Branding

     Branding can be described as when a business or individual uses the internet as a medium for introducing and sharing a brand with the world for popularity. Online branding has become an important asset in our day and age as social media continues to expand into the workforce. Some people, count on their brand staying on trend for a living, including celebrities and YouTube vloggers for example. For the everyday person, while our lives don’t depend on our brand this doesn’t stop the tendency for us to think that way.

     Humphreys talks about in their book that social media is a form of identity work. We all put on multiple performances of personalities depending on which group we are with or what situation we are in. Social media takes on a new role of this identity work because we are now capable of editing and deleting posts online. While it is possible for us to edit ourselves based on our situations in real life, it’s hard to delete an interaction with someone without committing a felony. Branding applies to this because avid social media users will know that if something doesn’t fit into the aesthetic or their profile, then the post won’t be used. On Instagram this is especially notable; you can find accounts online in which someone’s posts all look alike. These people go through a tireless process of finding the best lighting, angle, captions, not to mention filters, to make sure that their aesthetic needs are being met. People feed on these aesthetics and trends to the point where the will feel obligated to post the silliest things. For example, most people think that it is complimentary to post on holiday’s that celebrate those dear to us because it makes us feel fulfilled in the role we play in that person’s life; but does national pizza day have the same effect.

     Post’s like these however can make or break some people. Celebrities are the trendsetters of our society. Whatever they like everyone else has to like as well to stay on top. A question I have for society is are we choosing trends to follow based on the people we hang out with or do we hang out with people because we share the same trend interest? In my opinion, this can go both ways. I myself am a huge theatre nerd, henceforth, I am going to chose to be friends with more theatre nerds because we share the passion for our art. But, with the confines of the theatre nerds, one can be pressured to like specific trends, like the newest Broadway show. So, does society chose to like celebrities brands because we like them or because our friends like them?

     People who use social media as a livelihood depend on trends to create content that people will enjoy as well as to promote their brand. For me the most accountable memory I experienced of this was the rebranding of one of my favorite vlogger (please do not hesitate to judge) Daniel Howell who was previously known as Danisnotonfire.  I was introduced to Danisnotonfire in my beginning years on middle school when vlogs were just becoming popular. I remember waiting with my best friend each week to see what the new Dan video was going to be. Most of these videos were just vlogs explaining bad and “cringe worthy” experiences Dan had gone through which in my middle school brain was premium content. Dan had built an army of subscribers this way and had created a brand for  himself. All of his followers had inside jokes that we all shared and enjoyed (let me remind you about the microwave for my fellow followers out there) as well as things we knew Dan for. Then in the year of 2017, Dan announced that he was be rebranding. This caused panic. We were all asking ourselves what would change? Would his vlog be worth watching anymore? I’m sure this was also equally as terrifying a question for Dan. He would be risking it all, but he explained that he wasn’t showing content that he enjoyed and felt like it didn’t represent him well anymore. He was growing as a person as well as an entrepreneur, by rebranding Dan was creating a new image for himself; a more sophisticated one. Luckily, with all the crazy changes, Dan grew in increasing popularity. He published a few books and just recently ended a second world tour. Situations like these can be so precarious for celebrities because if their likes or followers fluctuate even the slightest bit, they can be forgotten.

     Our society is an interesting one to say the least. We depends on the likes of others to make up our own identity which seems ironic. But, as long as trends and brands stay on trend our society will continue to worship them.