An unusual video is circulating on Twitter. It shows ultra-Orthodox singers singing, “We must win,” a jingle encouraging viewers to vote for the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party in the upcoming election. Even more surprisingly, this video is not the only one being shared by the ultra-Orthodox party on social networks.

Until this election campaign, UTJ had stuck with its campaign approach, ignoring social media. It ran ads in party-affiliated newspapers and on street posters in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. The posters may have gone from black and white to colorful graphic design on shiny paper, and the wording is now honed by professional publicists, but the principle had remained unchanged. 

Over the years, the party also advertised on radio and television, but these broadcasts were paid for by public election funds meant for TV ads, which only the secular public would even see. In contrast, the current Twitter-savvy campaign clearly targets the ultra-Orthodox public.

For the first time, the party has invested significant election funds in the digital arena. The videos are shared via WhatsApp and other social networks and the candidates are also exploring new venues.