#class blog

Dream Concert

This is a photo of Tatiana Schwaninger at their recent Knockdown Center show over the weekend. I was there in the front left crowd, hypnotized, mesmerized, watching one of my favourite musical acts of the past few years. In this manipulated photo, I removed Tatiana “Tati” from the stage to show her only through the screen of the technology which records her. I also removed any sign of human heads/bodies aside from their arms, which hold up their phones. This piece is not a comment on screen addiction or our inability to “live in the moment”. I wanted to explore how our perception of music has become adapted/inescapable with the convenience of our phones, and whether the music we consume through layers of technology is still the same as the music we experience live. 

prompt:

Over the course of remainder of the semester, you will pick a corporation, organization, or individual as your client, and create a social media proposal, content plan, and visual samples based on your assessment of their needs. You will analyze the social media presence of your selected entity; outline the entity’s target audience(s) across appropriate social media platforms; and design a social media campaign that helps advance the strategic goals of the brand. This week's Blog Post will be the fourth step of this process. In your post, answer the following questions:

Which audio/visual elements are characteristic of your client’s social media presence?

Would you consider your client’s content to be optimized for the platforms on which it is shared?

:

As part of my social media proposal for Valentino, I have analyzed the audio/visual elements that are characteristic of their social media presence. Valentino's social media presence is known for its high-quality, visually stunning imagery that showcases their luxury fashion items. The company frequently posts photos and videos of their clothing, accessories, and runway shows, often featuring models from diverse backgrounds.

Valentino's social media posts also include behind-the-scenes footage of their fashion shows, which gives their followers a glimpse into the creative process behind the brand. They also share content featuring their collaborations with artists and musicians, such as their recent partnership with BTS Suga.

Overall, Valentino's social media presence is visually appealing and reflective of their brand's luxury image. The company's use of high-quality imagery and video is consistent with their status as a luxury fashion brand, and it helps them to stand out in a crowded social media landscape.

When it comes to whether Valentino's content is optimized for the platforms on which it is shared, I believe that the company could make some improvements. While their Instagram feed is visually stunning, their posts on other platforms such as Twitter and Facebook are less consistent in terms of quality and style. Additionally, while Valentino's social media presence does feature some diversity in terms of models and collaborators, there is room for improvement in terms of inclusivity and representation.

Given that Valentino's social media campaign is targeting a non-binary specific and LGBT Gen Z demographic, it is important to ensure that the content is optimized for these platforms. This could include the use of hashtags that are relevant to these communities, as well as more frequent and consistent posting on these platforms. Additionally, the company could consider working with influencers who have a large following within these communities to help spread their message and reach a wider audience.

Over the course of remainder of the semester, you will pick a corporation, organization, or individual as your client, and create a social media proposal, content plan, and visual samples based on your assessment of their needs. You will analyze the social media presence of your selected entity; outline the entity’s target audience(s) across appropriate social media platforms; and design a social media campaign that helps advance the strategic goals of the brand. This week's Blog Post will be the third step of this process. In your post, answer the following questions:

To which audiences has your client traditionally tailored their content?

Do you recognize any audience segments that have been un(der)served in the past?

How would you profile the target audience for your social media campaign?

Audience Tailoring

Valentino traditionally caters to a high-end audience that appreciates the brand's luxury and craftsmanship. The content often targets those seeking elegant and sophisticated fashion. Additionally, Valentino has focused on millennials, valuing their preference for authentic experiences.

2. Un(der)served Audience Segments

Valentino has not historically targeted the queer and trans youth audience. However, this audience segment is growing in significance as more brands emphasize inclusivity.

3. Target Audience Profile

Generation Z queer and trans youth are passionate about social justice and inclusive values. They accept people from all backgrounds, promoting diversity and sustainability in fashion. They prefer brands that support social responsibility, and are highly active on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.

To design a successful SM campaign, Valentino should create content that's inclusive, authentic, and engaging; which can be achieved through showcasing Valentino's commitment to sustainability, promoting LGBTQ+ charities and initiatives, and featuring diverse models in campaigns.

Also, partnering with LGBTQ+ influencers can help promote Valentino's values and create a sense of community and inclusivity. Indicators of success include trending tags and sales, influencers discussing the campaign on social media platforms, and artwork featuring Valentino products.

Over the course of remainder of the semester, you will pick a corporation, organization, or individual as your client, and create a social media proposal, content plan, and visual samples based on your assessment of their needs. You will analyze the social media presence of your selected entity; outline the entity’s target audience(s) across appropriate social media platforms; and design a social media campaign that helps advance the strategic goals of the brand. This week's Blog Post will be the next step of this process. In your post, answer the following questions:

What would you consider to be the major strategic goals of your client?

Which key performance indicators can be analyzed to see if your client’s objectives are met?

: 1. a social media campaign targeting the youth of today, or at least the generation that just came of age to be the next buying power of America, yet still being young enough to be trendy and share the product with their own influence ie: Generation Z.

In Gen Z there is a higher rate of trans youth and trans visibility, Valentino is a brand that includes gender non-conforming style into their clothing and products, which is a perfect ethical moral for consumption with this target generation in particular. In addition, Gen Z is a social media savvy generation, able to make information travel faster than ever across the globe, making their attention to the brand in particular to be a major advertising boon.

So a strategic message would be to appeal to the LGBTQ+ community with a particularly heavy focus on the trans and gender non-conforming community. Especially using trans and non-binary spokesperson that are currently trending as celebrity, as well as making trans/non-binary brand ambassadorship, especially in tik-tok.

Over the course of the remainder of the semester, you will pick a corporation, organization, or individual as your client, and create a social media proposal, content plan, and visual samples based on your assessment of their needs. You will analyze the social media presence of your selected entity; outline the entity’s target audience(s) across appropriate social media platforms; and design a social media campaign that helps advance the strategic goals of the brand. This week's Blog Post will be the first step of this process. In your post, answer the following questions:

Which entity will be your client, and what personal connection do you feel toward it?

Across which social media platforms does this entity maintain a presence?

post:

For my client, I will choose the brand entity; Valentino. I chose it because it is a gender-non-conforming fashion brand with non-binary elements, it is also a brand that is working with Suga of BTS and he has spoken on their gender-non-conforming style. I researched their style and I like it, very simple, elegant and interesting. The graphic design component for their logo itself is very telling of their brand, it's simple and elegant, a V with a wrap-around, in black and white.

Did I choose this brand solely because of Suga? No, while he may have a big pull towards my final choise, it is actually because of the company itself, being non-binary myself, seeing Suga being a brand ambassador and speaking on the brand's gender-non-conforming aspect.

There are also several other runner-up fashion brands based on partnerships with other BTS members (you will be sick of these boys by the end of this semester) such as; Celine (V), and Louis Vuitton (J-hope) this brand really is a big runner up for Valentino, because as an East Asian immigrant, Louis Vuitton is such a status symbol and a bespoke trend, And last, but not least, Dior (Jimin), now I love Dior too personally, all these brands are quite the powerhouse to be honest, but I want to research Valentino the most, so that is the final choice I'm settling with.

2. I've researched and can only so far find their instagram account, not including their websites. I'm sure they must have at least a twitter and perhaps maybe a tik-tok, since those are the powerhouse of the social media world at the moment.

In your blog post, discuss 2-3 of the major influencers you follow and reflect on how you would categorize them according to this scale. For example, do you follow YouTubers, TikTokers, or Instagrammers that could be considered nano- or micro-influencers, and are you more likely to engage with their content compared to the content of the macro- or mega-influencers you might come across?

Nano-influencers have 1,000 to 10,000 followers. They tend to have high engagement rates due to their interaction with their followers.

Micro-influencers have 10,000 to 100,000 followers and are usually a specialist in their field. They are careful in developing relationships with brands as they are working to build their brand. 

Macro-influencers have between 100,000 and 1 million followers. These influencers are usually either a B-list celebrity or an expert in their field.

Mega-influencers have more than 1 million followers, and many are celebrities in some capacity outside of social media. 

: Well, I follow Kurtis Connor (a youtuber and social media influencer-ish), I would categorize him as a macro-influencer, I'm sure he has more than 100k and less than 1 million followers. I engage and watch his content a lot, it's very easy and humorous.

I also follow Rui Gao on instagram, I think they are an alt fashion influencer (they are also Chinese so, maybe there's that too). She is also a macro-influencer, they have about 355k followers on instagram. I view her content and take inspiration from her outfits.

And since I'm a kpop fan, I will of course talk about BTS (I know many other kpop band, but BTS is the most famous in the western world atm) I'd say they're mega-influencers, because they have more than millions of followers.

One consequence of the growth of online social networks has been to blur the line between business and personal life. With contacts overlapping between business, family, school, and so on, keeping private life out of the public eye is increasingly difficult. While previously only celebrities and politicians could expect public scrutiny of their actions, much personal information (especially contributed by young people) can now be found on the Internet. While some are concerned about the implications of widespread information sharing, it can also be argued that this “transparency is in sum a good thing for individuals and society.”

In your blog post, explain where you would draw the line between transparency and privacy, and elaborate on the extent to which you work to keep your personal life private in online spaces.

answer: Well, when it comes to the line between transparency and privacy and the blurring of personal life and business, my personal take would be this: Privacy comes to sensitive and personal matters, like family, harmless secrets and personal preferences, etc... Whilst transparency means being truthful and morally conscious while working on a business and the process. Also not lying when it comes to business and how the product is created, ethicality, moral upholding.

I would share my thought process and work process, etc, however if I would not want to share very personal things that wouldn't really harm anyone, or even if, I can still refuse to disclose such sensitive information of my personal life.