MED5104
Managing Media Projects and Dissertations
Assignment One
Dissertation Proposal
Proposed Question
In the wake of the Miley Cyrus rebrand, how significant is notoriety in the construction of a
Celebrity icon? Case studies:

Cara Delavigne- Supermodel

Justin Bieber – Musician
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Justification
My proposed question is based upon looking at Celebrities in a notoriety act as this could
have an extra impact on their reputation sometimes doing things purposely to gain immediate
publicity. The rebrand of Miley Cyrus, from being a role model for children, being the main
character on Hannah Montana to now transforming in to a good girl gone bad image which
has reinforced her identity becoming one of the most covered stories in news. Some may
argue that Miley Cyrus`s current new image is a shocking unfavourable act from exposing
herself in music videos and performing in an unmannered style as this was a celebrity that
was previously an icon to children. Others will oppose with her rebranded image concluding
that she is growing up and wants people to perceive her in a different way as she is now
targeting an older audience embracing her woman side sexually.
The first case study that I thought will be relevant with my topic is Cara Delavigne.
Cara Delavigne is high-end, up and coming supermodel that faced drug allegations and has
now turned into a lesbian. Delavigne is not your typical pretty face but her quirkiness and
mainly notorieties has impacted on her career giving her the spot light. In the modelling
industry models don’t usually gain a high coverage unless a potential supermodel. Cara
Delavigne has recently become the most talked about in the news as she was spotted with
actress Michelle Roderigo kissing in Public and Drugs. One of the articles I will be referring to
is uproxx. A journalist wrote
`Cara Delavigne was born into a very prestigious and wealthy
British family and has used the combination of that notoriety and her looks to become one of
the most famous models in the world. She’s also only 21, which means that she does
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whatever the she wants and behaves however the she wants because money and fame and
all that crap.` (Burns, 2014 ) . Notoriety within a Celebrity is quite important in the real world
issues in terms of how people identify with a particular Celebrity. Seeing your icon who you
admire going off the rails can sometimes effect an individual. Certain Celebrities do not view
it in that light having a huge supportive fan base but still misbehaving/outrages because of
money and in order receive more fame/publicity.
The second that will be relevant with my research is the musician Justin Bieber.
Justin Bieber has gone from a young, sweet, innocent pop star to a self-assertive, impolite
and obnoxious boy based on recent offences. Being associated with these assaults and
charges within the past months one after the other, it has given Bieber the exposure in
tabloids which necessarily would have an effect on his reputation/image but would not
interfere with the focus light which has recently been on him. Once again increasing the
publicity Bieber wants.
As I previously mentioned some unfavourable acts can be performed purposely especially
when there has not been any decent, strong coverage on the celebrity of late. Chris Rojek
the author of `Celebrity` stated “This is what celebrities do all the time, and it contributes to
the common friction between the public face and veridical self in celebrity culture”. (Rojek,
2001)
My prerequisite is mainly Public Relations which is also my specialism. I thought my study
will be interesting because it raises several questions such as is notorieties important as a
celebrity icon? Does the high visibility have an impact on their brand image? These questions
or issues of debates gave me the basis of my idea to gather as a research.
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Within these case studies it is obvious that celebrity notorieties in the public eye plays an
important role to bring more fame in the industry for them even though it could be seen as
negative PR coverage people will still be very interested in the issues rather than hearing
positive news all the time.
Theoretical Framework
The three theoretical frameworks that will help develop, inform and structure this research is

Deviance

The celebrity as a cultural concept

Brand theory
(I will also be listing specific quotes from the books/journals/articles that I intend to use
when writing up the final dissertation).
Firstly within Celebrity deviance there are all types of behaviours from assaults /offences
drugs, outrages etc. An example of a book that I will be referring to is `Being bad in order to
do well, Deviance admiration in the music industry ` which states that sometimes in the
industry acting in an unfavourable manner can give you recognition or in the music industry it
is allowed depending on the genre one being Hip Hop/Rap. ` Reinforcing the fact that
reputation is part of the market information regime, we suggest that deviance admiration
helps us to understand how nonconforming behaviours become the normative expectations
of key constituents. Using longitudinal data from the rap/hip-hop industry, we find support for
the idea that nonconforming behaviour leads to better sales performance in this context. `
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(Lucas and Hough et al., 2011, pp. 175--199). This book will be convenient when looking at
Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber as they have moved into more of the Hip-hop genre as a
rebranded image. When we look at Miley Cyrus`s outrages behaviour in her new videos and
her performances on stage it is quite shocking as she goes for a sexy remake. Cyrus`s dance
moves known as `twerking` has taken a major media buzz generating a source of
controversy. In terms of her behaviour and image adding to her publicity David Johnson CEO
of public relations firm strategic states “This is getting more attention more than anything else
because she was the Hannah Montana”. (Ad Week, 2014). Notoriety usually connotes
transgression, deviance and immorality.
A journal that would guide my study is `Fame and strain the contribution of Mertonian
deviance which is about understanding the relationship between celebrity and deviant
behaviour. It states that ` The intent is to illuminate how forms of deviant behaviour have
become adaptive responses to the structurally anomic conditions that have resulted from
popular culture's incessant emphasis on the desirability of fame and celebrity status, and the
structurally limited means by which it can be legitimately achieved` ((Barnaby and Sacco,
2004, pp. 1--26). When referring to the case studies Cara Delavigne and Justin Bieber I will
be comparing their behaviour and notorieties whether it will sustain coverage in the media for
a long time.
The celebrity culture refers to the culture making certain people popular who have some sort
of attributes that is exceptional in society. Now in the modern era these attributes can be
seen as pleasant or unpleasant. It is also common for people to become well known due to
unethical behaviour of even their lifestyles. One of the books that I will be referencing from is
` Understanding the media: Inside celebrity as it is based on celebrity cultures. ` Some
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theorist, critical of the kinds of values represented by celebrity in recent years, holds that
celebrity represents a cultural decline, a lapse from an earlier age when fame had a scarcity
value. The category of celebrity has widened so much that fame is not an attribution that any
real achievement or skill, but rather the success expressed in celebrity is success without the
requisite association with work`. (Evans and Hesmondhalgh, 2005). The quote suggest that
nowadays fame can be from doing anything and getting more recognition it purely does not
rely on talent anymore , For example Cara Delavigne is a model who recently became
popular as her gay relationship was covered in the tabloid, from being a young, innocent girl
to this act.
Rojek argues that today celebrity often involves transgression ordinary moral rules by, for
example, excessive conspicuous consumption, exhibitionist libidinous gratification, drug
abuse, alcohol addiction, violence. Notoriety is akin to celebrity in operating through impact
on public consciousness. (Rojek, 2001). The entertainment world is always looking for new
news sources to speak about. Instead of scouting for new talent it will prefer the rebrand of
celebrities to happen, a big change as this mainly draws much more attention to the act
receiving plenty publicity. Bieber and Cyrus’s rebranded image have kept their PR machines
running. As mentioned previously it could be seen as part of a purposely market plan to
break in to the bigger news side of things. A website that comparers Cyrus`s and Bieber
states ` she has gotten a lot of attention, is selling lots of records, and laughing all the way to
the bank. Like it or not, her audience is older and they seem to want what she is giving them.
(Geniuses, 2013)
Miley has been photographed topless as part of new brand image which set the tabloids
alight once again, `Today’s celebrities suffer from narcissistic self-obsession. They stand for
a culture where instant gratification is preferred over more long term rewards and where the
surface image is valued more than the substance underneath `. (Evans and Hesmondhalgh,
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2005). This quote from inside celebrity says it is the outside image that now matters rather
than what they have within which I have linked to Miley Cyrus`s as it is her new image that
has given her the exposure instead of her talent.
Justify method (semiotic/virtual ethnography)
In order to conduct a detailed research I will be undertaking two methodologies semiology
(mainly) and virtual ethnography.
Semiology - The study of meaning making through signs for example images, symbolism,
communication, signification etc.
Virtual ethnography- Virtual ethnography is a method used to understand the norms,
structures, and dynamics in online communities. (K8lin.com, 2014) - It is also about the ways
in which use of the internet is made meaning. (Hines, 2000)
These will establish readings of notoriety and how media text are decoded and interpreted.
When looking at Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and Cara Delavigne as a branded image I will be
combining semiotics analysis of media coverage as evidence of PR strategy. Their image
and how they represent themselves i.e. notoriety behaviour will have an impact in how much
exposure they will receive. Also with semiotics analyses texts can be seen through
denotation and connotation. One example is when Miley Cyrus performed on stage in her
underwear is a denotation which connotes that she is trying to sell her sexual new image
increasing publicity.
Virtual ethnography will focus on coverage those celebrities gain online when they act in an
unfavourable way.
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In detail my main search will be to carry out a data visualisation using bar charts to represent
information online about the amount of coverage Cyrus, Delavigne, Bieber gain because of
their image or notoriety acts in between the years of 2013 -2014. This will be in online
newspapers such as the daily mail etc.
Conclusion
In conclusion to my research `Notoriety is a sub- branch of celebrity culture and arguably an
increasingly important one`. (Rojek, 2001). This quote justifies my question as Notoriety act
seem to play an important role in celebrity culture in order for them to become a major part of
news. The reason why I chose to study these three celebrities in particular is because they
are the most talked about as of their acts. It has also made me realise the sort of behaviours
celebrities will carry out in order to get recognition from the press.
Bibliography
Ad Week. 2014. Miley: Textbook Case of the Inevitable Teen Star Rebrand. [Online] Available at:
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/miley-textbook-case-inevitable-teen-starrebrand-153039 [Accessed: 16 Mar 2014].
Evans, J. and Hesmondhalgh, D. 2005. Understanding media. Maidenhead: Open University Press in
association with The Open University.
Geniuses, M. 2013. Miley Cyrus And Justin Bieber Are Both Marketing Geniuses. [Online] Available at:
http://www.businessinsider.com/cute-to-edgy-rebranding-lessons-from-miley-cyrus-and-justinbieber-2013-10 [Accessed: 16 Mar 2014].
Hine, C. 2000. Virtual ethnography. London: SAGE. . . . . . . . . .
K8lin.com. 2014. Virtual ethnography – k8lin.com. [online] Available at:
http://k8lin.com/2012/08/17/virtual-ethnography/ [Accessed: 17 Mar 2014].
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Lucas, L., Hough, J. R. and Fisher, D. 2011. Being Bad in Order to Do Well: Deviance Admiration in the
Rap/Hip-Hop Music Industry. Corporate Reputation Review, 14 (3), pp. 175--199.
Parnaby, P. F. and Sacco, V. F. 2004. Fame and strain: the contributions of mertonian deviance theory
to an understanding of the relationship between celebrity and deviant behavior. Deviant Behavior, 25
(1), pp. 1--26.
Rojek, C. 2001. Celebrity. London: Reaktion Books.
Turner, G. 2004. Understanding celebrity. London: SAGE.
UPROXX. 2014. Michelle Rodriguez And Cara Delavigne Had Way Too Much Fun At The Knicks Game.
[Online] Available at: http://www.uproxx.com/sports/2014/01/michelle-rodriguez-cara-delevingneway-much-fun-knicks-game/#page/1 [Accessed: 17 Mar 2014]. . . . . . . . . . .
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