Introduction
Although it might seem that celebrities live in their own perfect world and are completely detached from the mundane reality, their effects on common people’s lives are quite ample. The impact of their decisions and actions is linked closely to the influence of media on society (Rui and Stefanone 3). The issue has been studied extensively by scholars; however, there is another way of looking at the subject matter. Particularly, one may wonder how celebrities manage to retain their influence as time passes. In their article, Lunardo et al. state that there is a direct connection between the personality dimension of a celebrity and the cultural field which the person in question represents (Lunardo et al. 700). Although the study could have included other variables apart from sophistication, sincerity, competence, excitement, and rudeness, the overall depth of the analysis and the opportunities that the research opens for future studies make it a profound and important paper.
Summary
The thesis proposed by Lunardo et al. seems quite compelling since it identifies the essential variables and the connection between them concisely and effectively. It could be argued, though, that the choice of the variables could be wider. Nevertheless, the overall argument made by Lunardo et al. is rather compelling. It is remarkable that the thesis is both argumentative and informative since it sheds light on the factors that shape celebrities’ influence on mass media and at the same time makes a very clear statement about the connection between the said variables. The extensive literature review, in turn, supports the argument made by the authors, contributing to the enhancement of the importance of the thesis.
Evaluation
The authors carry out the analysis very diligently by studying the effects of a range of factors on the changes in the impact of celebrities on popular culture. The transfer from one topic to another during the analysis, i.e., from the study of human brands to brand personality assessment to the categorization of famous people’s appeal in a particular time slot, is seamless and, therefore, natural. Thus, a coherent overview of the crucial factors is conducted.
The research methodology used by Lunardo et al. is also compelling and efficient. The use of a case study helps explore the subject matter fully. Particularly, the environment of a case study allows viewing the development of the observed phenomenon in a natural manner (Lunardo et al. 687). Hence, a profound analysis can be conducted.
The authors do not consider opposing arguments enough in their study. For instance, it would have been useful to include information about factors such as media, which allows masking certain characteristics of celebrities. Nevertheless, the research can be considered rather compelling due to the extensive focus on the crucial factors and the connection between them. Lunardo et al. also introduced a range of studies in their research prior to carrying out the analysis (686-690). Thus, the objectivity of the study can be considered high.
Discussion
The approach used by the authors has a range of strengths. Particularly, the methodology section creates a solid foundation for a comprehensive and efficient analysis. Despite minor flaws, the study can be considered rather impressive. It contributes to the exploration of the effects that celebrities have on culture by outlining the boundaries of their impact.
Conclusion
While Lunardo et al. could have explored the subject matter more extensively and considered other factors affecting the changes infamous people’s influence on media and culture, the general effect that the research has produced can be defined as rather positive. The analysis carried out by Lunardo et al. allowed developing a more profound understanding of the factors that inhibit celebrities’ influence on mass culture, as well as the ones that allow reinforcing the impact of famous people on the changes in the popular culture. Thus, the study can be deemed as an important contribution to the analysis of the influence of famous people on media.
Works Cited
Lunardo, Renaud, et al. “Celebrities as Human Brands: An Investigation of the Effects of Personality and Time on Celebrities’ Appeal.” Journal of Marketing Management, vol. 31, no. 5-6, 2015, pp. 685-712.
Rui, Jian Raymond, and Michael A. Stefanone. “The Desire for Fame: An Extension of Uses and Gratifications Theory.” Communication Studies, vol. 67, no. 4, 2016, pp. 399-418.