Kim Kardashian LIAR & Context

 Context: 

1. What is her background? Where is her family from? Who are her parents? Where did she appear early in her career?

She is part Armenian, Dutch and Scottish but she lives in Los Angeles. Her parents are Kris Jenner and Robert Kardashian. She first appeared on reality TV shows ( Paris Hilton ) and in 2007 where she showed up in Keeping up with the Kardashians. 

Language: 

1. Describe 3 differences you can see between her Instagram and TikTok (look / pace / type of content).

• Her Instagram is highly curated and polished to seem like a professional beauty lifestyle, luxury influencer, while her TikTok is more authentic and shows her daily less glamorous days with short videos.
• On Instagram the pace of her videos is much more slow and creates posts with individual images while her TikTok is very much more fast paced with trending audios and may be the more the authentic version of being an influencer rather than the professional Instagram images.
• Her Instagram focuses on the beauty side, possibly her brands promotions while her TikTok content is possibly seen as more entertainment version of her life.

2"  2. Explain how the genre features of TikTok change the tone of her content compared with Instagram.

jh   Her TikTok content is more informal and playful with short videos which does not focus on her beauty, luxury lifestyle which creates a more friendly tone where more of her audience can relate to her, however her Instagram content it more focussed on her influential career where she creates images where they are highly edited and polished, focus on brand content rather than reality. 

3.  3. Evaluate which platform gives her the most control over her brand image, and why.

isi   Her Instagram has more control of her brand image because it is highly curated images, making it less pressure to follow trends like on her TikTok. Kim Kardashian can carefully select professional photos, edit images, and maintain a consistent aesthetic. This allows her to present herself as glamorous, successful, and fashionable.

44  4. Open her public Instagram feed. Find ONE post that best shows a consistent 'brand look' and note the media-language choices.

oj

   

     This is an image from her Instagram which is a brand partnership. She also has a highlight feature which advertises the same drink brand.  Some media- language choices: soft, colour palette which is consistent, clean setting ( organised, luxury looking ). This post wants the audience to see her as stylish, trendy and connected to popular brands. It also presents her as someone with a polished and aspirational lifestyle that people may want to follow.

Industry:

1. List 2 ways Instagram makes money from Kim Kardashian and 1 risk of influencer marketing.

• Brands pay for advertising and sponsored posts that appear alongside Kim Kardashian's content.
• Kim Kardashian's huge audience keeps users on Instagram, which increases ad views and advertising revenue.
• If the influencer becomes involved in controversy or receives negative publicity, it can damage the brand's reputation.

2. Explain why concentration of ownership might be a concern for audiences.

Because a small number of large media companies control much of the content people see.

3. What companies/brands are Kardashian associated with? Why might they want to be linked to those celebrities?

Kim Kardashian is associated with brands including SKIMS Kim, Nike, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana. These brands want to be linked to her because she has a huge social media following and can influence consumers to purchase their products.

Audience

1. Name the four Uses & Gratifications needs and give one example of each for her feed.

• Information (Surveillance) – People follow her to learn about fashion, beauty trends, business ventures, and celebrity news. For example: Posts promoting SKIMS products or sharing updates about her businesses.

• Personal Identity – Audiences may relate to her lifestyle or use her as a role model, helping shape their own identity and aspirations. For example: Posts about her work ethic, studying law, or parenting.

• Integration & Social Interaction – Her content gives people something to discuss and share with friends online. For example: Fans commenting on her outfits, relationships, or major events she attends.

• Entertainment (Diversion) – People view her feed for enjoyment, escapism, and relaxation. For example: Glamorous photoshoots, holiday pictures, and behind-the-scenes celebrity content

2. Explain how her style of address makes followers feel personally spoken to.

She also shares personal experiences, thoughts, and behind-the-scenes moments, which makes followers feel more connected to her and part of her daily life. It creates a connection, personal relationship.

3. Look at the COMMENTS and engagement on one official post (likes, comments, shares). What do they tell you about her audience and how it participates?

    a. What sort of participation numbers does she get? (likes, comments, shares, saves).

        Likes: Usually thousands to millions                                                                                                            Comments: Often thousands                                                                                                                          Shares: Around thousands

    b. Find evidence of a preferred AND a more critical reading in the response.

      Preferred reading is the type of comments she has which often compliment her, while a critical                reading would be that some people question her lifestyle which criticises the way she lives.

    c. Write one sentence on what the audience response reveals.

      The audience response reveals that Kim Kardashian has a very large and highly engaged fanbase,            with most followers supporting and admiring her, while some offer critical opinions, showing that          audiences interpret media messages in different ways.

Representation

1. Find a post showing either family, a product, or a cause

  

    a. Selection: What is shown? What is left out?

    Happy family moments, time spent with her children, smiling photos, celebrations, and luxury                surroundings. Something may be left out is the drama they have or the struggles of raising her                children. 

    b. Construction: Which media-language choices build the representation?

High-quality photography and flattering lighting.

Bright colours and coordinated outfits.

Close-up shots that create a sense of intimacy.

Positive captions that emphasise love, family, and happiness.

    c. Stereotype Check: is the representation positive, negative, or both? Justify.

    Mainly positive since it presents her as caring and spending time with her loved ones however some        people may argue that she intentionally only shows the good, ideal moments

2. Describe one positive and one negative stereotype you can find on her feed.

    Positive stereotype: A successful businesswoman who is hardworking, wealthy, and influential.

    Negative stereotype: A celebrity who focuses heavily on appearance, luxury, and material                                                          possessions.

3, Explain how SELECTION (Choosing what to show carefully) shapes the representation of her family life.

Kim Kardashian carefully selects photos and videos that show happy, loving, and successful family moments. By choosing positive content and leaving out difficulties, she creates an ideal representation of family life that encourages followers to see her as a caring mother and successful parent.