Work In Progress Seminar

Micro – microcelebrity: Personal Branded babies of the Internet

Ms Crystal Abidin

16th September 2015, 6pm

Level 1 Common Lounge

Register at dev-tembusu-nus.pantheonsite.io

Some babies and toddlers are amassing huge followings on social media, achieving microcelebrity status, and raking in five-figure sums. In East Asia, many of these lucrative ”micro–microcelebrities” rise to fame because their mothers are social media Influencers. Through personal branding, Influence mothers portrayals of their childrens’ lives ”as lived” is the canvas on which baby products and services are marketed to readers as “advertorials”. Based on ethnographic case studies in SIngapore, this talk will outline the career trajectory of “personal-branded babies” including their social media presence, personal-branding strategies and engagement with their following. What are the ethical considerations such child labour in the social medial age?