Goal
The intention of this study is always to take a look at exactly how “mommy fans” affect current models out of parasocial dating between admirers and you may idols and to acquire deeper expertise on the reasons underlying the fresh new acquisition of idol dolls. Simultaneously, because of the such as the enjoy and you may point of views regarding male idol fans, the research aims to expand new comprehension of enthusiast decisions and boost understanding of this new motives driving idol-toy consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
Taking idol-doll customers given that browse things, this research conducted textual investigation plus-depth interviews to explore fans’ motivations for purchasing idol dolls.
Conclusions
Idol toy orders is determined of the emotional attachment, such as for instance one of mommy admirers whom attempt to establish a sense of handle and continue maintaining a father or mother–youngster matchmaking. Likewise, buying idol dolls also can act as good disguise to possess girlfriend fans to hide the romantic desires regarding their idols. Furthermore, idol dolls act as semiotic identifiers, drawing particularly-oriented admirers and you will wearing neighborhood detection. It must be listed one to male idol fans, who will be noticed deviant on the masculine normative, deal with scrutiny from inside the women-controlled organizations, looking for after that evidence of credibility.
Important effects
This study promotes knowing the motivations behind idol-toy sales and will let advertisers in catering for the emotional demands away from admirers, including mommy fans, by creating and deals dolls one to resonate through its need feel from connection.
Public effects
Of the recognizing and you will emphasizing the positive areas of partner points, this research results in the latest ongoing procedure for de–demonization and you may normalization from fandom. At exactly the same time, this research together with seeks in order to subscribe to a more full understanding of your own battles and you can psychological requires of your Chinese young age group.
Originality/worthy of
This study explores the around-researched mom-fan group’s psychological requires and their motivations of purchasing idol-dolls. What’s more, it understands the newest distinctive line of perspectives and you will event off male idol fans, taking an innovative new and you may book advice on idol-doll consumption.
step one Inclusion
» tabindex=»0″> based on celebrities’ appearance had been offered since the a new form to possess Chinese fans to talk about the solid passion due to their dear idols, resulting in the manufacture of an alternate Chinese fandom community. Toward Weibo (one of the most prominent social network programs for the China), the gÃ¥ till webbplatsen internet neighborhood to possess idol-doll-creators, buyers, and you may idol admirers is now offering accumulated more 460,000 followers in fact it is extremely women-ruled. With this system, extremely common enthusiasts, having a massive distinct idol dolls, to post lovable photos and show the experiences inside the putting on a costume and you may implementing make-up on their “newborns.” Depending on the current consumer statement, one of many idol-doll members, the latest blog post-2000 age bracket means the highest ratio, interacting with 43 %, followed closely by new article-1995 generation ranks 2nd, which have a proportion at twenty-six % (“2021 Thread Doll Players Perception Report” 2021). Therefore, Generation Z, anyone, some one produced between your later 1990’s therefore the early 2010s (Priporas et al. 2020), earnestly activates which have idol-doll purchases as a result of entertaining social media systems.
In the day and age out of participatory fandom and fan cost savings, fans’ practices choices in addition to their perceived relationship with idols are sufferers regarding informative search. The way in which admirers relate with famous people has been identified as parasocial interaction-the nonreciprocal, imaginary communication ranging from fans and mass media personae (Liebers and you will Schramm 2019; Yan and Yang 2021). In recent years, admirers earnestly engaging in the fresh parasocial matchmaking fantasize regarding the a near kinship which have idols, provided they might handle, or at least features an apparent standard of impact on the idols. For the Chinese social network, there’s a development where fans, specifically ladies, consider by themselves as idols’ mothers, aunts, otherwise sisters. When you are earlier in the day research has generally checked out parasocial dating based on heterosexual norms and fans’ romantic ambitions from the idols (i.e., “girlfriend/spouse fans” regarding idols), absolutely nothing has been understood throughout the “mom admirers”,“Mommy fans,” reference fans (generally feminine fans) who happen to be co-fostering idols/superstars as their elderly women members of the family. They say by themselves just like the mommy of your own idol and are also indulgent so you can idols, providing all of them as the sweet, simple kids who want its additional care (Yan and you can Yang 2021).