Self-branding unifies commodified attention, achieved status, and ascribed celebrity.

Evidence

Fitton’s is the ultimate Web 2.0 success story: a driven entrepreneur achieves financial independence solely through her use of social media. Self-branding functions as a culmination of all the dynamics discussed in this book: the production of knowledge as a commodity, the belief that status is something better achieved than ascribed by the group, and the idea that micro-celebrity is something better ascribed than achieved. Fitton’s knowledge consisted of knowing who “mattered” and where they would be gathered. Her status was achieved through her accomplishments: not only enormous numbers of Twitter followers, but also publications, speaking gigs, and her own successfully funded company. And her micro-celebrity was ascribed and legitimized with a public stamp of approval from celebrities like Kawasaki, who boasted significant business experience. Fitton’s persona-brand, Pistachio, was literally a “thing” separate from her everyday understanding of herself. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 412

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines self-branding as the convergence of three dynamics: knowledge as commodity, achieved status, and ascribed micro-celebrity.
• XREF: connects to: Self-branding treats the self as a salable commodity marketed to employers — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 418; Public attention is a self-reproducing form of value convertible into fame — Michael H. Goldhaber, The Attention Economy and the Net, 6; The self-become-brand commodifies even the most intimate bodily details — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 314

Broader Connections

• Self-branding treats the self as a salable commodity marketed to employers #qualifies (0.80) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 418
• Public attention is a self-reproducing form of value convertible into fame #expands (0.80) — Michael H. Goldhaber, The Attention Economy and the Net, 6