LOUIS VUITTON & RICH KIDS OF INSTAGRAM

Through the lens of online, virtual platforms, textual communication exposes the significant production, distribution and understanding of semiotics and branding portrayed through relevant media texts. As a shift in the change of semiotic and textual communication occurs through notions of branding, emotional branding and the consolidation and collapse of consumer contexts, particular websites of Louis Vuitton and Rich Kids of Instagram become indicative of changes to the way that media texts are produced, distributed and understood by the mass media.

The foundation of a brand begins with a product, as a tangible material or substance ultimately designing a brand through the application of semiotics and textual communication. Semiotics is the communication applied through the interaction of signs and codes regarding a system of cultural meanings

(Vaid, 2003). Semiotic communication is the construction of branding through application of a name, a visual sign, such as a logo, a system of language forms, such as a slogan and tagline ultimately generating the brand into its own code of meanings before textualizing the brand through advertisements and commercials exposing the brand to intended consumers. A system of cultural meanings and the semiotizing power of a brand name configure significant meaning and powerful affirmation in the lives of consumers determining belonging and recognition creating the effect of emotional branding (Dansei, 2013). Furthermore, emotional branding is the connotation that turns a product into a brand through the application of a manufacturer name, such as designer clothes and cosmetics, as brands with such names are seen to possess a higher quality in the mind of consumers. Through emotional branding, a brand is able to forge a deeper, longer lasting connection with their consumer through engaging with them on the basis of senses and emotions allowing a brand to come to life through online powerful emotional content (Gobe, 2009).

On the contrary however, there has been a shift in the online world of producers and users as spaces have largely collapsed together enabling users to become producers, ultimately considered to be “produsers.” This is largely enabled through digital and social media avenues allowing individuals to be able to produce, share and distribute texts with other people and do so on a massive scale at a quick speed (Bruns, 2008). “For consumers turned users, the media is no longer “something that is done to them, instead they become much more actively involved in shaping their own media usage” (Bruns, 2008 p.15).

Mass media platforms produce, distribute and receive content as media “produsage” is inevitably entwined with power relations, meshing every day contexts with individual’s wider habits (Couldry, 2012). The production of online broadcasting allows the ability for anyone to produce and distribute media contents through self-communication platforms. This production shapes individuals social media life and establishes cultural semiotic meanings and codes that circulate through media use, shaping contemporary social media life through mass distribution, mass communication and the cultural production of semiotic power overall changing the practice of media as everyday contexts mesh with our wider habits, and become our way of getting by (Couldry, 2012).

Louis Vuitton is an dominant brand, established as a product and now highly reputable and prominent as a brand recognized by the manufacturer name.

With retail stores worldwide and an online platform, the online brand presence is renowned to be as strongly designed and controlled as its real-world counterpart. Through emotional branding, textual communication and distribution channels, Louis Vuitton has created an empire as the consumer’s ultimate choice with disregard to the prices they pay (Gobe, 2009).

The trademark LV is the visual foundation emblem of the Louis Vuitton brand and is a semiotic sign that resonates within the configuration of desire within a cultural environment. The website is minimal with the symbol of the brand name echoed largely throughout the text and on the various products represented through the female form, semiotizing power of visual codes and representation of glamour, luxury and empowerment ultimately connecting with the consumer through emotional branding. The feminine pastel pinks, luxury products and elegant models interact with consumers depicting textual communication allowing their senses and emotions to ultimately affect their preference, understanding the gain of status and empowerment portrayed through the textual production.

Similarly, Rich Kids of Instagram use branding and semiotic power relations in order to generate and mass-produce a “branded” lifestyle of the rich and famous.

Through mass communication and distribution on online platforms, individuals of the Rich Kids of Instagram are able to connect with followers and consumers through emotional branding, again engaging on the senses and emotions of consumers through powerful, online, emotional content with the implications of possessing a life style of wealth, status and prominence. Rich Kids of Instagram use cultural semiotics and meanings of texts through online virtual platforms in order to mass-produce, distribute and communicate with other “produsagers” in the online world. Their use of framing, both in the literal sense of representation of wealth through the gold frames structure individual photos and the figurative sense being represented through intratextual framing of headings and posts disseminating semiotic and cultural meanings and codes to their followers and consumers creating a sense of emotional branding, preying on the weak senses and emotions of their followers.

Conclusively, through use of media texts, semiotics and mass conversation, Rich Kids of Instagram and Louis Vuitton Online are both indicative of changes to the way media texts are produced, distributed and understood by the wider culture of mass media. However, Rich Kids of Instagram uses emotional branding in order to prey on weak personalities and the envies of consumers in order to create a following, while alternatively Louis Vuitton Online creates a reputable, strong bond with their consumers through emotional branding in order to configure significant meaning and power of a brand name, ultimately creating a long lasting relationship with their consumers. Louis Vuitton creates distinct margins between production, distribution and their consumers through semiotic and cultural power dispersed throughout their media texts, consolidating real and social contexts of consumers. Where, Rich Kids of Instagram blurs the margins of production and usage, collapsing the context of reality and sociality creating a notion of exposure and influence rather than a reputable connection.

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