Teen Titan
"Teen Titan" was an eye-opening peek into the behind-the-scenes world of celebrities. Oftentimes, fans are easily blinded by what they perceive on the surface level; incredible talent, good looks, money, and the so-called 'power' of fame. It's easy to believe that a road to stardom is laid out for those blessed with beautiful faces or the innate ability to dance and sing at the same time, but I believe that Scooter really nailed the reality of the situation with his statement, "I'm a normal Joe. But, with a lot of effort, I've got a shot at being Bruce Wayne" (2).
"Effort" in this case denotes the extensive amount of work that goes into building and cultivating a celebrity that can not only break into the competitive entertainment industry, but in a way that sets the new standard for how stars should be. Of course, looks and talent are arguably some of the most important aspects of a celebrity, but star management and marketing are equally as crucial, if not more so, in determining whether or not an individual can make it big. After all, out of the 7 billion people worldwide, there's no shortage of good-looking, smart, and talented young people looking to become famous. What sets them apart is the puppeteer behind them, the figure that intricately plans their every move and composes the fan-star relationship.
It is very obvious that even as a teenager, Braun had the 'street smarts' to navigate the complex social world around him. During his time generating revenue with his fake ID business and throwing nightclub parties, Braun could have easily plateaued, sticking with the same nightclub and marketing towards the same audience. However, this is where Braun's superpower really shines through; rather than stick to the familiar route, he saw an opportunity to re-orient his business model by cutting off the middle-man that was holding him back. Instead of relying on the club itself to bring in partygoers, he associated the party with his own branding, so that he not only had a loyal fanbase of 'partyers', but also the ability to move freely among different clubs, capturing a variety of customers and increasing the diversity of his revenue streams.
It seems that Braun brings this same mindset when he oversees his musical artists. In an increasingly fast paced world, Braun is both versatile and intelligent enough to keep his moneymakers open to different windows of revenue. It's no longer just about the music; to really spread throughout the masses and bring in the big bucks, artists must also move into product sponsorships, movie roles, merchandising, and even tech. It is safe to say that Bieber probably wouldn't possess even half the money he has now without Braun's comprehensive planning.
It is even more impressive when we realize that the article was written in 2012. Nowadays, nearly every record label or management company has followed in Braun's footsteps. To reach a worldwide audience, managers no longer rely on traditional advertising methods, opting instead to host livestreams on Instagram, post clips on TikTok, or send MV teasers over Youtube. Product sponsorship has become so heavily ingrained in celebrity marketing that it is essentially a given that in order to make money, you cannot simply rely on just the music.
As we move into 2021, it has become increasingly noticeable that the next evolution of celebrity marketing won't be taking place in the US, but rather, blossoming in countries such as South Korea and China. South Korea's K-pop sector is currently at the front lines, adopting Braun's method's of success and multiplying it by a hundredfold. Take a peek into Youtube's trending top 10, and it is a guarantee that at least two Kpop MV's will be trending at that moment. Big name such as Blackpink and BTS easily rake in millions of views, and their star power is seemingly unprecedented (BTS member V once donned a sweater from a relatively unknown brand during a livestream, and within minutes, the entire stock sold out). The mentor-student relationship that Braun and Bieber exhibited is now one-upped with a teacher-classroom relationship, where celebrity trainees are housed, managed, and instructed by directors and executives to prepare them for the entertainment industry before they even debut. The puppeteers behind these artists, big companies such as SM, YG, and JYP now possess the power (not just influence), to transform the social media landscape, introducing new features in Korea-based messenger app Kakaotalk and creating new apps to streamline the concert ticketing experience.
As more and more youngsters strive to become famous (apparently the dream of becoming an influencer/celebrity has increased exponentially around the world), the methods of the puppeteers will continue to change as well. It will be very interesting to witness the upcoming transformations, and see whether or not Braun's methods continue to dominate the market.
Listening and Longing
"Listening and Longing" further emphasizes celebrity-making as a series of pre-calculated steps, rather than a product of pure luck. It's hard to say whether or not Ossian Dodge would have succeeded in breaking into the music industry without his spectacular bid, but it is most definitely safe to conclude that he would not have reached the same level of fame if he hadn't associated himself with Lind's branding. Nowadays, fame by association is one of many tactics utilized by those tantalized with dreams of a celebrity life. Upcoming Instagram influencers regularly tag and 'collab' with larger accounts to gain widespread exposure, small YouTube channels create content by 'reacting' to videos of larger channels in hopes of getting a shoutout, and newbie rappers strive to receive a "ft." in big-name solos. In extreme cases such as Dodge's, where there is virtually no established personal relationship between the two parties, association continues to remain an effective technique. There are countless Instagram influencers who experienced their spike to fame simply by tagging and commenting on other influencers' accounts, giving off the vibe that both parties are close in relation, but in reality, neither side has exchanged a single DM.
Lind's manager, Barnum, is also of great interest. Similar to Braun, Barnum is clever, versatile, and innovative, allowing him to transform the celebrity-media landscape and dictate how an audience-artist relationship should operate. In the end, celebrity-making is a business like any other, and managers must be able to adapt to new trends, as well as manipulate the masses to promote their products. Barnum's most impressive feat was introducing a new system of interaction between Lind and her fans; by involving the audience in different stages of her tour, he guaranteed a boom in popularity. Fans would not only be simply listening to Lind sing live, they could 'participate' in the process by engaging in "pre-show songwriting contests, ticket auctions, arrival parades, merchandising, and press coverage" (Cavicchi 33). In a sense, fans were no longer separated from the celebrity in an 'admire-from-afar' relationship, but pulled closer together through these interactive, personalized activities. Of course, 'participate' is put in quotations, because these fans aren't really that much closer to their idol than before. However, the increasing sense of closeness and participation are very real, and that's all that really matters.
Celebrity Timeline
