Influencers are very mindful of the version of themselves that they are putting online for others to see. Jeffree Star and Laura Lee were beauty influencers, who posted content reviewing makeup and doing their own. Logan Paul, Tana Mongeau, and David Dobrik were lifestyle influencers, who posted fun everyday activities just messing around with friends. Throughout these influencers’ videos, many of them dressed a certain way, we’re in a specific setting or doing one specific thing. These vary based on the type of video and are often to be seen as more casual or serious during certain times. These changes could be defined as the frontstage and backstage, having been flexible in other videos, and much more formal with setting and attire in their apology.
When looking at Logan Paul’s videos and analyzing the attire, setting, and nonverbal behavior, we saw that his first two videos were very fun. He was spending time outside with his family, having fun, and just being himself. He wore casual clothing, dressed in a t-shirt looking a bit disheveled. Next, I looked at the apology video to see how the setting has almost entirely changed. Logan Paul sat alone at a desk, in a dim-lit room, very seriously looking at the camera, in his t-shirt, getting straight to the point of the video. In his video following the apology, Paul took the accountability root where he traveled around outside talking to other people in a casual, yet formal and serious setting, speaking outside one on one with individuals about Suicide. Here he wore a t-shirt and looked more together than in his first video, with his hair more tamed and put together.
Credit: I BOUGHT MY DAD HIS DREAM TRUCK FOR CHRISTMAS! **emotional** by Logan Paul. CC-BY 2.0.
Credit: So Sorry by Logan Paul. CC-BY.
Credit: Suicide: Be Here Tomorrow by Logan Paul. CC-BY 2.0.
This change in setting showed how depending on the type of video, influencers shifted away from what they usually did and where they usually go and sat somewhere that allowed them to be more serious and alone with their viewers. Paul’s apology video showed that through nonverbal behaviors, influencers strive to reach people in a specific way, to believe that regardless of anything in the past, the apology is truly meaningful and they would change.
Another example was seen in Laura Lee’s videos, where she was found to start her first videos disheveled and not put together, with her hair up in a messy bun to later do a full face of makeup, versus dressing for the public in nice attire and a full face of makeup during the entire apology video. Throughout the entire first video, she sat with her niece doing makeup at her makeup table, just talking about life. This then, as said, changed in the apology video, where she already had her full face of makeup done, sat alone at her desk, and continued to hold herself to look very put together. Following her apology video, she posted a video about homelessness to show the “change” that she was trying to make. She took this video very seriously as well, wearing heavy makeup, and changing into dress pants and a nice top when she went to speak with others. These nonverbal behaviors completely shifted back when filming normal videos where she no longer presented this put-together look, and instead was disheveled and gave herself a makeover.
Credit: FULL FACE OF ROSS MAKEUP | THIS IS SO HARD by Laura Lee.
Credit: Lets Chat: 9-25-18 by Laura Lee.
Credit: THE HARD REALITY OF LIFE ON SKID ROW | HOMELESS CRISIS by Laura Lee.
Credit: FULL FACE OF BURLINGTON MAKEUP | what da heck by Laura Lee.
This tagged along with this theme to show that the influencers created this online identity in nonverbal behaviors so that they come off as more professional and serious when needed, but once it is over, going back to whom they used to be. When they had to hold themselves accountable was when they decided to present themselves at their best, and only during then.
Jeffree Star was one influencer that filmed himself for his apology in casual attire, wearing his robe, which was also seen in all four of his other videos. He filmed his apology video alone sitting on his big couch, not necessarily dressed to be put together, but wearing his hair nicely done, using his hands when he talked, and other nonverbal languages that made it more serious than his other videos.
Credit: Doing What’s Right by Jeffree Star.
Credit: Responding to the Backlash Over My Cremated Palette by Jeffree Star.
This is different from other influencers in that he took a more casual approach to present himself as someone he is rather than trying to formally put together an entire apology video.
There is something different about each of the apology videos that the influencers posted in comparison to their other videos. Nonverbal behaviors were a very key way to show the seriousness of the video as well as to see how the influencer wanted to come across in their video, aside from actually speaking the apology. The setting of the video is very important, to see where the apology is being filmed and if it is genuine or not. Along with that, the way that influencers dress changes when it turns into something serious, and the way that they nonverbally present themselves as a whole are important aspects of the publics’ changing perception of the influencers.