Entrepreneurial Empowerment and Authenticity on Instagram
The rise of Influencers in the digital era
The rise of a new semi-profession as an Instagram Influencer portrays the amplifying capabilities of digital media in society. Today’s media developed beyond traditional technologies, such as broadcast, allowing anyone to become a prominent, well-known figure. There are many advantages and potential negatives of living in a promotional culture, including how self-branding impacts authenticity and its usage as a tool for visibility against hegemonic values. Instagram can be utilized as a supportive space to encourage vulnerable groups, for example, women using their recovery journey from eating disorders to inspire others. As defined by Khamis (2016), self-branding “involves individuals developing a distinctive public image for commercial gain and/or cultural capital… individuals benefit from having a unique selling point, or a public identity that is singularly charismatic and responsive to the needs and interests of target audiences” (p.1).
Social media platforms, specifically Instagram, are important stakeholders in the digital era’s branding culture. Instagram acts as a self-promotional, self-sculpting yet potentially self-harming platform. It has not only developed into an identity-forming aid and a place for entrepreneurial empowerment, but it provides a space for women to brand themselves while combating gender standards in the new “attention economy,” such as female athletes.
Visibility for female athletes in the sports world
In a post-feminist society encompassed by neoliberal ideologies and the desire for self-governance, commodification of the self has increasingly become an admirable entrepreneurial practice. Although the rise of self-branding and promotional culture can potentially disrupt one’s sense of authenticity, women now have the opportunity to tackle gender inequalities by branding herself on social media. In most cases, Instagram offers a progressive platform, especially for female athletes, which was founded in Toffoletti and Thorpe’s (2018) study. Female athletes must battle gender inequalities and hegemonic values when self-promoting their image. New media provides them with the liberating space traditional media fails to, allowing them to create an interactive environment as well as develop self-brands. Men’s sports receive more coverage while women athletes continue to be represented sexually suggestively and non-athletic (Toffoletti and Thorpe, 2018).These women use innovative opportunities to tackle underrepresentation in the sports world by building an online empire consisting of powerful and personable figments of their lives.
Despite the obstacles female athletes experience, including the concerns over appearing overly strong or sexy, Toffoletti and Thorpe’s (2018) study found that female fitness Influencers use discourses to develop an “authentic” self using social media. These include self-love, self-disclosure and self-empowerment when building their authentic image, while simultaneously becoming role models for their followers. Fitness Influencers, such as Serena Williams, use a “Love Your Body” (LYB) discourse to achieve this.
LYB discourse is “positive, affirmative, seemingly feminist-inflected media messages, targeted exclusively at girls and women, that exhort us to believe we are beautiful, to ‘remember’ that we are ‘incredible’ and that tell us that we have ‘the power’ to ‘redefine’ the ‘rules of beauty’” (Gill and Elias, 2014, p. 180).
Williams uses LYB discourse to brand herself as authentic and to reject the “hot-dog leg phenomenon” used by other, arguably more superficial Influencers (Toffoletti and Thorpe, 2018, p. 23). The usage of LYB includes posting selfies without makeup, celebrating natural beauty and encouraging self-love regardless of flaws and societal standards. Self-love discourse is an innovative technique to fight gender standards. Female fitness Influencers use social media to amplify visibility as a marginalized group by developing relationships through communicating experiences and perspectives, while crafting their own influential identities. Self-disclosure discourse involves Influencers sharing personable figments of their lives beyond athleticism (Toffoletti and Thorpe, 2018). By revealing private parts of their lives, such as family-oriented posts, hobbies and vacations, Influencers can achieve authenticity and realness with fans, such as Maria Sharapova. Self-empowerment discourse is crucial in presenting the feminized body as empowered rather than objectified (Toffoletti and Thorpe, 2018, p. 25). The presentation of hypersexual images that would have previously been considered exploitative by dominant patriarchy forces has transformed to “assertions of active and confident sexuality” (Toffoletti and Thorpe, 2018, p. 26).
As women are more pressured to present themselves as empowered entrepreneurs, they have become “particular kinds of economic subjects’’ (Banet-Weiser, 2015, p. 59), who realize gender expectations when creating their branded self, yet respond according to their individualism.
From exploitation to empowerment
The advantageously changing market provides opportunity for the progression to move past female objectification, which Banet-Weiser (2012) also advocates for. ‘‘Self-Branding is thus not a tired rehashing of the objectification of female bodies but rather a new social arrangement that relies on different strategies for identity construction”(p. 69). According to Banet-Weiser (2015), women are encouraged to pursue their entrepreneurial intellect to achieve actualization and success in the evolving market of opportunity. There is a monumental transition from ‘‘the politics of visibility to economies of visibility’’ with women adhering to market strategies, such as forms of entrepreneurship, to monetize their empowerment. Visibility is evidently becoming a novel form of capital in the digital era (Banet-Weiser, 2015, p. 55).
Anyone can become a microcelebrity
Marwick (2015) defines Instagram as a “convergence of cultural forces” including “a mania for digital documentation, the proliferation of celebrity and microcelebrity culture, and conspicuous consumption” (p. 139).
Instagram has tools for self-presentation that go beyond other platforms’ mere profile structures, such as Facebook or Twitter. Given the image-focused platform of Instagram, Marwick (2015) argues that microcelebrities match the conventions of high culture, demonstrating mainstream celebrity culture through capturing luxurious images, proposing that Instagram is potentially a “more accessible way for individuals to access the currency of the attention economy” (p. 139). Marwick (2015) talks about “parasocial interaction” created between Influencers and fans, typically associated with traditional media but has transitioned onto social media platforms. Social media breeds microcelebrities, and in the social media era, it became an action, “in the Internet era, microcelebrity is something people do” (Marwick, 2015, p. 140).
Instagram can reinforce an “existing hierarchy of fame, in which the iconography of glamour, luxury, wealth, good looks, and connections is reinscribed in a visual digital medium” (Marwick, 2015, p. 140)
However, young people are inspired by the types of unattainable lifestyles they see, which can make Instagram non-egalitarian, but “reinforce an existing hierarchy of fame, in which the iconography of glamour, luxury, wealth, good looks, and connections is reinscribed in a visual digital medium” (p. 140). Although this is possibly problematic, Instagram’s differentiating techniques such as spontaneity and real-time posting capabilities offer a more authentic space that tweets, for example, cannot. As digital media becomes more pervasive, it transforms negative preconceptions associated with supposedly vapid pastimes, such as taking selfies.
Selfie-taking as an artful commodity
Abidin (2016) confronts the often assumed self-centeredness and artificial authenticity surrounding the jobs of selfie-producers. Her study reveals how these Influencers achieve “subversive frivolity”, a concept she coined and explores by the underestimated power of selfie-taking due to its “marginal, inconsequential, and unproductive” misconception (Abidin, 2016, p. 1).
Influencers use selfies to “reap personal gains — both monetary and self-actualizing” (Abidin, 2016, p. 2).
Evident by her study, many women began to use social media to create “microcelebrity personas” as their semi-professional careers, differing from mainstream celebrities because it “involves the curation of a persona that feels authentic to readers” (Abidin, 2016, p. 3). As previously noted, the rise of microcelebrities is associated with the rise of Influencers. They are ordinary Internet users who acquired a large following through broadcasting their lifestyles and personal narratives, then used their popularity to make profit by incorporating advertorials into their posts as well as appearing at paid events. Selfies are the key components to the microcelebrity lifestyle, where Influencers send messages and communicate memories in the form of pictures. It is a laborious, masterful skill that essentially determines an Influencer’s “likeability”, the numerical determinant of popularity that essentially increases monetization (Abidin, 2016, p. 5).
Achieving the perfect selfie to accumulate attention and capital is an elaborate process. Abidin (2016) found that Influencers use selfies as salable objects to compete for clients to receive promotional products. For example, Influencers must consider the heel type that alludes slimmer legs, good background lighting, proper posturing, the ideal amount of makeup and using time-consuming, image enhancing apps. The study also explores how Influencers go beyond the laborious selfies to posting more considerate “‘behind-the-scenes’ selfies in a display of contrived authenticity and reflexivity” (Abidin, 2016, p. 13). They also sometimes use selfies as a means to combat rumors and show the self in rare real-time life.
Influencers have repurposed selfie-taking from a vain, frivolous activity to a self-commodifying weapon to enhance self-branding and female entrepreneurship. The former vapidness associated with selfies has become a powerful, artful skill in the digital era. However, the overall lack of spontaneity and the extensive labor behind selfie production creates a questionable authenticity for these Influencers. Depending on the type of Influencer, such as fashion bloggers versus female athletes, the discourse used to self-brand changes, potentially distorting authenticity.
The risked authenticity of fashion bloggers
Both fitness Influencers and fashion bloggers are fighting gendered norms and promoting self-empowerment as part of their brand. However the degrees of authenticity vary depending on the types of messages different influencers craft for their audiences, as well as the laborious processes that come with it.
In contrast to the “LYB” discourse fitness Influencers use, fashion Influencers exhibit the “having it all” discourse, impacting authenticity in a different, potentially hazardous way.
In Duffy and Hund’s (2015) study on self-production and self-promotion, the authors found that “the bloggers overwhelmingly conformed to a Western, heteronormative beauty aesthetic (young, thin, light-skinned)” (p. 4). In contrast to the “LYB” discourse fitness Influencers use, fashion Influencers exhibit the “having it all” discourse, impacting authenticity in a different, potentially hazardous way. They use it through topics of “destiny of passionate work, staging the glam life, and carefully curated social sharing” (Duffy and Hund’s, 2015, p. 1), exemplifying post-feminist emotions and the current logic behind self-branding. The authors argue, however, that their mediated attempts of entrepreneurship to meet these standards are invisible and undermined, portraying how gender inequalities continue to be pervasive in the rising digital media economy.
Obscured labors behind entrepreneurial femininity
Duffy and Hund (2015) found that fashion bloggers use several discourse topics in self-branding. The “destiny passionate work” discourse “suggests individuals came upon blogging unintentionally, as an escape from the banality of unrewarding professional lives” (Duffy and Hund, 2015, p. 4), which emphasizes the neoliberal lifestyle as an individually successful entrepreneur. Fashion bloggers use “the glam life” discourse to further downplay their labor by staging a glamorous life full of of exclusive global travel trips and invitations to events with famous brand companies, such as Gucci, as well as an overall luxurious lifestyle, “wherein prestige becomes a vital form of social currency” (Duffy and Hund, 2015, p. 6). These bloggers blame the hard work that goes into the paradoxical creation and maintenance of the aesthetic self-brand, particularly “translating the self into a consistent yet distinct visual aesthetic, written voice, and potential partner for commercial brands” (Duffy and Hund, 2015, p. 7), making it seem like a mastered art behind the smartphone screen. “Curated personal sharing” includes personal snapshots to try to achieve authenticity with their followers, though bloggers struggle with relating to their audience.
When Duffy and Hund (2015) interviewed blogger Rumi, she discussed with the authors the pressures of relating to her audience, constantly asking herself “‘What’s next, what’s going to look better? What else can I do with photography? Is my clothing too inaccessible? Am I not affordable, am I not relatable?’” (p. 8). Another interviewee, Liv, confessed the demands of being a social media brand, admitting her worries of changing with life’s events and having to adjust her brand:
“I might be interested in different things, or need different things, you know, maybe I’ll have a baby, I don’t know if I’ll blog about that, I don’t know if that’s on brand for me or if I’d want to keep it private” (Duffy and Hund, 2015, p. 8).
Female athletes evidently struggle less with these concerns, predominantly fighting the gender discriminatory ideals associated with the sports sector rather than the commodification efforts and obstacles faced in the fashion blogging world.
Do fashion bloggers really “have it all”?
Duffy and Hund (2015) present how these ideals further hide the “unstable employment, occupational flexibility, and the pervasive mentality that ‘you’re only as good as your last [TV script, novel, magazine article]’” or, in this case, Instagram post. Ultimately, when contrasted with female athletes, fashion bloggers show more attention-seeking and status-enhancing behaviors, such as the prevailing “hot-dog” leg phenomenon. Their definition of authenticity is “having it all,” but it “obscures the labor, discipline, and capital necessary to emulate these standards” (Duffy and Hund, 2015, p. 2). The concept of having a seemingly effortless lifestyle, or “having it all”, accomplished by hidden 24/7 labor seems to be the new self-brand of the twenty-first century for these types of bloggers.
Self-branding may disrupt authentic spaces
Although living in a promotional culture is beneficial in providing women with empowering platforms to combat gender standards and pursue entrepreneurial semi-professions, Banet-Weiser (2013) warns “the way in which these types of brand relationships have increasingly become cultural contexts for everyday living, individual identity, and affective relationships” (4), potentially overwhelming society.
As more people aspire to become Influencers, self-commodification will also increase, making the question of whether authenticity, staying true to one’s own personality or character is possible in a promotional culture (Banet-Weiser, 2013). However, this question is more complex. As brands become prominent aspects of people’s everyday lives, consumerism can simultaneously consume us, potentially losing our authentic selves. Especially as in a neoliberalist society, people tend to deem themselves as worthy as the brands they consume and the brand they create for themselves. The experience of brands can be deceptive, and since US culture is a combination of daily, individual experiences and the market, society faces a constant battle between the inner and outer selves (Banet-Weiser, 2013). Cultural spaces such as self-identity and creativity are at risk for brand contamination, however true authenticity disassociated with laborious social media work is still reachable, but outside of consumer capitalism. In accordance with Banet-Weiser (2013), in the midst of a consumer culture, it is possible to become overly tolerant of our capital spending in efforts to “self-brand,” confusing our authentic selves with our consumer selves, potentially intertwining them in a dangerous way.
The idea of authenticity is now more valuable than authenticity itself.
The growing commodification of the self as part of the branding process evidently has potential impacts on authenticity in important spaces. Banet-Weiser (2013) argues that the idea of authenticity is now more valuable than authenticity itself, demonstrated by most Instagram Influencers. Despite the mental costs and the hidden, laborious ordeals of thriving as an Instagram Influencers, I predict that an Influencer will only lose their authenticity if they lose their personal style in the midst of the glitz and glamour.
Khamis (2016) explores the functions of brands, and how they must have the strongest qualities to attract consumer attention and differ from other brands. There are issues with applying brands to people, such as consistency, which is difficult when humans are constantly changing, often leading to engaging in charades to maintain their image.
The costs of “Instafame”
Writer Jarry Lee of the article, “What Does it Cost to be Big on Instagram?” explores the behind-the-scenes labor for Instagram Influencers, where Influencers must sometimes risk it all for the “perfect picture” and experience risky conditions, such as extreme temperatures and heights to capture the most admirable angle. Instagram Influencers go through great lengths, and expenses, to make their presence on Instagram more notable, as well as to receive sponsorship from brands while increasing their followers. It is common for Influencers to make personal sacrifices as well, such as fraudulent friendships and relationships. Additionally, Instagram can be a culprit for comparison, where they can feel their self-brand is not sufficient if they lack engagement. However, according to the Influencers in Lee’s article, it is worth it. Beyond providing a means for female entrepreneurship, promotional culture can aid in the development of supportive communities for vulnerable groups as well, such as girls recovering from eating disorders.
Using promotional culture as an encouraging, supportive outlet
Women who had eating disorders recovered into being influential bodybuilders, using their Instagram page to not only promote their healthy lifestyle and training programs, but also as a part of a supportive community for struggling females. Eikey (2017) discovered that these types of Influencers aid in girls’ recovery processes by increasing awareness, reducing stigma and providing knowledge about healthy foods and exercise, overall discouraging disordered thoughts and behaviors.
Papachaissi (2014) discusses the capabilities of digital media beyond self-branding, where promotional culture is pursued in differently authentic ways. Instagram can initiate and inspire necessary change in society, demonstrated by empowering self-promoters like female bodybuilders recovered from eating disorders. These types of Influencers typically begin their platform as young women battling anorexia, using Instagram as an outlet to document their progress and participate with others enduring similar struggles in a collaborative environment. Over time, particularly those women who go on to become body builders, competitors, or lifestyle coaches, such as @fearstofit, use their accumulated following to promote female empowerment against dangerous gender standards that often results in eating disorders. Instagram is an ideal platform to build a supportive community where girls do not feel stigmatized or pressured, as seen in Eikey’s piece.
Conclusion
Despite the hegemony that continues to saturate society, particularly in the sports world and the typically male-dominant entrepreneur sector, social media has provided innovative strategies for women to develop their self-brands for commodification, an empowering advantage associated with the digital era. The previously negative conception of selfie-taking is transitioning from a vain, generational activity to a tool for self-representation and a weapon for building one’s own digital empire. It is important to remember that although Instagram offers a platform for “Instafame” and the opportunity for essentially anyone to become microcelebrity, there is hidden labor behind the Influencer process. These include invisible sacrifices, coming in the form of mental health and personal relationships.
As the semi-profession of microcelebrities grows in desirability, one’s authenticity has the potential to blur while trying to maintain their brand. More genuine forms of self-promotion include fitness Influencers and female athletes, where LYB discourse is emphasized more than the “having it all discourse”, which puts these types of Influencers, such as fashion bloggers, at risk for a diminishing authenticity.
Notes
Abidin, C. (2016). “Aren’t These Just Young, Rich Women Doing Vain Things Online?”: Influencer Selfies as Subversive Frivolity. Social Media + Society, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305116641342
Banet-Weiser, S. (2012). Authentic TM : the politics and ambivalence in a brand culture . New York, NY: New York University Press.
Banet-Weiser, S. (2015). Media, markets, gender: Economies of visibility in a neoliberal moment. The Communication Review, 18, 53–70.
Duffy, B., & Hund, E. (2015). “Having it All” on Social Media: Entrepreneurial Femininity and Self-Branding Among Fashion Bloggers. Social Media + Society, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305115604337
Eikey, E. V., & Booth, K. M. (2017). Recovery and Maintenance: How Women with Eating Disorders Use Instagram. In iConference 2017 Proceedings (pp. 227–240). https://doi.org/10.9776/17024
Gill, R., & Elias, A. S. (2014). ‘Awaken your incredible’: Love your body discourses and postfeminist contradictions. International Journal of Media & Cultural Politics, 10, 179–188.
Lee, J. (March 3, 2018). “What Does it Cost To Be Big On Instagram?” https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jarrylee/what-does-it-cost-to-be-big-on-instagram.
Littler, J. (2013). Sarah Banet-Weiser, Authentic[TM]: The Politics of Ambivalence in a Brand Culture. International Journal of Communication (Online).
Marwick, A. E. (2015). Instafame: Luxury selfies in the attention economy. Public Culture, 27, 137–160.
Susie Khamis, Lawrence Ang & Raymond Welling (2016): Self-branding, ‘micro-celebrity’ and the rise of Social Media Influencers, Celebrity Studies, DOI: 10.1080/19392397.2016.1218292
Toffoletti, K., & Thorpe, H. (2018). Female athletes’ self-representation on social media: A feminist analysis of neoliberal marketing strategies in “economies of visibility.” Feminism & Psychology, 28(1), 11–31.
