My friend’s cousin calls, they speak over the phone, I hear the loud but nervous voice: “Did you hear about Charlie Kirk?!”
“No I didn’t, what happened?”
“Open your X right now.”
He opens the app on his Android. Overhearing the conversation, I unlock my phone and open X. Top of the feed, there it was, the shocking news and extremely disturbing video of the event.
At that point, it wasn’t even clear who was guilty or if Charlie Kirk was alive. What I did see were people’s reactions. For some, it was a nightmare; for others, a reason to celebrate.
For me, it was shocking and sad proof of where we are as a country. I don’t agree with Charlie Kirk, but he didn’t deserve what happened. No one does, simply because of their political beliefs.
This event leaves much to unpack and much to reflect on. In this blog, you’ll see there is more than what meets the eye as we explore the reactions, public relations tactics, and narratives that emerged in the aftermath of the event.
The Internet’s Split Reaction
This September 10 was unique. The 11th was even more strange, and jarringly silent, people barely posted about 9/11. And then, the 13th came.
Reactions started to flood the internet. Protests, violence, celebrations, and mourning all happening at once, in a country where free speech is protected, yet resented by the loudest extremists on both sides whenever it means defending the First Amendment for their opponents.
Why is it that in a country full of intellectuals, reasonable people, and decent human beings, the only voices we hear are the cries of the extremes on both ends of the political compass?
How Well Americans Knew Charlie Kirk Before His Death
There’s another side to this story. Before September 10, Charlie Kirk wasn’t a household name for most Americans. That alone says something about the event, about us, and about the media landscape that feeds us narratives we buy into without question.
He had over 5 million followers on YouTube alone, averaging an estimated 317,743 views per video. Charlie Kirk was popular, and yes, controversial. But I think, roughly speaking, only 20–30% of Americans would have recognized his name before his death. Afterward, that number likely doubled.
This estimate makes sense when you consider his podcast reach, Turning Point USA’s numbers, his social media following, and his mainstream exposure. A proper survey would confirm it, but even this rough estimate shows how an event can turn a political figure into a symbol. And that brings us directly to the subject of propaganda.
Political Propaganda
Regardless of how many knew Charlie Kirk before, what’s clear now is that he has come to represent a broader conservative movement.
From a propagandistic perspective, Democrats have two narratives they can push against Republicans. On one side, conservatives risk being painted as irrational and overly emotional. On the other, they fall into a narrative of victimhood, a position that undermines their usual rhetoric of always being on the offensive and never the victim.
Conservatives risk losing ground if they respond emotionally, and even more so if they begin taking away free speech rights. That seemed to be the case when Jimmy Kimmel Live got suspended indefinitely over a comment that may have been taken out of context. This is how propaganda operates.
Hidden Marketing Strategy
What I can say is this. When an opponent turns you into a victim, the way Samsung frames Apple as playing catch-up by releasing iPhones with features Android introduced years earlier, they are winning the marketing and advertising game.
In politics, it works the same way. Regardless of the situation, strategy is always at play. Politicians and parties are calculating every move, and you would be naive to think they ever take the moral high ground in moments like these.
Ruthlessness in Advertising
When these things happen, yes, they are devastating. But politicians are already calculating how to gain votes from such horrific events.
Now, since this blog is for business owners and marketers, hear this. The same pragmatic mindset politicians use must guide your team when you run an advertising campaign to grow your business or organization. You need to have deep empathy for people, but also a disciplined mindset to stay focused on your goal.
To be clear, this has nothing to do with Charlie Kirk’s death. It is simply an extreme example of how markets, ideas, and movements use a turning point to push forward and achieve their objectives.
Businesses will not stop competing, and ideas will not give in to the other side. The sooner we accept this, the sooner you will build a ruthless advertising strategy.
How Businesses Can Respond to Major Turning Points
If you take advantage of a situation for your own gain without looking deeply at what people are going through, you’ll be perceived as a bad actor. That’s unacceptable and not what I’m talking about here.
Whether it’s a political, nonprofit, or an advertising campaign, empathy must come first, even if it means stepping back from your efforts.
Take Pride Month as an example. Many businesses were criticized for displaying LGBTQ+ flags without actually supporting the community. Some dropped their campaigns, while others proved their commitment through donations or direct support.
Actions speak louder than words.
Why Your Voice Must Be Heard
Don’t be silent. Don’t take on a victim mentality. Don’t let competitors dominate public opinion.
Tell your story as a business, politician, organizer, or nonprofit. That’s the essence of advertising. Most voices will be ignored, but yours can stand out if it actually matters to people, if it sits at the center of their hearts and minds.
At Lekuids, we don’t take a political side. We are deeply sorry for what happened to Charlie Kirk and his family, and we extend our condolences.
This blog is intended for educational purposes, and our hope is that it encourages people to have an open conversation about this horrific event while also looking at the media’s and politicians’ reactions through an advertising lens.
