OSP & Videogames case study 3: Zoella

Language

Read this Marie Clare article on Zoella as an online phenomenon.

1) Who is Zoella and why is she famous? How many subscribers does Zoella's YouTube channel have currently?
she is a fashion and beauty blogs person and has 11 million subscribers
2) What is convergence?
when two or more media forms meet in one
3) What are Zoella's videos about? Find five video titles and write them here:
They are about fashion and beauty , "testing weird beauty products with mark", "best of beauty", "everyday autumn make up", "giving my best-guy-mate a make over" and finally "brother does my makeup"
4) What are the codes and conventions of vlogging videos?
They are to show the daily lives of people and then which are recorded and then processed and edited, at the same time some unexpected things can happen to them while recording.
5) How does Zoella use media language choices to create her online identity? Write about Zoella's use of mise-en-scene (CLAMPS) - particularly costume and make-up.

She does a lot of make up and vlogs of her daily life and what happens there she also made a book which some people spread rumors around saying that she did not write the book but got someone to write the book for her.
Industries

1) How does Zoella make money? (You might want to read this Heatworld feature for more on this.)
she is a youtuber so she gains money from views and ad revenue, another thing would be her book that she published so she is profiting from more than one source.
2) What is a digital influencer? Why is Zoella considered a digital influencer?
A digital influencer is a person who influences people from the use of social media or some sort of internet platform.
3) Why do companies want to place their products in Zoella's videos?
so when she gets paid to sponsor then then she gains money and so does the company that asked her to sponsor them, because she is digital influencer then people will obviously follow in her footsteps of buying products 
4) Why are YouTube collaborations so important for helping digital influencers like Zoella to grow?
They gain more money and recognition, and so does the company so they are both helping each other
5) How has Zoella moved into a more traditional media landscape in recent years?
her youtube channel, she has made a channel on youtube, (a very well known and well used site) and has gained millions of views and 11 million subscribers, another thing would be her social media accounts where people follow her and social media is being used more and more so this gives her an advantage

Audience

1) Who is the target audience for Zoella's channel?

People interested in fashion and make up, most likely younger girls who are really into this stuff, including the social media platforms that she is in

2) How are audiences encouraged to participate in or feel part of Zoella's brand? 
She does make up tutorials and fashion things so they go along with the person who is watchingthe video that she uploads
3) What audience pleasures are provided by Zoella's videos and associated products?

People who really like fashion and design, they really like to do things like make up, alos people new to make up becasue she does reviews on it so people getting into make up could be into her channel
4) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would a preferred and oppositional reading of Zoella?
Preferred (people who love Zoella):People would things of her as a person who is passionate about her work and cares about her views and makes quality content for people, she make certain video for people who really lkie make up and she cares about waht she makes for the audience.
Oppositional (people who hate Zoella):Other may think that she is just using youtube and her books for money and ad revenue so taht she can gain all the money that is given to her and that is owned by others, people think that the book she wrote may be fake and someone wrote it for her, and they think that it is just a scam for everyone.

5) Why has Zoella been criticised by some people?
There have been rumors that the book she wrote wasn't actually witten by her but someone wrote it for her instead of her writing the book in her own words, some other people think that her channel is useless because it is just  review channel for make up and many people mostly men would think that it is useless

Representations

Read this Independent article arguing Zoella is a bad role model for young women.

Next, read this Independent article arguing the opposite. 

1) What is your opinion on this debate - is Zoella a positive role model for young women?
I think its a mixed opinion she is a channel that does make up tutorials and make up reviews some may question the use in make up and beatuy some may think of it as a requirement
2) What representations of women are provided by Zoella?
Make up and fashion all kinds of expensive products, everything that is shown must be required to buy fo your wellbeing and beauty
3) What representations of celebrity are provided by Zoella? Is a self-made YouTube celebrity more authentic or positive than a traditional music or TV star?
i think it is more positive because she done it as an independent person she grew somewhat independently, apart from the sponsors that she has received
4) How does Zoella represent herself? Is this the real Zoe Suggs or a media construction designed to sell products? the real Zoe Suggs is used to provide sponsors, at the same time her youtube channel is monetised  so she gains more money from the sponsors and the youtube ad revenue and views

5) What criticisms could be levelled at the representation of Zoella? 
some criticism on the make up of being a useless skill and content as it isn't really important for people, make up even damages your face, bit by bit, and the rumor about her not writing her own book and someone else writing it for her

Grade 8/9 extension tasks: reading and response

To give you up-to-date information on Zoella, read this HITC feature on what Zoella has done recently after scaling back her YouTube videos. 

she is a successful youtuber who has more than 11 million subscribers, she is a social media influencer, another thing she done was write a book, on her youtube channel she would usually post things like reviews on food make up beauty, fashion etc

Read this critical article on The Tab Calling time on Zoella. What criticisms are levelled at Zoella in this article? Do you agree with the writer's argument?

They are quite some strong levels of criticism as they are calling her a "27-year old woman child"  and they are telling her to "let go" these people are basically telling her to stop her youtube and what ever social media she has.  

Read this excellent New Statesman feature on the moral aspect of how influencers like Zoella make money.

The amount of views and subscribers, the subscribers, you need at least 1000 in order for your channel to be monetized, she has gone way past that mark she has 11 million and she has many views woch give her lots and lots of money, also she does sponsors and the people will see that and buy it then the company gets paid so does the person who sponsors the product