Humour, politainment and fandom: A semiotic-narrative analysis of unofficial profiles of Spanish politicians

Abstract

In today’s media landscape, concepts like Americanization and professionalization of politics are evolving, driven by technological advancements and social media usage. The internet has transformed political communication, emphasizing emotional appeal and user response, leading to a rise in politainment and celebrity politicians. This shift towards ‘pop politics’ blurs the line between entertainment and information, with virality and humour playing key roles. This study conducts a semiotic-narrative analysis of unofficial social media profiles of Spanish political representatives, examining their language, content, and usage patterns resembling fan communities. Parodic Twitter profiles of prominent figures like Pedro Sánchez, Yolanda Díaz and Isabel Díaz Ayuso, along with Ada Colau's Instagram account, are analyzed. The findings reveal a trend towards employing politainment strategies to engage social media users, fostering emotional connections akin to non-political fan communities.