Zoella Flashcards

Question

Zoella - Evolution of the Vlog

Answer 1

- The main Zoella channel has not been updated for over 3 years. Indicates a deliberate shift away from Zoella being associated solely with 'teen' makeup & style advice which would arguably conflict with the more mature branding the company is now trying to establish. However, the content on the channel remains monetised and receiving traffic, as well as signposting audiences to Zoella on other social media platforms. Over 10 million people are still subscribed - 'Zoe Sugg' = the sister channel Is still being updated regularly as her personal channel. produces 'intimate', 'confessional' behind-the-scenes content it always has - Helping Sugg to maintain her prominence as an internet 'personality' and engage with audiences more interested in her day-to-day life and relationship with Alfie Deyes. Most of the recent content is centered around her journey as a new mother. - However, the Zoe Sugg channel is now where Zoe posts her paid promotions - Existing as an entirely separate entity, this channel allows Sugg to continue to connect with her existing fanbase whilst the Zoella brand develops and attempts to reach new audiences through its other media avenues - Hesmondhalgh minimising risk

Answer 2

- Prosumer = someone who both consumes and produces products - people have moved from being CONsumers to PROsumers with far more influence than ever before - Businesses = no longer in complete control of their products, brand and messages. Today consumers are in control - leaders of this shift = members of the social web Bloggers, vloggers, social networking participants etc who spread messages act as opinion leaders and 'influence' people around the world, driving trends. In some instances the word of an influencer can now 'make or break' for some products.

Answer 3

- Seeking representation through a Multi-channel Network (MCN) - Monetising content - Sponsorship by brands and paid promotions (ASOS try on haul) - Merchandising (Zoella lifestyle & Beauty) - Synergistical partnerships with other brands/producers - advertising; such as: Display ads/banners Overlay ads Pre-roll video ads before vlog posts (skippable or not)

Answer 4

- The 'democratisation' of social media (allowing anyone to become a media producer) has made it challenging for large media organisations to maintain their power. HOWEVER it is large media conglomerates that own most of the social media platforms (EG Meta owns Whatsapp, Instagram & Facebook) - Zoella uses algortithmically appropriate and effective titles of her videos to ensure that she attracts a large audience and maximises advertising revenues. - Until recently the blog and vlog produced the same kind of content that had success with the audience before - follows the logic of repeating or building on previous success. Illustrates a conscious limitation on creativity for the purpose of increasing profit and maintaining her 'power' as an influencer. - Vlog posts use 'clickbait' such as 'Huge Primark haul' and 'YouTube secrets' in order to maximise and manipulate her TA to click on the video. - Although there has been some recent creative developments on content (Sex & Health) this can be seen as a logical step in expanding audience outreach to new audiences and evidence of sound business sense in trying to better reflect both Zoella's age and that of her established audience. This consolidates its 'power' as a more mature brand that deals with serious women's issues in a post #metoo media landscape The expansion in content is for business and power purposes not creativity. - Both the updated blog and the Zoe Sugg YouTube channel continue to exploit opportunities in advertising sales and sponsored promotions to maximise revenue (EG 'A Fresg Start To 2023' vlog includes a paid promotion for Hello Fresh) - As Zoella brand has grown it has adopted the traditional business practices of larger media conglomerates more and more. - HOWEVER, the relatively brief life span of a number of companies set up under the Zoella name, often created for a sole purpose, before being abandoned challenges the traditional industry logic of 'growing' companies and developing their longevity and influence over a considerable amount of time.

Answer 5

- Technological change has allowed a new industry to grow and become very profitable. - Zoella originally worked independently and even now only has a small production team. However, as an emergent media brand it has tried to follow a reasonably traditional model of growth. - At first she needed the third party support of an MCN to represent the brand's interests and support for better quality production. Control then moved to an independent company set up by the producers themselves to oversee the interests of both Zoella & Pointless Blog (A-Z Creatives) - A-Z Creatives demonstrates some attempt at horizontal integration with both brands being managed centrally - however it was brief. - Zoella ultimately moves to become an established fully independent media brand that is vertically integrated with all aspects of production and distribution entirely under its own control. - Recognising the insecure nature of the social media industry, Zoella also diversifies into a number of more traditional & established media forms (EG books, magazines, audio and TV broadcasting - appearing on Fearne Cotton's podcast, Girl Online, Cosmopolitan and Great British Bake Off) to further maximise audiences and minimising the risk of becoming an outdated or forgotten brand. - Zoella media brand populates a number of different social media platforms. These platforms are generally owned by large media conglomerates who have tried to 'restrain' the audience's ability to fully exploit the radical potential of the internet. Zoella = a large-scale 'advertiser-friendly' content producer who has come to dominate social media. - seeks to mimic this behaviour in order to be commercially successful.

Answer 6

- Zoella's paid promotions and merchandising activities are subject to regulation under the Advertising Standards Authority's code of practice (EG ASOS incident). However, outside of that the brand is not governed by any other 'official' forms of regulation. - For the most part, Zoella is expected to 'self-regulate' and is only subject to the rules contained in the individual terms and conditions of the various media platforms the brand uses (EG obeying YouTube's community guidelines) - Illustrates the continual struggle between protection of the citizen and freedom of the consumer. (especially in relation to her lovehoney products) Demonstrates how largely ineffective online regulation is. Self regulation means that posts tend to only be regulated after they have been published if a problem is identified, by which time the public have already been exposed to the inappropriate content. She can take more risks and touch on taboo subjects (EG Sex & Health section) as she does not have to appease a regulatory body - HOWEVER, in terms of protecting the reputation of the Zoella brand it is in Sugg's best interest to be effective at self-regulation. Clear evidence of this = posts have shown no political bias, no references to strong themes and no sexualisation. This has allowed her to maximise her audience and remain attractive to mainstream advertisers. Although the updated blog includes more mature themes it is a conscious repositioning of the blog as a whole for a more adult audience reflecting a responsible attitude.

Zoella Flashcards

(30 cards)