Justin Bieber was undoubtedly one of the biggest pop stars of 2010. With over 8 million fans following him on twitter, 23 million “likes” on FaceBook and close to 305 million YouTube views, he could easily be considered a modern day Michael Jackson. However, unlike the former King of Pop, young Bieber’s life is practically an open book, available for all the world to read. One could write this off as merely a sign of the times. We live in an ever-evolving, always-connected world and today’s fans demand not only information but access. From tabloids and reality shows to FaceBook and Twitter accounts, celebrities have practically become accessible 24/7; which leads us to ask, “Is all this access a good for the longevity of an artist’s career?” I am probably one of the biggest advocates of artists using social media to connect with their fans on a more intimate level. I love what artists like Fabolous have done to build their brand through authentic engagement of their fanbase. While there are a few shining examples of artists who are doing it right, I believe as members of the entertainment industry, many of our timelines are polluted with a greater number of those that are doing it horribly. In exploring the possibility of Justin Bieber ascending to the status of a Michael Jackson, I considered the following adverse side effects of all this accessibility on today’s artists. Where’s the mystery? Michael Jackson was a persona larger than life. I’m sure many can remember rumors of him purchasing the elephant man’s bones, sleeping in hyperbaric chambers or a ton of other outlandish story headlines. Living a life shrouded from the public’s prying eyes created a mystique so great that no matter how implausible the headline, in our minds it was entirely possible. There is no greater tool in publicist’s arsenal than
the public’s imagination but where there is too much information there is no room for mystery and where there is no mystery there is no room for imagination to take root. Burning bright and fast! The viral nature of social media has the ability to accelerate stardom at an exponential rate. Some would argue to say that super stardom is not measured in how brightly one burns but for how long. In a quest for immediate gratification have we placed a priority on quick success over the longevity of an artist’s career, reducing the industry down to a cycle of plucking “disposable talent” off the internet and rushing them to market without truly investing in development. The question we must ask is whether an artist will be like the brush fire that starts small and slowly grows consuming all in its path, or an explosion that can be seen for miles but quickly exhausts all of its fuel before fading into the dead of night. A world without filters. It’s a delicate balancing act regulating public exposure, giving the people just enough to see an artist’s humanity without tarnishing the public persona that has been delicately crafted over years. But when sex tapes, STD tests and mug shots go digital, all control is lost. Ironically, the most damaging content floating through the cyberspace often comes from the artists themselves: sexting pics, irate updates or blog posts, Tweets soliciting sex that were thought to be DMs (Yeah… remember that one!?) and I’m sure there are plenty worse. So while direct access to fans is a beautiful thing, we must also acknowledge that it severely limits the ability for a publicist to save an artist from themselves, as they so often need. As my father taught me, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!” While I’ve used some extreme examples for illustrative pur-
poses, it doesn’t always have to be a career crippling faux pas. More often than not, it’s the simple contradiction between the artist and how their fans perceived them. Who wouldn’t be disappointed to find out the MC that you thought was so deep is in fact a dunce or that R&B singer whose voice cuts right through the women’s clothes is a womanizing, deadbeat dad. I think these small losses can be much worse because they go on silently eroding an artist’s fan base with no immediate symptoms. Over exposure! We live in a consumer economy in a country where 34% of the population is considered overweight I would wager to say that moderation is not our strong suit. I feel this may have less to do with diet than with how we consume. Whether its food or information, we want it all and we want it now. With that being said, it has always been important for PR professionals to RATION an artist’s exposure to the public, not just how much they’re seen but with whom and where. Blogs and social media sites greatly reduce the ability to control media exposure leaving the door open for consumers to Consume, Consume, Consume! No matter how tasty the dish ... If you eat to much at once you will surely get SICK. Jumping back to our original question, Is it possible for Justin Bieber to become the next Michael Jackson or has the landscape changed so dramatically as to make it impossible for anyone to ever achieve such a level of success. Submit your thoughts on the subject at MakinItMag.com.
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