Branding Kidfluencers: Regulating Content and Advertising on YouTube

Abstract

This paper analyzes emerging shifts in YouTube, advertising, and children’s digital media industries through a case study of Pocket Watch, a digital-first production and distribution studio built exclusively for YouTube child stars. Our analysis reveals the company’s strategic use of legacy media industry power, networks, and expertise to transform YouTube stars into global brands through the creation of toy, clothing, and lifestyle product lines across several industries. We further argue that Pocket Watch’s newly formed advertising division, Clock Work, exploits its child partners through problematic native advertising and host selling practices. The strategies implemented by Pocket Watch and other similar emerging companies may therefore act as a litmus test for how governmental regulation and platform policy changes will impact the evolving landscape of children’s digital media as commercial forces increasingly groom a growing number of young children to shift from YouTube stars to global brands.

Non-kids brands and products on YouTube kids’ channels, case study

“…Además, está publicidad se vincula a la imagen de los protagonistas del canal, cuya audiencia les considera líderes de opinión (influencers) lo que les convierte en prescriptores (Fernández y Ramos, 2022). Empresas como Pocket Watch a través de su nueva agencia Clock Work se encargan de que estas pequeñas estrellas multimedia lleguen a acuerdos con marcas comerciales (Feller y Burroughs, 2022).…”

Investigating the live streaming sales from the perspective of the ecosystem: the structures, processes and value flow

“…Therefore, MCNs are digital intermediation agencies, which are: (1) unseen infrastructures that enable increased visibility by utilizing collective 2) responsible for user engagement between content producer and the audience on the online platform (Hutchinson, 2021). Nowadays, MCNs have rendered entire online social network-related business promotion as the entity or organization that either creates content with a content creator or directly (Feller and Benjamin, 2021). Table 3 Coping with e-commerce companies, MCNs are advertising agencies that integrate multiple social media channels and critical components of the LSS operation chain for advertising purposes (Topklout, 2020).…”

“…On one hand, MCNs are in charge of seeking, training and helping live streamers – who may be influencers, celebrities or merchants – demonstrate products. On the other hand, acting as the agencies of live streamers, MCNs interact with suppliers (for example, producers) to provide purchase approaches and offer significant discounts to the audience/consumers during the LS program (Feller and Benjamin, 2021). Therefore, integrating the definitions presented by various scholars and the general tendency of LSS, LSS can be defined as “ a new form of business that allows live streamers (for example, from MCNs) to engage in social interactions with customers via live streaming programs, thus facilitating online and offline sales, after-sales service, customer engagement, and customer satisfaction” .…”

Critical Discourse Analysis: Revealing The Masculinity On Alpha Rules By Deddy Corbuzier

“…The Alpha Rules by Deddy Corbuzier has several variants, for example, men's fragrance, fash wash, and body wash. The Alpha Rules were advertised through all social media platforms, for instance, Instagram, google, youtube, and other social media platforms (Feller & Burroughs, 2021). Furthermore, the role model of the advertisement is only the founder, Deddy Corbuzier.…”