Beyonce

Global Beyonce

Starter 5minsHow Global is Beyonce?Analyse posterLinks to genre? Representation?

TourAnnounced in February 2013It began inBelgrade, Serbiaon April 15, 2013, and concluded inLisbon, Portugalon March 27, 2014the tour's total gross revenue to $229.7 million. This made The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour the highest grossing female and solo tour of 2013, Beyonc's highest grossing tour to date and one of thehighest grossing tours of the decade

GlobalAmerican popular culture has become global popular culture Run The World (Girls) at the Billboard Music Awards, she is introduced by such pop culture luminaries as Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Barbara Streisand, Bono, and (not insignificantly) First Lady Michelle Obama. re-creating in live performance the music video to Run The World (Girls), which weaves together an array of dazzling digital images 4D, including lion and elephant heads (continuing in animal form the theme of third world inspired imagery). striking images was with the line Endless Power, where Beyonc literally holds (an image of) the world in the palm of her hand. This serves as a powerful visual representation not only of the influence of superstars such as Beyonc, but also of American cultural hegemony as a whole.

More GlobalBeyonce re-enacts the Tofo Tofo dance sequence sans Tofo Tofo (replaced instead by a legion of digitally replicated Beyonces), she does include a sequence with Les Twins, a French dance duo made up of brothers Larry and Laurent Bourgeois. Tofo Tofo swapped out as Beyonces male backup dancers with Les Twins, two other dancers representing global hip hop culture.

Opening with the words Power is ever presentPower of Beyonce?Female empowerment?Record industry (Grammys)?power between first world artists and third world culture. Pon De Floor: Major Lazer and the Representation of Black Bodies

Regulation- copyrightBeyonce Billboard Awards 2011 Performance VS Lorella Cuccarini 2010 performance MTV's La La Vazquez called the visual effects "unbelievable." Missy Elliott described Beyonc as a "true entertainer." Singer Omarion said he was "speechless."Pink tweeted, "Beyonce just KILLED it at the Billboard awards. So original, so rad."But videos spreading on the Internet suggest it might not have been original at all.

Lorellas influence can be seen when watching the shows side-by-side. It feels as though Beyoncs team used Lorellas show as a template and personalized it by changing out some of the details. Not only does Beyonc use some of the same scenes Lorella used, but they fall in the same sequence.

Beyonc clarified speculation about the motivation for her cutting-edge show when she explained that seeing Lorellas interactive video performance made her want to make her own version.My makeup artist showed me the performance of Lorella Cuccarini a year ago, and it inspired me so much, Beyonce told AOL Music.I then met with the talented people who worked on it. The technology and concept were so genius. Thank God for YouTube (tofo tofo too) or I would have never been exposed to something so inspiring. I never worked so hard on anything in my life as that performance for the Billboard Awards.Postmodernism=bricologe/hybrid/high&low culture

What could Run the World (Girls) mean?LO: What do the lyrics of the song tell us about the messages encoded in the song?BLP: Making Links

Song LyricsBands and artists encode a variety of messages to reflect their ideologies (thoughts/beliefs)

By doing this they encourage their fans to follow their beliefs and share them with others (audience Cultivation theory)

LO: What do the lyrics of the song tell us about the messages encoded in the song?BLP: Making Links

Cultivation theory states that high frequency viewers of television are more susceptible to media messages and the belief that they are real and valid. The theory suggests that television and media possess a small but significant influence on the attitudes and beliefs of society about society. Those who absorb more media are those we are more influenced.10

Song LyricsWhat meanings could Beyonc be expressing in her lyrics?

Look at the lyrics and annotate any meanings you can find

LO: What do the lyrics of the song tell us about the messages encoded in the song?BLP: Making Links

Song Lyrics41 rollin' to let you know what time it is, checkYou can't hold me (you can't hold me)I work my 9 to 5, better cut my checkThis goes out to all the women getting it in,You're on your grindTo other men that respect what I doPlease accept my shineBoy I know you love itHow we're smart enough to make these millionsStrong enough to bear the childrenThen get back to businessSee, you better not play meOh, come here babyHope you still like mehate meLO: What do the lyrics of the song tell us about the messages encoded in the song?BLP: Making Links

FeminismLO: What is feminism? How can we apply it to music videos?

BLP: Making Links

Song Lyrics

How does the song Run the World (Girls) represent men/women?

LO: What is feminism? How can we apply it to music videos?BLP: Making Links

FeminismFeminism was the response to societys assumptions that women should be passive to men

Until the emergence of feminism women were treated almost as objects, passive in a male worldBLP: Making Links

LO: What is feminism? How can we apply it to music videos?

FeminismIn the early 1970s activists battled for Womens Liberation and equal opportunities.

The sex equality act was passed in 1975BLP: Making Links

LO: What is feminism? How can we apply it to music videos?

Patriarchy Is a form of society ruled by men

The father figure (the patriarch) is the leader to whom all others were subordinate

Within the media, a patriarchal society suggests that the media is constructed for men

How does this link to feminism?BLP: Making Links

LO: What is feminism? How can we apply it to music videos?

Post - FeminismIn the 1980s views changed even more

Feminists dont aim for equality. They assume men are the best and so strive to surpass male achievements

Women began to assert their right to dress and be sexually attractive.BLP: Making Links

LO: What is feminism? How can we apply it to music videos?

FeminismIn the 1980s views changed even more

Feminists dont aim for equality. They assume men are the best and so strive to surpass male achievements

The female gaze discussed. Where men are activity desired by females

Women began to assert their right to dress and be sexually attractive.LO: What do the lyrics of the song tell us about the messages encoded in the song?BLP: Making Links

LO: What do the lyrics of the song tell us about the messages encoded in the song?BLP: Making Links

Run the worldFemale empowerment or a return to patriarchy?

Beyonce's music videos often sit uncomfortably on this issue of empowerment. She often appears to be promoting empowerment through her lyrics, whilst simultaneously (and, some would say, paradoxically) reinforcing the notions of beauty (Wolf/ Greer)and objectification (Mulvey) that have disempowered women throughout the decades.

Representation- Feminist?In an interview published by Vogue in April 2013, Beyonc was asked if she considers herself a feminist, to which she said, "that word can be very extreme... But I guess I am a modern-day feminist. I do believe in equality.She would later align herself more publicly with the movement, sampling "We should all be feminists", a speech delivered by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at a TEDxEuston conference in April 2013, in her song "Flawless", released later that year. She has also contributed to the Ban Bossy campaign, which uses television and social media to encourage leadership in girls.

Ban Bossy campaign (Watch the Advert and analyse)

RespondBeyonce's Run the World (Girls) video has three potential readings; The preferred reading appears to be that women are confident and empowered through their sexuality and that men are like boys, to be toyed with and commanded. In some transitions, the video seems to suggest that women have thrown off the shackles of the past. Because the video is set a post-apocalyptic world, it is perhaps acknowledging that this is not reflected by reality, but it is something that is happening 'behind the scenes'. (Post feminist view/ female audience)

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Negotiated?may be that by setting the video up as a fantasy (an alternative reality), it bears no resemblance to reality and therefore carries no political message about female empowerment at all. It is 'a bit of fun' that toys with the idea of women being in control. Oppositional (Feminist view)?may be that women are objectified and sexualised on the video for male pleasure, which disempowers women. As the video seems to suggest that women can only gain power through teasing men and subjecting themselves to the male gaze, it supports a patriarchal view of women.

Advert Lorealhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2959064/Unretouched-photos-Beyonce-s-L-Oreal-advert-leak-online-fans-mixed-reactions-Twitter.html

HomeworkHow is Beyonce represented? Is she a feminist? Pick 3 different platforms (600 words)

Analyse Flawless or Pretty HurtsRead handbook Diet Feminism

Music video (not Run the World)MagazineCDAdvertLive performanceCampaignUse sheet what to include

BeyonceMarketing, internet, digital technology

BuzzfeedThe "Unflattering" Photos Beyoncs Publicist Doesnt Want You ToSeeIntenet - The Streisand effect is the phenomenon whereby an attempt to hide, remove, or censor a piece of information has the unintended consequence of publicizing the information more widely, usually facilitated by the Internet.It is named after American entertainer Barbra Streisand, whose 2003 attempt to suppress photographs of her residence in Malibu, California inadvertently drew further public attention to it. Brand (didnt fit)Marketing teamSynergy (not anymore!)Audience response widget & http://deadspin.com/5982561/photoshop-contest-unflattering-beyonce-pictureshttp://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedceleb/the-unflattering-photos-beyonces-publicist-doesnt-want-you-t#.hhmr6K6jg BuzzFeed is the social news and entertainment company. BuzzFeed is redefining online advertising with its social, content-driven publishing technology. BuzzFeed provides the most shareable breaking news, original reporting, entertainment, and video across the social web to its global audience of more than 200M.

Breaking Down Beyonce's Record-Breaking AlbumLaunch

the Beyonce album was released on the unsuspecting public without any advance marketing fanfare whatsoever, which caused a bit of a commotion as that fact was trumpeted far and wide by bloggers and news organizations.The album was released as a digital-only product, with a one week exclusive going to iTunes. This didnt sit well with retail giant Target who refused to sell the CD when it was released as a result. A few days later, Amazon joined the boycott on the CD as well (although it still sells the download).

None before Plenty afterEven though Beyonce set smashed an iTunes record for the fast selling album ever with over 600,000 digital album downloads, having the number 2 and 3 retailers boycotting your physical product could put a crimp in your long term sales. So what did Beyonce do? She went on a shopping trip to a Tewsbury, Massachusetts Walmart on Friday night, announced to everyone over the stores loudspeaker system that she was there to buy her album, then gave out approximately 37 grand worth of $50 Walmart gift cards (santa) to everyone she saw in the store. And kissed a baby! (politition)Press coverage Positive http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2527431/Beyonce-surprises-fans-going-Christmas-shopping-Walmart-album.htmlWhat better way to stick two fingers up at those who have snubbed you than with a cosy shopping session with their nearest competitor?

Still, the message sent by Amazon and Target might not actually be directed at Beyonce after all; its meant for any other artist that might try the same maneuver in the future. Beyonce is at the top of the music industry food chain at the moment, and she can get away with such a scheme without it costing her too much in sales (or so we think well find out soon enough). Not so for the vast majority of artists though, none of which can afford to alienate one of the retail giants. For them, the message was received loud and clear. Give a digital exclusive, and pay for it with a physical boycott, at least until such time when the CD is not longer a sales factor (it still is, by the way much more than you think).Of course, now Beyonces talking up a storm about how difficult it was to keep the album a secret, how she was nervous about dropping the album with no promotion, and how she wants to follow in Madonnas footsteps, so the hype and promo that we were spared on the front end of her release has just been transferred to the back end.

FansThe fact that nearly 900,000 customers were willing to pay full price to buy this album is testament to the passionate dedication of Beyoncs legions of fans, says one veteran entertainment lawyer who declined to be named. Most artists have to pre-sell or hype albums by giving away singles on various websites, or streaming the album.

Topshophttp://nypost.com/2014/10/27/beyonce-to-design-workout-wear-line-with-topshop/

H&Mhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/marketshare/2013/05/03/love-it-hate-it-beyonce-does-hm/2/

Too Bootylicious?http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2333226/Beyonce-row-H-M-discovering-wanted-downsize-curves-swimwear-campaign.html

Pepsi and grown woman

Pretty Hurts

Run the world

7/11

xo