What makes one popular on social media?
This is
a question that takes the form of many answers, one would say it’s the amount
of re blogs, likes, and re tweets you get. Or is it the number of
followers/friends that you have? Basically what brings people to your
page? What links you two together, but more importantly how do these likes in return benefit you? There documentary "Generation Like" answers
these questions and show examples in great detail by supporting evidence and
many examples of success. The video argument is that likes, re tweets, and re blogs
are what control the Internet, market and success of people through the mean so
social media. Ultimately you just want to be ‘liked” The more followers one has the more prosperous you will be. It focuses on how the likes, re tweets and
etc are the icons on this generation because everyone can relate. The video also
argues that people are in control of media and the content it displays. People build and leverage social media network by the use of likes and through likes you gain followers
from people who think the same or share the same interest. In return marketers some
get endorsed and get money in some cases.Perfect example is used in the film for the famous actor Ian
Somerhalder who plays a role in Vampire Dairies. Although hes famous and
tons of people like him if one look at his like and his fans they share similar
interest. If one like Ian and he likes the product and now
you have a double endorsement. So now companies will pay to showcase their
product. Whether that be in a commercial, meme, or video on the Internet. But more importantly
what’s the problem with the films argument logic? But how do you get to this point/whats your audience? What makes people like
you and enjoy you. What interactions do you have to get to this point, and more
importantly how can you get paid for this? What dies this reveal about technology? and what does it reveal about itself and how is the argument backed up in the video. This analysis will help you to understand that technology is also a mean of marketing and it used transparently without you even knowing.
z 
The thought of Social Currency?
Wouldn’t one like to get paid for making videos that you enjoy doing or interacting on your
page? It’s easy, at least that’s what this pathos documentary displays. It
portrays the idea that you can get “internet wealthy” just by what you like to
do, what you like and sharing it with people on the web. But were no talking
about actually currency. Those little likes turn into what is called liquid
gold or (corporate sponsorship). Most of it is through the means of endorsement,
for a well-known brand or whatever they want they’re spokesperson or model to
be. An example of there is the kid (BabyScumBag) who just started off posting
his cool skateboards moves on the Internet. And those videos seem to get lots of attention,
so the clothing company Primitive started endorsing his with clothes and of
course he wears them in his videos promoting that company. The ideas of it is pretty
cool to be a marketing idea for companies. The tried to use an Pathos way of persuasion because in the film they stated that his family has always had a problem with money, so its make one feel sympathy for him. But that’s not the case for all. The
upcoming artist Oliver Luckett for his music video Ford lets him drive a fusion
ion the video thus endorsing themselves through him. But the last thing people can get paid for is the
company’s placing ads on video as well and that real cash!! So that might be
what people need to earn a few extra bucks. The logic behind this argument however
is not the best. Yes there supporting evidence in the video with example of
Tyler Oakley and many others but these are only a select few people out a huge
number of people actually in these
social media. Out of the millions pages you only saw a total of 5 in the video
one being already famous. So although the logos idea behind this is great, its not enough to make it valid. Which brings me to the next process which is how you
get discovered and who’s the audience behind all this. Ill also tell you about
my personal experience.
Interactions and Attention!
As stated in the video and what the video argument believe to
be true is that social media is self-empowering. It makes people feel as though they to something. People inspire to be like & become famous. They “thirst”
for likes. So how to get noticed and to whom is the audience in situations. When a poduct get noticed by doing or liking the same idea or products as others, and
when something is liked online its building its identity. When there is a common interest and a fan base and that’s what the acknowledgment
and attention come from. A fan base ultimately becomes a consumer and
your consumer is your marketer. So who is the audience when you just starting
out small like this the audience is just whoever you can attract at the moment.
This audience is glad to share your content and it isn’t until these little
interactions that you acquire that you audience gets the attention of big names
such as celebrities. Two example from the video were
- The girl in love with Hunger Games tweeted the actor’s multiple time until she was finally acknowledged by one of the main actors. When he interacted with her she gained 60 -70 followers from people who also watched the Hunger Games. That little interaction stretched her followers a huge amount.
- Another example of getting exposure or stretching your audience. Is the collaborations done by people with a lot of subscribers with those of lowers subscribers. So when they are featured in higher subscribed videos those subscribers go to their page and end of liking them
Conclusion
Based on the analysis you can see the
marketing of brand through social media, and how transparently they do it
without forcing it on you. The argument in the film was backed up very well This film provided a wealth of knowledge pertaining
to that with supporting details as well. The rhetorical device of all
three elements except for Ethos were put together in this documentary. Pathos would be at the
end because after watching the film you feel the need to go out and film and
start your own identity on the Internet and then be discovered of liked. Ethos
element was used simply by the fact of what we watched as the film. Finally Logos
was the use of the examples in the film to show that the marketing skills and tactics
work. Overall the film did have a huge effect. It males one look at social media a
whole lot differently now. Whether it’s an ad that pops up or a video with
obvious endorsement shown in it. It effectiveness of getting its point across
was also well presented and developed.
For more information on the film you could go to http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/generation-like/ or see excerpts of it on YouTube as the one presented above.
Generation Like. Prod. FRANK KOUGHAN. Perf. Ian Somerhalder, Douglas Rushkoff. FRONTLINE, February 18,2014. Transcript.
