For an undisclosed prospect i am currently preparing a strategy on how to enter and utilize social media as a celebrity. As a by-product, some of the more general observations and findings are displayed in this presentation.
2. Chapter 1
Relation between celebrities and mass media
Slide 2
3. Celebrities
Who are we talking about
āŗWikipedia: a celebrity is a person who is famously
recognized in a society or culture [ā¦], someone who gets
media attention [ā¦] or is highly exposed in media by the
nature of his profession
Politics Hollywood Sports Business TV You name it
Slide 3
4. Celebrities
Who are we talking about
āŗWikipedia: a celebrity is a person who is famously
recognized in a society or culture [ā¦], someone who gets
media attention [ā¦] or is highly exposed in media by the
nature of his profession
Politics Hollywood Sports Business TV You name it
Slide 4
5. Mass media makes a celebrity
Mass media presence is the identifying feature and
main characteristic of a celebrity
āŗWeb presence is not enough
āŗWho remembers Ken Lee today?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RgL2MKfWTo
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6. Mass media is the mother of all celebrities
Regular presence in mass media makes celebrities
āŗBy the nature of their profession
āŗBy the nature of their activities
Mass media Audience
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7. Audience attention for celebrities generates capital
Two kinds
āŗEconomic capital - money
āŗSymbolic capital ā attention, awareness, image
Economic Symbolic
capital capital
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8. Symbolic capital can be converted into economic
capital ā positively and negatively
Symbolic capital is like an interest on a celebrityās
business
āŗPositive symbolic capital increases value
āŗNegative symbolic capital decreases value
Negative press
Scandal
āLiar imageā
_ advertising
contracts
Mass media profits anyway
More media attention on
presence than
any other CEO
āGuru imageā + new product
regardless of
its real value
Mass media profits anyway
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9. Celebrities depend on mass media
Celebrities need positive symbolic capital from mass media
āŗPositive means: building symbolic capital that can be
converted into economic capital
āŗWho would know Amy Winehouse for her music only?
+
behaviour of interest audience attention relevance as a musician
Slide 9
10. Summary:
Summary: dissymmetrical mutual dependency
Mass media earns any way, celebrities need a positive publicity
Mutual dependence
One way dependence
Economic Symbolic
capital capital
Slide 10
11. Chapter 2
Currencies of the celebrity market
Slide 11
12. Celebrities and media are mutually dependent
But mass media has a greater leverage
āŗEarning from attention as such, no matter if positive or negative
āŗAbility to make anything a reality by interpreting situations,
images, rumors
Slide 12
13. media:
Main currency for mass media: Exclusivity
Celebrity news are not time critical as such, but for
converting them into money, they are
āŗCapitalizing on celebrities works best for the only media to have
the story (exclusive)
āŗSecond best is the first to tell the story
Exclusive First
Slide 13
14. Truth is not important
Mass media needs a basic legitimation to claim a news ā
not proof
āŗAn image of a celebrity going
to dinner with another
āŗA hotel receipt for one
celebrity while another oneās
is missing
āŗA friend of a friend senses
āstrange vibesā
āŗā¦
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/4317/Earn-poundpoundpounds-by-selling-
your-story-its-easy-Just-click-below-for-all-you-need-to-know.html
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15. Mass mediaās currency is the definition of reality
Reality is defined by economic value for mass media
Jennifer Aniston jogging Jennifer Aniston desperately trying to lose weight Best economic
to finally get āMr. Rightā after break up with XYZ value
Jennifer Aniston preparing for a new role Low economic
value
Jennifer Aniston jogging
and we donāt know for sure no audience no economic value
if itās really her
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16. celebritiesā
The celebritiesā currency is their access to mass media
In this game, celebrities can try to take influence on
the definition of reality by accessing other mass media
āŗTaking influence themselves on their own symbolic capital
That was not me ā
I hate jogging. And
my weight is fine.
Slide 16
17. Direct access allows them to convert symbolic
capital directly into economic capital
Win-win between celebrities and mass media
āŗCelebrities sell stories to mass media
āŗMass media gets āexclusivityā and āfirst to marketā
āŗCelebrity has direct impact on its own symbolic capital
āŗBoth generate economic capital from it
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18. statusā
The main currency for both is āinsider statusā
Mass media either pretends to have or buys insider status
āŗCelebrities can sell a view through the keyhole
āŗIf the donāt, mass media pretends to have it
āFAKEā view through keyhole economic capital for media
Real view If not exciting enough, economic capital for media
through keyhole āspiced upā in mutual consent
and celebrities
Slide 18
19. Summary 1: Symbolic capital is of economic value
Celebrities profit both in core business and in related businesses
from their symbolic capital accumulated via mass media
āŗSymbolic capital is turned into economic capital
both in core business (better/worse contracts)
and in related businesses (more/less advertising contracts,
more/less money for āprivate gigsā etc.)
Slide 19
20. statusā
Summary 2: āInsider statusā is the media product
Building symbolic capital is based on āinsightsā
āŗSymbolic capital is built over mass media
āŗSymbolic capital is based on āinsightsā
āŗEither celebrities sell insider status to mass media
āŗOr mass media pretends to have insider status
=
Slide 20
21. Chapter 3
Social media changes the game
Slide 21
22. Social media shifts power to celebrities
Once you are a celebrity, mass media loses importance
āŗCelebrities can connect directly with audiences
āŗCelebrities get a bigger share in definig reality
āŗCelebrities have their symbolic capital more in their own hands
Celebrities Audience
Slide 22
23. Celebrities embrace social media ā
and the other way round
13 months on Twitter. Imagine 2012.
February 2, 2009 March 13, 2010
Celeb Followers Growth Followers
Stephen Fry 98.616 +1.409% 1.389.625
Britney Spears 53.290 +8.519% 4.540.194
Lance Armstrong 53.813 +4.561% 2.454.823
Shaquille OāNeal 46.296 +6.174% 2.858.444
Al Gore 38.351 +5.509% 2.112.912
Jimmy Fallon 27.163 +9.209% 2.501.481
Demi Moore 11.655 +22.186% 2.585.851
MC Hammer 34.042 +5.378% 1.830.789
Schwarzenegger 11.147 +14.926% 1.663.867
Twitter Year over year growth (Feb 2009/Feb 2010): 1.382%
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/ http://mashable.com/2009/03/16/tw
tol/news/tech_and_web/article5641 itter-growth-rate-versus-facebook/
893.ece
Slide 23
24. Celebrity-
Celebrity-friendly design
Besides full design control, Twitter offers the āverifiedā sign
Slide 24
25. Celebrities on Facebook
Celeb Fans March 2010 Celeb Fans March 2010
7.701.425 2.112.124
6.201.376
2.111.666
5.012.269
2.034.975
3.918.959
3.871.297 2.006.292
3.629.638 1.987.327
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29. Chapter 4
How celebrities benefit from social media
Slide 29
30. statusā
Why should celebrities give āinside statusā away
for free when they can sell it to mass media?
media?
Mass media has limited space
āŗNot every celebrity news would make it to mass media anyway
Slide 30
31. statusā
Why should celebrities give āinside statusā away
for free when they can sell it to mass media?
media?
Celebrities can take influence on their symbolic capital
āŗAddressing their fans directly
āŗOffering info that can also be picked up by mass media
Slide 31
32. statusā
Why should celebrities give āinside statusā away
for free when they can sell it to mass media?
media?
Celebrities can turn their symbolic capital into
business directly with their fans
Slide 32
33. Celebrities can add value to their advertising
partnersā
partnersā activities
Celebrities can prove their impact via social media and
can capitalize on that in their advertising contracts
Slide 33
34. Celebrities can even make direct business with fans
and no other party involved in the value chain
So why should they communicate āaround the cornerā?
Celebrity Business Own business Effect on other
out businesses
Value as advertising
testimonial and value of
Kobe Bryant Merchandising KB 24.com contracts with teams rise
Shops Merchandising shop with popularity
Value as advertising
testimonial, private gigs, and
value of movie contracts rise
Funny or die with popularity
Will Ferrell TV station web broadcaster
Slide 34
35. Summary:
Summary: Celebrities can do easily without mass
media ā once they are famous enough
The āinside statusā as the main product, the greatest value
generated out of being famous, goes to consumers for free
āŗCelebrities can connect directly with audiences
āŗCelebrities get a bigger share in definig reality
āŗCelebrities have their symbolic capital more in their own hands
āŗCelebrities can influence their image and advertise charities
āŗCelebrities can advertise their partners and sponsors
āŗCelebrities can increase their value in their businesses
āŗCelebrities can do business directly with their fans
Slide 35
37. first,
Fans want the celebrity first, business second
Be personal and authentic
āŗāPrivateā or ābehind the scenesā images prove to fans
to have the āinsider statusā
āŗāvia Facebook mobileā at least indicates that this was
not necessarily a post of a 9-to-5 PR guy
Slide 37
38. Itās in the mix
Find the right mixture of personal, business and charity/image
Slide 38
39. Learn from your fans
It is impossible to answer all private emails, messages and
comments, but having them analyzed and learning is crucial
Slide 39
40. Enrich your core business
Be sure not to damage your core and traditional business but
identify the synergies and enrich it
Slide 40
41. fansā
Become a part of your fansā everyday life
Frequent updates are as important for celebrities as
they are for brands
_ +
Slide 41
42. Last but not least: Be clear about your objectives
What you can reach with a celebrity presence in social media
āŗSecure influence over your image, respond to rumors
or fake news
āŗBuild your symbolic capital
āŗIncrease your value in your core business
āŗIncrease your value in related businesses
āŗAdvertise your own products, partners, sponsors
āŗBuild direct fan relations that may enable you to do
business directly, shut out others in the value chain
āŗIncrease your charity efforts -> do something good
āŗGet revenge on journalists who did not treat you well
Slide 42
45. This presentation is impossible to show
with royalty-free images.
royalty- images.
I took the liberty of integrating
pictures from all over the web.
If I used your picture and you want me to
take it off, please email to
evangelos@papathanassiou.de,
evangelos@papathanassiou.de,
I will do so immediately. Thank you.
immediately. you.
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