Zoella CSP Case Study

Language:
1)
Zoella (real name Zoe Sugg) is a YouTube Vlogger mainly focusing on both fashion and beauty as the topics for it which are in fact quite mainstream. She started out as a blogger which was about fashion, beauty and lifestyle tips. Zoella is famous because she is able to meet what her target audience (mostly female teens) want to see along with creating a desirable/relatable lifestyle. Zoella's YouTube channel currently has 11.5 million subscribers.

2)
Convergence is when 2 or more media forms meet in one for example, on Zoella's website you can buy her book, read her Twitter feed, see her Instagram photos & buy her beauty products.

3)
Zoella's YouTube videos are about a range of different things involving content like: life hacks; depression and anxiety; collaboration videos; hauls; tutorials; beauty, make-up and fashion; challenges; general lifestyle; Q&A.

Five Video Titles:
HUGE Summer Primark Haul
My Travel Anxiety Tips
The Questions I've Never Answered
Speech Jammer Challenge with Mark
How To: Quick & Easy Hair Styles

4)
The codes and conventions of vlogging videos involve: an introduction and personal nature which go straight to the point; looking at the camera in a close-up or medium close-up which makes it seem more intimate or like you're talking to a friend which is more informal; a home setting possibly in her loft-bedroom which her target audience may be able to relate to; costume and make-up in order to make her look more like her audience which emphasises her constructed persona; fixed camera and fast-paced jump cuts so it all looks like it's continuous; collaborations with other YouTubers which can act as intertextuality as both audiences will go to see the video; out-takes/mistakes which make her seem more human and normal rather than being in a completely different world, this also adds more comedy/humour to the video for the viewers as well; quirky background music which adds to the vibe of the video; text on screen; props; a question underpinning the post; a vlog name.

5)
Zoella uses much more informal language in her videos and almost speaks in a way that not only makes her seem childish but seemingly quite strange as well. Her make-up usually seems to make her eyes seem a bit larger which tends to be more associated with young children rather than with adults, especially of her age. She has also dyed her hair (to a colour not resembling her natural hair colour) which is arguably something more related to young people. Her costume also appears to be based on that of what young people wear being quite simple and comfy, mostly being short sleeved or long sleeved tees. The setting that she usually films in is usually just in her room/somewhere in her house but it always looks quite basic. This makes her seem more relatable to teenagers as it will seem to them as though the fact she is in such a location makes her more like them as they could also film in a similar location as well. You could say that this could encourage her young fans to make a video of their own as her whole concept almost suggests, 'you can do it too'.

Industries:
1)
Zoella makes money through: ad revenue which is mainly from the pre-roll adverts; her blog which also uses ads; product placement in which companies will pay her to showcase their product; her beauty range where she partnered with Superdrug; her novel 'Girl Online' also generated a large amount of money along with even being paid an advance; the vlog tours she does with other YouTubers also generate a large amount of income as well.

2)
A digital influencer is someone on the internet that almost advises and has an impact/effect on their viewers or followers. Zoella is considered as a digital influencer as she does advise viewers of products they should use because 'she's tried it herself'. Not only this but she also gives out recommendations, tips and tutorials where she expects her viewers to replicate her actions. Due to her publicity this is exactly the effect that she will get with her viewers imitating her style in order to seem more like her.

3)
The reason why companies want Zoella to place their various products in her videos is because previously on average Zoella would get about 22 million views a month which is a large number of people that will willingly want to use the product as well. The company will be able to expose their product to a larger audience as Zoella is/was seen as a role model to her audience and in doing so will buy it in order to replicate her actions.

4)
YouTube collaborations are so important for helping digital influencers like Zoella to grow because if both YouTubers do collab it is very likely that the subscribers for both channels will flock to watch the video they've created which will result in a much larger amount of views than she would usually get. More views means more money which can also help her to improve the content/quality of her videos along with increasing her fanbase.

5)
Zoella has moved into a more traditional media landscape in recent years by actually talking about things that reflect her age and target an audience like her. Prior to this she almost seemed to act and dress like a teenager which did give her access to a larger audience but not to one that actually corresponded to her age. Now she talks more about mental health issues and travelling along with challenges which is what we expect from her.

Audience:
1)
The target audience for Zoella's channel used to be teenagers but over the years as she has grown older her audience has grown with her making her audience more so young adults. Although Zoella's target audience did used to be teenagers she herself was not a teen, she was in fact still a young adult but almost created a fake persona that acted, dressed like and spoke like a teenager. This of course would make her feel more relatable to teenagers despite the fact that she was not one herself.

2)
Audiences are encouraged to participate/feel part of Zoella's brand by the use of her vlogs as she will often be using her products in tutorials so if her audience wants to achieve the exact same look as her they will use her brand. Additionally, she might make references to products in her brand that only people who own the product/s will understand.

3)
Zoella is an all rounder when it comes to audience pleasures in Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory. She is able to provide information through her tips, life-hacks, tutorials and advice in order to keep her audiences informed and aware of things that they may be experiencing along with acting as a guide. She also shows escapism as her vlogs are often just about her daily life in which teens can almost feel as if they are living her life rather than their own which may act as a from of relief for seem teens who may feel stressed as she also has quite a perky yet relaxed/laid-back tone. Entertainment is also displayed as her challenge videos are usually quite engaging and interesting to watch as the audience likely to want to know how it ends/who wins. There is also personal identity as teenagers who watch her videos may be able to relate to the lifestyle that was presented on her vlogs (even if that wasn't so true in real life) such as the Primark Hauls which is a place that teens are likely to shop at due to the affordable prices. Finally, personal relationships is also applicable as in her vlogs Zoella almost makes it seem as thought she is talking to a friend making it seem more personal especially as the audience is looking into her life as if they are there with her. This ought to have made the connection between them strong particularly as her audience has now grown up with her only making the bond stronger.

4)
Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory the preferred reading of Zoella is that she is acting as a role model for teenagers as she advises them and helps to make them feel as though they are not alone. She is able to strongly reach out to her audience and can encourage them to do beneficial things such as when she made her book which encouraged a lot of reading from teens.

The oppositional reading however is that the things that she herself is advising not to do is what she is practising herself. This was displayed when she spoke about social media really having a large impact how teens view themselves and yet she is encouraging her platform on social media which in turn will end up in her audience also going to social media to see her contact. Additionally, her whole image seems like a fake persona that she herself has created in order to attract the largest possible audience that use platforms like YouTube and Instagram - teens.

5)
Zoella has been criticised for many things due to her actions in previous years and even now one of which was for filming whilst she was driving in 2014. In 2017 she was also selling 12-door advent calendars which were being sold for £50 even though the contents could have been bought for about £20, due to this she was criticised for her calendars being both 'over-priced' and 'poor quality'. Also in 2017, some people looked through Zoella's old social media posts from 2009-2012 where she mocked gay people and 'chavs' she then issued an apology claiming she didn't mean to offend anyone. Generally, vloggers have also been under fire as they are now advertising products that may not even work or that they haven't even tried themselves just for the money that the brand for that product will give them which in turn only ends up misleading young people. Zoella has also been criticised for making looking feminine and pretty which makes her seem like a poor role model as she is almost pressuring young girls. Finally, she has been criticised for using a 'ghost writer' for her novel, 'Girl Online' which really drives away from her image as a role model to young people.

Representation:
1)
In my opinion, although Zoella has really encouraged women to know that they can be successful and has advised young girls I don't think that she is a positive role model for young women. Zoella has displayed blatant hypocrisy on multiple occasions as she says that young women shouldn't focus on their appearance and yet that is what her whole channel is based on. Additionally, Zoella has lied and cheated her audiences for example with her novel 'Girl Online' and her 12 door calendar. Some of the products used in her videos also seem as though they have only been advertised due to the company paying her which means that she is having  a negative influence as she is encouraging her young viewers to buy the products.

2)
The representations of women by Zoella are both positive and negative representation. A positive representation is that she has shown that women can make a business on their own from scratch without the help of a man enforcing independence and ability. In 2015 Zoella was named Most Inspirational Woman of the Decade also suggesting and empowering other women who need the success of another woman as a sort of support for their rise to success.  However, she also provides a negative representation as it could be argued that in order for her to have become successful she had to do something that was more focused on her appearance rather than her talents even being named the 34th Sexiest Woman in the world by FHM magazine.

3)
The representation of celebrity by Zoella has really changed from the traditional music or TV stars as she has shown that even by being a YouTube celebrity you can gain the same amount of publicity and maybe even more. She has made celebrities seem more down to earth and much more relatable to us which is almost more appealing to audiences now. Despite this, I still believe that self-made YouTube celebrities are on equal level (possibly less) in terms of both authenticity and positivity.

4)
I believe that the Zoe Sugg's whole character of Zoella is merely a fake depiction of herself in order to attract the target audience which uses the platforms that she put her content out on. Due to this, despite her age she makes herself look younger than she actually is along with speaking in a different manner that you would expect more from teens. This constructed persona does succeed in selling products but it does make us question who the real Zoe Sugg actually is and if we will ever see past this persona.

5)
It could completely be the case that Zoella turns back into Zoe Sugg once the camera turns off returning to her normal life. Her role as 'Zoella' almost seems like a job rather than her herself meaning that in reality she does act more like someone of her age rather than trying to be a teenager.