Twitter: Dr. Geraldo wins over young people and irritates the opposition – 12/19/2023 – Tech

Vice-president and minister Geraldo Alckmin (Development, Industry, Commerce and Services) publicizing the department’s achievements does not seem to be the most popular topic of the current Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) government on social media. But, under the eyes of “Dr. Geraldo”, even the BNDES’ Reiq (Special Chemical Industry Regime) gained momentum on Twitter and received 9,000 likes, in addition to more than 800 thousand views.

The hook was a pun between Reiq and the eastern alternative therapy reiki. Alckmin himself appeared in the portrait applying the technique, which has no scientific proof.

Alckmin’s comedic approach on social networks began on August 9, with a reference to the surprised Pikachu meme. The publication announced the extension of the reciprocal visa exemption for Japan — therefore, the publication used the Japanese design.

It was a success: 23 thousand likes, 2,000 retweets and reached 994 thousand people on Twitter alone. On Instagram, there were another 21.5 thousand likes.

The success made Alckmin’s team reorient its strategy and start adopting young references. People involved in producing the vice president’s content say, however, that the humor is restricted to the images. The text preserves the commitment to the public interest and official information.

Over time, even the nickname “Dr. Geraldo”, which had already been circulating on the internet since Alckmin’s appearances on television programs as a health commentator, began to be part of the vice-president’s own publications.

It was even said that the irreverent communication was the work of Fabio Cabral, Alckmin’s marketer during the campaign, which Cabral himself denied in the report. Members of the Vice-Presidency tell the reporter that it is a collaborative process, in which the vice-president himself collaborates in selecting the publication agenda. A differentiator of the team would be having people of all ages.

A sign of the vice-president and minister’s success is Quaest Consultoria’s digital popularity index, in which Alckmin appears in third place in November. Completing the podium are Fernando Haddad (Finance) and Flávio Dino (Justice and Public Security), who will take up a seat at the STF in 2024.

Simone Tebet (Planning) appears in fourth place, which makes the heads of economic departments occupy three positions in the top 5.

Among economic ministers, Alckmin is the one who posts the most on Instagram and the only one who gained followers in every month of this year. The vice-presidential team’s bet on memes had an effect, data from the monitoring platform Crowdtangle shows.

Alckmin’s assiduity in the task of bombing the networks came from even before the strategic shift. It aims to fulfill a mission given by President Lula (PT), at the first meeting of the ministerial body at the beginning of the year in January.

The vice president, since then, carries three cell phones and posts the most on Instagram.

Dr. Geraldo is concerned with publicizing actions across the government and pays special attention to economic matters, according to members of the vice president’s team. The focus on the economy is also part of the guidelines of Secom (Secretariat of Social Communication) of the Presidency, according to a note sent to Sheet.

In the case of the emblematic video, in which Dr. Geraldo took off his cap for hip-hop, it was the vice president himself who proposed the video. It was a promise that the vice president had made during a visit by activist and rapper from Rio Grande do Sul MC Rafael Rafuagi. An advisor just suggested Alckmin wear a cap instead of a hat.

Another motivation for Alckmin is to boost the actions of the MDIC (Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services), under his command. The folder houses the BNDES, Apex (Export Promotion Agency), Inmetro (National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology), Inpi (National Institute of Industrial Property) and Suframa (Superintendency of the Manaus Free Trade Zone).

The vice president was already successful on social media, especially in interactions with President Lula.

The new approach managed to advance by also shining a spotlight on the ministry’s actions.

The messages are aimed, above all, at young voters. There have been several parodies of famous scenes from pop culture: the series about truck drivers Carga Pesada, the cartoons Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon and Dragon’s Cave.

There has even been interaction with Anitta and a close-up of funny socks alongside Lula’s official photographer, Ricardo Stuckert. Popular sports such as football, surfing and skateboarding also appear on Dr. Geraldo’s agenda.

Alckmin’s advisors recognize that humor sometimes does not have the expected effect. In these cases, the fiercest opponents are unforgiving and leave acidic comments. Among the critics are known supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

The vice president’s team, however, states that it will continue to test innovations in Dr. Geraldo’s networks, to stay on the wave of success.