Using celebrity endorsements for political point scoring ramped up in the final days of the heated 2024 US election.
Kamala Harris had the likes of Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Anne Hathaway waving the Democratic flag as she muscled up against Donald Trump's campaign, which brought in fierce Republican supporters Elon Musk and podcast host Joe Rogan.
Involving A-listers in politics isn't new – but Harris faced accusations of being unrelatable and out-of-touch as she rubbed shoulders on stage with Hollywood giants.
READ MORE: The damaging factors that hurt Harris
So did celebrity endorsements help or hinder the Harris campaign?
Rosalind Dixon, UNSW professor of law and democracy expert, told 9news.com.au it might have hurt Harris' chances in battleground states.
In 2020, Joe Biden won six of the seven battleground states.
In 2024, punters watched as Trump slowly took back these crucial areas.
"It might have had a negative impact with voters for whom it would have compounded the perception Democrats were out of touch with how much suffering there was economically for a lot of ordinary households," Dixon said.
"It [may have] given the impression that the Democrats are the 'A-list' party rather than the party of working people."
READ MORE: What Trump's victory means for key world regions
READ MORE: Elon Musk's $20 billion win on huge Trump bet
She said it could have prompted plenty of younger voters to get out and vote.
Dixon described it, however, as potentially "irrelevant and damaging" for those middle-aged or older from economically struggling areas in key background states.
"On balance, I think they probably got it right, but I would have pulled back a little bit," she added.
"I think it was perhaps a little bit too much towards the end."
Jared Mondschein from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney said celebrity backers don't traditionally make a huge difference in campaigns.
He told 9news.com.au it was still too early to tell, but he was of the opinion big A-list pushes for votes for either party were "less consequential than anyone expected it to be".
"Ultimately I think the way that Trump and Harris engaged with their celebrity backers wasn't the most decisive issue in this election," he said.
"The issues are far more fundamental than celebrities."
Mondschein said he expects political star power will continue in future elections in the US.
"Candidates need to break through and they can't rely on the commercial media, cable news or major newspapers to give them the sort of [coverage] they're hoping for," he added.
In Trump's case, Dixon said having someone like billionaire Tesla and Space X founder Musk on his side helped him earn economic trust among voters.
"Those voters who turned away from Biden and Harris towards Trump were looking for big change on the economy," she said.
"I think it helped him, but only a modest amount."
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