Abstract
This paper will explore the relationship between fandom communities and celebrities and how their devotion can proved to be beneficial to boost their career. It is obvious that there have been some drastic changes in the way in which consumers behave. Within a Web 2.0 social media environment, fans, now have the opportunity to be more active and enrich their fan experience by producing and sharing contents with their idols. Celebrities can also communicate with fans too by responding to comments and replying to messages through their platforms. Nowadays, we cannot deny that fans’ impact on the media is expanding significantly. Throughout this paper, we will also investigate how with effective and loyal approaches, famous people can turn fans into huge potential consumers for their advantage.
Introduction
Our need for celebrity goes back to the dawn of civilization. Fandom communities started their apparition around the original Star Trek series in the mid-1960s but were later on dismissed and rendered invisible (Bury, R. 2017). One crucial fact about human beings is that, we all have the psychological need to feel safe, respected and wanted., thus we form our social relations with other people, based on shared interests and beliefs. Humans are social animals, they feel comfortable in team.
Now, with the growth of mass media, you can find communities of people separated by vast distances who build social structures based on their common taste in similar contexts. Almost everyone is a fan of something.
Fandom communities provides us with a feeling of acceptance and a sense of belonging. They feel like we are abiding by the social norms of that group. One major benefits of this kind of relationship is that it feels us to dispel those feelings of loneliness, to give fans that feeling of community they are looking for. They develop a sense of shared ‘identity’. Studies demonstrate that people who are fan of something are more likely to feel less depressed and are healthier overall (Bury.R, 2017). Fans find people they want to be like and we follow them in order to copy their mannerisms, their clothes, their lifestyles because we think they are cool people. Henry Jenkins (2002) who have been studying fandom for decades argue that ‘‘Fans influence is growing considerably and that they are the ones who create everything; podcasts, videos, stories, only to mention a few.’’
Mark Duffet (2013) explains in, Understanding Fandom: An Introduction to the Study of Media Fan Culture, that:
He refers to imagining the spread of fans through the metaphor of murmuration in action; it is when flocks of hundreds or even thousands of starling fly about in swooping coordinated patterns. The reason is firstly, there is not some sort of overarching top-down plan. The birds do not have a leader and enforces everything instead, they keep tabs of respond and follow or otherwise replicate the behaviors of the others that is similar to how fandom functions.
As technology has changed, fans’ relationships with celebrities have become more intense. Due to the increasing possibilities for celebrity-fan interactions on social media, fans have more opportunity to feel connected to celebrities in ways that was not possible through tradition media. Fans has now become one of the dominant mode of engagement online. Below, we shall analyze how celebrities have great use of their relationship with fans as a marketing strategy.
Lady Gaga owes her successful career to her fans
Lady Gaga, born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta is a pop icon who has dominated the music industry for over a decade. In addition to recording music, she showed her gifts as an actress by featuring in a bunch of movies since teenager. For her first lead role in ‘A Star is Born aired in 2018, she was even rewarded an Oscar nomination (Levy, 2023). Forbes magazine ranked Gaga as the 16th most powerful celebrity in the world (Potter, 2011).The reason she tops the power list is not just because of her $320 million net worth but also of her 56 million Facebook fans and 54.5 million Instagram followers. This woman is a great adept at building a fan following. The real question is how did a normal girl from New York mastered fame in a way few others have? The answer is simple, it is largely based on excellent marketing and loyal approaches towards her audience.
One fact about Lady Gaga is that she showcases her emotions, she allows herself to be vulnerable in front of the public. A few years ago during an interview, the Diva opened up about how she suffered from bullying in high school and the repercussion it had on her (People, 2019). When a famous figure reveals their vulnerabilities in such a thoughtful and considerate manner, it means something to the youngsters who face similar ordeals on a daily basis. Huba (2013) argues that ‘‘there is an emotional side to how people buy and when fans connect with a brand’s values, the bond is stronger.’’ Gaga’s vulnerability has helped fans to connect with her and her mission to empower others to be ‘kinder and braver’. Moreover, she is a vocal advocate of promoting anti-bullying initiatives across many schools. When brands are honest about who they are, they are more likely to attract strong devotees.
Furthermore, Gaga demonstrated a deep understanding of the opportunities offered by modern technology by creating her own website called ‘Littlemonsters.com’ (Vena.J, 2012). Through this website, fans may build an online community, bringing them closer to their idol. It felt as if she has actually woven her very own mini universe for her fans to exist within. Although gathering fans is its main objective, the page has much more potential. So basically, it is similar to Facebook or Pinterest, except with Gaga in the background. Along with discussing, users may download her latest music, buy tickets for her shows, or even share materials, news and everything else Gaga-related. On top of that, fans occasionally get to interact with the pop star herself. In this manner, the American pop star has been able to tightened her bond with her audience.
As mentioned above, ‘Little monsters’ is the nickname that Gaga has given to her fandom community. Now, what is meant by ‘little monster’? The pop star uses the term ‘monster’ in a positive way to express herself, ‘little monsters’ are best understood as a symbol of difference and uniqueness. Consequently, I fully agree with Caughey’s argument that fans often compare their relationship with their idol to a real-world social relationship, like in this instance; they refer to Gaga as their ‘Mother Monster’. Through this community, she is giving them an identity and a chance to feel that they are part of something. Moreover, Caughey contends that ‘‘these relationships do have a significant advantages for both individuals and society, from self-reflection to the adoption of pro-social principles and behaviors’’ (Caughey.J, 1984). By placing Gaga in this familiar social role; Little monsters may utilize her to mend their psychological scars, instill confidence and comes to terms with the parts of themselves that society has rejected. From bullied to leading lady, with her active online presence, Gaga has not only managed to create a genuine connection with her ‘little monsters’ but she is also cultivating a group of consumers that will stick with her for the next decade.
Selena Gomez: Using her Instagram’s followers as her brand promotion
Selena Marie Gomez has gone a long way from her initial debut in the TV Show ‘‘Barney and Friends’’ in 2002 to her current position as one of the most top celebrities in Pop music (IWMBuzz, 2020). During the last decade, Gomez has gained a lot of fame and has accumulated a huge fan base on the internet. According to Billboard News, Selena Gomez now holds the record for being the most followed female on Instagram with 381 million followers (Aniftos.R, 2023). Celebrities are increasingly starting their own businesses, using their stardom to build personal empires. In 2020, the pop singer also debuted her own cosmetics line, Rare Beauty, which is currently one of the best-selling on the industry.
Below, we are going to discuss what sets Rare Beauty apart from other celebrity-founded beauty brands? How did Gomez manage to be so effective and successful?
One of the various reasons, Rare Beauty stands out is because Selena Gomez is the face of her own brand. Marketing executives has proved that the use of a well-known figure in the eyes of consumers is the most compelling way to attract them; associating a brand with a certain personality will without doubt entice them (Nelson, O., & Deborah, A., 2017). Consumers are more easily influenced with the products if it comes from a celebrity they are familiar with. Moreover, she is making great use of Instagram profile to incorporate the products into her content. Whether it is her behind the scenes’, get ready with me videos or even promotions of new items on a regular basis. Through this way, her fans get to feel like personal friends supporting her work that she promotes on her page.
One key element to engage with your audience is to share your brand’s message where a wide number of individuals could relate to (Avramidis.N, 2016). Just like the powerful message that Selena and her team has associated behind Rare Beauty: ‘to celebrate you as you are: rare and beautiful.’ Furthermore, the biggest part of Rare Beauty is that it donates 1% of her sales to the Rare Impact Fund which aspires to lessen the stigma attached to mental health and provide young people with the support and resources they aspire. It is a fund that Selena has created to prove her commitment to addressing mental health issues and acceptance. Also, ‘over the upcoming ten years, they hope to raise $100 million funds to support organizations focused on strengthening mental health services’ (RareBeauty, 2020).
Gomez is a pure marketing genius, by partnering with a cause, she has increased her public engagement. People like to associate themselves with brands that support causes. It also serves as an effective approach to build trust in your brand (Nelson, O., & Deborah, A., 2017) Through this, Rare Beauty makes customers feel like they are heard and supported.
Conclusion
Marketers needs to take into consideration that fandom at the very basic level, has a huge level of engagement online. With the rise of niche entertainment, participatory culture and social networks, fandoms have expanded in the mainstream. Famous people and large entertainment brands must take advantage of this and forge a more genuine relationship with them. According to a survey, 87% of people wants a more meaningful relationship with brands (Butler. A, 2018). Marketing that sells real stories and connections are more likely to be more effective. They need to make customers feel like they are heard, seen and valued. Also, it is primordial to gain their trust and share values they can relate to. Nowadays, the competition has become too fierce and the market is too flooded. Regrettably, the truth is that there are tons of amazing products and services. Thus, your mission to thrive is to create loyal and devoted fans out of your customers. Since, they are the ones that will be writing great testimonials and telling everyone in their surroundings how great your product is. Fans are the future of the marketing world.
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Hi L, The thing is the paper is mainly concentrated on the African continent particularly.If you make an analysis of…