30
Kay Mar Roxas
Go Digong Rodrigo Duterte Aiza Seguerra, Liza Dino, Arnel Ignacio, 0:44
Jay Contreras
Abogado si Leni Leni Robredo Kris Aquino 0:18
Pangarap Grace Poe Susan Roces 0:38
Celebrification in Politics 32

Chiz forVP Chiz Escudero Eddie Garcia 0:16


Only Binay Jejomar Binay Manny Pacquiao 0:17
Pilipinas Chiz Escudero Quest 2:41
Gawa Hindi Ngawa Chiz Escudero Heart Evangelista-Escudero 3:08
Ang Vice President Alan Peter Cayetano Mon Fernandez, JC Intal, Bianca 3:38
Ko! Gonzales-Intal, La Tenorio
Shaina Magdayao
Disiplina Panawagan Rodrigo Duterte Robin Padilla 0:34

Data Analysis

With the aid of the framework based on Burke’s Dramatism Theory, the

researchers analyzed the political video campaigns using a qualitative analysis to

yield themes that show how politicians used celebrities in their campaigns to further

their political agenda. Figure 3 contains the entire process of analyzing the data from

designating the concepts to the discussion across concepts.


Celebrification in Politics 33

​ raphical representation of the typological analysis process


Figure 3. G

The campaigns were broken down and dissected according to the elements

found in the dramatistic pentad. These were then listed down following the format of

the sample analysis sheet seen in Table 6.

Table 6. ​Working analysis sheet for each campaign

Campaign #

Politician - Campaign Title (if applicable)

Dramatistic Act
Pentad
Agency

Agent
Celebrification in Politics 34

Scene

Purpose

Identification

Guilt-Redemption Victimage

Mortification

The data under each of these concepts underwent a typological analysis

(Hatch, 2002). Each of the determined concepts were assigned a code; this code was

used to house the raw data. The data under each concept were analyzed by identifying

the patterns, relationships, and themes (PRT) present. The resulting themes were then

used to code the initial data, to either confirm or disconfirm the preliminary findings.

The concepts determined were discussed using the PRT (see Table 7). The themes

served as the subheadings, with the support of the patterns and relationships. Finally,

a general discussion encompassing all the concepts was executed using the PRT.

Table 7. ​Working analysis sheet for typological analysis

PRT Concept (Ex.: Act)

Patterns

Relationships

Themes

The researchers looked into the relationships between all of patterns,

relationships, and themes in the data. After analyzing these, the researchers

expounded on their interpretations regarding the findings in the discussion portion of

their study. As a subcategory for the Agent, the researchers then analyzed the possible

archetypes that the politicians and celebrities belong to. Possible similarities and

differences between the archetypes of the celebrity and politicians were also
Celebrification in Politics 35

discussed. The researchers then adapted the existing Jungian and Booker archetypes

to best fit the narratives of the research. Interpretations derived from the analysis

then allowed the researchers to determine how these celebrities and narratives were

used as strategies employed by politicians to appeal to voters.

Role of the Researcher

The researchers are all undergraduates of AB Communication in the Ateneo

de Manila University. While all of them took the standard theory and research classes,

the researchers all specialize in a variety of communication fields and have taken up

courses in advertising, journalism, and film production, which has granted them an

interdisciplinary perspective in approaching their research.

Chua has taken the courses of Theatrical Performance: Acting 1, Theatre

History and Literature: Survey of Dramatic Literature, and Introduction to Art and

Aesthetics. These courses have given her the ability to understand and dissect the

elements of drama, and analyze these beyond aesthetic value. She has also been a

theatre practitioner for four years, specializing in performance. Additionally, she has

worked with the Cultural Center of the Philippines for Virgin Labfest 2020. Aside

from theatre work, she has also attended the Procter & Gamble Sales Bootcamp,

where she was exposed to the variety of ways that both advertising is used to appeal

to consumers and audiences. Her experience in these fields has allowed her to analyze

narratives beyond surface level and understand how these are used as tools to

emotionally appeal to audiences and further the agenda of the producers.

Alba was a project intern for the Asian Center for Journalism alongside The

Consortium of Democracy and Disinformation and Tanggol Kasaysayan. She has

done work revolving around historical revisionism, regional narratives, as well as

current events; all of which provided her with capabilities for intensive research. Alba
Celebrification in Politics 36

makes sure that she is constantly informed in regards to important local issues and

developments within the country’s political landscape, which helps with identifying

and collating necessary information. In the research, Alba was the most familiar with

the celebrities featured and the politicians’ backgrounds, which aided with the process

of analyzing the campaigns.

Antiporda has experience in video advertising due to her major involvement

in projects with Selecta and Atlantis Theatrical. These experiences equipped her with

the ability to recognize the actual intent behind each of the political video

advertisements, which can be seen in the editing of said videos. Additionally, her

current position as a member of the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and

Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP) grants her the knowledge and experience in jingle-making

and in composing songs that are mainly for advertising purposes. She has also taken

courses under film production such as Basic Video/TV Production, Editing

Techniques and Technologies, and Digital Video Filmmaking. Her experience in

production gives her the capability to discern the individual elements within the

political campaign videos, most especially the visual aspects that were worth noting in

the videos.

The experiences of the researchers in the fields of advertising, drama, film

production, and journalism proves that they are well-equipped with the skillset to

handle the work that this research demands. Being able to study the concepts and

theories of these fields in an academic setting while also living these out through a

variety of work and organizational experiences has also aided the researchers in

executing their study.


Celebrification in Politics 37

Chapter 5: Results and Discussion

This section contains the analysis for all twelve political campaigns. The first

portion contains summaries and analysis sheets presented as tables. This is to provide

context for the events that occurred in each of the videos. Presenting the summaries

and the tables containing the individual elements together will emphasize their

significance when it comes to analyzing the political campaigns. The second portion

discusses the themes that emerged, along with the confirming and disconfirming data.
Celebrification in Politics 38

Finally, the latter part of this section contains the general discussion across all themes

and archetypes.

Campaign 1 - Rodrigo Duterte “Disiplina Mayor Duterte”

The celebrity endorser, Robin Padilla, discusses the various issues faced by

the Philippines and how these problems pose as major obstacles to the development of

the country. He emphasizes on the inefficiency of transportation, corruption in the

government, and the perennial problem of traffic congestion. Additionally, he narrates

over a video montage containing scenes for each of the aforementioned issues.

Presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte eventually enters the frame and stands beside

Padilla at the end of the video. The two state the pressing need for discipline in order

to address these issues and stress how discipline serves as an important determinant

for development in the country. Padilla ends the campaign with the tagline “Disiplina

Duterte para presidente” (Discipline Duterte for President) as seen in Table 8.

Robin Padilla is often dubbed as the “bad boy” of Philippine Cinema. His

tough image and intimidating demeanor is attributed to his past roles in various films.

In his showbiz prime, he usually portrayed antiheroic protagonist roles. In effect, this

masculinized image of Robin Padilla was deemed to be suitable for Duterte’s brand.

This introduced the concept of machismo and its potential when tied with political

power. This advertisement shows that both Padilla and Duterte embody the “Ruler”

archetype.

Table 8. ​Analysis Sheet for Disiplina Mayor Duterte

Disiplina Mayor Duterte


Dramatistic Act ● Robin Padilla discusses the aspects of the country
Pentad that need improvement while walking down a street
● Robin Padilla and Rodrigo Duterte meet up in the
end and mention discipline
Celebrification in Politics 39

Agency A narration by the celebrity


Agent Politician
● Rodrigo Duterte
Celebrity
● Robin Padilla
Scene ● Street at night
● Train station
● Slum area
● Flooded street
● Police station
● A backdrop with the politician's slogan
Purpose ● To point out flaws in the current administration
● To promote the use of discipline as an agent of
change
Identification ● The celebrity acknowledges and empathizes with
the masses and their everyday struggles
Guilt-Redemption Victimage ● The past administrations
● The opposing party
Mortification None

Campaign 2 - Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo “Fast Forward”

This political campaign uses a music video to promote presidential candidate

Mar Roxas and vice-presidential candidate Leni Robredo. The music video has a

lighthearted mood as it features several celebrities engaging in everyday activities

such as riding public transportation, jogging, and walking their dogs. Additionally,

some celebrities represent blue-collared workers, such as construction workers or

call-center agents. The politicians were also seen interacting with the general public in

an affable manner in several instances. The song ​Fast Forward ​promotes the idea of a

progressive future and how this would be possible under Mar Roxas and Leni

Robredo’s leadership (see Table 9).

The celebrities that were given majority of the screen time would be the duo of

the loveteam, KathNiel (Valle, 2019). Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla have been

highly regarded as the role models of the younger generation. Their influence over the

youth is due to their consistent presence in various forms of media, as well as their
Celebrification in Politics 40

active participation in several films. In the music video, all the celebrities embodied

the archetypes of the “Innocent” and the “Everyman”. The Innocent archetype

involves the desire for a particular utopia, which would be achieved through sheer

optimism and in doing the right thing. This was seen in how these celebrities would

act within a setting that implies a more progressive and modern Philippines. As for

the “Everyman” archetype, this refers to the idea that all men and women are

considered equal and ordinary citizens. This is evident in how each of the celebrities

would take roles that are deemed regular to the majority, which is a far cry from their

actual status as celebrities.

Table 9. ​Analysis Sheet for Fast Forward

Fast Forward
Dramatistic Act ● Dancing ● Working in a construction
Pentad ● Singing site
● Riding a motorcycle ● Playing with children
● Walking dogs ● Playing basketball
● Riding public ● Buying from a ​sari-sari
transportation store
● Running ● Giving gifts
● Jogging
Celebrification in Politics 41

Agency ● Music video


Agent Politicians
● Mar Roxas
● Leni Robredo
Celebrities
● Kathryn Bernardo ● Melai Cantiveros
● Daniel Padilla ● Jason Francisco
● Maricel Soriano ● Rufa Mae Quinto
● Karylle ● Martin del Rosario
● Angelu de Leon ● Chokoleit
● Carla Abellana ● Billy Crawford
● James Yap ● Jay-R
● Ramon Bautista ● Kris Lawrence
Scene ● Shot in daylight ● Construction site
● Cityscapes and ● Call center office
urban area ● Sari-sari​ stores
● Wide, grassy field ● Basketball court
● Park ● Wet market
● E-jeep
● Clear roads
Purpose ● To promote a progressive future if the voters choose the
politicians in the video
Identification ● Performing everyday tasks that are usually done by the
public
● Casually interacting with the masses in the video
● Celebrities taking public transportation
● Politicians taking public transportation
● Celebrities as blue-collared workers
○ Call-center agent
○ Construction worker
○ Sari-sari store vendor
Guilt- Victimage None
Redemption Mortification None

Campaign 3 - Mar Roxas “Daniel Padilla Para Kay Mar Roxas”

Celebrity endorser Daniel Padilla discusses the issue of fake news in the media

and how crucial its effects can be during the campaign period. He talks about how

information can be easily manipulated in social media, and how it is important to trust

political candidates with properly established platforms. Towards the end of the

advertisement, Padilla declares that he supports presidential candidate Mar Roxas due

to his trustworthiness and clean track record (see Table 10).


Celebrification in Politics 42

Daniel Padilla’s popularity is primarily due to his leading roles in various

films, his television appearances, and his music career. Padilla would usually embody

the roles of typically charismatic and charming characters in the movies he starred in.

He is mostly well-known among the younger generations, specifically the millennials

and the Gen Z group. Padilla exhibits the qualities seen in the “Everyman” archetype,

and this is evident in his boy-next-door roles in movies and his influence over the

youth. In the political advertisement, he mainly showed characteristics of the “Sage”

archetype, as he shed light on the importance of being vigilant when it comes to fake

news.

Table 10. ​Analysis Sheet for Daniel Padilla Kay Mar Roxas

Daniel Padilla Para Kay Mar Roxas

Dramatistic Act ● Daniel Padilla talks about fake news in the


Pentad media
● Daniel Padilla endorses Mar Roxas because of
his clean track record
● Daniel Padilla uses “tol” as a term of
endearment to address the audience

Agency A narration by the celebrity

Agent Celebrity
● Daniel Padilla
Celebrification in Politics 43

Scene ● A well-lit room


● Desk with a laptop

Purpose ● To combat fake news


● To promote Mar Roxas because of his clean
track record and platforms

Identification ● The celebrity addresses the audience in a


familiar manner.
○ “Mga ‘tol,”
○ “Kinabukasan ​natin…”

Guilt-Redemption Victimage ● Those who manipulate images or news in media


● Fake news in social media

Mortification None

Campaign 4 - Rodrigo Duterte “Go Digong”

A narrator delves into the country's issues by metaphorically comparing these

to the long lines in public transportation. The inefficiency of public transportation was

emphasized by showing footage of congested trains and crowded lines in the train

station. The narrator insinuates that this was also attributed to the negligence of the

prior administrations. Towards the end of the campaign video, several celebrities hold

up Presidential candidate Duterte’s trademark fist and say the tagline “Go Digong!”,

as seen in Table 11.

The celebrities in the political advertisement all have a background in acting.

Additionally, Suguerra, Ignacio, and Contreras are considered to be established

musicians. Veering away from their respective careers, some of these celebrities have

also been quite vocal about their opinions on serious issues. For instance, Suguerra

had publicly advocated for animal rights, and he also stated his opinions issues such

as child labor and gender identity (Donnelson, n.d). As for Diño, she would usually

highlight the importance of the independent film movement in the Philippines. These

celebrities and their background all lean towards the “Creator” archetype, as they all
Celebrification in Politics 44

aim to realize a particular vision and achieve this through creative means. The variety

of the celebrities also project the “Everyman” archetype as they are all from

Table 11. ​Analysis Sheet for Go Digong

Go Digong

Dramatistic Act ● Narrator talks about changes needed in the Philippines


Pentad ● Celebrities in the end show their support by showing the
trademark hand gesture (fist) and saying the line “Go
Digong!”
Agency A video with a voice-over narration

Agent Celebrities
● Aiza Seguerra
● Liza Dino
● Arnel Ignacio
● Jay Contreras
Scene ● Congested trains and stations
● Crowded public transportation waiting areas
Purpose ● To point out current pointless path of the country
● To promote Duterte as someone “na may tapang para sa
pagbabago” (who has a fearlessness for change)
Identification ● Uses the everyday problems of ordinary Filipinos to
reach the audience
● Shows celebrities as one with the masses as they line up
to board transportation
Guilt-Redemption Victimage ● The past administrations
● Politicians who do not do enough
● The opposing political party
Mortification None
Celebrification in Politics 45

Campaign 5 - Leni Robredo “Abogado si Leni”

Kris Aquino talks about how she sees the spirit of her mother, the late

President Cory Aquino, in vice-presidential candidate Leni Robredo. Kris Aquino

then regards Robredo as a selfless lawyer who channels her abilities to uplift the lives

of thousands of people living in poverty. While the video primarily focuses on

Aquino’s testimonial, a photo montage is also utilized to show Robredo interacting

with the masses. The video ends by showing a shot of Robredo smiling while the

message “Leni Robredo for Vice President” flashes on screen (see Table 12).

The celebrity in this campaign, Kris Aquino, is a television host, actress, and

producer. While she is known for her casual talk shows, she is also commonly

recognized as the daughter of late president Cory Aquino, who rose to power after the

Martial Law era. While Cory did not have a formal background in politics, she gained

popularity after the death of her husband, Senator Benigno Jr. Opposite to the brutal

rule of Marcos, Aquino was described to be nurturing of her people. Similar to

Robredo, Aquino embodied the “Caregiver” archetype, whose core desire is to love

and care for others.


Celebrification in Politics 46

Table 12. ​Analysis Sheet for Abogado si Leni

Abogado si Leni
Dramatistic Pentad Act ● Kris Aquino talks about Leni’s
accomplishments and track record as a lawyer
● Kris Aquino compares Leni to her mother,
Cory Aquino
● Leni Robredo interacts with the masses
Agency ● Testimonial
● Photo montage
Agent Politician
● Leni Robredo
Celebrity
● Kris Aquino
Scene ● A well-lit room
Purpose ● To highlight the politician’s credibility as a
lawyer
● To shows how the politician uplifts the poor
Identification ● The celebrity likens the politician to her late
mother
● The politician is seen together with the masses
Guilt-Redemption Victimage None
Mortification None

Campaign 6 - Grace Poe “Pangarap”

This campaign features presidential candidate Grace Poe alongside her

celebrity mother, Susan Roces, as they converse about poverty. The video begins as

the pair looks through photo albums and old pictures of their family photos. Roces

talks about the continuous existence of rampant poverty and hunger in the Philippines.

Poe then responds to this by promising that she would implement regulations which

would ensure that the country’s money would benefit citizens instead of corrupt

politicians. In the end, Roces expressed how proud she was of Poe and made her

promise to continue to fight for the rights of the marginalized (see Table 13).
Celebrification in Politics 47

Roces is both a television and movie actor. She was hailed as “The Queen of

Filipino Movies” during the peak of her career in the 1960s and 1970s (Ching, 2019).

Roces often starred as the protagonist and often played the role of the lover or familial

roles such as wives, mothers, and grandmothers. She took the role of a mother in

Maligno​ as she saved a baby from a cult, a wealthy wife in​ John en Marsha, a​ nd Lola

Flora in the ongoing series ​Ang Probinsyano​. Her predominantly matriarchal roles

through the years make it evident that she embodies the “Caregiver” archetype as she

is often portrayed as a caring protector. In Poe’s campaign, she is portrayed in a

similar fashion as a strong matriarch ready to fight for the well-being of her nation.

However, Poe also embodies the “Hero” archetype as she promises to save the masses

from a corrupt administration.

Table 13. ​Analysis Sheet for Pangarap

Pangarap

Dramatistic Act ● Grace Poe converses with Susan Roces about her
Pentad goals and dreams for the Philippines
● Susan Roces makes Grace Poe promise to stand in
solidarity with the poor
Agency ● Conversation/Dialogue

Agent Politician
● Grace Poe
Celebrity
● Susan Roces
Scene ● A well-lit living room

Purpose To promote the politician's advocacies

Identification ● The celebrity and politician subtly use the aspect of


family to seem relatable to the audience.
○ The pair is surrounded with family pictures
and photo albums
○ Susan Roces mentions how she raised Grace
Poe, showcasing the familial relationship
between the two
Guilt-Redemption Victimage ● Corrupt politicians
● Past administration
Mortification None
Celebrification in Politics 48

Campaign 7 - Chiz Escudero “Chiz for VP”

The campaign begins with a voice over of celebrity Eddie Garcia who narrates

how vice-presidential candidate Chiz Escudero came from an ordinary background.

At the same time, a photo montage is shown and follows the journey of Escudero

from childhood to adulthood. In these photos, he is seen doing ordinary tasks such as

playing, talking with friends, and doing construction work as a young adult. Garcia

appears at the end of the video declaring Escudero as his vice-presidential candidate

while pointing finger guns at the audience (see Table 14).

The late Eddie Garcia was an actor who had taken up over 600 roles in

Philippine cinema and television shows in his lifetime. With his seven decades of

experience in the acting industry, he is often regarded as “The greatest Filipino actor

of all time” (Valle, 2020). While Garcia has taken on a diverse set of roles, he was

widely known for portraying villainous characters and antagonists due to his

outwardly appearance and strong features. However, despite his fame and success,

Garcia was also known for living a simple lifestyle outside of his celebrity career.

Outside his work, he kept his personal life private and stayed out of showbiz

controversy. He has shown to embody the “Everyman” archetype, who desires to

blend in with the people and keep a down-to-earth demeanor. He shares the same

archetype with Escudero, who is branded as living a simple lifestyle.


Celebrification in Politics 49

Table 14. ​Analysis Sheet for Chiz for VP

Chiz for VP
Dramatistic Act ● Eddie Garcia narrates Chiz Escudero’s
Pentad achievements and endorses him as
vice-president
● Eddie Garcia winked and showed a hand
gesture (finger guns) at the end
Agency ● Testimony
● Photo montage
Agent Celebrity
● Eddie Garcia
Scene ● Studio
Purpose ● To highlight Escudero’s achievements
● To promote Escudero as a person for the
masses
Identification ● Francis Escudero’s ordinary background makes
him appear relatable to the masses.
○ “batang karaniwan” (regular kid)
○ “nag-aral sa pampublikong paaralan”
(studied in a public school)
● The politician is seen doing blue-collared work
and manual labor.
Guilt-Redemption Victimage N/A
Mortification N/A

Campaign 8 - Jejomar Binay “Only Binay”

This political campaign opens with Manny Pacquiao directly promoting

presidential candidate Jejomar Binay as the politician’s supporters stand behind him.

He poses the question of how other politicians can possibly help the poor if they have

not experienced poverty themselves. Pacquiao then vouches for Binay’s capabilities

as his presidential candidate because he relates to his impoverished upbringing and

believes that Binay understands the plight of the poor. He mentions that Binay’s

personal experience with poverty makes him the best fit to address this problem. At
Celebrification in Politics 50

the end of the video, Binay walks into the frame to join Pacquiao in the last few

seconds, as Pacquiao said Binay’s slogan, “Only Binay.” (see Table 15).

Manny Pacquiao is an internationally acclaimed boxer who is considered to be

one of the greatest boxers of all time. He also served two terms as a member of the

House of Representatives from 2010-2016 and has most recently been elected as a

senator in the Philippine government. While Pacquiao is known internationally for

being the only eight-division world champion and for holding several world boxing

titles, he is renowned in the Philippines for his rise from poverty to global success.

Pacquiao’s life story is often repeated in interviews and documentaries about him,

which emphasize his struggles due to poverty and having his family rely on him as

their breadwinner. As the media often focus on his journey from rags to riches,

Pacquiao embodies the “Everyman” archetype, who is known for his simple

upbringing and ability to relate with the common folk. He shares this same archetype

with Binay, who prides himself on his simple upbringing and eventual rise from

poverty.
Celebrification in Politics 51

Table 15.​ Analysis Sheet for Only Binay

Only Binay
Dramatistic Act ● Manny Pacquiao says that he identifies himself
Pentad with Binay
● Binay walks into frame in the end and situates
himself beside Pacquiao
● The celebrity and the politician put up a single
finger, making the number one gesture
● The celebrity says the politician’s trademark
slogan “Only Binay”
Agency ● Testimonial
Agent Politician
● Jejomar Binay
Celebrity
● Manny Pacquiao
Scene ● Usage of green screen
● In front of a crowd of the politician’s supporters
wearing his merchandise
Purpose ● To highlight that the candidate’s impoverished
background makes him the most suitable to
uplift the poor
Identification ● Pacquiao and Binay, just like many other
Filipinos, identify themselves as coming from
the impoverished sector
● Pacquiao claims that Binay understands the
plight of the poor
Guilt-Redemption Victimage N/A
Mortification N/A

Campaign 9 - Chiz Escudero “Pilipinas”

Celebrity Quest performs his song ​Pilipinas,​ with candidate Chiz Escudero

gradually being introduced. Various scenarios illustrating the dismal situation of the

country accompanies Quest’s lyrics. These scenes include ordinary Filipinos like

blue-collared workers, children, students, and the rest of the masses. These also

feature scenes of common Filipino struggles such as poverty, low wages, and lack of

healthcare. The people begin to rip apart pieces of paper that had these issues printed

on them, such as “kotong”, “droga”, and “pang-aabuso” (bribery, drugs, abuse).

Escudero rips two papers as well, with the words “korupsyon” (corruption), and
Celebrification in Politics 52

“traffic”. In the end, Escudero walks forward with a diverse crowd of people (see

Table 16).

Quest (real name: Jose Villanueva III), was originally a former music director

of Victory Christian Fellowship church, who decided to pursue a career in OPM R&B

and rap (Bonifacio, 2010). He is known for his award winning single “Back to Love”

(2010), which revolves around the ails of the country, and his album “Life of a

Champion” (2016). He wrote “Sige Lang” as the theme song of the Gilas Pilipinas

basketball team. Several of Quest’s work revolves around themes of patriotism, and

he has also been vocal about his political views—in fact, this is the second time Quest

collaborates with Escudero for his campaign, the first one being Escudero’s 2013

senatorial campaign which featured Quest’s song “Ang Pagbabago” (Gutierrez et. al.,

2013). Quest embodies the “Creator” archetype, whose goal is to have his vision

realized using creative methods; in Quest’s case, through supporting Escudero’s

candidacy through song. At the same time the both of them project the “Hero”

archetype as both attempt to defeat evils in this country using their personal methods.
Celebrification in Politics 53

Table 16. ​Analysis Sheet for Pilipinas

Pilipinas
Dramatistic Act ● Quest singing
Pentad ● Escudero is walking with the masses.
● Escudero holds a paper that says “corruption”
● Escudero tears the paper saying “corruption”
Agency Music Video
Agent Celebrity
● Quest
Politician
● Chiz Escudero
Scene ● Factory ● Hospital
● Dark street ● Wet market
● Mountain range ● Slums
● Cityscape ● Grey, dim studio
Purpose ● To emphasize the importance of unity among
Filipinos
● To show that the politician is one with the
masses
● To show how Filipinos share the same desire
for change in the country
Identification ● The politician does the same actions as the
masses in his video
● The politician shares the masses’ desire for
change
Guilt-Redemption Victimage ● Past administration
● Corrupt politicians
Mortification N/A

Campaign 10 - Chiz Escudero “Gawa Hindi Ngawa”

The video opens with the candidate Chiz Escudero claiming that it is unlike

him to step on other people to lift up his image, nor is it like him to praise his own

deeds. The video presents a montage showing the different positions he has taken in

his political career, as well his contributions to the country. Among these are various

infrastructure projects, as well as laws that he enacted. The latter part shows footage

of a live campaign rally wherein celebrity Heart Evangelista speaks about how she

witnesses how passionate Escudero is about his job everyday. The video also
Celebrification in Politics 54

constantly shows the interactions between Escudero and his supporters. In the end, the

tagline “Say Chiz Escudero for Vice President” was flashed on screen (see Table 17).

Heart Evangelista (Love Marie Escudero) hails from a wealthy Chinese family

who initially rose to fame as an actress. Evangelista married Escudero in 2015, and

was prepared to have twins but unfortunately experienced a miscarriage in 2018

(Arcadio, 2020). She is currently a singer, influencer, visual artist, and the incumbent

First Lady of Sorsogon. Evangelista is also part of various charities and advocacies as

a spokesperson for PAWS (“Heart Evangelista Launches,” 2018) and as founder of

the Heart Can foundation which aims to help children with respiratory diseases.

Evangelista has also responded to and catered to those who approach her on social

media asking for donations and monetary help. Despite this, Evangelista frequently

suffers backlash from those who criticize her lavish lifestyle as she is married to a

public servant. Evangelista embodies the “Caregiver” archetype as she constantly

expresses her desire to extend help to others.


Celebrification in Politics 55

Table 17.​ Analysis Sheet for Gawa Hindi Ngawa

Gawa Hindi Ngawa


Dramatistic Act ● Escudero speaks onstage
Pentad ● Heart Evangelista speaks onstage about
Escudero’s good qualities
Agency ● Testimonial
● Photo and video montage
Agent Politician
● Chiz Escudero
Celebrity
● Heart Evangelista-Escudero
Scene ● Campaign rallies
● A stage
● Congress
● Senate
● Sports complex
Purpose ● To promote Escudero’s good qualities
● To highlight the achievements of Escudero
● To show that Escudero is a person of the
masses
● The celebrity testifies that the politician goes
above and beyond what is expected of him
Identification Escudero personally interacts with his supporters,
making him seem more approachable to the public
Guilt-Redemption Victimage None
Mortification None

Campaign 11 - Alan Peter Cayetano “Ang Vice President Ko!”

The video features various showbiz personalities, athletes, family members,

and friends of candidate Alan Peter Cayetano, and they share their own experiences

with him. Mon Fernandez recalls how became friends with Cayetano, while JC Intal

and Bianca Gonzales-Intal talk about being constant recipients of Cayetano’s jokes.

Similarly, LA Tenorio discusses the lighter side of Cayetano and his fondness for

basketball. The celebrities talk about his prayerfulness and his passion for service,

which was supported by other non-celebrity endorsers in the campaign video. Shaina

Magdayao also states that he always prioritizes the people. In the end, all of the
Celebrification in Politics 56

endorsers say the tagline “Si (Kuya) Alan Peter Cayetano ang vice-president ko”

(Kuya Alan Peter Cayetano is my vice-president), as seen in Table 18.

The celebrities featured are from different walks of life, with the Intals

representing family, Fernandez and Tenorio representing the sports field, Magdayao

representing the showbiz industry, among others. All of them were shown to have

respectful, easy-going, friendly attitudes towards Cayetano. The diversity of the

personalities projected a sense of relatability and approachableness onto Cayetano,

enticing audiences to see his likeability and capacity to understand what different

people need. The “Everyman'' archetype explains this personality, with the character

attempts to belong to the crowd and manifest down-to-earth attributes (Booker, 2014).

Table 18. ​Analysis Sheet for Ang Vice President Ko!

Ang Vice President Ko!


Dramatistic Act ● The celebrities talk about their shared
Pentad experiences with Cayetano.
● In the end, the celebrities say the politician’s
campaign slogan
Agency Testimonial
Agent ● Mon Fernandez ● La Tenorio
● JC Intal ● Shaina
● Bianca Magdayao
Gonzales-Intal
Scene ● Cafe ● Office
● Living Room ● Workplace
● Basketball Court
Purpose ● To highlight the authenticity of Cayetano and
relatability as narrated by the people close to
him
● To reveal the values and beliefs of Cayetano
by using testimonials from the people in his
life
Identification ● The anecdotes show Cayetano’s behavior as a
friend or relative
● Cayetano regularly engages in everyday
activities
Guilt-Redemption Victimage None
Mortification None
Celebrification in Politics 57

Campaign 12 - Rodrigo Duterte “Disiplina Panawagan”

Robin Padilla claims that he is absolutely honest with the viewers in saying

that he was not paid for appearing in the advertisement. He also states his belief that it

is not morally right to be paid in making decisions when it comes to the sake of the

country. Padilla emphasizes that change is something that cannot be bought, and like

presidential candidate Duterte, he too refuses to be bought or paid for his political

service. He then calls on fellow celebrities to be more vocal and to show their support

for the country without fear as well. The video ends with the campaign slogan

“Disiplina Duterte” (Duterte Discipline) flashed beside Robin (see Table 19).

Again, Robin Padilla’s masculinized presence paired perfectly with Duterte.

Padilla himself mentions that they share the same stance regarding their values and

what they believe that the country truly needs. Again Padilla was painted in an

antiheroic protagonist light which enhances the showcase of power in Duterte’s

campaign. Padilla and Duterte both manifest the “Ruler” archetype, this time in the

need to exercise power as they call on artists to side with them and show support.
Celebrification in Politics 58

Table 19. ​Disiplina Panawagan Analysis Sheet.

Disiplina Panawagan
Dramatistic Act ● Robin Padilla claimed that he was not paid for the
Pentad campaign
● Robin Padilla called on his fellow celebrities to
show their support for the country
● Robin Padilla used “tol” as a term of endearment to
address the target audience
Agency Call to Action

Agent Actor
● Robin Padilla
Scene A dark room
Purpose To compel fellow artists to use their platform to freely show
their support for political candidates.
Identification ● Robin Padilla addresses the target audience as a
term of endearment
○ “Mga tol” (My bros)
Guilt-Redemptio Victimage None
n Mortification None
Celebrification in Politics 59

The celebrity takes on the role of the storyteller as they embellish stories about

the politician who carries out acts in a performative manner.

Celebrities​ ​serve as the storytellers who lay down the foundation and narrate

the world that the politicians inhabit. They are vital in articulating the qualities of

their respective politicians through their storytelling. In these videos, they allow

various character archetypes to manifest, sometimes even before the politician

physically reveals themself to the audience. Celebrities would refer to politicians as

their friend or even liken them to family members. The celebrities serve as an opening

act, and afterwards are tasked to build up the audience anticipation for when the

politicians finally take center stage. In Figure 4, the singer Quest is seen alone in the

video as he begins singing. It is then seen in Figure 5 that Escudero appears only after

Quest sings the line “liwanag sa dilim” (light in the darkness) as he uses this as a

means to introduce the politician.

​ uest for ​Pilipinas​ [00:08]


Figure 4. Q

​ scudero’s first appearance in​ Pilipinas​ [00:16]


Figure 5. E
Celebrification in Politics 60

A variety of methods were employed by the celebrities in order to ease and

familiarize the politician with the audiences. Some utilized more direct ways such as

immediately introducing the politician, detailing the politician’s background, or

discussing the politician’s achievements for the audience to get to know the politician

in a short amount of time. However, some opted to use more creative means such as

songs, gestures, or slogans. The songs used in the video samples usually had no

mention of the politician’s name, with the exception of the second rendition of

politician Escudero’s campaign jingle that included the line “Kay Chiz ka na, sumama

na…” (Choose Chiz, join him). In Escudero’s campaign video ​Pilipinas, t​ he

singer-celebrity Quest used his song lyrics with the intention of conveying a linear

plot of a dark and dreary Philippines (see Figure 6) transforming into a country of

hope and vitality after the appearance of the politician (see Figure 7).

​ ark and dreary scene in ​Pilipinas​ [00:31]


Figure 6. D

​ hopeful scene in ​Pilipinas​ [02:36]


Figure 7. A
Celebrification in Politics 61

Several other campaigns begin by introducing the politician through an iconic

slogan or trademark hand gesture, which is sometimes repeated throughout the video

as a means of recall rehearsal. Recall rehearsal involves the repetition of a memory or

performing an act over and over again to process information and store these as

long-term memories (Sandeks, 1961). The campaign ​Go Digong!​ involves several

celebrities such as Aiza Segarra doing Duterte’s trademark fist at the end of the video

as seen in Figure 8. ​Only Binay​ also utilizes trademark gestures as Pacquiao and

Binay are seen pointing a single finger which indicates that voters should only

consider Binay as their vice-presidential candidate as seen in Figure 9.

​ iza Seguerra in​ Go Digong​ [00:36]


Figure 8. A

Figure 9​. ​Pacquiao and Binay in ​Only Binay​ [00:16]

After the celebrities set up these ideal foundations, the politicians then take on

the role of actors as they perform and dramatize a variety of scenarios. In these

campaigns, celebrities are not seen doing grand elaborate tasks. Instead, they take up
Celebrification in Politics 62

the role of the ordinary Filipino citizen as they do a variety of mundane activities.

In the campaigns, politicians and celebrities are seen engaging in ordinary

tasks such as doing blue-collar work, doing daily activities, and personally interacting

with the masses in order to depict them as simple and down-to-earth. In Roxas and

Robredo’s ​Fast Forward, ​Ramon Bautista was shown in a construction site as he

stood accompanied by construction workers (see Figure 10). It was observed that he

was dressed in a construction worker uniform as he was seen donning a hard hat and

vest. However, with the celebrity’s fresh appearance, clean yellow shirt, and with no

actual hard labor shown, the uniform proved to be a mere costume for the intended

act. Roxas and Robredo were also shown purchasing from​ sari-sari s​ tores and

interacting with the owners (see Figure 11). Stores like these are frequented by middle

to lower class Filipinos, as the repackaged items and small portions of essential goods

sold there fit within the budget of these citizens. The politicians were dressed in their

signature yellow campaign attires, highlighting the real intention behind the act of

visiting the store—to promote their candidacy. These clothes function as costumes,

demonstrating that these interactions are mainly for show.

​ amon Bautista as a construction worker in ​Fast Forward​ [01:01]


Figure 10. R
Celebrification in Politics 63

​ ar Roxas and Leni Robredo in ​Fast Forward [​ 02:46]


Figure 11. M

Politicians were also shown interacting with the crowds that surrounded them

in the areas they visited. During these sequences, they were seen in close proximity to

these people as they smiled, waved, and took photos with them. In actuality, most of

these politicians are not often seen doing everyday things in public outside these

campaigns. Instead, they use private transportation services, refrain from being seen

in public spaces, and are often accompanied by personal bodyguards. This shows that

there is a certain degree of performativity in such actions, in a sense that being seen

doing such acts will be helpful to their image.

In ​Pilipinas​, Escudero is seen ripping apart papers that had a variety of

government crises printed on them such as corruption, persistent traffic, and low

wages as seen in Figure 12. This act could be likened to a restaging of the

Katipuneros’ ripping of the cedula, which signified the beginning of the revolution

against the Spanish rule (National Historical Commission of the Philippines, 2012).

The act of tearing these papers may symbolize how Escudero would fight against

these injustices as he initiates the emergence of a new beginning. However, no

concrete solutions were mentioned in the video to directly address the problem.

Instead, it becomes evident that the intent behind these acts was to put on a

compelling performance.
Celebrification in Politics 64

Figure 12.​ Escudero ripping a slip of paper in ​Pilipinas [​ 02:22]

As previously mentioned, campaigns would often have certain elements

repeated for the purpose of being memorable. Celebrities and politicians manage to

make a lasting impression by saying the politician’s slogan or showing their iconic

hand gesture at the end. This is the last image that the viewer sees and is used to

punctuate the image that they have been building up throughout the whole

advertisement. These are kept brief and concise, and so it becomes easier for the

viewer to remember the politician.

Throughout the campaign, the narratives were all carefully woven by the

celebrities to appeal to audiences and gain their vote. The act is a locus for several

motives; in the context of these campaign videos, all the decisions come together to

create a cohesive outcome which serves the purpose of the politician.

Celebrities who exhibit a level of authority and authenticity emerged most

dominant, as they have the power to bridge generations and entice audiences.

There was a diverse range of celebrity endorsers when it comes to the

classifications of gender, generation, and profession. While there was representation

among all voting generations and the two genders, specific demographics could be

observed as the most prominent based on the data. These demographics are: male,
Celebrification in Politics 65

Gen X, and actors.

The male demographic dominated the data as males were present in all

possible classifications across professions and generations. Taking this into account, it

can be inferred that males are more sought after for political campaigns. Men may

appear more versatile as they are well-represented in the data because they take up a

majority of the listed occupations. In that aspect, there was an evident lack of

representation of female celebrities.

In the line-heavy campaign videos, male celebrities would usually address the

audience directly. In ​Daniel Padilla Para Kay Mar Roxas,​ the campaign was framed

as a message from Daniel Padilla to the audience about the prevalent issue of fake

news. As seen in Figure 13, the celebrity advocated for the politician while looking

directly at the camera. Similarly, Robin Padilla in ​Disiplina Duterte​ directly

addressed the audience, albeit in a confrontational manner as he urged audiences to

vote for Duterte (see Figure 14).

​ aniel Padilla in ​Daniel Padilla Para Kay Mar Roxas​ [00:07]


Figure 13. D

​ obin Padilla in ​Disiplina Duterte​ [00:45]


Figure 14. R
Celebrification in Politics 66

The act of directly speaking to the audience either through voiceover or

through mere acknowledgement of the viewers may be associated with authority

(Prieler & Centeno, 2013). It is noticeable how these male politicians primarily used

male celebrities in their campaigns, which can be attributed to relatability and greater

chemistry between the endorser and politician.

The decision to use male celebrities for hard-selling campaigns implies that

males are the most optimal when it comes to straightforwardly delivering the message

of the campaign. A majority of the voiceovers in the political campaigns were also

delivered by male celebrities. A previous study on celebrity-endorsed campaigns

revealed that males had more voiceovers compared to female celebrities, which can

be linked to the fact that males are still deemed as superior and more authoritative

compared to females in modern Philippine society (Prieler & Centeno, 2013). The

male celebrities were also shown speaking with an air of conviction, showing

confidence that their voices mattered and would be listened to. The decision to grant

male celebrities a direct line to the audience implies that their opinions are given more

value when it comes to influencing power.

In contrast, female celebrities with speaking lines did not address the presence

of the audience. Grace Poe’s ​Pangarap​ was a conversation between Poe and her

celebrity mother, Susan Roces, which can be seen in Figure 15. Poe had done most of

the talking regarding her advocacy, while Roces contributed with simple, sentimental

one-liners. Another example would be Escudero’s ​Gawa Hindi Ngawa​ which featured

his wife, celebrity Heart Evangelista, who gave a testimonial about witnessing

Escudero and the passion reflected in his hard work (see Figure 16.). Once again, she

does not address the viewers as she focuses on praising the work of Escudero. The

political campaigns showed that female celebrities were usually indirect in their
Celebrification in Politics 67

​ herein celebrity Kris


actions, with the exception of Robredo’s ​Abogado si Leni, w

Aquino directly addresses the audience (see Figure 17).

Figure 1​ 5. Grace Poe and her mother Susan Roces in ​Pangarap​ [00:03]

​ eart Evangelista on-stage in ​Gawa Hindi Ngawa [​ 02:35]


Figure 16. H

​ ris Aquino in ​Abugado si Leni​ [00:02]


Figure 17. K

Rather than introducing the advocacies of the politicians, the female

celebrities would function as a supporting role or an accessory to complement the

politician. For instance, despite Roces’ major appearance in Poe’s campaign, her main
Celebrification in Politics 68

purpose was to compel Poe to state her advocacy through the guise of a personal

conversation. Additionally, female celebrities often cited personal testimonies and

anecdotes about the political candidate. In Cayetano’s campaign, ​Ang Vice President

Ko!, ​celebrity Bianca Gonzales shared her own experiences with the politician. Most

of her anecdotal comments were lighthearted and non-political in nature, such as

mentioning how easygoing Cayetano was because of his love for punchlines. In

Escudero’s ​Gawa Hindi Ngawa,​ Evangelista’s testimonial of the candidate was more

sentimental in nature. Evangelista claimed, “If you just see what I see every day, he

wakes up at 4:30 in the morning to make sure he gets the job done.” Rather than his

political experience and platform, she used personal experience as a basis for

Escudero’s competency as a politician.

The noticeable lack of female celebrities with dialogue and voiceover reveals

that they were not chosen primarily for their voice. The female celebrities who strayed

away from the usage of dialogue were just briefly shown in the campaign videos. An

example of this would be Kathryn Bernardo’s appearance in Roxas and Roberdo’s

political campaign video, ​Fast Forward.​ She shared the screen with her partner,

Daniel Padilla, and it was evident that they were shown as a package due to their

popular branding as the loveteam ​KathNiel (​ see Figure 18). In another Mar Roxas

campaign video, only Daniel Padilla was present, in which he was given the

opportunity to call upon people to vote wisely (see Figure 13). That being said, this

implies that Bernardo was mainly used in the former campaign due to her physical

appeal.
Celebrification in Politics 69

​ athNiel in​ Fast Forward ​[01:36]


Figure 18. K

Female celebrities mostly embodied a motherly or a familial stereotype. In

Poe’s ​Pangarap,​ the role of celebrity Susan Roces as a mother was frequently

referenced. During their conversation, Roces earnestly tells Poe that she was brought

up to be service-oriented and determined. This brief mention of Poe’s upbringing was

a direct reference to their mother and daughter relationship. Poe’s usage of “ma”

(mom) and Roces’ usage of “anak” (child) further emphasized the domesticity in the

campaign. Similarly, in Robredo’s ​Abogado Si Leni,​ the concept of family was

utilized when Kris Aquino likened Robredo to her own mother. Although Robredo’s

profession as a lawyer was mentioned, the campaign’s focus was on her motherly

qualities and how she would be the most suitable to empower the marginalized.

Therefore, it can be said that the combination of female celebrities and female

politicians often result in campaigns that are familial in nature with the intention of

targeting the emotions of the audience, even if they are addressed indirectly.

A few conclusions can be drawn. Female celebrities adopt an indirect

approach in the political campaign videos, and this implies the usage of a soft-sell

method (​Okazaki et al., 2010)​. ​It can be inferred that they were chosen for soft-selling

campaigns due to the common familial stereotype usually embodied by women, and

how this gives them the opportunity to play with the more emotional aspect of the

campaign.
Celebrification in Politics 70

Conversely, male celebrities purposefully break down the barrier between

them and the audience in order to establish a mutual connection. The act of directly

addressing the viewers and voicing out their opinions or advocacies are characteristics

of a hard-sell advertising approach (​Okazaki et al., 2010)​. This tactic is often done in

an assertive and direct manner. ​The male celebrities were utilized for these

hard-selling campaigns due to the notion that they have a more commanding presence

and can more effectively plant the message of the political candidates in the

consumers’ minds. Additionally,​ ​the usage of male celebrities in political campaigns

that revolve around countrywide concerns implies that they are deemed more credible

when it comes to those matters. This is the prime reason why male celebrities were

utilized more often compared to female celebrities.

The data also revealed the actor profession to be the most prevalent compared

to the other career choices. While celebrities generally have an extensive amount of

media exposure, telenovelas have played a major role in boosting the popularity of

actors. Television is one of the most consumed forms of media in the Philippines.

Therefore, it is not surprising to see that the majority of the most successful celebrities

in the Philippines have an acting background in telenovelas or films (“Highest Earners

in Showbiz”, 2017). These telenovelas are frequently followed by members of the

lower class, which constitutes a large percentage of the eligible voting population

(Brillon, 2015). Therefore, it is possible that the political campaign teams take this

into account and choose well-known actors who have starred in telenovelas and films.

Additionally, the decision to use popular actors may be attributed to the fact

that these people are considered professional performers. These actors have been

trained to portray a variety of roles, and it would be easy for them to adjust to any

scenario. Actors also have the ability to make scenes and dialogues seem more
Celebrification in Politics 71

organic due to their acting skills. The usage of actors to take on particular roles gives

the narrative authenticity and makes it more believable to audiences.

Lastly, Gen X celebrities emerged as dominant among all generations in the

political campaigns. The celebrities were within the ages 30 to 44 at the time these

campaigns were created. On the other hand, the political candidates belong to the

older generations, namely the Baby Boomers (ages 45-64) and the Silent Generation

(ages 65-88).

The emergence of Gen X celebrities as the dominant generation could be

linked to the fact that Gen X comprised a vast majority of the eligible voting

population in the 2016 elections (Paris, 2019). Gen X-ers have been involved in more

elections than the Millennials, which implies that Gen X-ers have more experience in

matters concerning politics. This may contribute to the political campaign team’s

decision to use celebrities representing Gen X.

Seeing that they are considered the middle ground between the older and

younger generations, Gen X in a way serves as a bridge between generations. There is

some tension as the older generation has the tendency to treat the youth with

condescension and would disregard their opinions, especially on matters involving

politics (Fabonan, 2019). To counter that, the youth becomes more inclined to view

the opinions and values of the older generation as outdated (Fabonan, 2019). In effect,

celebrities representing this middle ground can alleviate the potential skepticism that

different groups of viewers may have.

Gen X-ers see themselves as self-reliant and independent people. They

perceive themselves as “survivors”, as they have lived through difficult economic

situations (Williams et al., 2010). Therefore, they consider hard work to be a necessity

in their career and other aspects of life. This particular mindset can be seen in the
Celebrification in Politics 72

political campaign videos that highlight how hard-working the political candidates

are. In the campaign video ​Only Binay,​ celebrity Manny Pacquiao identified himself

with Binay and insinuated that their perseverance and hard work brought them out of

poverty. The constant use of hard work reflects the values and beliefs of the Gen

X-ers. The Gen X celebrities functioned as representatives of the Gen X population in

the Philippines. Upon seeing both Gen X representation and the visual exhibition of

their values, the Gen X viewers may be compelled to agree with the advocacies being

promoted in the campaign.

As seen from all the celebrity endorsed political campaigns, these specific

celebrities served as the storyteller for the candidates. The male celebrities emerged as

the most dominant voice when relaying the politician’s advocacy to the audience, and

this is attributable to the preconceived notion of males being considered the

“authority” in society. Actors were the most prominent profession due to their

popularity in television and their capability to give the narrative more authenticity.

Lastly, Generation X celebrities were utilized as a tactic to appeal to older audiences

through the reiteration of their shared values and through acting as the visual

representation of their generation.

The age and political experience of the candidates equips them with the

knowledge that elections are popularity contests, driving them to capitalize on

the exposure provided by celebrity endorsers.

A counterpart to the celebrity is the politician, who are the protagonists in

these narratives. All of the candidates were former politicians before their candidacy

in 2016. They are also part of the two oldest living generations, namely the Silent

Generation and the Baby Boomers. The most apparent reason as to why the
Celebrification in Politics 73

candidates belong to either the Baby Boomer or the Silent Generation age groups is

due to the existing prerequisite in the Philippine Constitution. Article VII, Section 1

​ ust be forty
states that anyone who wishes to run for president or vice-president​ m

years of age on the day of the election, which effectively limits who is eligible to run.

Besides age, there are only four other qualifications for aspiring presidential and

vice-presidential candidates; to be a natural-born Filipino, a registered voter, be able

to read and write, and to have resided in the Philippines ten years before the election

is held. This shows that the most restrictive among these qualifications would be the

rigid forty years of age rule and would explain the demographic turnout.

All the candidates were witnesses to the developments in television and media

over the decades. Following the end of military control over media during the Martial

Law era, freedom and the expansion of television media were restored in the

succeeding years, leading to its current popularity and accessibility. From 2010 to

present, the shift to digital television has been well underway (Tuazon, n.d.). These

politicians developed their political careers alongside the progression of these major

eras in television​ broadcasting. In fact, almost all of these candidates had high

positions in politics even before this digital shift; all except Poe, who first assumed

office in 2010, and Robredo, who first assumed office in 2013.

The utilization of television as a tool to aid one’s popularity and image is a

politician’s tried-and-tested method of campaigning. They are no strangers to the

power of appearances in television, as they belong to generations who have witnessed

and developed this avenue. This explains why politicians prioritize their media

exposure by having televised campaigns and celebrity endorsers.

The second commonality for all of the candidates would be their prior

experience in politics. Most of these candidates were already considered seasoned


Celebrification in Politics 74

politicians who are well-versed with the political landscape in the Philippines. They

are not only familiar with the public service that is expected of politicians, but the

marketing and advertising that goes with it as well. With this experience comes

knowledge; knowing the Filipino voters’ preferences and attitudes can provide

candidates with an advantage. Identifying and employing the ideal celebrity endorsers

that complement their own branding will be extremely beneficial to their popularity

and the reception of the masses. The political dynasties and re-elected politicians who

continue to use this method are testaments to the effectiveness of celebrification in

politics (Perron, 2012). Assessing the political landscape of the Philippines now, it is

unmistakable that this method of television campaigning has proven to be effective

because of its recurrence throughout the years.

Candidates who do not prefer such campaigning approaches may be

compelled to adapt to these methods, because of the rigorous competition in

popularity. This goes to show that celebrities truly offer leverage and utility, and their

fame and reputation may be the most prominent benefit to a politician. No matter how

elaborate a candidate’s platform is, the road to acquiring a position in the executive

office seems to be more of a popularity race rather than a nationwide selection for

people with concrete plans of development for the country. It can be acknowledged

that beyond these candidates being seasoned politicians, these are the people who

have shaped how the political landscape functions today; as they are in fact some of

the most popular, influential, and controversial politicians in the Philippines.

The use of emotionally engaging forms of media gives the audience the illusion

that the celebrities and politicians are genuine in their intentions.

The data revealed a dominant trend wherein emotionally engaging forms of


Celebrification in Politics 75

media were utilized as a strategy to appeal to the emotions of the viewers. The

campaign advertisements strayed away from the usage of facts, infographics, or

statistical data to strengthen the foundation of the campaign. In contrast, majority of

the videos were more narrative-driven and creative in nature. This is evident in the

usage of music videos, jingles, skits, and testimonials in the political campaigns.

There was a noticeable number of music videos and jingles in the selection of

campaign videos. This is because the use of visual imagery has the potential to

contribute to audience impact, since it is considered more engaging than statistical

data (​Kim et al., 2017​). Moreover, the creative use of music may help with audience

recall, proving beneficial to politicians who want to be remembered among a sea of

names. Jingles are also considered an effective tool in brand awareness through the

usage of positive reinforcement in lyrics and repetition (Shakil & Siddiqui, 2018).

While consumers may have a positive or negative reception to repetitive jingles, a

successful jingle does not rely on positive response, but on traction. Escudero’s

campaign jingle, ​Pilipinas, ​featured its own music video with a full-blown production

(see Figure 5). In ​Gawa Hindi Ngawa​, the song was used again as background music

alongside a montage of Escudero interacting with the masses. The repeated use of the

song was done in order to establish both brand awareness and rehearsal recall. Having

Quest sing this song expands the audience reach as well due to his celebrity status and

his established following.

Some campaigns were also executed in the form of a testimonial, where

celebrities would talk about their relationship with the politician. In these videos, the

celebrities did not discuss actual political matters or the candidate’s platforms.

Instead, celebrities would often talk about their own personal experience with the

candidate and their good qualities even though this had no bearing on the candidate’s
Celebrification in Politics 76

competency as a politician. In Cayetano’s ​Ang Vice President Ko!,​ the majority of the

testimonies consisted of anecdotes and personal experiences of the celebrities with the

politician (see Figure 19). Furthermore, these celebrities’ reasoning for Cayetano’s

capability as a Vice President were merely based on their personal views rather than

his platform and political experience.

​ ianca Gonzalez-Intal and JC Intal in ​Ang Vice-President Ko! [​ 0:24]


Figure 19. B

The use of creative means and testimonies allowed the narrative to focus on

the humanity of the candidate, rather than on his facets as a politician. It then becomes

evident that the objective behind these types of campaigns is to give the audience a

glimpse into the personal life of the politician. Emotional appeal has a higher success

rate compared to using factual evidence to support the foundation of the

advertisement (​Kim et al., 2017​). These political campaigns focused more on the

human aspect to exploit the audience’s inclination towards emotionally driven

advertisements. This is with the exception of the more straightforward political

campaigns such as ​Disiplina Duterte, Daniel Padilla Para Kay Mar Roxas, Only

Binay, ​and ​Disiplina Panawagan.

In the grand scheme of things, the use of emotionally engaging materials

furthers the intentions of the politicians and their campaigns. The audiences are

inclined to be persuaded due to the visual imagery, flowery words, and emphasis on
Celebrification in Politics 77

the human aspect of politicians. Veering away from a more straightforward and

aggressive approach gives the audience the illusion that they are not being

manipulated by the campaign.

The campaigns give the politicians a platform for world-building to create the

ideal environment for their narrative which strengthens their desired image and

branding.

Burke’s scene refers to the stage—the location, the time, ambiance, and

everything else within it. It is the world-building that is necessary for stories to

unfold. In examining these political campaigns, this can be taken almost literally, as

even the most mundane settings have been well-planned and carefully staged. Even

scenes that can be likened to b-rolls and stock footage can be inserted into videos to

further the narrative despite often being viewed as fillers. This shows that there is

intent behind every scene, and that each scene drives the narrative forward.

For example, Duterte’s campaigns are commonly set in dark streets at

night,dimly lit and deserted, or in hectic, unorganized locations, such as the local

trains (see Figure 20). In ​Disiplina Mayor Duterte​, celebrity Robin Padilla walks

alone in a dark street as he delivers his message (see Figure 21). The scene of this

campaign complements the desired narrative for his campaign—enforcing discipline

and providing safety, two of the major key points in his platform. Padilla insinuates

that under Duterte’s leadership, streets at night would be peaceful and free from

crime, which can be achieved by instilling discipline within the citizens. Besides this,

the scene pushes forward machismo and a sort of brutality, which matches Duterte’s

branding (Teehankee, 2016). The setting complements Padilla as well, who is an

action star known for playing roles that require him to defend people on screen.
Celebrification in Politics 78

​ iza Diño​ in ​Go Digong! [​ 0:07]


Figure 20. L

​ uterte and Robin Padilla in ​Disiplina Duterte [​ 0:58]


Figure 21. D

In contrast, the campaigns of the Liberal Party are bright and colorful (see

Figure 24). Among all the advertisements, Roxas and Robredo’s ​Fast Forward​ has

the greatest number of scene changes—all of which were set within the confines of a

progressive, urban area. Besides the background of a cityscape, there is an attempt for

social class inclusivity with the different workplaces and public places featured such

as the ​sari-sari​ store, construction site, and the basketball court (see Figure 22). The

color yellow was dominant in the video’s overall aesthetic, pulling from the party’s

branding that has existed since Cory Aquino took over the Marcos administration in

1981 (see Figure 23), which was passed on to all the politicians under the Liberal

party (“A History of the Philippine Political Protest”, n.d.). This color is repeatedly

utilized to sustain the political identity and to assert credibility. This affirms that

Roxas and Robredo hail from the same power and stand for the same things, even
Celebrification in Politics 79

though they are not Aquinos by blood. The city’s urbanity also serves to contrast the

traditionality of the liberal party’s yellow and paints a picture of progressiveness and

change.

​ ar Roxas in ​Fast Forward ​[2:29]


Figure 22. M

Figure 23. 1​ 986 People Power Revolution​ (​ LIFE photo collection, 1986)

​ elebrities and politicians in ​Fast Forward ​[3:57]


Figure 24. C

Similar well-lit environments were used for videos that utilized testimonials.

In Cayetano’s ​Ang Vice President Ko,​ all of the featured celebrities were filmed in

daylight and in homey locations. Bright environments were also used in scenes that
Celebrification in Politics 80

revolved around the topic of family, such as Poe’s ​Pangarap​, and Robredo’s ​Abogado

si Leni​. In ​Pangarap​, Poe and celebrity Susan Roces are situated in a living room

surrounded by framed photos of family, as they converse as mother and daughter (see

Figure 15). In ​Abogado si Leni​, celebrity Kris Aquino also appears to be in a well-lit

living room as she brings up Robredo’s resemblance to her late mother Cory Aquino

(see Figure 17). These scenes evoke truth, comfort and trust, which complement the

narratives of the testifiers. The motherly themes and the familial comfort are

highlighted by the scenes in these campaigns.

Opposite such scenes are the darker Duterte campaigns that revolve around the

dire situation of the Philippines. This is also a common setting for campaign videos;

scenes of poverty and suffering accompany narrations regarding the state of the

country, and how the politicians intend to resolve such issues. There is also an attempt

to bring up truth in these darker campaigns. Unlike campaigns that are bright and

optimistic about the future, darker campaigns are more pragmatic as they focus on the

present-day issues.

Escudero’s ​Pilipinas​ chose to utilize this concept of darkness in a creative

manner. The scenes were carefully constructed to illustrate the major problems in the

country that Escudero claims he would address, which were all in coordination with

the smaller narratives in the music video. Most of the video was set in a gray, dim

studio. Through the use of artistic projections, the video was also able to show other

settings such as a hospital, a slum area, a factory, a wet market, a cityscape—all the

scenes were darkened to emphasize the hardships of the Filipinos that transpire in

settings like these (see Figure 6).

A few campaigns were studio-shot endorsements, such as ​Chiz for VP​ which

featured celebrity Eddie Garcia, and ​Only Binay​ which featured Manny Pacquiao. In
Celebrification in Politics 81

Chiz for VP,​ there was not much screen time for Garcia, who was filmed in a studio.

Instead, the use of the photo montage was the most prevalent content. In these photos,

Escudero was shown in settings like the slum areas, public gatherings, and campaign

rallies. Although the settings were just introduced through photos, Escudero was

actually situated in those areas, which gives a degree of genuineness to his character

(see Figure 25). However, Binay’s campaign video had to utilize a green screen to

doctor a crowd of supporters behind him and Pacquiao as seen in Figure 9. The very

need to edit a crowd behind a politician for a campaign video says a lot about the

power of setting. In this situation, people other than the politician and the celebrity

cease to function as agents in the narratives of these videos, and quite literally,

become mere backgrounds to serve the purpose of the campaign. The need to

manufacture certain scenes proves that politicians conform to keep up with the

competition.

​ hiz Escudero with supporters in ​Gawa Hindi Ngawa ​[0:10]


Figure 25. C

The scene plays an important part in strengthening the politician’s branding

and in keeping the video unified. Politicians’ identities remain memorable and

impactful to the audiences with a well-established branding. With darker settings that

are different from the classic-style endorsements, the audience’s association between
Celebrification in Politics 82

truth and setting can change as well. The bold decision to deviate from conventional

settings proved to be an effective move for Duterte as it came off as a shift towards a

new style of governance. This allowed him to stand out from the rest of the candidates

and ultimately won him the presidency, which goes to show that scene plays a pivotal

role in these narratives (Teehankee, 2016).

Forged relatability shown by politicians and celebrities grant the masses a

semblance of companionship and a false alignment of interests.

Burke (1945) argues that persuasion can only take effect when there are

similarities between the speaker and the audiences. In these political campaigns, both

celebrities and politicians try their hand at forging personal relationships with the

audiences by sharing in their similarities and referring to them as friends or even

family. They continue to develop this by empathizing with their hardships and

validating their class struggles in order to seem like people from and with the masses.

Oom​ s and colleagues (2019) state that the act of identifying allows the audience to
f​

transcend their own self-awareness and connect emotionally with the characters

present in narratives, effectively changing their own perception and attitudes towards

certain ideas. It is through this common ground that politicians and celebrities find

ways to entice audiences to more willingly accept what they have to offer.

Politicians and celebrities used several methods in order to act like ordinary

citizens such as doing mundane tasks, using public transportation, and empathizing

with the struggles of the masses. They declared that they shared the same sentiments

and complaints when it comes to problems like inefficient transportation, rampant

corruption, and lack of government action. In this way, politicians were able to

temporarily step down as officials in the government as they appear to experience the

same problems themselves. Audiences have the tendency to perceive this as a


Celebrification in Politics 83

humbling act of denouncing the powerful institution in which they currently

preside—the government. By showing the masses that they stand with them, the

politicians are able to gain their trust easily. In an attempt to prove this, some

politicians and celebrities would show that they too struggle with the public

transportation and daily traffic congestions. In ​Go Digong,​ the celebrities were shown

to be uncomfortable in the crowded train stations because of the heat as seen in Figure

20.

Celebrities eventually take the backseat and allow the spotlight to shine on

politicians. Political campaigns such as ​Chiz for VP ​and ​Abogado si Leni ​would show

the politicians being showered with praise as they weave their way through crowds as

seen in Figure 25 and Figure 26. Sharing the same space as the public and being in

close proximity are also ways politicians and celebrities have utilized to prove their

unity with the masses through their current actions.

​ eni Robredo with supporters in ​Abogado Si Leni.​ [00:05]


Figure 26. L

Some politicians and celebrities would identify themselves as people who

have come from impoverished backgrounds. They would emphasize this by narrating

how they grew up in poverty and managed to overcome the hardships of their

situation through their own efforts. Celebrities then would spend a substantial amount

of time introducing the stories of these politicians even though these are not directly

related to their campaign or platforms. These would be emphasized through the use of
Celebrification in Politics 84

photos or old videos of the politician’s childhood as seen in Chiz for VP in Figure 27.

None of the campaigns discussed the policies that the politicians intend to

enact once they are elected. Instead, the campaigns just dwelled on their impoverished

background and focused on glorifying the politician’s struggles. In this way, they also

proved their capabilities as someone who rose up in the ranks without relying on

wealth or political dynasties to get to where they currently are. Celebrities would then

support these with their own stories of experiencing poverty to make the audiences

feel represented by these ‘inspiring’ figures.

​ scudero in his youth in ​Chiz for VP.​ [00:01]


Figure 27. E

These celebrities would then declare that their respective politician is best fit

to win because their impoverished background makes them understand what it takes

to eradicate poverty. Their own experiences give them a certain ‘free pass’ to

capitalize on the concept of poverty because they have endured it, whereas politicians

from wealthier backgrounds may be criticized for being ‘out of touch’ or incapable of

understanding what living in poverty truly entails. While the usage of poverty tends to

be a commonly used formula in campaigns, it is not without good reason. According

to the Philippine Statistics Authority (2016), the lower class makes up the biggest

socioeconomic class in the country, with 26.3% of Filipinos living below the poverty

line. By winning these people over through sob stories and emotional appeal, the
Celebrification in Politics 85

politicians could easily gain millions of votes at their disposal. Despite their status of

popularity and power, celebrities and politicians make conscious efforts to avoid

alienating their audiences by using a more personal approach.

In some campaigns, politicians take on certain familial roles in order to make

them relatable and familiar to the audiences. As family is the primary societal group

one belongs to, it is almost guaranteed that people will find relatability in this.

Celebrities talk about their respective politicians as if they were close friends or even

family. In Poe’s ​Pangarap, ​Poe takes on the role of a diligent daughter who actively

listens to her mother’s plea of changing the country for the better. Similarly, Kris

Aquino draws comparisons between Robredo and her late mother, former president

Cory Aquino, in ​Abogado si Leni.​ In this campaign, Robredo is likened to a nurturing

mother who will take care of the nation. Additionally, Robredo and Cory Aquino

share similar storylines of their husbands having tragic deaths. The archetypes of “the

mother” and “the widow” have been used before, and these archetypes led Cory

Aquino to presidential victory despite not having political experience (Briscoe, 1986).

In the same way, this campaign channels a similar narrative of the late Aquino, as

Robredo is portrayed by the same archetypes. Politicians and celebrities have been

continuously banking on the fixation of Filipinos on the importance of family, as this

strategy has been proven successful in past political campaigns.

Some celebrities would also directly include the audiences in their narratives

by establishing a connection through the screen to bridge the gap between the

politicians and the viewers. In two different political campaigns, the respective

celebrity endorsers used “tol” (bro) to address the audience. The celebrity endorsers

who used this term of endearment were Robin Padilla for ​Disiplina Duterte​ and

Disiplina Panawagan,​ and Daniel Padilla for ​Daniel Padilla Para Kay Mar Roxas.
Celebrification in Politics 86

The term “tol” is a casual way to address a person with whom one is on equal footing

with.

By making viewers believe that they are on the same level with these

politicians and celebrities, audiences may feel a sense of companionship instead of

feeling like devices to further the politician’s agenda. Relatability shown through the

combination of familial aspects and the emphasis on ordinary backgrounds in political

campaigns bring the audiences closer to the politicians and celebrities as they are able

to foster what seems to be a personal relationship.

Villainizing the past administration and the opposing parties glorifies the

political candidate and unites the audience against the enemy.

A trend among the political campaigns was the usage of a common enemy,

specifically the past administrations and the oppositional parties. The act of

condemning these groups is another political strategy used to influence the audience

to favor the politician. This method unites the audience through emphasizing the

existence of a particular ‘evil’ that can be blamed for all issues.

Celebrity endorsers tend to insinuate that past administrations are to be blamed

for the various problems in the Philippines. In the video ​Disiplina Duterte,​ Robin

Padilla goes over different issues in the country such as traffic congestion and

inefficient public transportation. Padilla implies that these persistent problems can be

rooted back to the incompetence of the previous government officials and their poor

project planning. The celebrity stated, “Pangulong di nagtatago, kung hindi,

namumulo. Gobyernong hindi corrupt, at mamamayang hindi takot palagi” (A

president who does not hide, and instead leads. A government that is not corrupt, and

citizens who do not live in fear). These lines directly chastised the past president and

the previous administration for their incompetence and wrongdoings.


Celebrification in Politics 87

In Poe’s campaign ​Pangarap​, the issue of corruption in the government was

mentioned. This was evident in Poe’s line, “Dapat ang yaman ng bayan para sa lahat,

at hindi para sa bulsa ng iilan” (The riches of the nation are for all, and not just the

pockets of a select few). Towards the end of the video, Susan Roces stresses the line

“Ipaglaban mo sila” (Fight for them). This further implies the existence of a specific

enemy, which is assumed to be the corrupt politicians that remain in the government.

As seen from this, the celebrity takes the role of the politician’s enabler. Similar to a

messenger, the celebrity would relay the villainization of the past administration to

the audience.

The very mention of these ‘enemies’ shows that the strategy of political

campaigns is to zero in on certain groups and overemphasize their failures in order for

the candidate to appear as the supposed savior of the nation. The politicians do this to

compensate for their own shortcomings. In doing so, they appear as the lesser evil in

the political landscape. Therefore, the past administration and the opposition are used

as plot devices to drive the candidate’s story forward. With the combined hostility of

the masses towards a specific group, politicians are able to cultivate their own image

as conquerors of such evils.

The absence of mortification implies that the political candidates avoid

accountability for their previous shortcomings.

Across all campaign videos, not a single politician or celebrity acknowledged

themselves as part of the nation’s problem or dealt with the aftermath of their

shortcomings. Instead, politicians chose to glorify themselves with their achievements

and prepared to assume the role of savior once they have been elected. None of them

used guilt as a means of appealing to the emotions of the audience. Subsequently, this

showed that they are incapable of being held accountable. Showing remorse for their
Celebrification in Politics 88

shortcomings has the potential to reinforce their integrity as public servants. The act

of acknowledging their wrongdoings is also a sign of humility. The lack of

guilt-purging implies that politicians would only put their best foot forward in an

attempt to put themselves on a pedestal with their untarnished image.

In the same way, celebrities would frame themselves as role-model citizens

who fulfill their duties to the nation. In ​Disiplina Panawagan,​ celebrity Robin Padilla

proudly mentions how he was not paid for his appearance in the advertisement as he

was doing it solely for the sake of the country. He then called on his fellow artists to

use their influence to support the politicians that they believed in because this was

their duty. Through this, it is seen that Padilla firmly believed he was on high moral

ground for using his platform for fulfilling his duties both as a celebrity and a

responsible citizen.

Politicians are portrayed as self-made heroes who will save the masses from the

villainized past administration.

Oftentimes, recognition seems to be solely credited to the politician for the

successes during their term, as if they are an all-powerful one-man team. These

politicians usually have teams working under them who play a part in bringing their

plans into fruition. However, the lack of acknowledgement of receiving aid or

assistance makes the politician seem more capable than they really are. In this way,

the politicians are depicted as self-made heroes who seem like they can resolve

long-standing problems that urgently need solutions.

Celebrities exaggerating these politicians’ achievements entice audiences to

believe that these candidates are best suited for the job. Roxas and Robredo were

described as having clean track records in ​Daniel Padilla Para Kay Mar Roxas​ and

Abogado si Leni.​ Having a clean track record is not a feat in itself because it is
Celebrification in Politics 89

supposedly the bare minimum for a public servant. However, because of past

politicians and administrations being villainized as corrupt and incompetent, having a

clean track record is exaggerated to seem like an extraordinary accomplishment.

There were also candidates who banked on their personal experiences to

further their self-made narrative. In ​Gawa Hindi Ngawa​, Escudero’s past positions as

District Representative, House Minority Floor Leader, and Senator were enumerated.

The campaign followed his journey of rising up the ranks and making a name for

himself in politics. Similarly, the campaign Only Binay emphasized the politician and

celebrities’ rise from their impoverished backgrounds in order to exaggerate this in

order to appear self-made. Pacquiao says, “Kaya sigurado ako, alam niya kung paano

iaangat sa ginhawa ang mga naghihirap” (That’s why I’m sure, he [Binay] knows how

to lift the people from poverty).

These promises of solving the country’s problems once they are elected makes

these politicians appear like a hero to the people. Viewing it in this light, their purpose

then is not to empower the masses, but instead to ‘save’ them. Instead of being

representatives of the people’s demands, the politicians go beyond this by proposing

to eradicate the ‘evils' in the country. This implies the existence of a messianic

complex. This results in people being persuaded to believe that these ‘heroes’ are

capable of rescuing the country.

Through villainization of the past administrations, the politicians’ own

goodness or appeal is amplified. This exaggeration and dramatization of these

self-made narratives is performative in nature.

General Discussion

Politicians and celebrities embody their ideal archetypes through performing

the duties of certain characters and utilizing other narrative elements as tools to
Celebrification in Politics 90

achieve their ends. It is likely that these archetypes were selected given that these

have been used as campaign strategies in the past. All campaigns used character and

story archetypes that people are fairly familiar with, so it becomes easier for

audiences to associate the politician, celebrity, and narrative with these tropes.

A previous study by Djakeli (2013) used Carl Jung’s archetypes as tools to

analyze the brand and image of political candidates. It was found that these archetypes

were crucial in sustaining a candidate’s political image. Similar to the previous study,

the archetypes in this research were chosen from the Jungian archetypes. The

researchers noted four recurring archetypes that emerged from the data for both the

celebrity and the politician. These archetypes include the “Hero”, “Caregiver”,

“Everyman”, and the “Ruler”. For the politician, the celebrity also served as their

partner whose power and influence was beneficial to the campaign. The archetypes

and the celebrity-politician partnership served to strengthen the narrative to make the

story appear more authentic to the audience.

The main objective of the “Hero” is to save the oppressed from an existing

force of evil. In this archetype, the politician embodies the hero as they promise to

defeat the villainized past administrations in order to uplift the masses. This was

evident in ​Pilipinas,​ wherein Escudero figuratively defeats the ‘evil’ by ripping apart

pieces of paper that held the sins of the past administration. This was also seen in

Pangarap, ​wherein Poe implies the existence of a specific ‘enemy’ to blame for the

prevalent issues in the country, specifically the corrupt politicians from the previous

administrations.

The “Caregiver” is responsible for the growth and well-being of her children.

In this archetype, the female candidates have familial themes tied to their campaign.

This was evident in​ Abogado si Leni,​ wherein emphasis on Robredo’s qualities as a
Celebrification in Politics 91

mother made her a suitable candidate to nurture and cultivate the nation. Evangelista

also exhibited qualities of this archetype in the video ​Gawa Hindi Ngawa​ through

using a personal and familial anecdote to convince audiences that Escudero is best fit

for the position.

As for the “Everyman”, like many others, he struggles with poverty in the

earlier stages of his life but overcomes his situation through hard work. In this

archetype, politicians with impoverished backgrounds were deemed the most worthy

to lead the marginalized out of poverty because they were able to conquer it. In ​Only

Binay​, the celebrity vouched for Binay because he understood the plight of the poor.

The Everyman also desires to connect with others through appearing relatable. This

was seen in Fast Forward wherein Roxas and Robredo interacted with a variety of

​ here the celebrities talk


celebrities, as well as in Cayetano’s ​Ang Vice President Ko!, w

about their personal relationships with Cayetano.

The “Ruler” is characterized by a strong, unrelenting personality who is not

afraid to get his hands dirty. This archetype is manifested in the sheer willpower of

the politician, which has the potential to be borderline oppressive in order to achieve

his desired outcome. This is seen in ​Disiplina Duterte ​and ​Disiplina Panawagan

wherein the idea of discipline was heavily enforced as a means to assert dominance

and demand compliance.

Celebrities have taken up several roles within the campaigns as they acted as

‘storytellers’, embodied certain archetypes, and served as the politician’s ‘partner’. As

partners of the politicians, the celebrities took on a role of equal importance with the

politician. They served as the light in the campaigns where they used their popularity

and perceived image to give emphasis to the politician in order to move their

advocacies forward. They also served as their counterpart in building up the hero’s
Celebrification in Politics 92

psyche. The celebrity heightens the politician’s competence by citing their

achievements and supporting their advocacies. These are all done to ensure that these

politicians are viewed in a good light.

Furthermore, in some cases, the celebrity and politician shared the same

archetype which further builds up the strength of their image and reinforces their ideal

narrative. In political campaigns ​Disiplina Duterte a​ nd ​Disiplina Panawagan, ​Robin

Padilla served as a compatible partner for Duterte due​ ​to their shared archetype, the

“Ruler”. Both have similar values and outlooks on ideal governance; that being ruling

with an iron fist and enforcing strict discipline. Their compatibility is also attributed

to their association with the image of machismo. In the same way, Kris Aquino was

an ideal partner for Leni Robredo in ​Abogado si Leni​ as they embodied the

“Caregiver” archetype, with both of them exhibiting motherly characteristics. Apart

from that, the comparisons drawn between Robredo and former president Cory

Aquino further enforced the “Caregiver” archetype as the late president was known

for being a kind and motherly leader who prioritized the wellbeing of the nation.

Using celebrities that matched the archetypes of the politicians can be deemed a

strategic move to further reinforce the brand of the politician, and consequently, the

campaign identity.

As previous studies have shown, there is a tendency for audiences to identify

themselves with the protagonist, or see characteristics in them that they would want to

emulate for themselves as well (Ooms et al., 2019). Identification is a less explicit

way of appealing to the audience, which is a method more suited to politics as it

makes politicians appear less manipulative. Thus, the usage of the right character

archetypes proves to be crucial in crafting believable narratives.

For the narratives as a whole, certain story archetypes also emerged. The
Celebrification in Politics 93

researchers opted to use Christopher Booker’s Seven Basic Plots as a guide for

analyzing the narratives of the political campaigns. Booker (2014) claimed that these

seven narrative plots are based on the common story patterns that may be discerned

across all forms of literature. Therefore, the researchers found it ideal to use these

basic plots and adapt it to fit the context of the political campaigns. The specific story

archetypes are as follows: ‘Phoenix from the Ashes’, ‘The Superhero Story’, and ‘The

Simple Man’s Tale’.

The Phoenix from the Ashes was derived from the “Rebirth” story archetype,

which mainly involves renewal and transformation. A strong leader is forged from

trials of hardship as they emerge victorious from their previous oppression. The initial

introduction of the ‘phoenix’ would often be framed to elicit sympathy from the

audience because of the suffering they had to endure. This is seen when the political

campaigns dwell on the impoverished background of the politician and their grueling

journey. At the end of the difficult journey, the rebirth of the politician is shown

through their political achievement and comfortable lifestyle. The celebrities pose as

witnesses of the politicians’ journey to success.

The Superhero Story is modeled from the archetype “Overcoming the

​ hich involves the forces of good and evil as the hero is thrown into
Monster”​, w

challenging circumstances as they triumph in the face of adversity. The tale evokes a

sense of heroism as the citizens applaud the heroes for defeating the villains. In

political campaigns, the politician as the hero takes on the responsibility of saving the

masses and watching over the country in order to ensure its safety. Similar to a hero,

the politician possesses special abilities which give them the leverage to exercise their

power to its fullest potential. The celebrity serves as the sidekick who never leaves the

hero’s side and helps them defeat their opponents.


Celebrification in Politics 94

Lastly, ‘The Simple Man’s Tale’ was derived from the story archetype “Rags

to Riches​” e​ vokes inspiration among ordinary citizens due to the protagonist’s rise

from poverty. It also serves to highlight the mundanity and the daily struggles in the

protagonist's lifestyle. Since this narrative is considered relatable, camaraderie is

developed in sharing the same struggles. In the political campaigns, the candidate is a

‘Simple Man’ with the desire to help and uplift his fellow people as he sees himself as

one of them. The celebrity serves as an equal to the politician who fosters the same

sense of belongingness with the masses.

Narratives often bypass the natural resistance mechanism towards new

information. When politicians campaign and spread information about themselves

while employing the use of narratives, people are more likely to believe them (Krause

& Rucker, 2019). From the research of Hamby and colleagues (2017), the integration

of attention to detail, imagery, and the events in the story themselves set narratives

apart from other modes of persuasion; narratives appeal not only to the logos but also

to the pathos. The narrative archetypes of the ‘Phoenix from the Ashes’, the

‘Superhero Story’ and the ’Simple Man’s Tale’ are all narratives of hardships to

victory and of happy endings. It is expected for people to have experienced, or to wish

to experience such a restoration in their lives.

The more people are divided in ideas, the more they continue to find reasons

for identification. Dramatizing narratives provide these reasons to the audiences;

reasons to integrate themselves into these stories and to believe in the campaign. This

is the reason behind why these story and narrative archetypes were present in all of

the campaigns, which were all strongly aided by the power of the celebrity. While it is

possible for narratives to exist without the star, and for campaign videos without

celebrities do exist, the persistent utilization of celebrities is proof of the amplification


Celebrification in Politics 95

that they provide in these narratives.


Celebrification in Politics 96

Chapter 6: Summary and Recommendations

Summary

With the current political landscape and the celebrity culture in the

Philippines, it is necessary to study the relationships between the politicians,

celebrities, and the narratives in their campaign videos. The research aims to identify

emerging narrative patterns and archetypes to analyze the roles celebrities play in

driving the narrative forward, and to reveal the underlying agenda of politicians in

these videos. The research focuses on the candidates of the 2016 presidential and

vice-presidential elections, and how celebrities were used in the video campaigns to

appeal to the voters.

A total of 12 campaign videos was selected from official celebrity-endorsed

video campaigns that were publicly available. To provide a framework of analyzing

the data, Burke’s Dramatism Theory, Jungian Archetypes, Booker’s Seven Basic

Plots, and Hatch’s Typological Analysis were utilized.

Celebrities under the demographics of actors, males, and Gen X emerged as

dominant preferences for political endorsers. These celebrities served as storytellers

for the politicians as they orchestrated stories that forged relatability between the

agents and the audience. In their makeshift stage, emotional appeal was used to

capitalize on the vulnerability of the audience to gain their vote. In the narratives, the

politicians are portrayed as self-made heroes who will save the masses from the

villainized past administration.

This brought about the emergence of certain character and story archetypes,

which varied among the different politicians and celebrities, depending on their

desired image. These archetypes and narrative tools are then utilized to further their

political agenda. Thus, the politician and celebrity prove to be equals in these
Celebrification in Politics 97

narratives, as the celebrity sheds light on the politician and amplifies their power and

influence.

Conclusion

According to Burke’s Dramatistic theory, the world can be perceived as a

stage with the people as its actors. Life is dramatically realized, and every action done

is performative in nature. In this research, it was seen that the performed acts of the

politicians and celebrities were dramatized to further drive their narratives forward.

These acts were done with the intention of performing certain archetypal roles that

were deemed suitable for the narrative of the politician. These archetypes were the

“Hero”, “Caregiver”, “Everyman”, and the “Ruler”. The synergy between the

archetypes of the celebrity and the politician proved to be crucial in building the

political brand and identity of the politician. Despite the varying archetypes across all

the campaigns, a specific formula remained the same: the politician consistently takes

on the role of the protagonist, while the celebrity serves as their equal who shares the

same values. Across all campaigns, the politician played the role of the hero who

would save the masses from the villainized past administration.

Story archetypes have also emerged upon dissecting the campaign videos,

namely ‘The Phoenix from the Ashes’, ‘The Superhero Story’, and ‘The Simple

Man’s Tale’. These archetypes point towards the existence of a formula when it

comes to creating the structure of these political campaigns. Given their established

target audience, these politicians knew the perfect archetypes to employ and the most

suitable agents to use for their respective narratives.

Therefore, all the elements were deliberately used to aid the politicians in

accomplishing their underlying agenda. Although the campaigns were intended to

appear as mere spectacles, the elements within the campaigns have a specific agenda
Celebrification in Politics 98

behind them. This implies that the elements are not to be taken and interpreted

individually, but they are to be understood as a collective effort working to bring the

show to life. These campaigns transcend the barrier of politics as they utilized the

impact of performance and the power of celebrities, exploiting the Filipino audience’s

inclination towards specific archetypes and their idolization of celebrities.

Implications

With the sampling method that was utilized, the sample found was heavily

reliant on what was accessible to the public and was limited to what the researchers

were able to come across. Options turned out to be more limited than expected, as the

appropriate samples were dependent on the researchers’ predetermined criteria. Since

the researchers opted to use a typological analysis, they focused on the preexisting

concepts that were provided by the theory. The research findings paralleled the main

focus of the theory, which states that the world is a stage and the people are actors

taking on a variety of roles. The political campaigns reflect the roles that are prevalent

in the Philippine society. These would capitalize on the values that the Filipinos deem

important in order to gain popularity.

It is undeniable that there is power and influence in popularity, which is why

politicians capitalize on the exposure of celebrities. This was evident in the results of

the 2016 presidential and vice-presidential elections, with the winners being Rodrigo

Duterte for president and Leni Robredo for vice-president (Rappler, 2016). Looking

back on their respective campaigns, both had very distinct and consistent brandings,

strengthened by their effective use of archetypes that were shared by both the

politicians and their celebrity endorsers. On the other hand, the candidates whose

political brand and use of archetypes were inconsistent failed to secure positions. This
Celebrification in Politics 99

shows that voters may tend to gravitate towards candidates with a consistent and

impactful image.

The Philippines’ current political landscape is merely a diorama of society in

its current state, with its male-dominated systems, generational gap issues, and the

celebrification of many aspects in culture, including politics. This is a demonstration

of how the motivations behind certain acts are based on social origins. Going beyond

what is implicit in the campaign videos, the themes that were determined are echoes

of the politicians’ characteristics, past occupations, talents, beliefs and attitudes. The

experiences that these politicians and celebrities have gone through now constitute

their identities. In a way, these agents have been shaped by society, and are presently

shaping society themselves because of the power and influence they now hold. This

allows for the archetypes they represent to continue to prevail in the narratives

audiences would encounter. The very concept of change when it comes to

transformation in politics has been a recurring theme through decades; hundreds of

politicians have promised change, and yet cycles and systems repeat. Agents are

influenced by scenes, and vice versa. Agents influence other agents and purposes are

the outcomes of collective desires. In the context of political narratives, politicians are

aware of themselves as actors, aiming to resolve conflicts through communication.

Guilt-redemption is a supposed natural cycle for any person to undergo. The

cycle allows for self-development, and even cultural shifts on a grander scale.

Encountering failures heightens one’s desire to find an external party to project

mistakes upon. Burke believed that ridding oneself of guilt is the basic plot for human

drama. The politicians then are faced with two choices; the first one being the

intrinsic option to purge one’s guilt with self-blame. However, taking societal systems

into consideration, it will be not an easy task for public figures like politicians and
Celebrification in Politics 100

celebrities, as this option requires confession of mistakes and a request for

forgiveness. Since it is much easier on one’s pride to blame someone else, they often

choose this as their second option. The absence of mortification in this research shows

defiance of this natural guilt-redemption cycle. The absence of this cycle perpetuates

the rampant issues in our political landscape and society.

Recommendations

The researchers recommend that future researchers consider exploring

different media of political advertisements that may be in the form of traditional and

non-traditional methods. These may include campaign rallies, political debates,

interviews, posters and tarpaulins, or social media posts. The researchers also

recommend analyzing a broader selection of candidates, possibly those vying for

other positions such as positions in the legislative branch, or local government unit

positions.

Other than this, the researchers also recommend researching on how political

celebrity endorsements have evolved over time, focusing on developments of the

celebrities' roles in these. Since the researchers focused on the interactions between

the politicians and celebrities, the scope did not include the audience aspect. In

conjunction with this, future researchers may further explore the audience’s attitudes

towards celebrity-endorsed political campaigns. With this research as leverage, future

researchers may continue studying the possible developments in the use of celebrity

endorsers, especially with the upcoming 2022 elections.

Further research on this topic through the use of different methods of data

gathering and analysis may prove to be meaningful in further understanding the

political landscape of the country. Considering how integrated celebrities are in


Celebrification in Politics 101

Philippine society and how crucial their star power is in political campaigns, these

videos prove to be advertisements in essence. Politicians will continue to utilize this

method of campaigning as long as they deem it effective in appealing to voters, and

these methods may continue to develop alongside innovations in media. Political

campaigns have always been created with the intention of promoting their respective

politicians as instant solutions to the problems of the country or even as ‘saviors’ of

the nation. Therefore, understanding how these campaigns work and the role that

celebrities play in these are crucial to breaking these oppressive cycles by amplifying

the agency of citizens as stakeholders of the nation.

Recommendation: OUST DUTERTE

​ LEASE​!!!!!!
XIAO COME HOME P
Celebrification in Politics 102

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