“People are in marketing here, whether they like it or not” (MARWICK, 2013)
I am one of those who try to display a better version of myself on social media. In the context of world wide web and various social media platforms, obviously, users are capable of constructing their self-images based on their will, as well as promoting it on a large scale. Nowadays, it is totally normal for individuals to make use of their personal profile as “marketing strategies” (or “salable commodity that can tempt a potential employer”) (MARWICK, 2013). Under this circumstance, self-image becomes “self-branding”.
How one of the most popular Vietnamese vlogger – “Giang Oi” – achieve her micro-celebrity status.
Who is “Giang Oi”?
Created in May 2017, “Giang Oi” youtube channel has received 920.000 subscribers in two years – a quite remarkable achievement. Until now, her channel has approximately 83 million views in total. Many Vietnamese youngsters enjoy watching her videos and looking up to her lifestyle.
Her “self-branding” secret sauce.
Most of Giang’s video touch upon daily life matters (cooking, having pets, relationship problems, learning a language, and so forth), through which she shares her thoughts and experiences. However, she has her secret sauce.
“I am Giang, and I record my journey into adulthood”.
For Vietnamese youngsters, watching Giang Oi’s vlog is not only for entertaining purpose. Giang’s viewers come and seek for normal life lessons to become a real adult. Firstly, they see an independent, thoughtful and passionate role model to look up to. Giang develops a logical mindset and a convincing, interesting speaking style, which greatly contributed to her success. Giang always sets out different targets and working hard to achieve it. She adores an eco-friendly, animal-friendly lifestyle. By watching her videos, the audiences find a sense of seriousness and dedication in Giang’s work – which different from those that use scandals to earn fame.
Secondly, Giang’s profile appears positive and “clean”. In one of her videos, she described her family as a typical intellectual Hanoian family, and she went to university in England by scholarship. Undoubtedly, audiences see Giang as a well-educated and well-behaved lady. The fact that she maintains healthy relationships with many friends of the same status also give more credibility to her profile (her husband also persuaded high education in England, her friends are financially independent, and so forth).
In brief, Giang Oi’s secret sauce lies in her self-branding: a thoughtful, well-behaved lady that has a logic mindset and says no to scandals.
MARWICK, A. (2013). SELF-BRANDING: The (Safe for Work) Self. In Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity, and Branding in the Social Media Age (pp. 163-204). New Haven; London: Yale University Press.
Adore Yourself 