Zoella Flashcards
Website analysis
Black and white colour scheme is simple, easy to read
Lots of images to be visually appealing and create aesthetic
Connotations of femininity eg baking, beauty themes
Easy access to social media links
Target audience
Female
Aged 18-24
C2DE demographic
Mainstreamers / aspirers
Lower middle class
George Gerbner- Cultivation theory
Zoella reinforces cultivated ideas of femininity through images of fashion, beauty etc, encouraging women to conform to stereotypical notions of beauty
Amateur aesthetic
A sepcific style that a presenter follows eg basic but polished background
Intentional mistakes and jump cuts creates unmediated feel
Unscripted narrative
Suggests spontaneity and authenticity
Collab content
Work with other people eg Boyfriend does my Asos shop
Aids in construction of imagined community and other fan bases
Presenter POV
Seeing what the presenter sees eg external travel shots
Temporarily removes barrier for audience
High key lighting
Connotes happy / natural tone
Narrative authenticity
Talking honestly to the audience
Best friend characterisation
Appearing kind, caring and gentle towards the audience eg saying hello
Establishes relationship
Confessional narrative
Addressing audience with a secret eg I had to buy another suitcase
Makes vlogger seem relatable
Candid imagery
Being able to see thoughts / feelings eg talking about their day in vlog
Generates natural and authentic mode of address
Sanitised story content
Ommission of sensitive or explicit content eg bleeping out swearing
Shows Zoella is age appropriate and a good role model
Single camera edit
Enables quick production
Seen as informal
Codes of realism
Specific actions that create authenticity eg utterances such as no, no
Creates authenticity
Aspirational narratives
Narratives that the audience want to participate in eg Zoella’s vlogs of New York
Creates escapism and taps into audience desire
How does sponsorships and adverts target audiences?
Mainstreamers targeted when they see value for money
Aspirers see latest trends and are kept up to date with newest products
Tagged content means that audiences can see Zoe’s opinion as well as photos of the product
Para-social interaction
One-sided relationships where one person extends emotional interest and time to the other
The other person is unaware of their existence
Most common with celebrities and fans
Zoella encourages this by breaking the 4th wall, best friend characterisation and confessional narrative
How are audiences targeted?
Broadened content eg merchandise, collabs, traditional media formats eg books, conventions and public appearances
Stuart Hall- Reception theory
Preferred- Provides opportunity for young women to access advice, sees Zoe’s monetary gain from it as aspirational
Negotiated- Even though beauty and fashion is promoted it is also funny and entertaining
Oppositional- Promotes the ‘naturalised myth’ of feminine beauty that oppresses women and encourages them to obsess over physical appearance
Gatekeeper
The person who determines what is included in their online content
Cannot fully control image because people can criticise eg over social media
How is Zoe represented in her Dreaming of Mykonos vlog?
Pirveledged traveller enjoying her aspirational lifestyle, iconography such as sunset, beach, bikini etc
No smoking, alcohol etc, this is gatekeeped from the audience
Wholesome, innocent and happy character
Multi-channel network
An organisation that works with channel owners
Can partially gatekeep channel owner’s products and regulate
Online media distribution and circulation
Cheap or free
Global reach via social media platforms
Audience seen as prosumers as a result
