OSP: Rashford & Kardashian - Audience & Industry

 Audience

1) Who are the potential target audiences for Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's online content? Try and cover both demographics and psychographics.

Marcus Rashford: C2DE social grades as he targets a working-class audience through his poverty and food campaigning. The 'reformer' or the 'struggler' as he aids those who are less fortunate and are going through difficult times.

Kim Kardashian: C1C2D social grades as she targets a mainstream audience through reality TV and lifestyle content, and therefore also the 'mainstreamer.' However, she also targets audiences of AB social grades through her appealing to consumers who follow high-end fashion and beauty trends, and therefore she also targets the 'aspirer' for the same reason.

2) Marcus Rashford’s online presence is partly driven by his excellent use of social media. How does he use social media to engage with his fans and make them feel part of his brand?

Marcus Rashford uses social media to promote his football career and quote retweeting of brand promotions. He also occasionally replies to fans, however, his presence is less apparent as of now - he has historically used his social media platforms extensively to highlight issues like child food poverty, but these types of posts are over time being seen less and less.

3) What is Instagram engagement rate and what engagement rates do Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian have? 

Instagram engagement rate acts as a measure of how much audiences engage with posts through interaction (likes, comments, etc). Marcus Rashford previously had an engagement rate of 6% at, which has recently dropped to 3.2% at 11 million followers, following his re-focus into football and boost in followers. Kim Kardashian's engagement rate is much lower at 0.33%, however, she has around 350 million followers, allowing her to reach a huge audience. An engagement rate of 1-3% is considered good, and 6+% is extremely high.

4) Go to Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's X or Instagram account. Find and screenshot/link three posts that show the different aspects of their brand e.g. Relatable person (normal, down to earth), Campaigner (interested in politics), Celebrity (e.g. awards ceremony or fashion), Brand promotion (e.g. selling a product).

Kim Kardashian:

Sexualised / Objectified aspect (extremely low-cut clothing)
 

Celebrity (appearance on Vogue magazine)

Relatable (delving into streamer culture, outside of upper-class / fashionista / celebrity representation)

Marcus Rashford:

Footballer / Athlete

Relatable 

Celebrity (Brand promotion)

5) What audience pleasures are provided by Marcus Rashford's online presence? What about Kim Kardashian? Try and apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory here. 

Marcus Rashford:

• Personal Identity: Rashford's entire campaign is centred around his own personal identity of growing up in poverty in a single-parent household, connecting to audiences going through similar situations to his own. He also connects with Black audiences through his own celebration of his heritage.
• Personal Relationships: Rashford builds relationships with audiences through inspirational posts and the premise of his campaign, which connects him to people.
• Surveillance: Rashford provides information on current events concerning his campaigning, such as the state of free school meals, etc.

Kim Kardashian:

• Personal Identity: Although she isn't actually a vegan, she uses her identity as someone on a mostly plant-based diet to promote herself (Beyond Meat), catering towards vegan/vegetarian audiences.
• Personal Relationships: Kim Kardashian builds personal relationships with fans through the 'male gaze' theory - much of her online presence sexualises and objectifies her (e.g. her Kardashian Kloset website builds an obsession around her items of clothing), catering to a largely male audience and building an almost obsessive parasocial relationship.

6) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would a preferred and oppositional reading of Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's online presence be?

Preferred reading (people who support Rashford/Kardashian): 

"Rashford is a good person because of his political campaigning - he is heavily aiding the working-class in terms of food and poverty. Kardashian is a high-class celebrity presence - her businesses are innovative and she dictates the latest fashion trends."

Oppositional reading (people who criticise Rashford/Kardashian): 

"Rashford's political campaigning is less impactful now considering his complete shift back into football. Kardashian heavily sexualises herself and encourages a sexualised view of women in general."

 

Industries

1) What is Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's net worth and how does their online presence help them to make money? 

Marcus Rashford has an estimated net worth of £16 million - he gains money through endorsement deals (e.g. £2m from Nike) and weekly money from being in Manchester United (£300,000 per week, £15.6m per year).

Kim Kardashian has an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion - she gains money through 'The Kardashians' TV show on Hulu and her multiple brands (SKIMS, SKKY Partners).

2) What companies/brands are Rashford and Kardashian associated with? Why might they want to be linked to those celebrities?

Rashford is linked to: Nike, Burberry, Jaguar Land Rover, Coca-Cola among other brands. They might want to be connected to him due to his reputation of a 'working-class hero' gained through his campaigning in food poverty.

Kardashian owns SKIMS and SKKY Partners, and she has been associated with a huge amount of brands, such as BeyondMeat. They might want to be connected to her due to her high-profile presence and popularity, making her extremely influential and allow companies to better market themselves. 

3) Research Twitter/X and Instagram. Who owns the companies, how do they make money and how much profit did they make last year?

Twitter/X:

• Twitter was started by Jack Dorsey in 2006.
• Twitter’s revenue is around $3 billion. 
• Marcus Rashford has 7m X followers, Kim Kardashian 75m.
• In 2022 Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 Billion, and he has since added controversial new features and renamed it X.

Instagram:

• Instagram is an image and video sharing site launched in 2010. 
• In 2012 it was bought by Facebook for $1 billion. Both are now under a conglomerate called Meta.
• Instagram's revenue in 2023 was $61 billion.
• Marcus Rashford has over 17m Instagram followers, Kim Kardashian 350m.

4) What are the worries about Instagram’s negative effects?

Instagram is seen as damaging to mental health, particularly towards teenage girls. Facebook's own research into Instagram suggested one in three girls felt bad about their bodies and Instagram made this worse, and it is also linked to increased anxiety and depression.

5) How do social media platforms manage online abuse on their platforms and why has Marcus Rashford drawn attention to this? How might this change in the future?

Social media platforms are regulated by Ofcom, who introduced the online safety bill in order to try and prevent threatening posts, and users seeing harmful material. Rashford has drawn attention to this as he receives extreme racial online abuse due to events in his football career - he has drawn attention to why online abuse is such a large issue. This might change in the future as more regulations are implemented by Ofcom.

6) What happened by law in 2022 that changed the way the internet is regulated? Write three changes that this new law may bring in and explain why it is difficult to regulate the internet.

In 2022, the law was changed by the introduction of the Online Safety Bill (carried over in Parliament in April 2022.) It has introduced: enhanced protection for children, stricter rules on illegal content, and more user power to filter the content that they see.

It is extremely difficult to regulate the internet given that it is global, yet governments are only national. Furthermore, any user can publish almost anything instantly - it is impossible to filter this as it is being published, so it must be filtered afterward. 

OSP: Rashford & Kardashian - Language and Representation

Language

1) Make two lists - one of website conventions used on Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's official website and one of social media conventions found on their Instagram pages. 

Website Conventions:

• Link to homepage
• Logo / Brand identity
• Central Image
• Menu / Navigation tool
• Multimedia features: video, images

Social Media Conventions:

• Profile picture
• Background / Banner image 
• Multimedia features: video, images
• Bio
• Posts
• Verification Symbol

2) How does Marcus Rashford's website and social media promote his brand? Give at least three examples of different pages / posts / images from his website or social media. 

On Marcus Rashford's website, the mise-en-scene of his central image promotes his classy, sophisticated and powerful brand through the formal suit and strong posture, alongside the low angle, connoting confidence. On social media, his quote retweet of a post about helping young people promotes his identity, in that he supports good causes by encouraging his audience to like and interact with the original post. Furthermore, his profile picture of his logo acts as a form of synergy, linking back to his identity as a social figure. 

3) How does Kim Kardashian's website and social media promote her brand? Give at least three examples of different pages / posts / images from her brand websites or social media. 

On Kim Kardashian's website (Kardashian Kloset), the verbal code of her being an 'entrepreneur' and 'social media phenomenon' promotes her huge online presence and businesses, also done through the mention of her clothing brand 'SKIMS.' On social media, her profile picture promotes her brand identity of beauty and makeup through her own wearing of makeup, reinforcing stereotypes of women. Furthermore, her tagging of the accounts of her own brands (SKIMS, SKKN, SKKYPartners) acts as a form of self-promotion, further promoting her identity as an entrepreneur.

4) How does Marcus Rashford's online presence use the narrative of his childhood upbringing to create a positive brand identity?

Marcus Rashford consistently references his childhood upbringing through his identity as a footballer (inspired by his love of football as a childhood) and also in his perception as a 'working-class hero' through his campaigning work on food poverty and reading (inspired by his own working class background.) This is referenced in his promotion of a book club, inspiring children (specifically boys) to read more in response to the national age decreasing, and also in his work with food banks and food charities, such as FareShare.

5) How does Kim Kardashian's website and social media promote other media products or websites using the Kardashian brand (e.g. Keeping Up With The Kardashians TV show)? 

Kim Kardashian's website (Kardashian Kloset) promotes the Kardashian family through the top menu, which uses all of their names. Furthermore, the text references Kim Kardashian's brand 'SKIMS.' This is similarly done through her social media accounts, where she tags her brands' accounts (SKIMS, SKKN, SKKYPartners) and also links the website to SKIMS itself. Furthermore, her banner image / background on Twitter promotes 'The Kardashians' show on Hulu.

Representations

1) How does Marcus Rashford use different aspects of mise-en-scene (e.g. clothes/costume/ settings/locations) to create representations of himself on his website and social media? 

On Marcus Rashford's website, his central image utilises a formal suit, with strong posture / pose accompanied by a low angle, creating a more sophisticated, powerful representation of him. His homepage uses multiple luxury brands in reference to Rashford, through D&G, Burberry, and Range Rover, creating a rich, wealthy representation of him. Furthermore, the image of Rashford wearing a Burberry scarf mimics the silhouette of a superhero wearing a superhero cape, reinforcing his brand identity as a hero to the working class. This representation is exemplified through his inclusion of an online book club. which aims to get children, specifically boys, reading in response to the national average decreasing, promoting his representation in supporting good causes. This is also done through the inclusion of a newspaper on his website discussing his open letter to the Prime Minister (Boris Johnson) on free school meals. On social media, his profile picture and banner reinforce his representation as a famous footballer, also done through his bio, which references the football club 'Manchester United.' His quote retweet of a post about aiding young people creates the representation of Rashford as a supporter of good causes.

2) What examples can you find of website pages, social media posts or aspects of his brand that create a positive representation of Marcus Rashford? You may wish to comment on his discussion of family or his campaigns - his page on the FareShare campaign website may help with this question.

On the FareShare website (a food-based charity), headline emphasises his charity work with FareShare, creating a positive representation of Rashford and fitting closely with his campaigning for free school meals. This is further exemplified through the image of him in a food bank, wearing a hi-vis jacket, emphasising his role as a working-class hero through the connotations of work and volunteering. This work also makes Rashford more attractive and marketable to mainstream brands, creating another positive representation of him. On his social media, his post containing self-promotion on his book promotes his positive representations, as it highlights his desire for children to read more.

3) How does Marcus Rashford's online presence challenge stereotypes? Think about gender (masculinity), race/ethnicity, social class or football here. 

Marcus Rashford's online presence challenges stereotypes of gender as, typically, women are seen as charitable care-givers who are more empathetic than men, subverted through his own charity work and campaigning. His mixed ethnicity (Jamaican and Saint Kittian) subverts stereotypes, as non-white people are traditionally seen as less capable.  

4)  What representation of celebrity is created by Kim Kardashian's website and social media? How are audience encouraged to view celebrity? 

On the Kardashian Kloset website, audiences are encouraged to be somewhat obsessive towards celebrities, as the premise and selling point of the website itself is that it allows fans to buy previously-worn clothes from the Kardashians themselves, heavily encouraging parasocial relationships. Through the navigation tool containing each separate name, audiences are further encouraged to create a parasocial connection with one specific Kardashian, promoting a 'super-fan' mindset. On her social media, audiences are encouraged to view celebrities as pillars and influential, powerful figures, seen through her inclusion of her own 3 brands and the SKIMS website, alongside her large following.

5) What gender stereotypes are reinforced or challenged in Kim Kardashian's online presence? 

Kim Kardashian's online presence heavily reinforces traditional stereotypes associated with women. For example, her profile picture of her wearing makeup reinforces the stereotype that women must wear makeup in order to elevate their appearance and be more beautiful, and her low-cut outfit in the picture reinforces sexualised perceptions of women. This is done further through the Kardashian Kloset website, encouraging a more obsessive perception of female celebrities, and by extension all women, through the premise of selling used clothing.

OSP: Introduction to Influencers

1) What years did YouTube, Twitter and Instagram launch?

YouTube, Twitter and Instagram launched in 2005, 2006 and 2010 respectively.

2) What is the definition of an influencer?

A person who has become well-known through use of the internet and social media, and uses their fame to endorse, promote, or generate interest in specific products, brands, etc., often for payment.

3) Give an example of an influencer and how many followers they have. Try and add some additional information, brand associations or other statistics if you can.

MrBeast: 451 million subscribers on YouTube,  630.1 million subscribers across all channels; 80 million followers on Instagram; 122.7 million followers on TikTok.

Brands: Feastables, Lunchly, MrBeast Burger // Partnerships: Samsung, Epic Games, Walmart, Amazon, etc.

4) How big is the influencer industry according to the article?

The article states that the influencer industry is extremely large, noting that at the end of 2019, it was worth around $8 billion a year, estimated to grow to $15 billion by the end of 2022. It employs over 50 million people and is the fastest-growing sector for small businesses in the world.

5) What are the problems associated with being an influencer?

Problems associated include: many hours spent behind the scenes in photo shoots and editing; demanding clients; negotiating payment with businesses in the overcrowded market.

6) Why is it suggested that audiences actually like being sold products by influencers?

This is suggested because audiences see brand sponsorships as a signifier of credibility: influencers with more sponsorships, who attempt to sell more products, are seen as more important influencers by followers.

7) What representation of beauty is often found on Instagram or other influencer sites?

On social media, the representation of beauty is generally very narrow; expectations are heavily unrealistic (young face, poreless skin, high cheekbones), and the most beautiful are generally white, yet a small amount of racial ambiguity is also popular ("rootless exoticism"). This is due to the growth of cosmetic procedures and also due to filters, according to the article, which give influencers the opportunity to make their photos more unrealistic, making the beauty standard harder and harder to reach.

8) What is YOUR opinion on influencers? Are they a positive or negative influence on our society and culture? Why?

Overall, I think that influencers are generally a negative influence on society as they cause an unfair beauty standard, that can harm the mental health of much of the younger generation. Brand sponsorships also inspire consumerism in the general public: people continue to buy products even if they have no use for them, due to a fear of missing out created by influencers themselves.

Preliminary Exercise: Learner Response

1) Type up your teacher's feedback in full.

WWW: You have displayed some great understanding of design and print publishing with your preliminary task. In particular your choice of cover image is incredibly vivid and strong, placing a good amount of focus on the subject whilst allowing enough of the setting to be visible to appreciate the visuals of it. The same can be said for your inner page with the layout of your photos being clear and specific, directing my focus to the rightmost image whilst still leaving the rest visible. Your choice of the classic large first letter works with the rest of the letter and the quality of the writing itself is great.

Next Steps: Consider the colour choices on the front cover as some of your cover lines fade into the setting given how active of a setting it is. The second cover line in particular unfortunately aligns the black writing with the darker parts of the mountain, making it less clear. Perhaps consider a drop-shadow, an outline, or a translucent box behind this writing to add clarity. I’d also like you to consider the voice of the journalist in your written section. Whilst the quotes help to push the narrative of the novel that is being sold, you are allowed to express opinions and a voice as the journalist revealing this story, pushing the narrative that the magazine wants to tell.

2) Using a combination of your own reflection on the preliminary exercise and the feedback you were given, write two WWW bullet points (What Went Well) and two Next Step bullet points for your preliminary exercise. 

WWW:

• Choice and layout of photos
• Quality of writing

Next Steps:

• Consider colour choice in order to make text clear
• Express opinions in order to push the narrative of the magazine

3) What have you learned from the preliminary exercise that will help you in the actual coursework project? List three things you have learned or will do differently as a result of this exercise. You may want to comment on organisation, actors, filming, editing or something else entirely but be specific.

• Be more expressive and opinionated with writing to imitate how magazines attempt to create enticing narratives for their audiences.
• Make text as clear as possible through drop shadow, colour choice, outline, etc.
• Spend more time on editing to see if anything can be made clearer, laid out better, etc.

Paper 1 Baseline Assessment LR

1) Type up your feedback:

a) 36/42 (Grade: 7) 

b) Targets for longer written questions:

• Q2: Consider how contrast is used for emphasis, analyse technical codes                                        
• Q3: Consider what these narrative features imply about the 'Galaxy' brand                                     
• Q4: Consider design (colour, layout, typography), and link comments back to how they alter the  perception of Tatler                                                                                                  

2) Look at the mark scheme for this assessment. For Question 2 (12 mark unseen) use the indicative content in the mark scheme to identify three points that you could have referred to in your answer.

• Athletic body connotes that the subject is in condition and well prepared for the ‘battle’.
• The brand name ‘Under armour’ has connotations of battle and war being connected to sport.
• Darkness has connotations of dangers to be faced and makes it more dramatic.

> Also: Contrast between darkness and brightness of logos connotes Under Armour is something to look forward to through technical code of lighting.

3) For Question 3 (Galaxy - narrative features) use the mark scheme to write down the main narrative theories and how we can link them to the Galaxy advert CSP. 

• The clear function of the narrative: to persuade people of the superior quality and sophistication of the Galaxy product.
• The use of locations in the narrative suggests a version of reality for the audience: Italian Riviera has connotations of romance, upper class and the old Hollywood era is evoked, suggesting the luxurious nature of the chocolate and reinforcing the ‘silk, not cotton’ message.
• Message of the narrative: Galaxy is a more sophisticated, classier product than other chocolate bars and, as such, needs time and relaxation for it to be enjoyed properly. The audience can also experience this luxury and a happier time (nostalgia) if they buy the product.

> Focus on effects of described comments.

4) Now look at Question 4 - Tatler and social/cultural contexts. Use the mark scheme to identify three points you could have made in your answer here.

• Serif font for title connotes formality, high class and how well established the magazine is (Britain’s oldest magazine).
• Use of green colour scheme (fresh and new) with white text (style, class, sophistication).
• Cover image reflects British culture’s interest in stately homes and high society events with Weymouth dressed in a ballgown in the gardens of her Longleat house.

> Analyse effects on perception of Tatler

5) On Section B, focus on Question 7 - film industry and Black Widow. Use the mark scheme to identify three ways Black Widow was marketed to its audience.

• Marketing Black Widow was a challenge due to the Covid pandemic and it therefore did not make as much money at the box office as other Marvel films despite this marketing and promotion.
• Section of the Marvel website with gallery, story synopsis, character posters and opportunities to buy or stream the movie.

6) Finally, write down three things you are going to work on before your next mock exam in December (e.g. time management; revising CSPs etc.)

• Revise exam technique and common question structures to ensure each question is answered properly (e.g. an 'analyse' question not only means describe but also explain)
• Time management: ensure an apt amount of time is spent on each question by doing past papers in timed conditions
• Revise CSPs consistently over half-term

Accountability Check: Coursework Checklist

Item	Progress
Statement of Intent (Max. 300 Words)
Front Cover
Title for the Magazine w/ Original Masthead Design
Selling Line
Cover Price
Dateline
Main Original Cover Image
Min. Four Cover Lines
Double Page Spread
Headline
Standfirst
Subheadings
Original Article (350-400 Words) that Links to Headline
Main Original Image (Different to Cover Image)
Min. Three Smaller Original Images

Real Statement of Intent

The title for my magazine will be 'Focus,' and it will be a left-leaning gossip magazine that discusses social issues and current events. The cover lines will mention popular celebrities and their predicaments to target a working-class demographic. For the masthead, I will use a serif font to make the magazine appear more informed, and for the cover lines, I will use a sans serif font to make the magazine more approachable for a working-class audience. The colour scheme will be mostly red and yellow due to their connotations of passion and danger, which will dramatise the stories mentioned.

The celebrity in the cover image will be a British Filipino man (BAME), and the image will use direct address to communicate them as powerful, and therefore highlight the Southeast Asian demographic as having power in British society. This will attract a Southeast Asian audience through a sense of personal identity (Blumler and Katz) from the celebrity influencer, and also 'the reformer' (Young and Rubicam) as they are socially aware and tolerant. By featuring a Filipino celebrity, the magazine will bring light to the lack of Southeast Asian representation in Britain when it comes to being in public, influential positions.

This celebrity will also be featured in the double page spread in multiple low-angle images to empower them, alongside their book. The article will reference the celebrity's book about how people can break free from online, toxic influences that cause them to be socially intolerant and spread hate, further targeting 'the reformer.' It will be written in a conversational tone to target a younger, C2DE demographic through its aspect of approachable information/education (Blumler and Katz).