Monday, February 23, 2015

Celebrity Branding: Finding Yourself And Creating A Loyal Fan Base



This article about singer/songwriter, Josh Tillman, reminded me of the importance of transparency when creating a following.

Tillman took a while to figure out who he was. He struggled to discover what type of musician he wanted to be. He went from being a depressed songwriter in Seattle to a drummer in Fleet Foxes (link), to the self-proclaimed, "Father John Misty" today.

The article describes how he never really became famous when he didn't have a brand image. It is so true that artists need a brand image to really gain true fame. When I think of people who have really mastered this, the ones who first come to mind are Miley Cyrus, Beyonce and Lady Gaga.



I want to focus on Miley Cyrus because she gets so much criticism, but is actually so talented and has mastered the way to get a crowds attention. Part of her success comes from the fact that she is honest and transparent with her fans. Cyrus does not try to be something she is not. She successfully transformed from the immature Disney Star, Hannah Montana, to a sex icon and edgy trendsetter.

Cyrus does outrageous things that, at first, are criticized and hated by many, but later become a major statements in pop culture. For instance, her "Wrecking Ball" music video became an internet phenomenon, and even though people made fun of her for it, the video and song became extremely successful. Everyone on vine also loved it.

Stars like Miley Cyrus are in touch with their audience. They know who they want to come off as and who they want to be. Cyrus is always sure of what she wants and who she is. When watching interviews with her, it is clear how genuine and honest she is. So even though she does some pretty ridiculous things, she gains fans, fame and success because of her transparency. She is honest about her personal life, her social life and her professional life. Check out her interview on The Ellen Show where Miley opens up about her relationship and break-up with Liam Hemsworth.

As a consumer and avid trend follower, I notice the things I like about the celebrities I follow and admire. After reading the article about Josh Tillman, I hadn't realized how much of an affect transparency has. I think celebrities like Miley Cyrus and others have done a good job of being honest and loyal to create a fan base, while still having a private personal life and keeping things to herself.




1 comment:

  1. These are some really good points, but do you think transparency is the best thing? Do you think this outrageous behavior is acceptable? In my opinion, people of all ages are watching this content and are thinking that this is acceptable. Throughout media history, we've seen an evolution in how much is exposed on television. At some point, when is someone going to say "that is too much, we cannot show that"?

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