Field Site: Blog Post 2

After deliberating over my media niche I felt, focusing on influencer marketing and the impact influencers have on their audience will be more beneficial to my study as i have found myself at the checkout at Mecca because i got caught up in the hype of an influencer swearing by a particular product. I would love to further my understanding on the why’s and the how’s of the beauty community on YouTube.

Looking at the beauty community on YouTube and how influencers use these platforms to showcase their products or businesses using online advertising. More specifically Jeffree Star 17.2 million subscribers on YouTube and the CEO of Jeffree Star Cosmetics uses multiple platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and YouTube to promote upcoming product launches by creating videos and posts which highlight the collection and display an in-depth description of each product, showing swatches and presenting all the accessories which are attached to the collection such as merchandise.

From personal experience, I have purchased a product from viewing a big marketing docuseries on YouTube where Shane Dawson 21.2million Subscribers collaborates with Jeffree Star and his brand Jeffree Star Cosmetics. The docuseries focuses on ‘the behind the scenes’ of making the Conspiracy Palette. The series breaks down the whole process from talking about profit margins, formulations, choosing the right packaging and naming the shades etc. I was hooked on the series and I fell into the trap of this marketing plan as I sat at my laptop at 4am purchasing the Conspiracy Palette.

Exploring this media niche will help clarify how truly powerful social media influencers are over their consumer’s choices and beliefs. This is highlighted by makeup brands/companies paying influencers to endorse their products through paid sponsorship or paid advertising which YouTubers will incorporate into their videos. Brands will also take influencers on an all-expenses-paid brand trip to places like the Maldives. Influencers will then create a 30-minute vlog about their time in paradise, post 3-4 photos on Instagram tagging the brand in posts to create hype about the new products which are launching.

The makeup industry is a highly competitive industry with new products being launched every single day and even celebrities are now turning to the makeup industry to create their own product lines for example; Rhianna (Fenty Beauty). There is always going to be competition to be at the top and this is where I will solely focus on Jeffree Star as he is one of the top-rated beauty gurus on YouTube as well as owning Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Jeffree Star is wealthy, powerful and influential, he is renowned for reviewing products and calling out brands. Jeffree Star has cancelled companies previously for releasing foundation which does not cater to people of colour and this is where I will be able to enhance my ability to address cancelled culture within the beauty community and deep dive into the why and what.

With paid sponsorships or advertisements, cancelled behaviour can occur when;

Controversy over influencers advertising products that aren’t related to their brand
Discrediting a company or defaming another brand
Wrongful advertising
Not being an inclusive brand etc.

In order to problematise this topic, I will need to narrow down my ideas and solely focus on advertising/sponsorships on YouTube within the beauty community and the negative impact this can have on the community and their fans. Although cancelled culture is a prevalent issue arising on social media, understanding the foundations behind large companies using beauty influencers to endorse their products is one of the stemming factors to cancelled culture on YouTube and solely understanding this factor first will help me generate a research question later in my study.

References:

http://www.sheimagazine.com/features/2019/11/25/the-secrets-behind-brand-influencer-trips

https://www.reddit.com/r/BeautyGuruChatter/