In LeBron James’ promotional skin: Self-branded athletes and fans’ immaterial labour
Using the LeBron James brand as a case study, this article adds insight into the phenomenon of self-branding by demonstrating that sports fans play an essential role in building the value of athletes’ personal brands. Drawing on Hearn’s theory of self-branding and Arvidsson’s concept of ‘ethical surplus’, it argues that audience members participated in the immaterial labour required to build (and re-build) the value of the LeBron James and Nike brands. By considering this immaterial labour within the neo-liberal context in which it occurs, this article highlights a central tension between the individual and the group that lies at the heart of athletes’ self-branding practices.
2018 ◽
pp. 488-500
2015 ◽
Vol 2
(3)
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pp. 301-303
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2019 ◽
Vol 11
(2)
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pp. 1115-1119
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2018 ◽
Vol 24
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pp. 429-450
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