Int. J Sup. Chain. Mgt Vol. 8, No. 6, December 2019 181 The Role of Social Media Hashtags in Political Promotions: Mediating Role of Supply Chain Communication Achmad Jamil *1 , Endi Rekarti #2 , Rizki Briandana #3 , Salsabilla Audinna #4 * 1 Universitas Mercu Buana, Jakarta, Indonesia #2 Fakultas Ekonomi & Bisnis, Universitas Mercu Buana, Jakarta, Indonesia #3 Fakultas Ilmu Komunikasi, Universitas Mercu Buana, Jakarta, Indonesia *4 Fakultas Ilmu Komunikasi, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Jawa Barat, Indonesia Corresponding author: 1 achmad_jamil@mercubuana.ac.id 2 endirekarti@mercubuana.ac.id 3 rizki.briandana@mercubuana.ac.id 4 salsabillaudinna@gmail.com Abstract- The current study examines the impact of hashtags used in social media for political promotion and analyses the mediating role of supply chain communications (SCC) in the relationship. The current study was performed in Indonesia, where 301 Twitter users were surveyed about current variables with a questionnaire. The data was analysed through Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) and Analisis of Moment Structures (AMOS) in order to complete “structural equation modelling.” The findings of the current study depicted that increased social media hashtags about a political matter tend to increase significantly political promotion. Furthermore, it has been found that increased social media hashtags about a political matter significantly enhance the political communication in society. It means that increased hashtags enhance SCC, and SCC ultimately significantly enhances political promotion. The current study contributes to the literature and in practice, because it enhances the limited literature about the role of SCC in political promotion in association with social media hashtags. Practitioners should leverage the insights from hashtags to be the function as a promotion tool. Keywords: Hashtags on social media, POlitical promotion, SUPPLY chain communication 1. Introduction Social media evolved many years ago when Truscott and [11] introduced “Usenet,” which is a “worldwide discussion system” that allows users to post public messages and share the information with others [29]. This discussion system is a hybrid of web forums and email, and discussions are facilitated by contemporary newsreader software. Technological advancements continued to enhance social media platforms and enabled users to use social media as a platform to express their thoughts and feelings. The technologies of digital media— such as podcasting, digital video, forums, blogging, photography, review sites, wikis and social networking— played an important role in enhancing social media use among users [13, 19]. Social media and its hashtags can be used to create immediate awareness about different emergencies in order to avoid the most dreadful consequences of such emergency situations. Furthermore, to suggest for some change or evolution throught advocacy organizations mobilize, educate, and connect with their constituents, so that the use of hashtags is spreading worldwide [30, 34]. Figure 1. Political Discourse on Twitter (Source: CNetS) The figure 1 showed that the trend of hashtag usage in political affairs—through which people show their support for some political party, governmental policy or act—is becoming extensive worldwide. Besides showing support for some act or phenomenon, social media hashtags are also used by users to argue against some act, entity, policy or group. For example, the recent social media hashtag, which has been trendy worldwide, is the “Me Too” hashtag, which was introduced as an argument against sexual harassment [23,33]. Similarly, the extensive political use of the hashtag to enhance public support like participating in promotion development events that are being realized in the modern ______________________________________________________________ International Journal of Supply Chain Management IJSCM, ISSN: 2050-7399 (Online), 2051-3771 (Print) Copyright © ExcelingTech Pub, UK (http://excelingtech.co.uk/)