"Celebrity Inc"
This week's article was a bit less gripping than the previous readings, but offered an insightful look into the business tactics of celebrities nonetheless. More specifically, it was interesting to see how the premise of 'acting like jerks' in front of a camera can prove to be captivating enough to rake in millions of views.
The fact that reality tv star Snooki is able to make more than a Nobel Prize winner by speaking at a school is quite absurd, and shows just how effective their media manipulation tactics really are. It seems that there's just something about reality tv that really hooks in the average viewer; these types of stars play the role of 'everydayness' in that they simply live out their *extravagant* lifestyle rather than act out a script, but at the same time, rise to celebrity status given the amount of drama that is generated from their lifestyle.
The brand endorsement of reality tv stars was also quite noteworthy in that it differentiated them from the average celebrity during that time. Brands were wary of officially associating themselves with these stars, and resorted to secret endorsements to ride the popularity wave. The way that reality tv celebrities evolved over time is strikingly similar to how streamers are slowly rising to fame nowadays as well. Much like how brands slowly eased up to the notion of publicly endorsing reality tv stars, companies are becoming much more open to collaborating with Twitch streamers and sponsoring their videos to capitalize on the exposure. Streamers seem to be today's version of reality tv stars, not only providing a raw peek into their everyday lives, but also raking in cash from stream donations and under-the-table sponsorships. It will be very interesting to see how this sector plays out, and if streamers will ever reach the same level of 'celebrity' status as their big screen peers.