OSP: Rashford & Kardashian - Language and Representation

Language

 1) Make two lists - one of website conventions used on Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's official website and one of social media conventions found on their Instagram pages. 

Marcus Rashford’s website focuses on advocacy, featuring a clean design, mission-driven content, and calls to action like "Donate Now." It includes responsive design, newsletters, and media showcasing his charitable projects. In contrast, Kim Kardashian’s site emphasises e-commerce, with high-quality imagery, product galleries, and interactive features like virtual try-ons, alongside strong personal branding and social proof.

On Instagram, Rashford highlights community work and personal milestones with authentic captions, professional photos, and collaborative tags. Kardashian’s Instagram focuses on her brand, showcasing curated aesthetics, product promotions, luxury lifestyle, and family moments, using Reels, Highlights, and engaging captions for a polished, promotional approach.

2) How does Marcus Rashford's website and social media promote his brand? Give at least three examples of different pages / posts / images from his website or social media. 

Marcus Rashford promotes his brand by blending his roles as an athlete and advocate.

1. Website – Charity Pages: His site highlights campaigns like ending child food poverty, with stats, images, and “Donate Now” buttons to showcase his impact.

2. Instagram – Career Highlights: Posts of key goals or milestones, paired with determined captions, emphasize his success as a footballer.

3. Instagram – Community Work: Photos of him delivering food parcels or meeting fans, with heartfelt captions, show his dedication to giving back and inspire connection.

These efforts position him as both a sports star and a role model.

3) How does Kim Kardashian's website and social media promote her brand? Give at least three examples of different pages / posts / images from her brand websites or social media. 

Kim Kardashian promotes her brand by blending her lifestyle and products seamlessly across her website and social media. Her SKIMS website showcases detailed product galleries with professional images, size guides, and customer reviews, emphasising quality and exclusivity. On Instagram, she frequently posts polished visuals featuring her wearing SKIMS or showcasing beauty products, paired with calls to action like “Shop now,” driving traffic to her store. Additionally, her lifestyle posts, including glamorous events, family moments, and luxury experiences, reinforce her image as a trendsetting icon, making her brand inspirational and relatable. These strategies effectively align her personal identity with her business ventures.

4) How does Marcus Rashford's online presence use the narrative of his childhood upbringing to create a positive brand identity?

Marcus Rashford’s online presence uses his childhood story to craft a positive brand identity centred on resilience and empathy. His website references growing up in a low-income household, linking his experiences to his advocacy against child food poverty. On social media, he shares posts reflecting on his upbringing, often paired with visuals of community work and heartfelt captions, creating an authentic connection with his audience. Additionally, collaborations with organisations like Fare Share and his children’s books inspired by his childhood further emphasise his role as a relatable role model. This narrative strengthens his image as a compassionate advocate for social change.

5) How does Kim Kardashian's website and social media promote other media products or websites using the Kardashian brand (e.g. Keeping Up With The Kardashians TV show)? 

Kim Kardashian’s website and social media effectively promote other media products, such as Keeping Up With The Kardashians (KUWTK), by seamlessly integrating them into her personal brand. On her website, she links to episodes or highlights in blog posts and news sections, keeping fans engaged with the show. On social media, Kim shares promotional clips, trailers, or behind-the-scenes content, often including streaming links or hashtags like #TheKardashians to drive viewership. Additionally, posts with her family members often serve a dual purpose, celebrating personal moments while subtly promoting upcoming show content. This strategy strengthens both her personal brand and the Kardashian media empire.

Representations

1) How does Marcus Rashford use different aspects of mise-en-scene (e.g. clothes/costume/ settings/locations) to create representations of himself on his website and social media? 

Marcus Rashford uses various aspects of mise-en-scène, like clothing, settings, and body language, to shape his representation on his website and social media. He often wears casual attire, such as T-shirts or sportswear, which creates an approachable and relatable image, distinct from his professional athlete persona. His settings, such as community events, schools, and food banks, emphasise his commitment to social causes and reinforce his roots in helping underprivileged communities. Additionally, his body language, often shown interacting with children or participating in charity work, conveys humility and dedication. Together, these elements portray Rashford as both a role model and an advocate for change.

2) What examples can you find of website pages, social media posts or aspects of his brand that create a positive representation of Marcus Rashford? You may wish to comment on his discussion of family or his campaigns - his page on the FareShare campaign website may help with this question.

Marcus Rashford's online presence promotes a positive representation of him through his charity work, family focus, and empowering messages. On his FareShare campaign page, he shares his personal story of growing up in food insecurity, which strengthens his connection to the cause and highlights his dedication to fighting child food poverty. On social media, posts showcasing his direct involvement in charity work, like delivering food or visiting schools, reinforce his role as a community-focused role model. Additionally, his posts about family, particularly his close relationship with his mother and siblings, convey humility and gratitude. Through these efforts, Rashford positions himself as not only a professional athlete but also a compassionate advocate.

3) How does Marcus Rashford's online presence challenge stereotypes? Think about gender (masculinity), race/ethnicity, social class or football here. 

Marcus Rashford’s online presence challenges stereotypes about masculinity, race, social class, and footballers. He shows that masculinity isn’t just about being tough by using his platform to fight for child food poverty, showing empathy and care. As a Black footballer, he challenges racial stereotypes by being more than just an athlete—he is an activist and a role model, standing up to racism with dignity. Coming from a working-class background, he proves that people from humble beginnings can achieve success and use it to help others. Rashford also breaks the stereotype that footballers are only focused on sports by engaging in activism, earning awards like an MBE, and inspiring change. His actions show that footballers can be smart, caring, and socially responsible.

4)  What representation of celebrity is created by Kim Kardashian's website and social media? How are audience encouraged to view celebrity? 

Kim Kardashian’s website and social media represent celebrity as glamorous, entrepreneurial, and relatable. She showcases her luxurious lifestyle, promoting the idea of wealth and beauty as central to fame. At the same time, her business ventures like SKIMS highlight her as a smart entrepreneur. By sharing personal moments with her family and behind-the-scenes content, she makes celebrity feel more human and accessible, encouraging audiences to see fame as both inspirational and achievable through hard work and branding.

5) What gender stereotypes are reinforced or challenged in Kim Kardashian's online presence? 

Kim Kardashian’s online presence both reinforces and challenges gender stereotypes. She reinforces stereotypes by focusing heavily on beauty, fashion, and luxury, suggesting that women should prioritise appearance and materialism. However, she challenges stereotypes by showcasing her success as a businesswoman, proving that women can be powerful entrepreneurs. Additionally, her confident expression of sexuality challenges the idea that women should be modest or subdued, presenting it as a form of empowerment and self-expression.