Stars’ intimacy, does it really exist?

Is it really over between Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber? Curiosity can be a serious flaw, and celebrities would agree. Privacy and intimacy have always been subjects that interest curious minds. Tabloids, social media and paparazzi have increased the need to know everything, about everyone, at any time. And to answer the question, no, it’s not.

Thinking that social media has increased our curiosity for other people’s privacy is not wrong but it is not the only contributing factor. Historically, the first gossip magazine was French. Mercure Galant, published in 1672, mainly talked about fashion. As for English speaking countries, Broadway Brevities was the first celebrity issue to be published, in 1922. With the first editions, and later on during the 1930s, film’s and women’s newspapers included gossip about actors and actresses. At the time, photographs were used but none intruded on their private lives. Tabloids really grew in England with gossip on the royal family after World War II. 

With the Internet, pop music, and stars such as Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, tabloids gained significant popularity in the 2000s. The new century led to the increasing need to always know more. At the end of this decade, the interest in tabloids declined. Social media and influencers appeared, creating a new pattern of obsession and admiration, as well as a new wave of celebrities.

Admiration 101

How can we explain this turn from interest to obsession? The French sociologist Edgar Morin wrote the book The Stars, in 1957. Morin worked on how celebrities market themselves. Throughout his research, he theorised on the admiration fans have for celebrities and how it can turn into obsessions. For the sociologist, the star system relies on what is real and what is not. Therefore, it can be compared to a form of religious devotion, since it is not a mutual devotion, fans are obsessed with one persona, whereas the celebrity does not reciprocate.

“We feed them with our aspirations and they feed us with their lives.”

Morin, during his research, focused on teenagers and how it is more common to develop an admiration at this stage. In a 1997 interview for the French newspaper Libération, he said, “We feed on their elevated lives and project upon them the aspirations that we cannot achieve. We feed them with our aspirations and they feed us with their lives. They are living beings, but at the same time we breathe into them our soul and aspirations.” And the cycle is far from over.

In the age of social media, influencers have become masters at leveraging their personal lives to build their brands and engage audiences. By sharing intimate details about their relationships, health, emotions, and daily struggles, influencers tap into a powerful tool for connection. 

The Fine Line Between Privacy and Profit

The line between sharing for connection and sharing for profit can often be blurry. While some influencers openly discuss their lives to create a genuine bond with their followers, others may be more strategic in how they present their intimacy. Emotional moments are capitalized on to generate buzz, leading to viral posts or trending topics. On Tiktok, this practice appears to be quite common. Charli D’Amelio, a well-known tiktoker, went viral when she made her relationship official with Chase Hudson. A strategy that her older sister would later use to make her relationship official as well. The constant buzz around the two young Americans was a real springboard for their careers. Hudson launched his music career, closely followed by the community of his new girlfriend. 

Critics argue that the commodification of vulnerability can come across as manipulative. Influencers may play on their followers’ emotions by exaggerating the intimacy of their lives to spark reactions.

When influencers face controversy 

In 2023, transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, best known for her “Day… of being a girl”, collaborated with the famous American beer brand, Bud Light. As part of her contribution, Mulvaney shared videos on her social media channels showing a Bud Light can personalized with her face, and promoted the brand as part of her commitment to transgender rights. The American influencer, who rose to prominence with an almost intimate account of her gender transition, found herself under fire. For her promotion of a brand whose consumers were “too conservative”, Mulvaney suffered a massive media outcry. 

Through intimate marketing, with influencers acting as the perfect vectors, brands are finding a new way to reach consumers on a deeply personal level. By blurring this boundary, influencers are able to deliver hidden advertising that may be too aggressive for some consumers. It’s a growing trend in the fashion world, with collaborations that have completely redefined the front rows attendees. 

Lou Gindro and Violaine Charvet

© Getty Images / The Sun / Dylan Mulvaney / BNF Gallica