Introduction
The Bailey Sarian “Mystery & Makeup” series on YouTube has achieved substantial popularity. The glamorization and romanticization of criminal tales about killers and maniacs in society, however, is causing significant concern, and Bailey Sarian’s content could have a direct impact on this perception. Overall, the use combination of her knowledge, emotional engagement, and factual evidence explains why Bailey Sarian’s narrative is attractive to many viewers.
Ethos
Bailey Sarian’s credibility stems from her ability to portray real-life cases in a dramatic fashion. The reason for effectiveness lies in her presentation of lesser-known perpetrations (Zhou et al. 5). For instance, “The Deadly Diner- Anjette Lyles” drew upon a largely unknown story (03:19). “What Really Happened to Natalee Holloway?” showcases how Sarian makes a seemingly unengaging story an open-ended mystery using her personal perspective (54:05). In essence, she is a successful influencer because she uses her knowledge to draw attention to unknown cases and perspectives.
Pathos
Another aspect of Bailey Sarian’s influence is her ability to evoke proper emotions in the audience. Emotional appeal is a frequent strategy utilized by social media personas (Zhou et al. 7). In “He Might Be More Terrifying Than You Think”, Sarian creates interest by encouraging the audience to imagine a fearful scenario (00:46). “The Corn Rake Mystery” is an example of her using the sense of horror to make the audience understand the implications of the discussed story. As a result, the viewers stay engaged throughout the duration of each episode.
Logos
The final component that completes Sarian’s success is the use of logical reasoning. Many influencers understand the necessity to work with undisputable facts (Zhou et al. 9). “The Mysterious Black Dahlia Unsolved Case” exemplifies how careful she is listing actual events before offering her opinion (09:25). In “Serial Killer or Serial Confessor?”, Sarian uses extensive evidence to place doubt on the commonly held assumption (29:23). She is successful because her conclusions are built on a solid foundation of facts and evidence.
Conclusion
Overall, Sarian succeeds in engaging the audience because she skillfully presents crime cases and evidence, while adding emotional relevance. Although she is not an expert on legal affairs, her content presentation is convincing enough to influence the viewers to change their perspectives. Further inquiries into the validity of her facts and evidence are required in order to properly whether she imposes a morally corrupt viewpoint on crime cases or genuinely offers a fresh perspective.
Works Cited
“He Might Be More Terrifying Than You Think – Issei Sagawa | Mystery & Makeup GRWM| Bailey Sarian.” YouTube, uploaded by Bailey Sarian, Web.
“Serial Killer or Serial Confessor? Gerald Stano | Mystery & Makeup | GRWM | Bailey Sarian.” YouTube, uploaded by Bailey Sarian, Web.
“The Corn Rake Mystery – A Farmer Attacks Or Wrongly Accused? | Mystery & Makeup – Bailey Sarian.” YouTube, uploaded by Bailey Sarian, Web.
“The Deadly Diner- Anjette Lyles | Mystery & Makeup – Bailey Sarian.” YouTube, uploaded by Bailey Sarian, Web.
“The Mysterious Black Dahlia Unsolved Case – Who May Have Done It?! Mystery & Makeup | Bailey Sarian.” YouTube, uploaded by Bailey Sarian, Web.
“What Really Happened to Natalee Holloway? Mysterious Disappearance | Mystery & Makeup Bailey Sarian.” YouTube, uploaded by Bailey Sarian, Web.
Zhou, Shuang, et al. “Social Media Influencers’ Narrative Strategies to Create eWOM: A Theoretical Contribution.” International Journal of Information Management, vol. 59, 2021, pp. 1-22.