The increasingly frequent use of social media worldwide has left
an indelible mark on many different aspects of society. Interaction and
communication between individuals has been altered, business communication
strategies now have an extremely strong focus on utilising social media to
inform and engage their clients, while the delivery of news and current affairs
has also been irreversibly affected by social media. As the above examples
demonstrate, the methods used by individuals and organisations to communicate
in the 21st century are undoubtedly the most significant area impacted by the
social media phenomenon.
A significant group of people affected by the rise of social
media is a group we can all relate with- celebrities. Many people spend a large
amount of time catching up on the latest gossip and news surrounding their
favourite celebrity, with gossip magazines and paparazzi notorious for
quenching the thirst for scandalous celebrity news. According to Pappas (2012),
our fascination with celebrity can be attributed to the fact that 'humans are
social creatures, psychologists say, and we evolved — and still live — in an
environment where it paid to pay attention to the people at the top.' Pappas
believes this fascination with celebrity is only escalating as the media and
new technology continues to feed our appetite.
Whether it is your favourite actor, actress, singer or
sportsperson, it’s undeniable that celebrities attract the attention of the
masses. As van Krieken (2012) states, whether it is ‘on television, in
magazines and books, on the Internet and in films, celebrities of all sorts
seem to monopolize our attention.’
Throughout this post, the impact of social media’s astronomic
rise will be analysed in relation to celebrities. As a result of social media,
celebrities have altered how they build their public image/brand and
communicate with fans. Both of these factors will form a large part of this
discussion. The ability presented by social media to dispel public/media
misconceptions surrounding celebrities will also be examined. Finally, the link
between celebrity social media usage and the ‘specular’ economy will form the
framework of this discussion.
According to Marshall (2010), the ‘specular’ economy is a place
'where we are becoming more conscious of how we present ourselves and how
others perceive us.' The ‘specular’ economy also involves 'a two way mirror of
projection onto the screen and the circulation of and interaction with those
images and texts into the wider world.' As a result of social media, we currently
operate in a ‘specular’ economy more than ever before, as our environment
allows everyone the opportunity to present themselves in front of a global
on-line audience. How you ask? Whenever you post or view a personal photo, video
or opinion on a social networking site, you are participating in a ‘specular’
economy. The projection, circulation and interaction of images and text on
social media strongly contribute to and grow a ‘specular’ economy.
The ‘specular’ economy has strong links to celebrity culture and
our fascination with fame. Before social media, the ‘specular’ economy was
largely occupied by celebrities and well known identities. Images and articles
relating to celebrities were most commonly transmitted to a global audience via
mediums such as newspapers and gossip magazines. These images and texts were
interacted with across the globe, with the public often forming a perception of
the celebrity from this material. Social media has placed some power back into
the hands of celebrities, providing them with a far greater opportunity to
shape how they are perceived by others.
As social media use has continued to rapidly accelerate
worldwide, celebrities have become greater aware of the opportunity provided by
sites such as Facebook and Twitter to build their brand and public image. The
ability to create a public image on social media also allows celebrities an
element of control over which aspects of their personal life enter the public
domain. According to Socialbakers, a Czech based company which produces social
media network statistics; a celebrity’s successful social media presence is
reliant on a few simple steps such as ‘providing more personal information and
allowing fans to access their personal life’.
Upon reading this, a celebrity I follow on Twitter- former NBA
superstar Shaquille O’Neal, came immediately to mind. Despite standing at a
formidable 2.16 m, the public perception of O’Neal is of a fun-loving, harmless
giant. O’Neal has crafted his public image in varying ways post-retirement,
including through a strong presence on social media. Shaq posts daily updates
on his Twitter and Facebook accounts for his followers, regularly giving an
insight into his personal life through photos and posts. Perhaps most famously,
O’Neal announced his retirement from professional basketball on Twitter. This
was a perfect example of a ‘celebrity practitioner revealing what appears to be
personal information to create a sense of intimacy between participant and
follower, and publicly acknowledge fans’ (Marwick, 2011). By announcing his
retirement on the social networking site, Shaq let his fans know the news first
and demonstrated to his fan base that he truly respected them.
Image sourced from:
Another benefit for celebrities using social media is the
ability to respond to negative representations/stories from media and other
sources. Previously, a celebrity's image was most often crafted though the
media, with this portrayal often producing an unflattering representation. As
discussed by Marshall (2010), social media has given celebrities the 'relatively
new capacity to send via the Internet messages and images outwards that
circumvent the gatekeeping and controlling mechanisms of broadcast and print
media.' This ability allows celebrities to send unedited messages which convey
a clear meaning for fans. The chance to set the record straight over incorrect
media reports (with the message transmitted directly to a large amount of
‘followers’) is a definite positive associated with the rise of social media.
The emergence of social media as a chief communication tool for
celebrities has ensured they are operating in a ‘specular’ economy when posting
personal information on-line. When posting each image, video or message on
social media, celebrities should have their public perception firmly at the
forefront of their mind.
The other major benefit associated with celebrities using social
media is the opportunity to interact with fans in a more personal manner than
ever before. Courtesy of social media, celebrities now have the ability to
quickly respond to a fan message, whether that’s by replying to a tweet/post or
retweeting the thoughts of a fan. As a result, sites such as Facebook and
Twitter have created ‘an expectation of social interaction through social media
that dwarfs the fan letter interactions of old’ (Marshall, 2010). This has
ensured fans now have unprecedented access and the chance to personally
interact with their favourite celebrities via social media.
Effective communication with fans via social media can often
directly translate into a favourable public image. Former NFL star Chad
Ochocinco is an example of a celebrity who effectively used social media to
both communicate with fans and further his brand. Despite employing a slightly
eccentric way of engaging his fans, the method used by Ochocinco was a clear
winner in regard to generating a positive public perception. A prolific tweeter
and UStream user, Ochocinco announced his inventive plan on the social media
sites in 2009. Ochocinco planned to incorporate social media into an on-field
celebration during the season- by tweeting from the end zone after a touchdown.
After having this idea knocked on the head by league heavyweights, Ochocinco
found a novel way to stick to his plan- he began a Twitter competition which
resulted in one fan being chosen to fly to each of his games and tweet from the
grandstand on his behalf. While this idea may be considered radical, there is
no doubt over the effectiveness of Ochocinco’s social media strategy. His fans/
followers were unquestionably engaged by this idea as they all stood a chance
of benefiting from the stunt. Eccentric ideas such as the Twitter competition
helped solidify the public’s perception of Ochocinco as an entertaining
character. Post career, Ochocinco has landed TV roles and movie cameos largely
due to his public perception, which has been built in part by his active and
entertaining presence on social media. In Ochocinco’s case, his readiness to
engage with fans on-line simply enhanced the public’s view of him.
Image sourced from:
Cohen (2013) believes there are five key criteria for
celebrities wishing to successfully utilise social media; treating their fans
like friends, dealing in self-promotion, making themselves more relevant,
changing the public’s mind and promoting their own interests. Throughout this
post many of these key criteria have been analysed to determine the benefits
presenting celebrities who actively engage with social media. The impact of
celebrity culture on the ‘specular’ economy was also raised during this
discussion. It is unquestionable that social media, which offers 'a different
structure through which the famed construct their public image' (Marshall,
2010), provides a fantastic opportunity for celebrities to shape their public
perception while also personally engaging with their fans.
References
Cohen, P 2013, ‘How Celebrities Use Social Media to Build Their
Brand’, Social Media Today Online, retrieved 8/10/13, URL-
www.socialmediatoday.com/philcohen4/1541596/how-celebrities-use-social-media-build-their-brand
Marshall, D 2010, 'The Specular Economy', Symposium: Celebrity
Around the World, Springer Science and Business Media, p. 498-502
Marwick, A 2011, ‘To See and Be Seen: Celebrity Practice on
Twitter’, ‘Convergence- May 2011’, vol. 17, no. 2, p. 139-158
Pappas, S 2012, ‘Oscar Psychology: Why Celebrities Fascinate
Us’, Live Science, retrieved 4/10/13, URL- http://www.livescience.com/18649-oscar-psychology-celebrity-worship.html
Socialbakers, ‘Who are the Most Engaging Twitter and Facebook
Celebrities?’, retrieved 8/10/13, URL-
www.socialbakers.com/blog/400-who-are-the-most-engaging-twitter-and-facebook-celebrities
van Krieken, R 2012, ‘Celebrity Society’, Taylor and Francis,
Deakin EBL, retrieved on 8/10/13
