“So out of touch with reality”: long-shot launch ads and the authenticity trap for women candidates

Women political candidates have increasingly made use of an emerging genre of political communication, the long-shot launch advertisement, to generate attention and spark massive fundraising from across the country. Examining whether this latest tool to navigate sexism in politics by crafting viral authenticity actually works, this study examines qualitative data collected from three semi-structured focus groups that discussed two videos from two long-shot Democratic candidates for U.S. Congress, including one man and one woman. When compared to men employing the ad, the study found that participants considered women to be less authentic, less relatable, and too polished at the risk of appearing fake.