From military papa to cuddly grandpa : explaining Prabowo Subianto’s rebranding strategy in the 2024 Indonesian presidential election

Abstract

This research analyzes Prabowo Subianto's political rebranding strategy from a stern and militaristic “Military Papa” figure, to a warm and friendly “Cuddly Grandpa” in the 2024 election. Using a qualitative approach, this research explores the political incentives that motivated Prabowo to undergo the rebranding process. Combining rebranding theory, personal branding theory, and political personalization theory outlines the changes of the narrative, visual symbols, and digital communication techniques in the creation of a new image that caters to the preferences of Generation Z and millennials. The primary data sources were obtained through literature studies, campaign media content analysis, also in-depth interviews with the campaign team and political communication experts. The findings indicate that this rebranding was not superficial, but rather a strategic response to shifting socio-political dynamics. The “Gemoy” rebranding demonstrates that in the current emotionally charged and rapidly shifting atmosphere of mediatic democracy, the candidate’s political success hinges on the perception of their authenticity, humanist, and adaptability.