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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Older social media influencers and in particular celebrities have recently found a new arena
where they can gather an entourage of fans: social networking sites (SNS). As their digital
born and raised counterparts – social media influencers – they have the power to attract
millions of followers by carefully and strategically sharing curated content from their lives,
or their opinions and points of view on digital platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and
TikTok (e.g., Chappie & Cownie, 2017; Schouten et al., 2019).
Scholars and practitioners have long been acknowledging that celebrities are important
influencers of human behavior in several life domains, including in social media. And in
today’s digital zeitgeist, companies still recognize their potential effect on consumers,
resorting to celebrities’ endorsements in the form of positive electronic word-of-mouth about
the company’s products or services. Yet, research on older celebrities and their strategies
and communication practices in SNS, as well as their influence on their digital followers is
still scant.
Building on theories related to self-disclosure and celebrity endorsement, this exploratory
study examines the top 5 Instagram accounts of older Portuguese celebrities, analyzing
their presence and branded personae on Instagram as well as their communicative
practices and engagement. Instagram, one of the most popular SNS for individuals of all
age cohorts, was chosen not only for its popularity but also because it has been changing
the social media ecosystem and because it lends itself particularly well to influencer
marketing (Duffy, 2020).
A quali-quanti study was conducted involving the analysis of all the Instagram publications
of these five celebrities during a three-month period, from April to June 2022. The
dimensions examined were: the number of posts, the number of followers, the number of
sponsored posts, hashtags, themes/subjects of interest, audiovisual and multimedia
resources, as well as their interaction and engagement with followers. The results suggest
that diversity is their common feature, with clear and marked differences in what concerns
their communicative styles and strategies, as well as in interactions and engagement rate
with their followers. These older celebrities appear to be unique digital content creators,
with an unrepeatable charisma that attracts an increasing number of followers. Their distinctive digital branded personae, their strong investment in their work or other interests,
their digital empowerment and their active and interventive posture on what goes on in their
life, around them or in the world defy old-age stereotypes. Although exploratory in nature,
this study highlights the bright, successful aging of these older celebrities and reveals that
they still have the power to mobilize and engage a considerable number of fans, despite
they do not take advantage of this to promote brands or products.
Description
Keywords
Elderly Celebrities Social media influencers Instagram
Citation
Antunes, A.C, & Miranda, S. (2023, abr., 11) Older portuguese celebrities on Instagram: A snapshot of their strategies and communication practices. Comunicação apresentada no VIII Congreso Internacional Comunicación y Pensamiento: Imagen y manipulación. Viejas prácticas, nuevas fronteras, Facultad de Comunicación de la Universidad de Sevilla, Espanha.
Publisher
AdMIRA - Análisis de Medios, Imágenes y Relatos Audiovisuales
LADECOM - Laboratorio de Estudios en Comunicación
IMAGO - Imagen, Medios Audiovisuales e Historia de la Comunicación
IROCAMM - International Review of Communication and Marketing Mix
EGREGIUS - Congresos y Eventos
LADECOM - Laboratorio de Estudios en Comunicación
IMAGO - Imagen, Medios Audiovisuales e Historia de la Comunicación
IROCAMM - International Review of Communication and Marketing Mix
EGREGIUS - Congresos y Eventos