Which celebrity (non-athlete) has the strongest overall brand? What makes the brand so strong and what are some of the ways that the celebrity leverages her/his brand in the marketplace? Which celebrity’s brand needs to be revamped and why? What are some of the current problems with the brand? *Note: While you still need to use two of this week’s readings to support your answer, the celebrity you select does not need to be mentioned in those articles. I don’t want the readings to limit your responses. Limit: 15 responses
Talya Castonguay
ReplyDeleteWe are currently in a society that is more or less run by celebrities. Especially in recent years, with the rise of new platforms and more celebrities expanding into new markets, it is extremely prevalent today. With all of the different celebrities who originated in different industries and expanded into new ones, some have found extreme success, and others have not. Overall one of the celebrities that have created the best brand for themselves is Dolly Parton. While she is likely not one of the first people who might come to mind, she has been highly relevant in pop culture for decades, something many other current celebrities cannot yet say.
According to an article on TheStoryExchange, her net worth is over $500 million, and she has expanded from the music industry into opening several theme parks, starting up a scholarship foundation, and even donating to Covid-19 research (Helfand-Rogers). As one of the first women to build an overall brand as successful as hers, many other current celebrities took a page from Parton’s book.
Rihanna is a good example of this, as she has since moved from the music industry into the fashion and beauty world, with her makeup brand Fenty Beauty and her fashion line SavagexFenty. She has worked hard to promote inclusivity and confidence within her brand, most specifically relating to skin tone and body image (Berg). Parton has worked to promote confidence in women since beginning her career, through her music and all other business expenditures. She has been a leading woman in inspiring others to follow her lead, and her positivity and inclusivity are what have kept her brand relevant for all these years.
There are also celebrities on the other side of the spectrum, who have not done a very good job in promoting their brand. One of the most notable ones, especially most recently, is Kanye West. He has expanded from a music career into the fashion industry, with his brand Yeezy. Very recently he has been posting quite a lot on Instagram and Twitter following his recent divorce from Kim Kardashian, trying to attack her and accusing her of things. Because of this it has led to him being barred from performing at the Grammys this year because of his “concerning” behavior. An article from Variety stated that because of his online harassment of his ex-wife, as well as her new rumored boyfriend, Pete Davidson, the Grammys are worried that he might use his stage time to continue the harassment (Aswad).
Because of his actions, this has brought attention away from his music and fashion brand onto strictly himself. This can make it difficult for people to separate his person from his brand, which negatively impacts his music career as well as his Yeezy line. Overall, West does not have much more wiggle room left to be able to bring his brand back into a positive light, and it most certainly will take quite some time to fully rebuild it.
Works Cited
Aswad, Jem. “Kanye West Barred from Performing at Grammys Due to 'Concerning Online Behavior,' Rep Confirms.” Variety, Variety, 21 Mar. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kanye-west-grammys-concerning-online-behavior-1235209759/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Berg, Madeline. “Fenty's Fortune: Rihanna Is Now Officially a Billionaire.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 6 Aug. 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2021/08/04/fentys-fortune-rihanna-is-now-officially-a-billionaire/?sh=7f3d66ea7c96.
Helfand-Rogers, Candice. “The 1 Thing That's Helped Dolly Parton Stay on Top.” The Story Exchange, 28 Apr. 2021, https://thestoryexchange.org/dolly-parton-built-ultimate-personal-brand-thanks-confidence/ .
Jordon Bennett Part 1
ReplyDeleteCelebrities come from all industries. Celebrities first find their superstardom in their field, whether it’s music, Hollywood etc. Successful celebrities have been able to use their star power to create their own brand and expand on their wealth, the most successful being basketballer Michael Jordan with Nike. For non athletic celebrities they need to be smarter with their brands as athletes can just go off athletic brands. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many celebrities had to focus on new projects, and countless decided to focus on branding. Dwayne Johnson with his new baby product company, Scarlett Johansson planning a beauty line, and Jennifer Aniston dropping her first product in the new LolaVie hair line. (Pener) Branding can become a great asset for a celebrity, but can also harm a celebrity if things go wrong.
Selena Gomez is one like many big time celebrities to come from Disney to mega stardom. Gomez’s brand is unlike any others. For one, her social media presence is massive, having over 300 million followers on Instagram. Gomez has starred in TV shows and movies, has recorded hit songs and albums, with her 2020 album ‘Rare’ marking her third number one album on the Billboard 200 chart. She has toured all over the world, making tens of millions of dollars. Also in 2020, Gomez started her own beauty brand called ‘Rare Beauty’ which has an exclusive deal with Sephora. (Gomez) Selena Gomez has also launched her own mental health platform called Wondermind with her mother. It offers supportive content around mental health and is free to use, with the hope of starting a podcast in the near future. (Gomez) Gomez also states that 1% of all Rare Beauty sales go towards mental health. Not only is Selena Gomez been very successful and she’s only 30 year’s old. Her beauty brand is set to sky rocket her already large net worth. Selena Gomez’s brand is so strong because she offers great content and products, as well as doing great things for communities with her mental health campaign.
Jordon Bennett Part 2
ReplyDeleteWith celebrities always in the shining light, questionable choices and behavior can ultimately hurt ones brand. Most recently, Kanye West’s brand has taken a hit because of his online behavior towards Kim Kardashian and her new boyfriend, Pete Davidson. West has been barred from performing at the Grammys due to his “concerning online behavior”. (Aswad) This could be a disaster for West as his rap career and fashion line, Yeezy could take major hits in sponsorships and sales. People don’t want to associate themselves with brands that have a negative look online. The Grammys were concerned West being on stage could continue the harassment on the couple. (Aswad) West needs to figure out his behavior online because it has already affected his music career, being barred from performing, and could lead to record companies wanting to stay away. It could also damage his fashion line as many of his top celebrity ambassadors are members of the Kardashian family. Having a negative look online will keep people away from their products, and with Yeezy season 4 about to be released, West needs to change his brand before it’s too late.
Aswad, Jem. “Kanye West Barred from Performing at Grammys Due to 'Concerning Online Behavior,' Rep Confirms.” Variety, Variety, 21 Mar. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kanye-west-grammys-concerning-online-behavior-1235209759/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7
Gomez, Jasmine. “Selena Gomez's Net Worth Is Larger than You Ever Imagined.” Seventeen, Seventeen, 9 Mar. 2022, https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/music/a27532603/selena-gomez-net-worth/.
Degen Pener, Editor. “Jennifer Lopez to Dwayne Johnson: Hollywood's next Billion-Dollar-Brand Builders.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Nov. 2021, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/style/whos-heading-the-next-billion-dollar-brands-top-10-hollywood-entrepreneurs-1235036752/.
Derek Goldrick
ReplyDeleteA celebrity (non-athlete) that has been a forefront in the evolution of showbiz and public influence is Kanye West and the brand he has created over the last two decades. As stated in the Forbes article, “The Highest Paid Entertainers in 2022”, Kanye West is included in the top five on the short list for highest paid entertainers with a reported income of $235 million (Voytko). Alongside him is Jay Z who is well known in West’s rise to stardom when he was the first entertainer to include West and give him the credit for the major impact he had on the album ‘The Blueprint’. West began his stride into the music industry in the late 90’s early 00’s selling beats to other artists at low rates because of his unknown name. Today, West has created the empire and brand of what the public knows as ‘Ye’ selling over 140 million records worldwide. His brand did not just stop at music and even spread into the world of fashion and creativity. West has created a brand of clothing that both sells to A-list celebrities all the way down to everyday working class individuals who are willing to spend a pretty penny on it. Even with high ticket prices for the items being sold by the brand ‘Yeezy’ the influence West has over the public is something the industry has never seen. This is what makes Kanye West’s brand so strong, his connection and understanding of modern fashion trends. Kanye West is known for his creative mind and creating items that are so different from everything else that is seen in high fashion. Because of his uniqueness, it appeals to a niche market that has created an avalanche of influence. This avalanche was created by the impact of other influencers and their willingness to flash the brands they wear such as the notable Kim Kardashian. Kim Kardashian is reported to be the tenth most followed celebrity with 319 million followers on instagram by Omri Wallach in the article, “The World’s Top Influencers Across Social Media Platforms” (Wallach). Kanye West knows how to market his products with a specific example of teasing his upcoming line not long ago. While many people did not realize the meaning behind it at the time, West had his now ex wife who is the most photographed women in the world go in public to show the new releases before it was ever announced. This goes to show the understanding West has of the modern fashion industry and utilizing free publicity in a way that will reach his target market (Hlavinka).
Derek Goldrick
DeleteIn comparison to Kanye West and his influential brand, Travis Scott is an example of a celebrity who is in need of a brand revamp. Within the last year, the AstroWorld brand created by Scott himself has seen turmoil following the devastating effects left behind from the recent Astroworld festival in 2021. During this festival, eight people tragically lost their lives with the youngest victim being 14-years-old. This tragedy resulted from uncontrollable crowds and mosh pits that were alerted to both staff and Travis Scott himself yet no actions were taken to contain the frenzy. The response from Scott has earned a drop in approval from fans and the public. Because of modern times, information is passed along so freely on social media platforms. A large social media that played part in spreading the news of the devastating AstroWorld festival is TikTok. TikTok shares, “a detailed taste of life…offering updates on breakups, triumphs and failures' ' (Pisani). In the case of the Travs Scott incident, the failures of his misdoing and his actions spread like wildfire and reached the phones of almost every TikTok user. The issue of mosh pits and uncontrolled crowds were nothing new during Scotts concerts and are to be expected yet only a reactive action was taken by Scott and his team. Because of the tragedy, Scott is facing the risk of losing million dollar brand endorsements from Nike and Mcdonalds. On top of the possible brand losses, Scott is facing multiple lawsuits which can equate to tens of millions. Future shows are being canceled which continues to add to the losses Scott is facing. Major festivals such as Coachella, are being asked to ban the inclusion of Scott in their line-up. A consultant is on record stating that Scott is too much of a risk to include in any upcoming festivals because of the liabilities he brings to these events. Travis Scott has to create an understanding of the power the public has and the need to protect his loyalties with both his fan base and highly known companies (Adejobi).
Derek Goldrick
DeleteWorks Cited
Voytko, Lisette. “The Highest-Paid Entertainers 2022.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 6 Mar. 2022, https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2022/02/09/the-highest-paid-entertainers-2022/?sh=56d10b71331a.
Wallach, Omri. “The World's Top 50 Influencers across Social Media Platforms.” Visual Capitalist, 17 May 2021, https://www.visualcapitalist.com/worlds-top-50-influencers-across-social-media-platforms/.
Pisani, Joseph, and Theo Francis. “These TikTok Stars Made More Money than Many of America's Top CEOS.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.wsj.com/articles/these-tiktok-stars-made-more-money-than-many-of-americas-top-ceos-11642078170?utm_id=46862&sfmc_id=4782528.
Hlavinka, Elizabeth. “How Kanye West Really Became Famous.” Grunge.com, Grunge, 7 Mar. 2022, https://www.grunge.com/790586/how-kanye-west-really-became-famous/.
Adejobi, Alicia. “Can Travis Scott's Reputation Ever Recover from Astroworld Tragedy?” Metro, Metro.co.uk, 9 Nov. 2021, https://metro.co.uk/2021/11/09/can-travis-scotts-reputation-ever-recover-from-astroworld-tragedy-15571588/.
Sydney Lunder 1
ReplyDeleteThere are many celebrities that have terrible reputations. Even beloved celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, and Jennifer Lopez have received criticism and have been labeled “bad people” by the public eye. Due to the rise of cancel culture, it is extremely difficult for stars to escape slip-ups they have made. Regardless of how long ago it happened, social media users have become ruthless and are very reluctant to give anyone a pass. A recent example of this can be seen in Vanessa Hudgens. Up until her drunk comment on Instagram live, she had a very positive reputation. Celebrities such as Chris Brown, Ellen DeGeneres, and Donald Trump are all examples of stars who would benefit from addressing their mistakes and revamping their brand. They have all made mistakes and have been ridiculed and called out and have put in little effort to fix how the public sees them. Which makes their reputation even worse because the viewers assume that they do not care or are not sorry. As seen in the statistics from “20 of the Top Trending Celebrities on Social Media in 2021” from shareablee.com trending celebrities are not always trending for positive reasons. Many of the celebrities on this list such as Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Meghan Markle, and Lil Nas X were trending because they were being ridiculed for things they did that social media consumers viewed as funny, cringe, embarrassing, or problematic. Given the current climate of social media, it is becoming more and more rare.
Sydney Lunder 2
ReplyDeleteBut there are some celebrities that stand out and have created a strong brand for themselves. An example of this in my opinion is Selena Gomez. As mentioned in an article from thethings.com titled “How Selena Gomez's Brand, Rare Beauty, Has Taken Over The Beauty Industry” the recent success Selena Gomez has achieved is a result of her beauty brand. The article praises her by stating “Selena Gomez created Rare Beauty with intention to have every person who uses the brand, to feel comfortable and beautiful in their own skin. The brand has been dedicated to having a positive and uplifting message to it's consumers since its 2020 launch. Rarebeauty.com has its message posted on their "About Us" page, detailing Rare Beauty is breaking unrealistic standards of perfection." The brand's mission is to have products that make each person love who they are and not want to aspire to be anyone else but themselves (Costabile, 2021)”. The article also praises the brand for its accessible packaging, and the dedication to creating an impact. The brand created a fund titled “The Rare Impact Brand” fund and donates 1% of every purchase to mental health-related resources and charities. Similar to Rihanna, Gomez has made this brand the center of HER brand and it has worked in her favor. As mentioned in the article “Fenty’s Fortune: Rihanna Is Now Officially A Billionaire” from Forbes.com Rihanna has created an extremely successful makeup line. And this brand has helped her reputation. The creation of inclusive makeup lines was a successful marketing strategy for both Selena Gomez and Rihanna. It has kept their name in the public eye without causing controversy or creating a fixation on their personal lives. Selena Gomez stands behind the values of her brand, and people associate her with these values. Rare Beauty has been successful at not only selling makeup, but selling Selena Gomez. When you think of Selena Gomez you think of inclusion, acceptance, and a mental health advocate. Which is why I believe Selena Gomez is a prime example of a celebrity with good branding, AND a good brand (Rare Beauty).
Works Cited:
Busick, Madison. “20 Of the Top Trending Celebrities on Social Media in 2021.” Shareablee, Shareablee, 29 Dec. 2021, https://www.shareablee.com/blog/20-of-the-top-trending-celebrities-on-social-media-in-2021.
Berg, Madeline. “Fenty's Fortune: Rihanna Is Now Officially a Billionaire.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 6 Aug. 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2021/08/04/fentys-fortune-rihanna-is-now-officially-a-billionaire/?sh=3561bad07c96.
Costabile, Monique, and Monique Costabile (27 Articles Published) . “How Selena Gomez's Brand, Rare Beauty, Has Taken over the Beauty Industry.” TheThings, 3 July 2021, https://www.thethings.com/how-selena-gomezs-brand-rare-beauty-has-taken-over-the-beauty-industry/.
Shannon Flaherty
ReplyDeleteKylie Jenner has the strongest overall brand. When asked this question, immediately I thought of the Kardashian’s, which is silly because as my dad says “they’re famous for being famous” but it’s true. The Kardashian’s are so dang good at what they do, even though I’m sure most of that is under the ropes of Momager Kris Jenner. Back to Kylie, her brand is her lips and she capitalized on that in such a pivotal moment in the makeup industry. The brand is so strong because she is her lips (which she used to claim were au-natural) when you think of Kylie Jenner, you think of her lips and the challenge that accompanied teens trying to replicate them. The brand is so strong because of also the way she ties in the familial nature of the Kardashian’s in the titles of the products. For instance, there is a “Ko Ko” shade of lipstick that is for Khloe. She recognizes she got her fame start up from her family and her sisters, so with these titles and colors she uses it to her advantage to help herself grow. Kylie Cosmetics started with just the lip kits, and now has gone into all factors of beauty and branched off into Kylie Skin as well. Kylie Cosmetics is now an “Ulta-sold brand featur[ing] complexion products like concealer and powder and pops of color for the eyes and the cheeks” (Kasparian). Kylie ranked top 2 for the world’s highest paid celebrities in 2020, alongside her ex-brother-in-law, Kanye West. “The top earning celebrities were Kylie Jenner and Kanye West, who brought in $590 million and $170 million, respectively…Jenner’s payday came from selling a 51% stake in her cosmetics firm to Coty in January.
Flaherty 2
DeleteWhile she had exaggerated over the years about the size of her business, the money she pulled in from the deal was real--enough to rank as one of the biggest celebrity cashouts of all time” (“The). The only people who almost came close to these numbers were athletes, but even then still coming in under $110 million. Kylie also started a cosmetic company in the wake of the social media age and she is using that to the fullest advantage. While Kylie Cosmetics has it’s own Instagram adorn with 22.6m followers, Kylie Jenner still plugs her brand on her personal account with 322m followers. “Rival MAC cosmetics, for example, has 23.2m followers” (Hillier) and MAC has been an Estee-Lauder brand since the late 1990s and already Kylie Cosmetics is just shy of follower count. The celebrity brand that needs a revamp is CALIA apparel by Carrie Underwood. I always see it in Dick’s Sporting Goods and just nothing about it sticks out. The athletics clothing market is oversaturated already and when you’re up against Adidas and Nike just in the aisle alone in that store, I find myself reaching for the brands I trust without the funky weird patterns that CALIA has.
“The Celebrity 100: The World's Highest-Paid Celebrities 2020.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, https://www.forbes.com/celebrities/.
Hillier, Lizzy. “Behind Kylie Jenner's Success in a Saturated Cosmetics Industry.” Econsultancy, 19 July 2020, https://econsultancy.com/behind-kylie-jenner-s-success-in-a-saturated-cosmetics-industry/.
Kasparian, Jessica. “16 Celebrity-Owned Beauty Brands to Try in 2022.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Feb. 2022, https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/reviewed/2022/02/10/celebrity-owned-beauty-brands-2022/6740766001/.
Part 1
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of celebrity’s out there with strong brands, but one that stands out is Lil Nas X’s brand. For starters, it should be mentioned that the rapper is 22 years old and has only been active since 2018, and got his big break in 2019 with the release of “Old Town Road”. (Wikipedia). This is important because despite being so young and only been known for a few years, his brand image is extremely strong. For starters, Lil Nas X likes to joke around and makes comedic posts, sometimes even making fun at himself. He also uses humor to address controversy, using the controversy to his advantage. For example, when there was backlash from his “Satan Shoe” release because it featured satanic symbols like the pentagram, an upside down cross, and a drop of real human blood, he posted a video with the title “Lil Nas X Apologizes for Satan Shoe”. The video starts like a normal apology video, but quickly cuts to the clip in his music video for “Mentero (Call Me By Your Name)” where he’s seducing the devil. (Rinder). A large portion of the backlash came from prominent Christian and conservative figures, who also didn’t like his music video “Mentero (Call Me By Your Name)” because of the clip just mentioned, so Lil Nas X addressed both of these controversies with humor and making it clear he is unapologetically himself. Lil Nas X also used the “Satan Shoe” controversy (and the lawsuit that followed) as a backdrop for his music video “Industry Baby”. (Rinder). By poking fun and not ignoring the controversy he faces, rather incorporating it into his work, Lil Nas X makes it clear that he’s not going to back down from who he is.
Now obviously controversy should be avoided when it comes to keeping a good brand image, but because of how Lil Nas X goes about it, it makes his brand stronger. Another important thing to keep in mind is that Lil Nas X is one of only a handful queer black A-list artists in the music industy, and his music and content reflects that identity. Naturally, Christians and conservatives tend to backlash against anything that has a queer conotation to it, and try to suppress it. (Rinder). By Lil Nas X clearly not backing down from those that are trying to suppress his content, he sends a clear message, he won’t let them oppress him. He even uses tactics to trick these oppresses. When marketing his album “Montero”, he posted signs with the phrases “Do you hate Lil Nas X? You may be entitled to financial compensation” and “Do you miss the real America? Visit welcometomontero.com to see how we can take our country back!”, and these signs contained the URLs to welcometomontero.com, taking you to the site to download his album. This tricked his haters into actually clicking the link, with his fans being in on the joke. (Bayley).
Part 2
DeleteOf course, controversy is still something to avoid, and at least in Lil Nas X’s case, it's not like he did something terrible, unlike Travis Scott, whose brand needs a complete revamp. The tragedy at Astroworld tarnished his brand, especially with the way he handled the tragedy. Scott didn’t make a statement about the tragedy until late the following day which rubbed people the wrong way. Despite saying in the statement he was devastated about the incident, many people felt this was insincere because, for one, he waited too long to say anything, he didn’t stop the concert and kept performing when an emergency vehicle pulled up, and threw a party with artist Drake right after the tragedy. (Ryder). Not only that, but Scott is in several lawsuits accusing him of knowing about the risks of the audience layout, and didn’t take proper precautions to prevent these risks from happening. (Ryder). Coming across as insincere about what happens to his fans, not caring about their safety, and being negligent, is terrible for a brand image, and him doing the least and not doing much to turn this image around is not helping either.
Cites:
“Lil Nas X.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Mar. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lil_Nas_X.
Rindner, Grant. “How Lil Nas X Mastered the Modern Art of Attention.” GQ, 17 Sept. 2021, https://www.gq.com/story/lil-nas-x-montero-rollout.
Bayley, Lauryn. “How Marketing Genius Lil Nas X Creatively Uses Social Media, Controversy to Build His Career.” The Daily Targum, 24 Sept. 2021, https://dailytargum.com/article/2021/09/how-marketing-genius-lil-nas-x-creatively-uses-social-media-controversy-to.
Ryder, Taryn. “How Will Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner's Brands Be Impacted by Astroworld Tragedy? Experts Weigh in.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, 24 Nov. 2021, https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/travis-scott-kylie-jenner-astroworld-concert-160645611.html.
Sarah Lefkowitz
ReplyDeleteI think one celebrity with a very strong overall brand is Lady Gaga. Her entire career has been built around the idea that kindness to others and oneself is the most important thing. She has been huge on “being different,” since the start of her career. A Forbes article from 2011 said, “Numbers don't lie, but it's the incalculable combined value of her personal brand, passion and purpose that allows her to sustain her popularity” (Martin). In 2011, Gaga was only two albums into her career and she was already being praised for her brand. She has been inspiring fans, especially LGBT+ fans to be themselves for years. Her lyrics and videos don’t just show this, she represents this brand in her philanthropy as well. Gaga and her mother started the Born This Way Foundation in 2012. It is a non-profit seeking to priortize kindness and assist young people with their mental health and wellness. This stays so true to her brand, because she has been inspiring youth for years. This is just one way she leverages her brand in the marketplace. Another is with her makeup and beauty line, Haus Labs. Typically, makeup is only marketed towards females, but in her mission to be inclusive and open, the marketing of Haus Labs is for everyone. This is huge because even though a ton of celebrities have their own brand, not all of them strive to be as open-minded and accepting as Lady Gaga.
Lefkowitz Part 2
ReplyDeleteNot all celebrities have strong brands, however. Travis Scott is one celebrity who’s brand is very much in trouble. Before the Astroworld incident, Travis was pretty well-liked. Despite having a tough reputation for chaos, people still liked Travis and happily attended his shows. However, after the legal and PR nightmare of the Astroworld incident, Travis is going to have a very hard time fixing his brand. "Many brands will view Travis like the plague, potentially facing his entrepreneurial explosion. Travis's legal liability is nothing compared to the severe financial pain and suffering he may undergo with brand deals napalmed before his eyes” (Ryder). Brands such as Nike and W Magazine don’t want to work with Travis anymore. His entire music career has been thrown away by this one lethal night. Travis’s problem is that his brand really can’t be fixed after this. Companies don’t want to work with him, and the odds of him booking a tour in the future are probably low. If people don’t want to listen to Travis, and companies don’t want to give Travis exposure, his brand is going to stay hurting. Kanye West is really interesting to look at in comparison to Travis Scott. Kanye has a horrible public image and reputation, yet it seems no matter what he does, he can’t be stopped. “West’s public appearances are rarely without controversy, often negative, and there’s no reason to expect that a performance at the 2022 Grammy Awards would be any exception” (Aswad). The Grammys stopped Kanye from coming, yet his brand only went up here. Getting barred from the Grammys is just such a Kanye thing to do. Around the time of this controversy, Kanye was promoting his album, Donda 2, and still sold out stadiums across the country. While Travis is going to have a really tough time even getting seats to fill, Kanye tickets were going for thousands, despite all of his buzz in the media lately.
Aswad, Jem. “Kanye West Barred from Performing at Grammys Due to 'Concerning Online Behavior,' Rep Confirms.” Variety, Variety, 21 Mar. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kanye-west-grammys-concerning-online-behavior-1235209759/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Martin, Judy. “Lady Gaga and the Power of the Feminine Brand.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 9 Aug. 2011, https://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2011/05/19/lady-gaga-power-feminine-brand/?sh=153dd4475930.
Ryder, Taryn. “How Will Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner's Brands Be Impacted by Astroworld Tragedy? Experts Weigh in.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, 2021, https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/travis-scott-kylie-jenner-astroworld-concert-160645611.html.
There are so many celebrities with such strong brands such as Rhianna, Kim K, Kylie Jenner, and others. A celebrity brand that I believe stands out the most and a personal favorite of mine is Kanye West. What makes Kanye’s brand so strong is his overall personality and the ability to market himself. Kanye’s brand thrives on exclusivity because the price is not easy on the pockets. He collaborated with Adidas and Nike for his Yeezy sneakers and slides. His matching fashion line has also catapulted him further into being an icon in fashion and not just a musical genius (Global Brands Magazine). Kanye is quite the character and I believe that is his biggest strength that separates him from other celebrities’ brands, as well as leverages his brand. Regarding his personality Kanye was barred from performing at the Grammy Awards due to his “concerning online behavior (Aswad 2022). To some, this is why Kanye is so entertaining because he does outlandish things that attract people to what he is all about.
ReplyDeleteKanye is also listed at #5 on Forbes Highest paid entertainers of 2022. Kanye is reportedly worth $235 million, as he earns most of his money from a multi-year deal to design Yeezy sneakers for Adidas. His first Yeezys designed for the Gap, a hoodie and jacket arrived last year, quickly selling out. But the 52-year-old brand wants more and is reportedly frustrated by the slow rollout (Voytko 2022). Kanye’s clothing brand even sells to A-list celebrities aside from normal people like you and I. Kanye has a very outgoing personality and he uses that to his strength along with his very creative and sometimes crazy headspace, but developing a good brand requires you to really stand out amongst others and Kanye perfectly does that. Along with his brand, Kanye is a long-time known rapper which also helps make his brand successful to people who just love his music and want to support him in any possible way.
A celebrity’s brand that needs to be revamped is Travis Scott, mainly due to the Astroworld festival. Eight people lost their lives due from uncontrollable crowds and mosh pits but Travis Scott nor did anyone else take action to control them. Scott’s response and reaction to this tragedy on social media did not seem genuine at all which made him lose a lot of supporters and fans. This also effected Scott’s career in a very negative way as Scott is in danger of losing million-dollar brand endorsements from Nike as well as multiple lawsuits. He is also losing opportunities of being in major shows such as Coachella along with many of his concerts being canceled.
DeleteWorks Cited
Voytko, L. (2022, March 6). The highest-paid entertainers 2022. Forbes. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2022/02/09/the-highest-paid-entertainers-2022/?sh=7819ae0d331a
Aswad, J. (2022, March 21). Kanye West barred from performing at Grammys due to 'concerning online behavior,' rep confirms. Variety. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kanye-west-grammys-concerning-online-behavior-1235209759/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7
*, N. (2021, October 29). The 10 most successful celebrity brands on the market. Global Brands Magazine. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.globalbrandsmagazine.com/the-10-most-successful-celebrity-brands-on-the-market/
Benjamin Upson
ReplyDeleteIn today’s society, we see celebrities are taking over our lives, especially through their prevalent uses of social media that we interact with on a regular basis. Some of these figures hold themselves to higher standards for the better while others have struggled to find any length of traction or success in their specific industry. There is an easier path for athletes, who already have a brand to work with right away. As for non-athletes, mostly film and television stars, it takes a bit of extra work in order to build up their own personal brands and to become a role model for today’s society in going the extra mile to give back to the community.
Kristen Bell represents a good example of a strong personal brand that she has built to define her career outside of films and television. Degen Peter of The Hollywood Reporter discusses the variety of business operations that Bell has ventured into, “which include This Saves Lives snack bars and Happy Dance CBD body products. They’re affordable, responsibly sourced and made, and give back to causes” (Peger). Much like some other celebrities decide to dive into, she is committed to personal health and self-care, which makes her brand so strong. She is also very active overall with multiple projects in the works, showing that Bell is passionate about being involved in the business industry.
Bell is also launching another project that is based more toward her on-screen career, Dunshire Productions. Matt Grobar of Deadline reveals that this company is going to be Los Angeles-based, “focused on producing creative advertising content and campaigns for brands, including traditional TV spots and short-form digital content, and will also have an entertainment content arm to develop, produce, and create various entertainment projects” (Grobar). This further gives her leverage because she is not only crossing with personal health and self-care brands, but also opening the door for further on-screen opportunities.
Sometimes, there are celebrities that let their egos go straight to their head. There isn’t more of a perfect example than Kanye West. Recently, he has been tarnishing his brand with some questionable public behavior that continues to puzzle his fans and other followers of the music industry. This coincides with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, who West is personally jabbing at on social media post-divorce. She is now involved in a relationship with Saturday Night Live’s Pete Davidson, which has caused even more tension on social media between Pete and Kanye. Due to this recent online behavior, West has now been banned from performing at the Grammy Awards. Jem Aswad of Variety confirmed that the decision was made, “because of concerns over possible interactions between West and Grammy host Trevor Noah; West used a slur against Noah in an Instagram post regarding comments the “Daily Show” host made regarding his split with Kardashian” (Aswad). Kanye was banned from Instagram for a 24-hour period following this. It is a major problem for his overall image because he is clearly not willing to move on, drawing the attention all on himself.
DeleteKanye is entering a troublesome phase of his career. Although he has been around for years and has captivated many audiences with his powerful musicality, there is no guarantee that he will fully overcome these mistakes and directly confront them. His ego is stepping in front of his own personal brand, which in turn can and will negatively impact his fanbase and public image going forward. He is a loose cannon for opinions, which he has to address so he doesn’t continue down a road of controversy. Time is ticking since the industry moves at such a rapid pace. It’s strictly Kanye’s job to evade further pressure from the media and revamp his brand before further damage ensues.
Works Cited
Aswad, Jem. “Kanye West Barred from Performing at Grammys Due to 'Concerning Online Behavior,' Rep Confirms.” Variety, Variety, 21 Mar. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kanye-west-grammys-concerning-online-behavior-1235209759/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7
Grobar, Matt. “Kristen Bell Launches Branding, Advertising & Production Company Dunshire Productions.” Deadline, Deadline, 2 Feb. 2022, https://deadline.com/2022/02/kristen-bell-launches-creative-studio-production-company-dunshire-productions-1234924935/
Pener, Degen. “Jennifer Lopez to Dwayne Johnson: Hollywood's next Billion-Dollar-Brand Builders.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Nov. 2021, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/style/whos-heading-the-next-billion-dollar-brands-top-10-hollywood-entrepreneurs-1235036752/
Robert Fritz
ReplyDeleteThe celebrity that is a nonathlete with the best brand is Dwayne Johnson now this is a bit of a technicality since he was in the WWE, but his brand is off of his movies and larger than life personality. The name is worldwide, and everything does is bigger and better than anyone else. The success of “The Rock” grows everyday “His autobiographical NBC sitcom “Young Rock” debuted to big ratings in February 2021, earning a second season pickup, and he reigns as Hollywood’s highest-paid actor, earning an estimated $87.5 million in fiscal 2020, per Forbes.” (Variety 500). There are a lot of things that make Dwayne him and his brand so big and it obviously starts with his personality. Johnson has an uncanny ability to be himself and not act like other celebrities who seem to be above everyone else. He is the biggest name in Hollywood right now and that is his leverage also the fact that anytime he feels like he could threated going back to the WWE. Now like Dwayne there are a lot of celebrities who have built a strong brand for themselves but there are others that have struggled to build a great brand. The name that comes to mind is Kayne West and with Kanye this has only been a recent development in his career. Kanye had his thing interrupting a speech by Taylor Swift but that seemed to be an isolated incident but over the past few years that doesn’t seem to be the case. Now even with a new album and a few Grammy nominations there still is a drawback as the “artist’s team received a phone call Friday night informing him he had been “unfortunately” removed from the lineup of performers for the show due to his “concerning online behavior.” (Aswad). Part of this “concerning online behavior” could be tied to a video by Kanye which included “a clay version of West — who changed his legal name to Ye — abducts a clay figurine of Davidson before burying it in the ground and holding its severed head.” (Carras). The problem with Kanye isn’t so much of his music or his shoe/fashion line but his personality. Kanye doing things the things he has since his divorce has been a little concerning and even before that him running for president and his vocal support for former President Donald Trump were concerning to his fans as well. West making music and having his line of shoes is what makes him popular but now the things getting him in the news and in the headlines aren’t that even when he releases his music it was delayed and having a “rivalry” of sorts with Drake.
Aswad, Jem. “Kanye West Barred from Performing at Grammys Due to 'Concerning Online Behavior,' Rep Confirms.” Variety, Variety, 21 Mar. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kanye-west-grammys-concerning-online-behavior-1235209759/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Carras, Christi. “The Backlash over Kanye West's Pete Davidson Video Is Swift: 'Scary on so Many Levels'.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2022, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-03-03/kanye-west-ye-eazy-music-video-pete-davidson.
Ramsay, Derek. “Dwayne Johnson.” Variety, Variety, 21 Dec. 2021, https://variety.com/exec/dwayne-johnson/.
Cat Weber
ReplyDeleteA celebrity that has a strong personal brand is Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. His charisma and athleticism have sprung his career into so many different directions that The Rock and his team have been able to capitalize on the opportunities. The 49-year-old has been in the public eye since his start in his wrestling career around 1996. He easily transitioned over to the film industry because of his magnetic personality that was made for the big screen. The Rock is not the first athlete to transition over to movies, but he has been in the spotlight since 2001 with his appearance in The Mummy Returns. The Rock ranks as the sixth top influencer with 342 million followers on Instagram according to Wallach’s Top 50 Influencers on social media. Johnson has such a wide fan base because of all the businesses he involves himself in. This is one of the reasons Dwayne Johnson has been able to create such a sustainable personal brand. His business in the film industry is a huge variety of work that creates this overall love for Johnson. More recently his work varies from voicing in Disney’s Moana, traveling down the Amazon on a Jungle Cruise or solving the game of Jumanji. These reach a young demographic of viewers whose parents most likely already know the face of The Rock from previous work. He also recently starred in the Netflix movie Red Notice playing FBI Agent John Hartley. Johnson also has a tequila brand Teremana which “sold 5.4 million litres of hooch in 2021” (Skawrna). Being involved in so many businesses with such wide audience keeps The Rock’s brand so long in different markets.
A celebrity that needs to do better in their recent branding is Kanye West. Kayne West is a great example of someone who knows how to stay relevant, but his image and brand have recently taken a hit. He is a great artist whether for music or eye for design with his fashion brand. His recent divorce to Kim Kardashian has taken a public spotlight brought on by Kanye. It is not typical and beneficial strategy for couples to take their breakups to a public social media platform. Kayne’s “use of Instagram to air criticism of ex-wife Kardashian, her new partner Davidson, and her parenting of the children Ye shares with her…” (Renshaw) has been hard to watch. Kanye has taken his dark side to Instagram and is airing out dirty laundry on the biggest names in Hollywood. This is a PR nightmare for any other celebrity than Kanye, just because he doesn’t seem to care. The problem is that Kanye is the one managing his relations with the public on social platforms. There are many celebrities that have teams of people that work on their relationship with the public. Although Kanye is one of highest paid entertainers of the year, the recent Instagram mess he is making is not appealing to the public in a good way.
Part 2
ReplyDeleteRay, Micheal. “Dwayne Johnson.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dwayne-Johnson.
Renshaw, David. “Kanye West Suspended from Instagram for Hate Speech and Bullying.” The FADER, The FADER, 17 Mar. 2022, https://www.thefader.com/2022/03/17/kanye-west-suspended-instagram-hate-speech-bullying.
Skwarna, Naomi. “What Business Leaders Can Learn from Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson.” The Globe and Mail, 24 Mar. 2022, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/rob-magazine/article-what-business-leaders-can-learn-from-dwayne-the-rock-johnson/.
Voytko, Lisette. “The Highest-Paid Entertainers 2022.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 6 Mar. 2022, https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2022/02/09/the-highest-paid-entertainers-2022/?sh=235c6a79331a.
Wallach, Omri. “The World's Top 50 Influencers across Social Media Platforms.” Visual Capitalist, 17 May 2021, https://www.visualcapitalist.com/worlds-top-50-influencers-across-social-media-platforms/.
Many celebrities throughout their career explore different advertisements and endorsements to create revenue and boost their persona and name to the public. In addition, some even venture into the realm of entrepreneurship and start their own brands. Many have seen success, and many have seen failure, because starting your own business is challenging work. Celebrities have an interesting advantage over someone else starting a business, they already have a following and people already know who they are. This can help them dramatically at the start, but also puts more pressure on them as they operate, because the public loves to have an opinion. It is so important that celebrities creating their own brand go about it the right way. Forbes discusses some key components to celebrities' business success. Highlighting the importance of target brand marketing, long-term visions, and goals, and displaying the purpose and value of the business to increase engagement (Olenski).
ReplyDeleteOne celebrity that has done an exceptional job at creating her own brand is Rihanna. Rihanna create her makeup brand, “Fenty” and since the creation of that and other smaller businesses she is classified as a billionaire (Berg). Fenty was one of the first inclusive makeup brands, offering products made for women of all skin colors and types. By creating a makeup line that is the first of its kind makes her extremely competitive in the marketplace. Her brand is unique and is made to serve consumers that feel like they have been left out in the past.
A celebrity that could use some help with their personal brand is Kanye West. Kanye West has been remarkably successful within the fashion world with his brand “Yeezy” and has been at the forefront of street fashion. He has been applauded for his creativity in fashion, however his personal brand is where he is failing currently. He lets his personal life overwhelm his social presence. His divorce with Kim Kardashian has created lots of hostility on social media, especially the videos released by him criticizing Pete Davidson (Carras). Viewers have even made remarks saying his behavior is “scary” and they are scared for Kim, which makes Kanye’s personal brand look terrible (Carras). He needs to separate his personal life from social media, and stop going on social media to rant and discuss private matters with people in his personal life.
Berg, M. (2021, August 6). Fenty's fortune: Rihanna is now officially a Billionaire. Forbes. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2021/08/04/fentys-fortune-rihanna-is-now-officially-a-billionaire/?sh=28ccb2a17c96
DeleteCarras, C. (2022, March 3). The backlash over Kanye West's Pete Davidson Video is swift: 'scary on so many levels'. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-03-03/kanye-west-ye-eazy-music-video-pete-davidson
Olenski, S. (2018, April 2). Brands, branding and celebrities. Forbes. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveolenski/2018/04/02/brands-branding-and-celebrities/?sh=611db0fb4db9
Rita Sherban
ReplyDeleteMany superstars have built their brands in industrial ways, like Fenty Beauty and Yeezy, however I maintain that Nicki Minaj remains strong in her brand, despite her lack of solo business ventures. Before Nicki, the female rap game was almost next to none. Yes, there was Lauryn Hill, Foxy Brown, Lil Kim, and Missy Elliot, but none of those women have had the longevity that Minaj possess. Rewind to 2010, when Minaj releases her debut album, Pink Friday. According to Billboard, she sold 375,000 copies within in the first week, the second highest female rap album next to the great Lauryn Hill. While her music speaks for itself, her brand is sustained through her ability to build, “a product that is authentic to their personality and lifestyle, creating an emotional connection to the consumer” (Pener, 2021). Which is why when Minja designed her first clothing line, she put in in Kmart and not Nordstrom. In an interview she said, “…my biggest goal was to make a line that was going to be affordable to my fans and also rich enough in quality that they’ll feel like they’re wearing exactly what I’m wearing” (Petan 2021). Over the last decade, Minaj has since expanded her clothing endeavors and partnered with Fendi, to design Minaj’s subsection, Fendi Prints On. Although Minaj’s brand doesn’t stop there. Her influence can be seen in the female rappers of today. In her debut, Minaj was known to wear pink wigs, it was like her calling card. Since then, rappers like Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, and Saweetie have all donned pink hair at some point in their careers. While Minaj has been met with criticisms during her career, her brand stays strong, and her fans loyal.
Sherban (cont.)
ReplyDeleteDoes Kanye have a strong personal brand, or strong actions which result in headlines? While Kanye can rely on his clothing brand, Yeezy, he is single-handedly destroying his own brand. Just recently, “Kanye West has been barred from performing at the Grammy Awards due to his “concerning online behavior”” (Aswad, 2022). His constant pleads for Kim to take him back and disputes he’s gotten into with Pete Davidson are not only childish, but also desperate. His online presence isn’t the only thing that causes his downfalls, “West’s public appearances are rarely without controversy” (Asward, 2022). In a TMZ interview, Kanye remarked that slavery was a choice and was critical of advice given to him by Sway Calloway in 2013 regarding funding for Kanye’s fashion line. Online disputes coupled with negative public appearances makes a good case to ban him from the award show. Award shows and Kanye West don’t always mix well, especially given the incite that occurred in 2009. Granted, he did show up to the MTV Music Awards with a fifth of Hennessey in his hand and according to girlfriend at the time, Amber Rose, he had drunk most of it before going up on stage. Despite this, the Grammy’s made a cautious decision because the last thing the Grammy’s need is an Oscars moment.
Aswad, J. (2022, March 21). Kanye West barred from performing at Grammys due to 'concerning online behavior,' rep confirms. Variety. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kanye-west-grammys-concerning-online-behavior-1235209759/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7
Pener, D. (2021, November 8). Jennifer Lopez to Dwayne Johnson: Hollywood's next billion-dollar-brand builders. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/style/whos-heading-the-next-billion-dollar-brands-top-10-hollywood-entrepreneurs-1235036752/
Petan, G. (2021, June 28). How to build a brand Empire like Nicki Minaj. Promotional Products Blog. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/blog/how-to-build-brand-empire-nicki-minaj/
Kimberlyn Bouley
ReplyDeleteCelebrities' popularity and exposure allow a variety of opportunities when it comes to branching into different industries. Reputations hold opportunities for brand awareness and loyal consumers. The celebrity with the most known brands would be Rihanna. Rihanna is a key example of an artist becoming a multi-talented celebrity as she has done the most with sustaining her brand of inclusivity, “making her the wealthiest female in the world and second only to Oprah Winfrey as the richest female entertainer.” (Berg, 2021) Rihanna has not had to put out an album since 2016 Anti due to the success of her Savage X Fenty lingerie line and her Fenty cosmetic line. She is not only a singer but also an actress, entrepreneur, fashion designer, and businesswoman. Fenty cosmetics has provided an inclusive shade range and includes an impressive selection of darker shades and tones. The Savage X Fenty lingerie line also provides body positivity and a safe space for all shapes and sizes to feel confident. This can be seen by their size range and models as well as influencer ambassadors used. Savage X Fenty has a significant social media presence and uses popular social media ambassadors such as Madison Pettis, Meghan Thee Stallion, Kehlani, plus-size model Bri Martinez. Rihanna has a huge advantage in the fashion and cosmetic industries as she is representing whole marginalized demographics of both race and size.
The Hollywood Reporter’s article discusses, “investors and major companies hunger to pair with Hollywood stars and gain access to their social media reach.” (Pener, 2021) Rihanna’s large cult following allows investors to be interested in working with the A-lister confidently knowing that her lines lead to success. Her fan’s adoration and constant approval of whatever she does enforces brand loyalty and positive awareness. Rihanna is a star who is flawless, a fashionable trendsetter, and holds a type of sex appeal that fits perfectly with her brands.
On the other hand, Kanye West’s brand and reputation are in dire need to be revamped. In 2019 he shared his full conversion to Christianity and held Sunday services in which A-list celebrities would join in. Celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Chance the Rapper, the Kardashians, and more would even perform in each service alongside West. This announcement came a year after Kanye’s backlash from proudly supporting Trump after his racist comments. This bounce-back of being “reborn” provided the album Jesus is King where the gospel is infused in each track. For an artist who also claimed in 2013 that he was God and that God speaks to him, his actions in 2022 make it hard to back up his beliefs. In Variety’s article, “Kanye West Barred From Performing at Grammy Due to ‘Concerning Online Behavior,’ Rep Confirms,” West, who is up for five Grammys is not listed as a performer, and for good reason. Kanye West’s online behavior due to his divorce from Kim Kardashian has been worrisome to not only his fans but his team as well. West is known for his unexpected live television stunts to make a statement which is further evidence for the Grammy’s to cut his live performance. West has been continuously virtually harassing his ex-wife’s new boyfriend Pete Davidson. Some risky stunts that Variety has outlined stating that, “he could attempt to lobby public sentiment for custody of his children; he could make some statement in support of accused sec offender Marilyn Manson or unrepentant homophobe DaBaby, both of whom he has featured at his recent concerts or listening events, he could make more misguided statements about slavery or revive his stumping for former President Trump.” (Aswad,2022) Kanye West’s behavior could affect his fashion brand Yeezy and its reputation as a whole. His Instagram has been restricted after consistent harassment against Pete Davidson that resulted in Davidson having a mental breakdown as the Rolling Stones reported his post that stated, “‘Yet another reason why SKETE gotta stay away from my children,’ he wrote. ‘Oh and nobody noticed that he ain’t show up to SNL because Mr. I can help you with meds had a mental breakdown after we ran him off the internet.’”(Mier, 2022) This displays yet another reason why he is damaging his brand. What audiences are witnessing is a man who needs to be medicated or have some source of therapy to stop hurting his brand and reputation.
DeleteSources
Aswad, Jem. “Kanye West Barred from Performing at Grammys Due to 'Concerning Online Behavior,' Rep Confirms.” Variety, Variety, 21 Mar. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kanye-west-grammys-concerning-online-behavior-1235209759/#!
Berg, Madeline. “Fenty's Fortune: Rihanna Is Now Officially a Billionaire.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 6 Aug. 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2021/08/04/fentys-fortune-rihanna-is-now-officially-a-billionaire/.
Degen Pener, Editor. “Jennifer Lopez to Dwayne Johnson: Hollywood's next Billion-Dollar-Brand Builders.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Nov. 2021, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/style/whos-heading-the-next-billion-dollar-brands-top-10-hollywood-entrepreneurs-1235036752/.
Mier, Tomás. “Kanye West's Instagram Account Restricted after Pete Davidson Attacks.” Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2022, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kanye-west-instagram-restricted-pete-davidson-kim-kardashian-1322577/.
Part 1
ReplyDeleteAs time progresses, celebrities and social media stars have grown smarter with their money and have become some serious entrepreneurs. This doesn’t go for every celebrity, but there are the few that have succeeded much farther than just a face or have even used it to their advantage. One of the biggest examples has to be Rihanna. Rihanna started off in the scene in the mid-2000s as a musical artist, but since then has appeared in movies, as well as built her own empire. In 2017, Rihanna released Fenty Beauty which has become an absolute phenomenon. According to Forbes, “Rihanna is now worth $1.7 billion... But it’s not her music that’s made her so wealthy. The bulk of her fortune comes from the value of Fenty Beauty, of which Forbes can now confirm she owns 50%. Much of the rest lies in her stake in her lingerie company, Savage x Fenty, worth an estimated $270 million” (Berg). It’s clear Rihanna is a smart businesswoman, on top of being a talented artist. Rihanna isn’t the only celebrity making big bucks. Lets talk about the world of TikTok. At the top of the list are the D’amelio sisters. What started off as innocent TikToks has created them an empire and basically pioneered the profitable side of TikTok. According to The Wall Street Journal, “Charli D’Amelio, who started posting videos of herself dancing on TikTok in 2019, brought in $17.5 million last year…By comparison, median pay for chief executives of S&P 500 companies was $13.4 million in 2020, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from MyLogIQ” (Pisani Francis). Though the income is nowhere near what Rihanna is pulling in, it’s still incredibly impressive someone who isn’t even 20 years of age can make money like this.
PArt 2
ReplyDeleteThese are two impressive examples but who do I think is the most successful celebrity? I might have to give it to Kim Kardashian. Her fame started with a mere sex tape, and now she is worth over a billion dollars. She began the long-term wealth with Keeping up With the Kardashians, and now she’s running businesses and running insane amounts of money for Instagram Ads. According to Forbes, “Forbes estimates that Kardashian West is now worth $1 billion, up from $780 million in October, thanks to two lucrative businesses—KKW Beauty and Skims—as well as cash from reality television and endorsement deals, and a number of smaller investments” (Berg). When you charge almost 900k for an Instagram post, and people ACTUALLY PAY for it, that just screams success. There so many more examples of success in the industry but these are just some of the heavy hitters in their own ways.
Berg, Madeline. “Fenty's Fortune: Rihanna Is Now Officially a Billionaire.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 6 Aug. 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2021/08/04/fentys-fortune-rihanna-is-now-officially-a-billionaire/?sh=135ddc97c96b.
Berg, Madeline. “Kim Kardashian West Is Officially a Billionaire.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 6 Apr. 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2021/04/06/kim-kardashian-west-is-officially-a-billionaire/?sh=6516521921bb.
Pisani, Joseph, and Theo Francis. “These TikTok Stars Made More Money than Many of America's Top CEOS.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 14 Jan. 2022, https://www.wsj.com/articles/these-tiktok-stars-made-more-money-than-many-of-americas-top-ceos-11642078170?utm_id=46862&%3Bsfmc_id=4782528.