| The new media era has brought about dramatic fluctuations in the status of communicators and audiences.The former era of hegemony of communicators has passed;the sender and receiver have begun sharing the autonomy of information reception and dissemination.With the rise of audience status and content demand,variety show production is constantly undergoing a self-reform,and the host,as the core of the show,is the dominant component of change.In the new production ecological environment,some variety show hosts who are incompatible with the media reform lag behind the times,descending from the top of the food chain to the side of the stage,even behind the scenes or replaced by cross-border people.However,the times create heroes.There are some hosts who go against the current,actively adapting to media changes,and quickly going out of the circle by creating a highly recognizable style,thereby building a brand image recognized by the audience.Brand image construction is the choice of the host in the current media communication environment,which helps variety show hosts enhance the value of the media and maintain the charm of the image.In the face of the increasingly competitive variety show talent selection market,in order to keep the “job”,the hosts are trying to climb to the higher level for a better brand image,which has become the only choice.This research takes the brand image of variety show hosts as the research object.Taking Sa Beining as the representative of the brand host,combined with the presentation of the host image in the variety show,this research studies the composition of the symbolic text of the host’s brand image,the law of symbol construction,and the hidden symbol trap.From the perspective of semiotics,the semiotic text composition of the host’s brand image is divided into two parts: the sender of the symbol and the receiver of the symbol,breaking through the single symbol research of the host’s personal image.Using the theory of symbolic interaction,this research analyzes the symbolic interaction construction of the host’s brand image from three levels: backstage,drama troupe,and front stage.This research also critically points out the hidden symbol traps under the host’s brand image,intending to remind them to keep introspection at all times in social performances,so as not to fall into the crisis of brand image collapse.This research mainly adopts the research methods of literature analysis,case analysis and discourse analysis to conduct semiotic research on the host’s brand image.First,it is an analysis of the text composition of the host’s brand image symbol.Based on the "broad definition" of text in semiotics,it points out that the semiotic text composition of the host’s brand image includes not only the host who sends the symbol,but also the audience who receives the symbol,and the symbolic interaction cycle between them constitutes the host’s brand in communication image.In the text of the symbol sender,the language symbol expression of "commonality + personality" promotes the presentation of the media image of the brand’s professionalism +uniqueness;the non-verbal symbol expression of "visual + auditory" makes the host’s image more realistic and enhances the audience trust in brand hosting.In the text of the receiver of symbols,the audience has three identities of decoder,participant and feed backer: The decoder interprets the host’s image style;the participant intervenes in the host’s symbol formation and image dissemination;the feed backer corrects the host’s symbolic output,and the triple identities work together to form the symbolic text of the host’s brand image.Secondly,the construction of the host’s brand image symbol is explored.Based on the theory of symbolic interaction,combined with Sa Beining’s brand image presentation,this research analyzes the host’s various symbolic performances in the backstage,theatrical troupe,and the front stage,and points out that the symbolic construction of the host’s brand image requires active rehearsal in the backstage,reasonable cooperation of the theatrical troupe and the perfect presentation of the front stage.Backstage rehearsal is the premise for the host to eliminate mistakes and build a brand.If there is no interaction between the "I-self" and "me-self" in the backstage area,it is impossible to form a complete expression of the host’s front stage image.The collaboration of the troupe is the basis for the performance of the host and the construction of the brand.Without the different identities of the troupe members,proper performances,complicity attitudes,and the identity of the protagonist of the troupe,the host cannot achieve the smooth progress of the performance in the front stage area,and cannot guide the troupe members to build a brand image.A perfect front stage is the key for the host to show a symbolic image and build a brand.If there is no idealized performance in the front stage area,the host cannot show a media image that conforms to self-expectation,audience favorite,and social recognition.Finally,the hidden symbol trap under the host’s brand image is discussed.Combining the actual case of the host’s brand image crisis,this research points out the hidden symbol traps under the commercial logic offside,“me in the fog” interaction,“de-mystifying” performance,and proposes corresponding some countermeasures.Business logic is offside as the dominant logic,which will tempt brand hosts to make image sales choices that are not in line with social moral values.Only by building a dual supervision mechanism of "self-discipline + hetero-discipline" can the host the sustainable development of brand image be maintained.The interactive development of symbols from "I in the mirror" to "I in the fog" makes the host lose their way in the evaluation of others wearing "masks".Only by doing a good job in the screening and interpretation of online comments and the improvement of the professional quality of the host can the brand host be able to firm the direction in the confusion of "me in the fog",so that the brand image expression can meet the needs of others and conform to the professional value norms.De-mystifying the performance of the symbols may help the host’s symbolic expression more accessible to the audience’s hearts.However,the out-of-control backstage front will trigger the crisis of the authority of the brand hosting.Only by splitting the backstage into the middle stage and the deep backstage can the double-edged sword of "mysterious" performance be properly used,and it may accordingly contribute to the construction and dissemination of the brand image.To sum up,this research discusses the brand image from the perspective of semiotics,and points out that the study on the host’s brand image cannot only be limited to the host’s own symbolic expression,all aspects of its image formation and dissemination should also be taken into considerations.In the process of host branding,the composition of symbolic text is the basis for the host to build a brand image,the law of symbol construction is the path for the host to build a brand image.Meanwhile,the symbol trap involves the image management and value maintenance of the host’s brand.The above three parts are interlinked.Only by doing well in each part of the work can the host build a personal brand image,being loved by the audience and recognized by the society. |
