In recent years, “Kardashian” has become a household name. Between reality shows, social media and magazine covers, this family has infiltrated the world of pop culture.
The latest endeavor taken on by Kim, Kendall and Kylie is smartphone apps which includes games that allow players to enter the Kardashian and Jenner world of fashion, events and high-profile friend circles. While still fairly new, these apps are rising in popularity.
Dr. Daniel Ladik, associate professor of marketing, said the app will change how celebrity status is attained.
“How someone became a celebrity in the past is different from how they became a celebrity in the present,” Dr. Ladik said.
“In the past, Kim Kardashian needed the New York Times or People magazine to endorse her as a celebrity. That's not the case anymore. The crowd endorses her as a celebrity,” Dr. Ladik said. .
He added that without Kim Kardashian’s social media following, her success would have not been as enormous. “The idea of celebrity and how you get celebrity is different,” he said.
Dr. Ladik comments that her timing was perfect in regards to riding the wave of technology and social media.
Kim Kardashian has taken full advantage of nearly every social media outlet and collected a number of followers on these media sites, where she has more than 40 million followers on Twitter.
“Kim really does the stuff to earn the social following. She's in the public all the time. She doesn't have any problem with the paparazzi. And whether you like her stuff or not, you can't ignore the crowd,” Dr.Ladik said.
Kenny Ramdhanie, a junior criminal justice major said he has used the new Kendall and Kylie app. “The Kardashians and Jenners have such a big following, and since the first Kardashian game was such a hit, this Jenner game just followed in its footsteps and got the same exposure and promotion from all the Kardashians and Jenners,” Ramdhanie added.
Dr. Ladik said he believes the Kardashians’ success, due in part to the family’s social media presence, is here to stay and is not just a fad.
Dr.Ladik said the notion of human as brand relates to fact that the celebrity is not a fad. Kim Kardashian has branded herself so thoroughly in current pop culture that her products and endeavors are unmissable.
“The app is here to stay. They are going upgrade it and add features and add-ons such as clothes and new places to travel, new missions, and other things,” Ramdhanie said.
The Kardashian and Jenner success is going to continue, as long as they maintain their social media presences.
“Unless there is a monstrous cultural shift, for example if the crowd doesn't become important anymore, and the power of social media disappears, I don't see how a Kim or the next Kim doesn't ride the wave again. This is the path,” Dr.Ladik said.
Sarah Auerbach can be reached at sarah.auerbach@student.shu.edu.
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