Philipp Jessen warns of political failure without social media mastery

Communication expert and StoryMachine founder Philipp Jessen argues that social media proficiency is essential for future political success. In an interview regarding his new book, ‘Shitfluencer’, Jessen claims that mainstream political parties in Germany lack the necessary intuition to effectively utilize these platforms despite having significant resources.

Jessen dismissed the notion that complex political issues cannot be explained in short posts, calling such an argument ‘nonsense’. He noted that the AfD has been successful by addressing people through everyday topics. He warned that politicians who fail to understand or function on social media may eventually be unable to hold political responsibility because they cannot effectively communicate their messages.

According to Jessen, simply employing social media teams is insufficient; politicians must personally develop a sense of how they wish to appear online. He cited CSU leader Markus Söder as a positive example of using self-irony to reach younger generations, and noted that Green Party politician Ricarda Lang has successfully reinvented her digital presence.