As her new video Telephone’s success suggests- over 7 million views in 3 days. A week later, a Google search for telephone shows the 375+ articles about the video before even a description of the communications device. Whether one loves her or hates her, they have to admit, she gets attention. If there is someone out there who shows the potential of the union of social media and celebrity, it is Lady Gaga.
She is the steward of her own social media destiny, retaining control of her image and her communications with her audience directly. Perhaps because she came to fame “the old fashioned way” instead of through the springboards of American Idol or The Disney Channel she is a rarity among pop stars one that had to manage her own fan list from day one and probably once sent out her own monthly newsletter.Today, Lady Gaga has over 5 million Facebook friends, over 3 million followers on Twitter. She personally posts daily to both pages- even from backstage at concerts- and generally sticks to topics she knows best, her music and tours:
“I swear tonight didn’t feel like an arena. It felt like 15,000 sweaty KIDS in a club in 1985. Kiwi bitchen. Sydney, are u ready?”
her clothes:
“http://twitpic.com/10vuu0 – Thank you so much to Mr. Armani for making my beautiful fashion”
but most commonly interacting with and validating her fans:
“http://twitpic.com/18eaiq – I think the Pop Universe just imploded. Completely brilliant. Whoever made this: BRAVO.”
She has made herself easy to find, and has made herself the definitive portal for all things Gaga. www.LadyGaga.com is a centerpoint for all of Gaga’s personal work: including her music videos, consumer products, philanthropic efforts and licensed promotions. Her social media presence is an object lesson in how to keep fans interested: from direct daily interaction to linking together her far-flung fangroups. If one wants more Lady Gaga, she provides and the zealousness of her fanbase is unquestioned and active. She validates their interest by speaking directly to them and they respond in kind, finding increased connection with their idol and a community where they can easily participate and belong.
Lady Gaga seems to know that a pop star’s own life is a story they are telling, and whether a celebrity takes an active role in the telling of that story or not, the story will be told. It seems that Lady Gaga made the choice early on to be telling her own story, by both managing her own communication with her fans and as the creative force behind her albums, concert tours, and video presence. Releasing her own Online Video series “Transmission Gagavision” she gave access to herself behind the scenes at the Haus of Gaga. According to the Gagapedia:
“Inspired by Andy Warhol’s Factory, the Haus is a collective who works on various projects for Lady Gaga. These projects include clothing, stage sets, props (Disco Stick, iPod Glasses, etc.), sounds for her live performance. In her own words: “It’s my creative team and it was really organic. I was a bit frustrated at the beginning, being so new to the business and going forward with a major label. I wanted to put my own money into the show because, when you’re a new artist, you kind of have to prove yourself. I was making money as a songwriter and I didn’t want a condo or a car because I don’t drive and I’m never … home, so I just wanted to put all my money into my performance.”
Haus of Gaga is also an iPhone app, which serves as a portal for all things Gaga, giving quick access to her social media presence, games, exclusive content downloads, videos, news, and exclusive chat with other gagaphiles.
She is an able transmedia storyteller, stewarding her personal narrative across many platforms, in non-fiction and now, embarking on an ongoing fictional narrative in her music videos. While her new music video for Telephone has gotten buzz for its risqué outfits, language, murderous exploits, symbolism, filmmaking use of homagé, and product placement, the “to be continued” at the end of the video is what those looking to emulate her success should be writing home about.
Telephone is the second part of a narrative begun with Lady Gaga’s 2009 music video, Paparazzi. In which she killed her boyfriend and went to jail, where we find her at the beginning of Telephone. Directing both videos is Swedish Director, Jonas Åkerlund, and smartly, both videos are much longer than the songs they dramatize. By creating a new fictional storyworld to play in, Lady Gaga has yet another tool in her media arsenal and by making sure that each platform iteration of her music is a significantly different package than any other, the audience isn’t getting bored, in fact, these little monsters are clawing for more.
Caitlin Burns is a Transmedia Producer at Starlight Runner Entertainment. To hear more of her thoughts on media, follow her and catch up on her other blogs through Twitter: Caitlin_Burns
Latest posts by Guest Author (see all)
- How To Own The Holidays - December 21, 2018
- Marketing Analytics 101 - November 28, 2018
- What a Marketer Should Do on Thanksgiving - November 16, 2018
The new video was pretty cool, some say she maybe out did herself, but she’s got nearly 7 million hits? It can’t be that bad. You can watch the video here and some of her other videos and compare them all and form your own opinion: http://tinyurl.com/TeleGagaVideo ^_^
Thanks for this particular informative post. More often than not, the greatest research originate from the places one may not expect.
I stumbled onto your blog and read a few post. I like your style of writing.
Thanks a ton! That was very informational, I just bookmarked your website url.
Let me tell you…without doubt my favorite actor right now. What a great superstar. Just wonderful!
wow, nice post. I’ve been telling me friends about this blog. They love it!
wtf! great post. I’ve been telling me friends about this blog. They love it!
Nice Website. You should think more about RSS Feeds as a traffic source. They bring me a nice bit of traffic.
Interesting writing. I was looking for a few differint things, this seemed to sum it up well. Added to my bookmarks.
I simply love lady Gaga…she’s not only very talented and very fashionable, she has a BIG heart too… she never forgets to help other people who are in great need like the victims in Haiti…
Don’t get me wrong, but is she really one of the most influential ppl?
I love the article. It looks excellent. Kudos!I appreciate it!
terrific! Lady Gaga is an awe-inspiring honey. I truly love her music and have been following since she started. we took the kids to see her concert and had a wild time!
I really like Lady Gaga with her bizarre costumes nevertheless she really let herself down this time being seen out in see through underwear.
Im not that much of a reader to be honest but your sites pretty good, keep it up as I will bookmark ready for my next read
Thank you for the great post – I had fun reading it! I always enjoy this blog.
Awesome post! I love Lady Gaga. Her fashion is so exceptional and extraordinary.
Thank you for your refreshing article. It was a pleasure reading it. Look forward to more articles from you!
I loved most of Gaga’s early work, but I gotta say that her new stuff isn’t nearly as appealing to me – nonetheless, even without my support, her success is roaring. Gaga for President?
I absolutely detest Lady Gaga, but you can not argue her use of all things social that turned her into a mega-star.
PPPPPP PP Pokerface 🙂 . I think Lady Gaga is a stone cold business women , who knows exactly what she have to do und waht she schould’nt – Social Media is definitely a must for Popstars nowadays
According to iDT, a social media monitoring tool, you can find out what others are saying about her, or just the sentiment of what people are saying about Lady Gaga in all social networks of facebook, Twitter and Sina Weibo.