The Institutional Roots of Internet Celebrities (Transfer)
Text/Yang Ling, teacher of the Chinese Department of Xiamen University, whose research direction is contemporary literature and popular culture.
Results of the "Celebrity Class" "Civilian Turn"
"Internet celebrity" is the abbreviation of the term "Internet celebrity". It originally referred to some ordinary people who became popular on the Internet because of their unique appearance or words and deeds. people. The emergence of Internet celebrities is the inevitable result of the contemporary "celebrity class" and "the turn of civilians". Before the rise of mass media, a person's way of becoming famous was usually slow and "natural", and it was often heroes or romantic talents who could leave their mark on history. After the emergence of mass media, human beings began to use the media to artificially quickly create fame, and a huge cultural industry chain has been formed around the production of celebrities. It is not just star idols that dominate the celebrity industry, but also gatekeepers such as scouts, brokerage companies, directors, and the media. Only with the support and recognition of these gatekeepers can little-known little people set foot on the road. "Avenue of Stars".
Since the beginning of the new century, with the popularity of reality TV shows all over the world, ordinary people who are not well-known began to become famous overnight through TV shows. Although reality TV has greatly lowered the threshold for fame, grassroots stars who stand out through this platform are still inevitably manipulated by institutional forces such as TV stations. Only in the new "Vanity Fair" which is independent in this part of the Internet, can individuals aspiring to become famous bypass the gatekeepers of the celebrity industry and directly sell themselves to the public and gain attention. The pyramid-shaped celebrity production mechanism of layer-by-layer screening is also beginning to be replaced by a bottom-up, do-it-yourself flattened celebrity production process. One of the dominant logics of online celebrity culture is to make the least famous people the most famous people. As we've seen, online celebrities mostly don't have special talent or great qualities. Sister Furong, Sister Feng, Brother Sharp and other first-generation Internet celebrities in China belong to this type of "anti-celebrity". Although these early Internet celebrities lacked outstanding talents and backgrounds, they all aroused widespread attention of netizens in their own different ways, subverting the public's perception of the concept of celebrity.
Whether it is a civilian idol from a talent show, or a current Internet celebrity, the fundamental reason for its popularity is that it fits the changing emotional needs of the public. The public is fed up with the unattainable, unattainable, flawless artificial stars produced by the celebrity industry, preferring the real, natural common man and following the girl and boy next door who can meet face-to-face.
Powerful "powder sucking" and commercial realization ability
Some scholars once said that stars are "powerless elites". Although they have no institutional power, their actions and lifestyles can attract huge attention because they represent "the experience and expectations of all members of the community". Is the "charismatic leader who can interpret the old and new values of the entire community". Although in the current fragmented society, the vast majority of Internet celebrities do not have the social and cultural influence that radiates the entire community, and only enjoy a reputation in a relatively small fan community, but these Internet celebrities have powerful The ability of "absorbing fans" and "solidifying fans" can directly rely on the number and purchasing power of fans to realize commercial realization. According to reports, the annual income of top game anchors has reached tens of millions of yuan, which is no less than that of popular entertainment stars.
Although the Internet celebrity economy, like the traditional star economy, uses the personal appeal of celebrities to gain higher visibility and recognition for products and brands, the two methods of attracting and mobilizing fans and consumers are significantly different. If Hollywood actresses are regarded as super idols and fashion benchmarks and are admired and imitated by female fans, the current fashion bloggers, beauty experts and e-commerce internet celebrities are good "girlfriends" as fan users. Share your professional knowledge and personal experience, and make suggestions for fans' makeup. This online celebrity economic model based on sharing, interaction, trust and community obviously has greater economic potential than the remote, indirect influence star economic model.
In addition to the changes in business models brought about by Internet thinking, there is also an important opportunity for the rise of the Internet celebrity economy, that is, the advertising and marketing industries are shifting from mass media to social media. The unprecedented emphasis on social media by enterprises and advertisers has provided a broad stage for influencers to engage in advertising endorsements, brand marketing and product sales, giving them the opportunity to convert the number of fans and personal influence into economic income. Influencer marketing is cheap, fast and efficient. For example, singer Xue Zhiqian, who has tens of millions of Weibo fans, has written and released a number of advertisements in the past six months. These advertisements combine various styles such as self-deprecating, funny, Tucao and Shanghai-style Mandarin, and most of them are read in 1800. Between 10,000 and 22 million, with a maximum of 43 million. In these Weibo, advertising is no longer a blunt product promotion, but a witty and hilarious story; advertising is no longer a disgusting one-way indoctrination, but a pleasant, no lack of after-sales. An interactive game for the modern reflexive mind. A tacit understanding has been reached between the publisher and the receiver, and they both treat Weibo marketing with a joking and ironic attitude, which instead makes this marketing method release unexpected energy.
The "Internet Celebrity" of Celebrities and the "Starization" of Internet Celebrities
It is worth noting that the boundaries between Internet celebrities and traditional stars are also gradually blurring. In recent years, stars cultivated by the celebrity industry have moved closer to Internet celebrities and actively used online tools to interact with fans. Some celebrities have even joined the online live broadcast platform as guest video anchors. Corresponding to the "Internet celebrity" of celebrities, it is the "starization" of Internet celebrities. Different from the clear "anti-celebrity" characteristics of the first generation of Internet celebrities, some popular Internet celebrities are becoming the reserve army of fourth-tier stars. They signed a contract with a brokerage company, received talent training and image packaging, and gained popularity through the Internet, with the ultimate goal of breaking into the entertainment industry. Whether they are traditional stars or internet celebrities, their economic value ultimately stems from the loyalty and purchasing power of fans. In the increasingly competitive celebrity market, the management of fan communities will play an increasingly important role. In the final analysis, the Internet celebrity economy is still a fan economy.
While the Internet celebrity phenomenon and the Internet celebrity economy are being touted, they are inevitably criticized and questioned. Investors worry about the short-lived popularity of Internet celebrities and doubt the sustainability of the Internet celebrity economy; social critics worry that the "three vulgar" ways of becoming famous will damage the mainstream values that "success can only be achieved by relying on talent and hard work"; the media reported that The fierce competition and "hidden rules" in the Internet celebrity arena points out that the process of Internet celebrity becoming famous is full of variables. In fact, the uncertainty of fame, the objectification of women and the periodic elimination of women are a status quo in “fashion culture” including internet celebrities. Perhaps, the phenomenon of Internet celebrities is not as novel as we think, it is just a variant of modern celebrity culture in the Internet age.
The existence of Internet celebrities shows that ordinary people not only have the opportunity to use the Internet to speak out, but also have the possibility to influence and change others. In this sense, "social media influencer" is perhaps a more accurate summary of influencers. There are two sides to the understanding of "social media influencer". Their appearance reflects the diversity and richness of society. In order to "sense of existence", they sometimes have overly kitsch and vulgar expressions, which may damage public order and good customs. And because of their great influence, strong ability to "absorbing powder", the destructiveness will be more obvious. For these, influencers and the public should stay awake.
Originally published on June 28, 2016, "People's Daily" Literature and Art Edition, reprinted with permission.