Symbolic Interactionism and Celebrity Branding

Symbolic Interactionism and Celebrity Branding

What if we told you that every time you scroll through Instagram, watch a movie trailer, or listen to a celebrity interview, you’re participating in a deeply sociological process?

In this episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding, we dive into Symbolic Interactionism—a foundational sociological perspective that explains how we assign meaning to people, objects, and actions through our everyday social interactions. But this isn't simply a stodgy academic theory. Rather, it is a lens that reveals the inner mechanics of branding, celebrity culture, and the way we construct meaning in the digital age.

We trace the roots of Symbolic Interactionism through the work of key thinkers like:

• George Herbert Mead, who argued that our identities are shaped by social interactions and role-taking.

• Herbert Blumer, who coined the term and emphasized that meaning emerges from interaction and is constantly renegotiated.

• Erving Goffman, whose dramaturgical metaphor helps us understand the “performance” of everyday life—including how celebrities manage their public personas.

We then move from theory to impact—connecting the dots between these sociological insights and how celebrities build and maintain their brands. From red-carpet gestures to carefully curated tweets, everything a public figure does becomes a symbol loaded with meaning, ready to be interpreted, remixed, or rejected by audiences.

But this episode also introduces a powerful theoretical concept: Radical Sociodrama, developed by Bob Batchelor and Kaitlin Krister. We explore how brands like Starbucks don’t just sell coffee, they stage elaborate performances of meaning. Starbucks’ use of seasonal campaigns like the Pumpkin Spice Latte becomes a form of modern-day ritual, sparking debates about identity, nostalgia, and even politics.

Radical Sociodrama invites you to think differently about your surroundings. Every store, influencer, or branded experience becomes a stage...and every consumer a performer. In today’s landscape, radical sociodrama takes you from theory to strategy.

We extend these ideas into celebrity case studies. We explore Zendaya—an actress, fashion icon, and multi-platform celebrity who masterfully navigates her symbolic presence across traditional media, fashion runways, and social platforms. Zendaya’s self-presentation evolves in tandem with fan interpretations, media narratives, and cultural trends, which makes her an excellent case study in the co-creation of meaning between celebrity and audience.

This episode also draws on themes from Batchelor’s The Authentic Leader and his cultural branding research, offering students and professionals alike a framework for understanding:

• How meaning is created through storytelling and social interaction

• Why branding is as much about audience interpretation as it is about what you say

• The hidden power of ritual, symbolism, and performance in shaping cultural memory

And most importantly, we wrap the episode with actionable insights for students and young professionals:

• Recognize how you’re already creating meaning through what you post, wear, and say
• Think strategically about how others interpret the “symbols” you put into the world
• Build your personal brand not just by broadcasting, but by engaging and listening
• Apply Symbolic Interactionism to your future communications, media, or PR career to decode (and shape) cultural narratives

Whether you're analyzing Beyoncé’s latest music video or crafting your own LinkedIn bio, this episode will change how you think about symbols, identity, and the performative nature of modern life.

So join us—and discover how celebrity branding is really about all of us. Then, subscribe to Theories of Celebrity Branding wherever you listen to podcasts. If it resonates, leave a review or share it with someone curious about how culture works.