Hidden Agenda

The sixth and last theme that has been identified has been named hidden agenda. Specifically, this theme deals with how the informants, in one way or another, indicate that they suspect that Mette has a hidden agenda behind her sharing of self-disclosure on Instagram. In particular, this has been interpreted on the basis of how the informants, among others, use the following words when they discuss their perception of Mette; unfair, fake, unreal, bullshit, political agenda, tactic choice and planned (Appendix 3; 4; 5). Below, we will explore the contexts that these keywords appear in. Hence, it will be possible for us to demonstrate how we interpret that their meanings reflect a suspicion that Mette has a hidden agenda with her self-disclosure on Instagram.

First of all, it is relevant to include that Maria says she thinks there are a lot of clever people behind Mette’s Instagram who carefully plan everything she shares (Appendix 3). In addition, Maria comments right after “I am not sure you get a picture of who Mette actually is - but more of what is good for her to say and how she should appear” (Appendix 3, l. 219-220). Consequently, it is interpreted that Maria suspects an agenda to be hidden behind Mette’s personal content which concerns making her appear in a certain way wherefore Maria doubts whether Mette’s Instagram shows her real personal side (Appendix 3). This stance Hakan agrees with as he states he neither thinks it is the actual Mette one can see on her Instagram. In addition, he says that Mette’s content looks

85 planned and shortly after, he comments “I think it is bullshit, I do not think it is her, I think it is all about voters” (Appendix 3, l. 234-235). Thus, we perceive that Hakan thinks there is a hidden agenda behind Mette’s personal content since he believes it supports a higher purpose that concerns the politically related subject of voters. In fact, Hakan emphasizes this directly as he says “I cannot help thinking about the underlying political agenda” when he refers to how Mette appears in her Q&A session (Appendix 3, l. 164-165).

Moreover, we assess that this theme of hidden agenda is also reflected in how Jacob perceives Mette’s Instagram. Specifically, this is based on how he discloses that he becomes a bit paranoid when he cannot help but think about whether there is a greater thought, or perhaps trick, behind Mette’s personal content (Appendix 3). In addition, he goes into further details about this point when he quite straightforwardly says “I think it serves a purpose when she does it, it is not just accidentally” when he refers to everytime Mette shares self-disclosure on her profile (Appendix 3, l. 273-274). Thus, it is our interpretation that Jacob shares the perception that there is a hidden agenda behind Mette’s personal content since he discusses the subject with words such as “trick” and “greater thought” whose meanings we interpret to be highly related to this hidden agenda theme.

Considering this theme in regard to Simone, we perceive that she also, somewhat directly, indicates that Mette’s Instagram represents a hidden agenda. To specify, Simone states “there is probably a political agenda with everything that Mette chooses to post” (Appendix 4, l. 253-254). To this, Simone adds that she thinks it, after all, is about politics when it concerns Mette (Appendix 4). By saying so, we interpret that Simone perceives that even though Mette shares something personal, there will most likely still be a political, or hidden, agenda as she after all is a political character wherefore her Instagram also will reflect this despite the outer appearance of the content.

In addition, Simone’s views that are explored in the following are perceived relevant to cover considering the subject of this theme. Specifically, Simone says she thinks there is someone who controls which questions Mette receives in her Q&A session (Appendix 4). Furthermore, Simone directs attention to how she could imagine that the specific youtubers Mette has chosen to involve in her Q&A represent a tactical choice (Appendix 4). From these stances, we interpret that Simone connects a hidden agenda to Mette’s Q&A session since she indicates that she expects that a team behind Mette carefully has selected the questions she should answer as well as which young youtubers Mette should interact and be seen with, most likely in favour of Mette.

86 Also a fifth informant, namely Sofie, gives the impression that she suspects there is a hidden agenda behind how Mette shares self-disclosure on Instagram. To specify, Sofie says that she thinks it has political origins when Mette joins the “young fashion” a little too much (Appendix 5). To this statement, Sofie adds the following “I feel it is to play on some unfair tangents. I think she very well knows what she is doing. That she tries to be “young with the young people” and to appear fun and in a youthful light so that you can relate to her. And then the people who are fans of Brøndby think it is a bit funny and then they perhaps like her for that reason. Or when she talks about snuff” (Appendix 5, l. 130-136). With these comments, Sofie indicates, in fact in a direct manner, that she thinks Mette consciously attempts to appear young and fun, by e.g. talking about snuff and football, in order to make people, particularly the young people, to like her. In addition, as Sofie emphasizes how she thinks this appearance of Mette has political origins, it can be interpreted that Sofie likewise perceives that Mette’s personal content has a hidden agenda of a political nature.

To round off this theme, we will include the informant Julie. During the interview, she does not directly express that she thinks Mette has a hidden agenda when sharing self-disclosure. Nevertheless, she mentions that Instagram allows its users to “fake it” and to have others logging into one’s account (Appendix 3). In addition to this, she states that she therefore would prefer to hear about the politics of Mette in the television news rather than through Mette’s Instagram since she thinks the former is more trustworthy. With this comment, we interpret that Julie also could, however to a lesser extent, suspect Mette’s Instagram to have a hidden agenda as Julie is aware that the medium allows Mette to “fake it” wherefore her content might not be trustworthy to the same degree as she considers the content of for instance the television news to be.

In addition, Maria agrees with Julie’s preference, since there in the news are people who take a critical stance to what Mette says. Thus, we interpret that Maria indicates that the news does not represent the same hidden agenda as Mette’s Instagram does (Appendix 3). Considering this, it is relevant to include Hakan as he indicates that one easily can get engrossed in this hidden agenda of Mette, particularly in her Q&A, since she in this session is good at answering the questions she receives. Thus, he states it is important to understand the bigger picture which he exemplifies by saying “one could also think of Mette when she is in two-hour interviews and has difficulties in answering questions from, for instance, Liberal Alliance” (Appendix 3, l. 186-187).

87 Summary of Themes

In the above, we have thoroughly analyzed the themes of human being, equals, powerful, informal, two-sided and hidden agenda. Specifically, we found that these six themes cover the most prominent meanings of the Gen Z informants’ perception of Mette’s brand identity on her Instagram. As an audience’s perceptions of a brand identity equates to the brand image (Waller, 2020), we have in the above analyzed the themes that make up the informants’ brand image of Mette. Next, we will shortly summarize the themes in order to thereafter draw on their most central meanings as this will enable us to analyze the informants’ overarching brand image of Mette.

To begin with, the first theme human being demonstrates that the Gen Z informants share how they, in one way or another, perceive Mette to appear as a human being on her Instagram. Among others, they indicate this by describing her with words such as humble, down to earth and personal which we interpret to be related to that of being human. Obviously, it is clear, also for the informants, that Mette in actual fact is a human being. Nevertheless, it is assessed they not necessarily would connect a head of state with these so to speak warm, humanlike characteristics, yet, it is our understanding that Mette’s Instagram makes them do so. The informants view this characteristic of Mette to be cool, pleasant and unique, nevertheless, some of them simultaneously consider it more negatively with confusion and scepticism which cover the themes two-sided and hidden agenda.

The theme equals includes that Mette’s Instagram makes the informants perceive her as being equals with her audience. This theme is identified on the basis of how the informants express that Mette presents herself in a way her audience and young people can relate to. Further, the Gen Z informants indicate that this makes Mette at eye level with the audience which creates a shorter distance to her.

In general, this theme is viewed with positive attitudes among the informants. Yet, some of them also perceive it to be a tactical choice of Mette why they doubt the trustworthiness of it which covers the theme hidden agenda.

The third identified theme concerns how the Gen Z informants view Mette as powerful through her Instagram. This is interpreted as the informants describe Mette as brave, strong and authoritarian when they are met with the content of her profile. Among others, these descriptive words cover that the informants find that it is brave of Mette to answer spontaneous questions and that she appears strong when she communicates in a confident way as well as when she shares her personal side during times of crisis.

88 Our fourth theme covers that the Gen Z informants perceive Mette as informal on her Instagram profile. Among others, the informants use the words grinern, not prime minister like and not professional several times about Mette why we identified this specific theme. In short, this theme includes that the informants do not connect Mette’s Instagram with that of a prime minister since she presents herself in relaxed, personal everyday settings as well as shares content and communicates in a way which they think is fun, or “grinern”. Despite the interpretation that the informants view this theme positively, some further share that they miss a more professional approach since she is prime minister.

The fifth theme two-sided demonstrates how the informants perceive Mette as having two characters, professional Mette and personal Mette. The informants view this two-sided character with contrasting views; on the one hand, it is positive to also see that a prime minister is human-like and can stay true to personal values as this reflects Danish culture. Yet, they simultaneously find that it clashes with Mette’s professional role which can unbalance the relationship with her. In addition, some of the informants also show confusion towards this two-sidedness as they struggle to distinguish between the characters.

The last theme, hidden agenda, is identified on the basis of how the Gen Z informants, among others, use unfair, political agenda and tactic choice when describing their perception of Mette. The theme includes that the informants indicate their suspicion that Mette has a hidden agenda behind her sharing of self-disclosure on Instagram. To specify, they are not sure of the trustworthiness of what Mette shares as they believe there might be political motives behind. Hence, they indicate that what might appear of a spontaneous and personal nature might in fact be the opposite.