Attitude and Zoella

The case studies of Zoella and Attitude magazine offer contrasting insights into online media, focusing on representation, audience engagement, and industrial strategies.

Zoella (Zoe Sugg) serves as a primary example of how social media influencers construct a brand based on relatability and the "girl next door" persona. Her media language utilizes amateur aesthetic conventions, such as handheld phone shots, jump cuts, and high-key lighting, to create an "illusion of reality" for her audience. Despite this perceived authenticity, the sources emphasize that she is a constructed "simulacrum," managed by a professional team at A to Z Creatives.

Industrially, Zoella has diversified through Multi-Channel Networks (MCNs), brand deals, and publishing, though she has faced scrutiny from the ASA regarding advertising transparency and public backlash over ghostwriting and overpriced merchandise.

In contrast, Attitude is a niche online magazine targeting a gay male audience, specifically those in the ABC1 socio-economic group aged 25 to 55. Its industrial history involves horizontal integration, as Stream Publishing (an independent company) purchased the title to minimize competition.

To remain viable amidst declining print sales, the brand focuses on global syndication and digital convergence, reaching 1.8 million unique monthly users. Regarding representation, Attitude often portrays men as physically powerful and successful, adhering to typical gender stereotypes. However, it also features counter-typical representations by highlighting male vulnerability, effeminacy, and the victimization of the LGBTQ+ community, filling a gap in the mainstream market. While the publication is inclusive of different ethnicities, the sources note that its coverage of non-Western countries can sometimes reflect post-colonialist viewpoints.

Both case studies demonstrate the necessity of monetization and diversification—through events like the Attitude Awards or Zoella’s collaborative vlogs—to survive in the modern digital landscape.