Celebrities: Talent vs. Marketing
What Tactics Have Given Pop Culture Celebrities Their Status?
Are the celebrities of today known for being talented, artistic and charismatic entrepreneurs; or media savvy marketing geniuses?
In the age of tabloids, gossip blogs and entertainment TV shows, it can seem like the only thing a potential celebrity might need to get her 15 minutes of fame is a talent for marketing herself. For example; Paris Hilton initially made her introduction to the world as a high-fashion model amongst an industry flooded with similar fashion models. But with the 2003 internet release of a privately made sex tape entitled “1 Night in Paris,” Paris Hilton became a household name. Afterwards, Paris seemed to be willing to capitalize on her sudden claim to fame by re-releasing the sex tape to DVD in 2004 and reportedly receiving directorial credit.
Do Fans Create Celebrities, Or Does The Media Create Celebrities?
It can be difficult to tell. The media may become infatuated with a certain celebrity based on the response that celebrity can inspire from the public. For instance, Britney Spears was initially catapulted into superstardom with the release of her 1999 debut single, “…Baby One More Time” which became a phenomenal commercial hit amongst her fans. The release of her "Oops!...I did it again" album in 2000 and her "Britney" album in 2001 were met with similar successes. The 2003 release of her album In The Zone would be her only original musical offering to her fans for the for the next 4 years. Despite the lack of music, Britney was able to make headlines simply by discovering new ways of attracting attention for 15 more minutes of fame. So an inappropriate photograph of Ms. Spears flashing her undergarments (or lack thereof) shows up on the internet and ends up helping her achieve new levels of fame that seemed to be previously unreachable with her musical efforts. Was her new claim to fame the result of the media drawing attention to her through the use of the photograph, or was it the result of the new fan base that was created as a result of the exposure? Do the situations go hand in hand?
Talented Artists, or Marketing Gurus?
Are some of today’s most popular celebrities known for their unique talent, or for their unique talent at marketing themselves? While it is true that Britney Spears is currently the talk of the town due to her offstage antics, she was once hailed for her phenomenal ability to entertain her fans. Others such as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were also once known and loved for their television roles in Full House and for the offerings of their Dualstar entertainment company. Today, the public images of Britney, Mary-Kate and Ashley seem to have outgrown the actual people and capitalizing on an image by licensing their names to corporate American companies such as Dualstar seems to have become the bottom line. These particular celebrities seem to be more preoccupied with making money than with entertaining their fans. Someday, their fans will realize that they have a choice. They can choose to feed the beast by letting them shove a shoddy product down their throats, or they can choose to demand something better.
