WHAT’S THE PLAN?

Big changes have occurred in the past couple of weeks!! In my previous blog, I wrote about my interest in lifestyle content and how I was going to focus on Sarah’s Day. However, after a lot of thought and discussions with other BCM241 students, I have decided to take an alternate approach for my digital artefact. To a degree I am still focusing on lifestyle content, particularly on Instagram however, due to its multifaceted nature, my media niche is now focusing on aesthetics! And not just any aesthetics, but the coffee house aesthetic or ‘almond milk aesthetic’. My project will be a collaboration between myself and two other BCM students who have expressed their interest in aesthetics. We will be creating an Instagram page titled ‘Almondmlk&co’ where we will be sourcing and posting photos that fit into this genre. My original plan has altered quite a lot, however, I believe it fits well with lifestyle content as various influencers have taken on this aesthetic.

So what exactly is an aesthetic? The term ‘aesthetic’ can denote to various things, in this circumstance, it refers to the appearance of some form of content. The aesthetic of something assists in establishing a style, tone, mood or in the case of lifestyle content creators, it helps in illustrating personality. From a theoretical standpoint, aesthetics is closely aligned with the philosophy of art, which explores the nature of art and how individual representations are evaluated or interpreted by others (Scruton & Munro, 2019). The coffee house aesthetic generally comprises photos with shades of whites, creams and light browns as illustrated in the collage above.

This week is all about the research plan, but in order to construct one we must first come up with a problem to ethnographically explore. Considering there is three of us collaborating on this project we have decided to each take a different path to gather a comprehensive understanding of aesthetics. For my research, I will be exploring and analysing what the audience wants to see, whilst my group members focus on why we, ourselves are drawn to this aesthetic and why the audience is drawn to the almond milk aesthetic. To better understand our media niche, conducting first-hand investigation is crucial. By doing this I will attain insight into the demographic of users who are typically engaging with the aesthetic. Moreover, I will be observing the types of images (e.g. lifestyle, fashion etc) influencers or Instagram users are posting for the coffee house aesthetic.

Ethnographic research relies on observation, either participatory or non-participatory. This idea relates to sensors and senses, human and non-human as a path for establishing judgement and gathering data for analysis (Moore, 2020). In media ethnography, direct observation is valuable in comparing the way platforms, practices and processes are represented and paralleled with their lived experiences (Moore, 2020). I will be employing participant observation as I source, capture and post photos for our Instagram page. Moreover, I will research various accounts to gain inspiration. . Auto-ethnography is equally as important and is considered a method of qualitative research which seeks to systematically analyse and convey personal experiences to grasp cultural understandings (Holman Jone, 2005). This will allow me to put myself at the heart of this community and fully grasp the dynamics of this niche.

My research plan schedule is as follows:

My schedule is quite repetitive, however it is subject to change as I uncover new experiences and pathways for my niche, which I may be unaware of right now. I am very excited to get cracking on this project as I am an adamant Instagram user and absolutely adore this aesthetic!

References:

Holman Jones, Stacy. (2005). Autoethnography: Making the personal political. In Handbook of qualitative research, ed. Norman K. Denzin and Yvonna S. Lincoln, 763-791. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Hughes, J (2019), 6 Tips for Creating a Social Media Brand Aesthetic, blog post, Revive Social. <https://revive.social/creating-social-brand-aesthetic/#:~:text=The%20benefits%20of%20creating%20a,social%20channels%20to%20ensure%20consistency.> [Accessed 27 August 2020]

Moore, C., (2020). BCM241: Ethnographic Research Methods And Methodologies. UOW

Scruton, R. and Munro, T., (2019). Aesthetics. In: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc. https://www.britannica.com/topic/aesthetics [Accessed 18th August 2020].

NARROWING THE FIELD

In the previous week, I wrote about my interest in lifestyle content, which I will be exploring ethnographically for my digital artefact. Lifestyle content presents various avenues and opportunities, and in contemporary society, it is ever-increasing. Due to its broad nature, I have decided to refine my topic and focus my ethnographic research on one channel, in particular, Sarah’s Day. By doing this, I will be able to focus on one perspective and one voice of lifestyle content. I have been a loyal subscriber to Sarah’s Day for quite a few years now and have chosen her as my focus as she is excelling as a content creator on a global scale. As stated by Burrell (2009), a field site denotes to the ‘spatial characteristics of a field-based research project’, the phase where social process under focus occur (p.182). This site is built in terms of how a phenomenon, in this case, lifestyle content, is viewed and acted on by participants (Burrell, 2009). Moreover, the field site is defined by places embedded in speech and text, social imaginings and physical movements. Another element of field research is whether the topic under focus involves observation or participant observation. In this case, I will be employing participant observation as I am part of the target audience.

“Ethnographic research allows us to regard and represent the actors as creators as well as executants of their own meanings. The very way in which they tell us about what they do tells the researcher a great deal about what is meaningful for an in the research. It adds richness and texture to the experience of conducting research”
Hannabuss, 2000, p.99

https://www.youtube.com/c/SarahsDay/videos

Sarah’s Day began her YouTube career around seven years ago and has now gained 1.46 million subscribers on YouTube. Her YouTube channel is full of day in the life vlogs, healthy recipes, home workouts, clothing hauls and so much more. One thing I love about this channel is how raw her videos are. Today, many YouTubers glamorise their life and often neglect to show the nitty-gritty aspects of life. Moreover, I love her overall aesthetic and style. Influencers these days all have their unique look and feel on social media. Creating a visually appealing aesthetic is an important part of reaching wider audiences as they are drawn in by the look of an account. Sarah’s Day also manages various side jobs and projects including a health-based podcast, whilst posting regularly on Instagram and YouTube. I have included a mind map below illustrating the network and connections associated with just one lifestyle content creator. In recent years, a growing amount of literature has examined celebrity studies with digital media theory, exploring the role of the “micro-celebrity” (Lawson, 2020). Marwick (2015) defines a micro-celebrity as “a self-presentation technique in which people view themselves as a public persona to be consumed by others, use strategic intimacy to appeal to followers, and regard their audience as fans” (p.333).

Edit 29/8 – below i have inserted the field site for the almond milk aesthetic, with our primary focus on the #creamaesthetic hashtag

Personally, I love engaging with Sarah’s Day’s content as I find her life and views inspiring and motivating. Her content is tailored to my interests and I always come out feeling happy and having learned something after watching her YouTube videos. Through her weekly engagements, she creates a close community who feels as though they are a part of her life and visa versa. Sarah’s Day further reinforces this by referring to her audience as ‘Sezzy’s Squad’. I have included one of Sarah’s videos below as it conveys a true and raw depiction of her life.

Gaining a more in-depth awareness of lifestyle content will be beneficial for those in the creative industries, particularly those with an online following. For instance, individuals may learn the importance of regular engagement across platforms to connect with their audience. In addition to this, my findings may also be advantageous to those wanting to start up their own YouTube channel or Instagram account as they can gain inspiration as well as compare and contrast what various lifestyle content creators are publishing.

References:

Burrell, J., (2009). The Field Site as a Network: A Strategy for Locating Ethnographic Research. Field Methods, 21(2), pp.181-196. Available at: <https://journals-sagepub-com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/doi/pdf/10.1177/1525822X08329699> [Accessed 9 August 2020].

Hannabuss, S. (2000), “Being there: ethnographic research and autobiography”, Library Management, Vol. 21 No. 2, pp. 99-107. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120010309425

Lawson, C. E. (2020) ‘Skin deep: Callout strategies, influencers, and racism in the online beauty community’, New Media & Society.

Marwick AE (2015) You may know me from YouTube. In: Marshall DP and Redmond S (eds) A Companion to Celebrity. Chichester: Wiley, p. 333.

MY MEDIA NICHE

In today’s day and age, we all consume media in some way or another. For the majority of us, it is something we engage with daily whether that be for entertainment purposes, as a source of information or to keep in contact with friends, family and the world. When first hearing the term ‘media niche’ I was struck with confusion as I was not sure what my primary interest was. However, after scrolling through Instagram, YouTube and Spotify it became quite clear there was a pattern in what I watch, view and listen to. The content, which sparks most joy for me is all things lifestyle! Lifestyle content is such a diverse media niche that ranges from health, fitness, beauty, sustainable living and fashion… the list goes on!!

BCM241 (Media Ethnography) will allow me to obtain a deeper understanding of media niches as I ethnographically research this topic for my digital artefact. Ethnography is often considered a qualitative research method whereby individuals immerse themselves in a community or group, gaining insight into their social dynamics and shared culture. Taking a look at the lifestyle channels and pages I follow, it is clear the viewership would primarily consist of females aged 16-25. An important feature of ethnography is the concept of ‘social media influencer marketing’ (Glucksman, 2017). This explores how influencer marketing on social media opens up a new method for brands to build relationships with audiences directly. Social media influencers promote brands through their everyday lives, depicting them as relatable to the viewer (Glucksman, 2017).

My interest in lifestyle content began a few years ago and it is now something I engage with on a weekly basis. There are so many great influencers out there, sharing life hacks, healthy recipes, motivational tips and so much more! These types of videos resonate with me as I share a lot of similar interests and passions as the influencers. This is particularly true with UK content creator Zanna Van Dijk as we both share a passion for fitness, living consciously whether that be using sustainable products or being more environmentally aware. Many lifestyle content creators have a large presence, which exists separately to Youtube including platforms like Instagram or Facebook. These two global platforms allow for greater audiences to become engaged in a community that shares similar interests and ideas. Some of my favourite influencers including Sarah’s Day and Georgie Stevenson who also run their personal podcasts on Spotify where they explore all things fitness, relationships, manifestation and motivational hacks.

As stated by Erikson (2018:87) “Qualitative inquiry seeks to discover and to describe narratively what particular people do in their everyday lives and what actions mean to them”. This quote links up directly when looking towards lifestyle content online, in particular on YouTube. One thing that intrigues me with lifestyle content creators is the whole idea of how they run their various platforms and are continuously creating innovative projects. I am quite positive that my chosen media niche will resonate and interest others in the BCM241 cohort as lifestyle content tailors to a range of aspects in everyday life. Advancing my knowledge on lifestyle content and popular influencers will allow for a deeper understanding of such communities and the social dynamics present.

References:

Caulfield, J., 2020. An Introduction To Ethnography | What Is It And How Is It Used?. Scribbr. Available at: <https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/ethnography/> [Accessed 7 August 2020].

Glucksman, M., 2017. The rise of social media influencer marketing on lifestyle branding: A case study of Lucie Fink. Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, pp.77-87. [Accessed 7 August 2020].

“10 Reasons Why Influencer Marketing is the Next Big Thing.”Adweek. N.p., 14 July 2015. Web. 28 Mar. 2017. [Accessed 8 August 2020].

Image references:

Day, S., (2020). Day In The Life. [image] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh1vdPK_81U> [Accessed 6 August 2020].

Day, S., (2020). The Health Code [image]. Available at: https://open.spotify.com/show/1dlfl4rDkWMQTGPOfRdcLQ

Day, S., (2020). Vlog [image]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UpDvcX84l8

Mescia Twins, T., 2020. We DIY’d Our Clothes. [image] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCW46G0jSKg> [Accessed 6 August 2020].

Stevenson, G., 2020. Follow Along Low Impact HIIT Workout. [image] Available at: <https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DIumdQCR6idU&psig=AOvVaw3tp4YyA6mhO64_RzvmTvpj&ust=1597210284873000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCNjomYC2kusCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD> [Accessed 6 August 2020].

Stevenson, G., 2020. Rise and Conquer [image] Available at <https://www.georgiestevenson.net/pages/about-rise-conquer> [Accessed 6 August 2020].

Van Dijk, Z., 2020. [image] Available at: <https://www.zannavandijk.co.uk/about/> [Accessed 6 August 2020].