Discussion: Personality As Business Model
OBJECTIVE
To explore the business model of personality/celebrity and how personalities define their brand, target their customers and maintain customer loyalty.
INTRODUCTION:
Entertainment industries are often driven by personality and celebrity. Fans bond with and support bands, singers, actors, sports figures and performers. Many personalities become ‘brands' in themselves, successful on multiple business platforms. While this type of loyalty can be very personal for the fans of the target age and interest, there are classic business techniques personalities or their advisors use to make their ‘brands' successful.
INSTRUCTIONS
First Post
Choose one of these three: Lady Gaga, Tyler Perry or Shonda Rhimes. View one of the following online videos:
1. Lady Gaga: The Art of Fame-- from 60 Minutes 2011 (14 min.) at Lady Gaga: Art of Fame
Lady Gaga, at a young age, understands the business of personality and how to generate visibility and fan loyalty while managing her own brand.
Additional resource: Lipshutz, J. Lady Gaga's Comeback: Remind Everyone She Can Really, Really Sing.
Additional Resource: Lady Gaga Discusses Fame, Money.
2. Tyler Perry -- from 60 min. 2011 (12 min.) at Tyler Perry :
Tyler Perry's films have grossed almost $500 million and he does it his way - producing his films, TV series and plays out of his studio complex in Atlanta. He now has a powerful partnership with Oprah Winfrey's OWN channel.
Additional Resource: Terry profile in the Hollywood Reporter: "Tyler Perry Talks Race and Creative Freedom in Hollywood."
3. Shonda Rhimes (from ABC Nightline 8 min) - a star producer/show runner whose hits "Grey's Anatomy", "Scandal" and "How To Get Away with Murder" dominate on ABC. All three dramas are renewed for 2017-2018 season. View the video: ShondaLand: Behind the Scenes w/Shonda Rhimes.
Update on Shonda Rhimes: Rhimes Leaving ABC for Netflix
Additional research:
-- Check out the 'home page' of Lady Gaga and of Tyler Perry Studios to see how they present themselves to the public now. Lady Gaga, of course, did the halftime show at the 2017 Super Bowl and presented a different image than in this older video. Cite sources for your research within or at the end of your posting
Address the following questions about his or her business model in your initial posting - discuss only one of the celebrities:
1. Who are Lady Gaga's or Tyler Perry's or Shonda Rhimes' target customer segments. What is going on in their lives or ‘community'?
2. What is the ‘value proposition' your chosen celebrity offers their customer segments (fans) which makes (A) Lady Gaga different from other female singers or (B) makes Perry's movies/TV series different or (C) makes Rhime's shows unique? How do they meet a need for their audiences?
3. What specifically does your chosen celebrity do to reach their customer segments and maintain their loyalty? (customer relationships)
4. How does all this combine to define a unique brand? Do you consider your chosen celebrity successful in their business model? Why?
5. Since these videos were made, what has the celebrity done in the past year or so, that adds to their brand or visibility, such as releasing new music or a new movie, appearing on a major event or venue, moving to another network, etc.
Second Post
Comment on postings from classmates or offer additional insights. Do not limit the second discussion post to "I agree," "That's great" and so forth. Substantiate the position by using meaningful observations to corroborate it, such as professional experiences, relationships, and citing scholarly sources etc. when appropriate. As a guide for high quality response posts, use the RISE model, which encourages the steps as outlined in the rubric.
The RISE Model:
• Reflect: To recall, ponder, and communicate
• Inquire: To seek information and/or provide ideas through questioning
• Suggest: To introduce ideas for improvement of current iteration
• Elevate: To raise to a higher degree or purpose of future iterations
For more information about the RISE Model of meaningful feedback.
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.