Fashion Futures Module by KitDickson

FASHION FUTURES AD6603 KIT DICKSON

CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

THE HISTORY OF THE INFLUENCER

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CELEBRITIES AND INFLUENCERS

THE KARDASHIAN EMPIRE

QUESTIONNAIRE

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

ABSTRACT In this discussion, the author uses a variety of different examples and analytic tests to discover whether or not the future of their practice, social media influence, is future-proof. The argument is in favour of influencer practice as a career, the author uses evidence to prove this point such as drawing on references and research points such as the history of influencers and examples where influencers have stood the test of time, such as the Kardashian empire. The author further backs up the argument in favour of their point by debunking attitudes against the validity of social media influence as a career option by using analogies and drawing comparisons between other career paths and existing successful influencers who have continued to grow and expand into different business ventures through social media. While addressing the concerns around the stability of the practice, the author identifies solutions in terms of the creation of business plans, diversifying brands and utilising platforms in order to execute and launch new business ventures, thus strengthening the validity of the practice of social media influence as a chosen career path.

INTRODUCTION As a social media influencer, my response to this question allows for a more diverse answer as there are so many different opportunities and pathways stemming from this industry sector. For example, the rapid growth in popularity in social media platforms such as TikTok in a small space of time rendering more old-school social media outlets such as Facebook and Tumblr fairly redundant, especially by the Gen Z consumer and Alpha Generation; shows us that the ‘stability’ of the future of social media content creation as a practice is uncertain. That being said I would like to explore the methodologies and theories one could harness to protect themselves against the majority of this uncertainty, resulting in a stable future-proof career plan. Like any successful business or company, there are or should be procedures in place in order to protect a company from the threat of failure. This type of risk assessment is necessary and should be appropriated for social media influencers also, to protect themselves against the uncertainty of the future. While the world has been reeling from a pandemic, climate change, wars and a plethora of disasters, social media has been on a non-stop growth spurt. The communication aspect allows us instant knowledge. In this case, it is hard to imagine that social media will ever go away, especially when you consider the pace at which we are advancing as a global society technologically. That being said, often times social media influencing is not considered a legitimate career, due to the attitudes of older generations. This makes sense as they have been raised without the influence of social media, however, for millennials, Gen Z and Alpha Generation, in particular, a life without social media seems unthinkable and influencing is a perfectly legitimate job. The language of modern technology allows consumers to communicate in a whole new way, through hashtags, newly developed internet slang, soundbites, trending topics and content. The accessibility of becoming a content creator is also something that should be addressed. Anyone can post anything, within loose guidelines set by social media platforms to protect viewers from discrimination and unsafe content etc. There is no interview process, no qualification required, and freedom of speech means that anyone can post content to their social media. That being said a career in influencing in most cases takes a degree of determination, consistency and a clear target audience.

However, does this accessibility mean that the future may give way to an over-saturated market sector creating a surplus of social media influencers in the industry? In order to further my knowledge and construct my argument as to why and how social media influencers will be able to survive and aim for a lifelong career in content creation, I need to first research the history of influencing. This is so that I can gain a clear understanding of what has already happened, thus giving me the ability to forecast what the future will look like for influencers.

THE HISTORY OF THE INFLUENCER: In order to begin my discussion, I felt it necessary to research the history of the influencer. Generally, people see the concept of influencers as being a new, modern concept; however, if we think of influencers as a form of celebrity due to their large cult followings to back this up, the concept seems to date back further. The first celebrities or influencers were typically royals. I would consider them influencers due to the fact that they were not only ‘in power’ in terms of laws and governments, but they also set the standard in terms of fashion and luxury trends. “One of the first widely acknowledged "influencer" collaborations dates back to 1760 when Wedgwood first made a tea set for the wife of King George III.” (Suciu, 2020) After supplying tea sets for royalty, Wedgewood branded themselves as having royal approval, which is something that has stuck with the brand to this day. using the royals as a marketing strategy to brand their products at a luxury market level, allowed Wedgewood to successfully maintain this position as a luxury brand. This shows the impact that an influencer collaboration can have. Realising that this influencer culture has dated back this far in history is something that allows us to legitimise the idea of social media influencing as a valid practice in terms of a career path.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CELEBRITIES AND INFLUENCERS According to the Oxford, languages dictionary, there are two definitions for the word “influencer (noun) 1. a person or thing that influences another. 2. a person with the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on social media.” (Oxford, n.d) Surely this recognition must mean that our society is moving toward accepting this as a stable career path. Due to the fact that this is a recent addition to the dictionary, we can assume that attitudes may not be completely won over yet. This is interesting when we consider the fact that celebrity culture has been around for centuries. Especially when we consider the number of celebrities that have adopted a social media influencer role or presence as a part of their career. TV personalities, Singers, Actors and other celebrity professionals usually come with some level of paid promotion, through brand deals, sponsorships or paid advertisements. For example, Beyonce’s $ 50 million deal with Pepsi.

Fig 1. (Pepsi, 2012) As shown in figure 1, the limited editions Pepsi cans emblazoned with her face is a promotional technique achieved by Pepsi to trigger a reaction from Beyonce’s fan base, to buy into the company, expanding their own consumer base. This technique is known as an influencer collaboration as Beyonce has sold her face and likeness to Pepsi for the purpose of this campaign, thus influencing her fans to buy into the Pepsi brand. This cross-over can again be seen more clearly in Figure 2. Often celebrities look to social media in order to connect with their fanbase and utilise different social media platforms as a tool for the promotion of their own brands and business ventures. This is more common in celebrities who have Gen Z and Millennial followings as it is these generations that are more present on social media.

Fig 2. (Jenner, 2022) This is an example of how TV personality, Kylie Jenner, not only uses her social media platform to influence her audience of 357 million followers; she also uses it to promote the launch of new collaborations and products from her cosmetics company. This is a great example of how an influencer can use their own platform to promote themselves, this makes sense as a business owner and as an influencer as there is no cost incurred either way. For example, the brand deal with Beyonce discussed in figure 1 cost Pepsi $ 50 million, whereas Kylie’s promotion of her own cosmetics line earned and cost her nothing. This is an approach that business owners or celebrities may take when they have a clearly established consumer base and large following as it is essentially free ad space. It is clear to see by comparing these two images, just how much advertisement has evolved over the past ten years. The promotional content on Jenner’s social media was the only

method of advertisement used for the launch of this particular collaboration, whereas the Pepsi campaign was featured on billboards, TV adverts and in a far more analogue setting compared to the digitalization of Jenner’s campaign. We can see that today’s consumer is heavily influenced by social media, especially in the fashion and beauty industries. Social Media has replaced the more analogue methods of brand communication it seems. Even in terms of semiotics, we can see the difference between the campaigns. Jenner pushes a more sexualised beauty standard with a colour palette that is clearly targeted toward a younger consumer, whereas the Pepsi campaign is more classic, featuring Beyonce’s face very much ingrained with their brand colours and identity. This showcases the change in what is acceptable in society. It is also important to note the engagement factor of Jenner’s Instagram advert. In the comments section, like and share options showcase the performance of the post and indicate how well it has been received. This type of analytic insight can be useful to a brand as it can act as an explanation between a sales forecast and an actual sales sheet. Whereas Pepsi relies solely on the hope that their campaign will be well received and have fewer data to back up why targets and forecasts were or weren’t met. This can make it harder for a brand or company to plan for future campaigns. In a questionnaire, 3/3 people answered “yes” to the question ‘Would you class influencers as celebrities? And what is the difference between the two?’ one answer went on to suggest that “influencers are often more relatable than celebrities… and are only known by the people who choose to follow their journey and once they get to the point where people who don’t choose to follow them no them, they’d be classed as a celebrity. While I appreciate this answer, I would also like to point out that not every traditional celebrity is a household name and surely, we all only know the celebrities that we are interested in or the people around us show interest in. some influencers have millions of followers and such loyal fanbases that one could argue they have more of a right to the title of a celebrity than a traditional celebrity such as a singer or an actor/actress with less of a following.

THE KARDASHIAN EMPIRE On the 14th of October 2007, the first-ever episode of Keeping Up with The Kardashians aired launching the Kardashian family into the spotlight. This was a time before social media was ingrained in society as a communication, business and marketing tool. Building exposure on a traditional linear TV show would allow the family to build a loyal fan base and audience through the format of reality TV.

Fig 3. (E!Network, 2007)

Prior to these celebrities had been inaccessible, something to aspire to, lust after or envy. When we look at the supermodel reign of the 90s, we can see that the shift from this type of celebrity to a more relatable public figure was welcomed. In the form of reality TV, we were able to gain an insight into the life of a family that had the perks of being relatable to viewers while also being out of reach in terms of their status, money and opportunities.

Fig 4. (i-D, n.d.) The image in figure 4 showcases Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, two of the 1990s most prominent and well-known supermodels. This type of untouchable status they held compared to the relatable family dynamic seen on the TV programme ‘Keeping Up with The Kardashians’ allowed for a deeper connection with their audience, thus developing a loyal consumer base. Speaking in English Speech, Kris Jenner expresses that the success of the family brand is due to the plethora of individual brands and companies founded by each family member; “Everybody has their own completely different demographic… Kim and Kylie for example are 17 years apart... that’s two different generations” (Jenner, 2020) meaning that there has been a huge overall reach giving the family access to a variety of different markets, audiences and demographics. This loyal fan base has been established by the TV audience associating and relating to one or more of the personalities on the show. Rather than trying to sell one personality, with the outcome being subjective to an audience’s taste; the Kardashian empire has been successful as it has communicated several different personalities meaning that there is a higher likelihood that an audience will relate to at least one of them if not more.

In addition to this, the family aspect creates a dynamic that many people can either relate to or enjoy. This is an example of successful communication and consumer engagement as it gives the consumer options of what they are buying. If there was a shop that catered to most tastes you would surely go, there rather than travelling to several different shops to find your desired product. In a discussion with English Speech about the transition of their branding from more analogue methods such as magazine print and television, to social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian West reveal the benefits of paid posts. Talking about starting with off-brand paid brand deals at the beginning of their careers, “we did everything that came to us, even if it was really off-brand… quick trim, (a dieting product) when our brand is being curvy” (Kardashian West, 2020). This honesty allows us to paint a picture of the reliability of influencers and whether they can be trusted with honest promotion. However, speaking from a business point of view, the main goal is income therefore, if we view influencers as a business or brand, then ‘selling out’ may be a way for them to make an income. That being said this attitude can work but it can also cause brand failure in some cases. Especially today, consumers are hyper-aware of the brands they invest in and influencers being exposed is something that is common on social media. This could be an example of why social media influence lacks a degree of stability as a career, as your career depends on the happiness of a consumer. However, this would also be like saying the same thing for every business owner and selfemployed person, which is not realistic. i think that the longevity of a career comes from the adaptability factors of the influencer. For example, Kim Kardashian has overcome many scandals from cultural appropriation to a leaked sex tape. This is why the Kardashian empire is a good example of how influencers can stand the test of time and actually grow and expand their businesses and brands. Looking at the Kardashian family brand now we can see that they fall into a more luxury niche, this is due to the ever-growing consumer base. The growth in audience resulted in more opportunities and therefore a higher income for the family. This means that today, they are as idealised and exclusive as Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss were in the 1990s, if not more so. In nearly 20 years, the Kardashian empire has grown to an unbelievable level, with a plethora of different business ventures to support the stability of their income. In the potential event of a downfall in influencers, those who have identified niches, and created separate business ventures in conjunction with their influencer careers will be the people who have a career that is future-proof and can evolve into different avenues and move with the times.

The Kardashian empire has taught us that adaptability is one of the most important aspects of the longevity of a career in influencing and as a public figure. To further back this point, in an article by The List, Kim Kardashian’s individual businesses were ranked from least to most successful. On the list were Kardashian’s ventures into fashion and beauty at the start of her career, including Dash Boutique and Kardashian Beauty, these examples did not achieve the same success as the later brands. It is clear to see the evolution of Kardashian’s business knowledge and expansion into other fields, for example, her venture into gaming saw the Kim Kardashian: Hollywood game gaining developer company Glu $ 8 million in a quarterly review. “According to Forbes, the game launched in 2014 and was downloaded over 40 million times in 2015, becoming its developer company Glu's biggest money-maker” (Kulkarni, 2021). it is important to note that the socio-economic factors of the Kardashian empire are what allow it to utilise social media as a method of branding, marketing and promotion. For example, the celebrity status of the Kardashian clan is showcased in their social media following with over 600 million combined followers across their Instagram accounts. This mass following means that the way they are viewed by society often dictates their audience and therefore their consumer. For example, we buy into a personality as an influencer, therefore if an influencer is no longer engaging or interesting to a consumer they will stop buying into them. An example of this would be just one of the many times the family have culturally appropriated in terms of wearing hairstyles, accessories and editing pictures to take an aspect of a culture without giving credit to said culture. Figure 5 showcases Kendall Jenner’s scandal of culturally appropriating cornrows, a hairstyle traditionally worn by POC, without giving credit or acknowledging the history of the hairstyle and why it may be sensitive for some groups.

Fig 5. (Instantly Modern, 2021)

people may argue that the responsibility of having such a big platform should mean that these ‘mistakes’ should not occur. Often the backlash of these incidents can ruin careers, however, when one member of the family steps into the ‘villain role’ or is the face of some sandal, there are a plethora of other family members to still support and engage with as a consumer. This makes the family hard to escape and cements their longevity and stability as a career path and part of the history of the influencer industry.

QUESTIONNAIRE In order to gain more knowledge on this topic, I conducted a questionnaire so that I could strengthen my argument and gain the perspective of a variety of different points of view that I may not have considered. Question 1) How likely are you to buy a product based on a social media influencer’s promotion of it? I asked this question as I thought it may help me to gain more background knowledge from the perspective of someone who maybe doesn’t think of influencing as a stable career choice. 3/3 people answered yes to this and explained that if a product looks nice or works well for someone else, they will feel more inclined to purchase it as they trust the influencer that they follow and have built a connection with. I would agree with these answers and state that many people underestimate the power of influencers. However, many consumers relate to influencers on such a personal level that they would almost consider them a friend. This level of trust in an influencer's recommendation is what leads us to buy into the products they are advertising or selling. Question 2) In your opinion, is social media influencing a valid career path? If yes/no, why? While all of the participants addressed that it was not the “usual” or “traditional” career path it was valid. However, one person stated that they were unsure of the stability and longevity of influencing as a career path. My response to these results is that as an outsider it may seem that influencers are a new thing, however, content creators have been at large for a long time. If we look at YouTube and Myspace as platforms, we can see creators such as Jeffree Starr and Zoella, who built brands off these platforms that gave them fame. I think that again adaptability and expansion into other business ventures outside of but in conjunction with social media platforms will help to stabilise and increase the longevity of a career in influencing. Question 3) In your opinion are influencers celebrities? And what is the difference between the two? This was the only question that had a mixed result, as illustrated by my pie charts. 2/3 of people stated that influencers are celebrities while 1/3 of people stated they are not. However, 3/3 of people stated that there is a difference between influencers and celebrities, however as I have explained previously, I think this is due to the conception of what an influencer is. as not every celebrity is a household name in the same way that not every influencer is.

CONCLUSION After analysing the history of influencers and exploring examples of longevity and careerbuilding such as the Kardashian empire. I am able to conclude my argument that the future of influencers is entirely dependent on the adaptability, versatility and business planning of the individual. While the future is uncertain and with global factors that are out of our control such as climate change, global warming, pandemics, wars and famines; it makes predictions about the future of our practices as designers, marketers and communicators hard, we can look at these examples to see that they have stood the test of time. The incorporation of business strategy into content creation has allowed self-employed social media influencers to harness different social media platforms to communicate and sell products to their consumers as well as participate in brand deals, paid advertising and sponsorships. This can open up influencers and brands to each other consumer base and result in maximum exposure for both parties. However, without the approach of a business strategy, the future of practice in social media influence is far more uncertain as it relies fully on your relatability and likeness to your consumer. This is a far riskier approach and in the face of a scandal or mistake, it could be the end of a career in influencer content creation. Changing trends could render your niche obsolete. Moving with the times and creating content that people want to see is the key to social media influence. This is why, in my opinion, the Kardashian empire has been so successful. The consumer has been able to grow with the family and therefore with the brand. Meaning that loyalty is at such a high level that the consumer will be far more likely to engage in business ventures and buy into products launched by them or associated with or recommended by them. Acknowledging this and providing a solution to this has allowed me to consider social media influence as stable a practice as any to stand the test of time.

REFERENCES Suciu, P. (2018). History Of Influencer Marketing Predates Social Media By Centuries – But Is There Enough Transparency In The 21st Century?. Forbes, a single page. Retrieved 10 July 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2020/12/07/history-of-influencermarketing-predates-social-media-by-centuries--but-is-there-enough-transparency-in-the-21stcentury/?sh=1b8eaa240d70. English Speech. (2020). KIM AND KRIS: The Kardashian Empire[Video]. Retrieved 10 July 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQjESgK96Pw. Kulkarni, R. (2021). All Of Kim Kardashian's Businesses Ranked By Success. The List, a single page. Retrieved 10 July 2022, from https://www.thelist.com/717798/all-of-kim-kardashians-businesses-ranked-bysuccess/.

IMAGE REFERENCES Fig 1. Pepsi. (2012). Beyonce, Pepsi can [Image]. Retrieved 10 July 2022,

from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2246260/Beyonc-inks-50m-endorsementdeal-Pepsi-lead-Super-Bowl-hotly-awaited-album.html. Fig 2. Jenner, K. (2022). Kylie Cosmetics Promotional Post [Image]. Retrieved 10 July 2022, from https://www.instagram.com/p/Ceh2V-iLeAN/. Fig 3. E!Network. (2007). Keeping Up With The Kardashian Opening credits [Image]. Retrieved 11 July 2022, from http://www.mtv.com/news/2507822/keeping-up-with-the-kardashians/. Fig 4. i-D. i-D THE US ISSUE 45 [Image]. Retrieved 11 July 2022, from https://totally--buggin.tumblr.com/image/148984454297. Fig 5. Instantly Modern. (2021). 40+ Kardashian-Jenner Family Controversies and Scandals We Forgot About [Image]. Retrieved 11 July 2022, from https://instantlymodern.com/trending/kardashian-jenner-controversies-fb/.

QUESTIONNAIRES

Question 1

yes

Question 2

yes

Question 3

yes