Zoella Flashcards
What camera perspective does Zoella utilise and why? ]
Single camera perspective
Why does she use this camera perspective?
- Creates illusion that she’s engaging with you in an intimate, often confessional, style.
- Creates a deliberately amateur style, making it all more accessible and relatable to the target audience.
What type of setting (mise-en-scene) does Zoella utilise?
- Bedroom setting- instantly relatable to audience + creates a sense of intimacy with her- allows you into her personal space.
- High-key lighting + innocent presentation style- creates image exhibiting wholesome values parents approve of.
- Fairy lights add to girly setting
What type of persona (mise-en-scene) does Zoella present?
- Simple charm: presents herself as best friend character- enables Uses and Gratifications: Personal identity.
- Costume and make-up are effortless and understated.
- Clean-cut image: no swearing and edits the content herself- mediates how she is represented, making her more appealing to sponsors.
What ongoing story arch was featured in Zoella’s videos?
Zoella and Alfie’s (Zalfie) on-screen romance creates a
romantic ideal.
How often does Zoella upload and why?
Posts have sense of immediacy to keep audiences engaged – e.g. her monthly key headlines + favourites- as vloggers must engage audiences regularly or lose that connection + intimacy.
What type of editing does Zoella use?
Jump-cut editing to create a sense of energy- many vloggers employ this editing style.
What type of camera angle does Zoella use?
Will switch from mid-shot to hand-held for a moment; shares host’s p.o.v- places spectators in shoes of their YouTube icons in a bid to create identification + relatability.
How does Zoella use additional content to add to the authenticity of her channel?
Inclusion of Zoella’s ‘bloopers’ or mistakes show she’s just like us.
What are the topics of Zoella’s content?
- Makeup, fashion and beauty content
- Personal issues with anxiety
- Self-confessed character fallibility, makes her more human + suggests an understanding of issues faced by her audience within their own lives.
What do the comments do for Zoella’s channel?
YouTube comments provide audience feedback whilst also satisfying user interactivity needs. Zoella’s target audience demands to be active rather than passive.
How does Zoella make money?
- More views lead directly to larger advertising revenue streams in YouTube’s pay-per-view advertising deals
- Product placement/sponsored content
- Youtubers use fanbase and trusted content to create advertising opportunities.
What is an example of how much money can be made through views on youtube?
3 million views = approx. £9,000 revenue
How does Zoella further her audience reach?
Collaborative content- creates subscription uplifts via content made available on fellow YouTube channels.
How does Zoella advertise her content?
YouTubers don’t have usual media channels to share their content (TV, newspaper and magazine adverts) so rely on users to virally distribute their content.
Growth of Zoella’s social media channels since 2009
- Approx. 12 million Youtube subs (August 2017)
- Approx. 11 million Instagram followers (August 2017)
- Approx. 2.5 million likes on Facebook (August 2017)
What does Zoella symbolise?
- She (and other ‘influencers’) symbolise how how creative use of tech can create a new generation of celebrities
- How creators can participate in online dialogues with their audiences + collab with other creators.
How does Zoella conform to gender stereotypes?
- Sweet, innocent and naive young girl
- Women must hide blemishes to be photogenic and pretty e.g. ‘My Makeup Routine For Problem Skin Days’
- Reinforces stereotype that girls are sensitive + obsessed with fashion and beauty
How does Zoella subvert gender stereotypes?
- Subverts idea that women can’t have problematic personality traits
- Built a successful brand
- Subverts stereotype that feminists can’t be girly or wear makeup and vice-versa
Demographic
- Young- 13-24
- Female
- Skilled working class (C2), lower middle class (C1), middle class (B)
How does Zoella target her age demographic?
- Heavy use of social media sites prominently used by 13-24 year olds (snapchat, instagram, youtube etc)
- Deliberate amateur and authentic aesthetic- USP in saturated market
- Everyday activities of this group are incorporated into narratives, creating connections w/ target audience
- Youth oriented slang (e.g. OMG, LOL)
In terms of age, who is Zoella’s secondary target audience and how does she target them?
Parents and advertisers: engaged by content that is safe in terms of sexual content and other taboo areas.
How does Zoella target her gender demographic?
- Costume stereotypically female - female colour palette deployed in mise-en-scène- light pastel colours e.g. pink
- A quiet/passive presentation style that fits with target audience expectations and female presenter stereotypes.
How does Zoella target her socio-economic demographic?
- Partnerships built with companies who represent high street fashion at value prices who target this group (e.g. ASOS and H&M)
- Moderately formal language- some extended language w/ Standard English: mirrors lower middle class values and educational background.
How might Zoella appeal to the mainstreamer psychographic?
- Apolitical content + rarely deals with serious social commentary
- Concern to be a social butterfly shown by her partnerships
How might Zoella appeal to the aspirer psychographic?
- Choice of cars and house represent an aspirational life-style based upon materialistic values
- Brand-driven wardrobe choices
- Concern to be a social butterfly shown by her partnerships
In general, how does Zoella target her audience?
- Audience participation via comment section
- Targeted content e.g. vids like ‘The Teenage Years’
Dominant/preferred reading of Zoella
- Subverts gender stereotypes
- Authentic, wholesome image
- Relatable
Oppositional reading of Zoella
- Reinforces gender stereotypes
- Fake image designed for mass appeal for optimum revenue
- Doesn’t care about audience- just in it for the money
Examples of Zoella’s income sources
- Youtube pre-roll ads- 22 million views a month= £15,000 a month
- Books- ‘Girl Online’- £100,000 advance b4 sales
- Beauty range (Superdrug)- She sold 70,000 units in the first month alone, an estimated £455,000 in sales
Codes and conventions of vlogging that Zoella adheres to
- A vlog name rather than her actual name
- Direct address- speaks directly to camera
- Informal and conversational (mainly)- personal to build connection and trust
- Speaker is central to screen
