Target Audience Research- YouTube Comments

To find out what the current Target Audience thought of the official music video, I looked through the YouTube comments below our music video, Habits (stay High) Tove Lo. The results contrasted, with various people finding the video indecent and unnecessary stereotypical and other viewers believing it has a very inspirational, meaningful message behind it. Completing this, I have found this to be very beneficial for me to help identify what kind of people are interest in the product and how the product can be interpreted.

People thought that giving the main artist a drunken and rebellious image was a bad idea because it could influence people in the wrong direction. They said it would encourage them to take drugs as a way to get away from problems they may be having. Another reason would be that it isn't a subject that people should gloat about/show off, as it can have serious consequences. The image the character has in this music video can be interpreted as an inelegant girl who consumes illegal substances to get over her relationship problems. This is not something the music industry wants to portray to the society.




Other viewers, came to the conclusion that the idea of drugs being everywhere, is the society's fault. A girl, who is suffering, from what we assume is a break up or a loss, is out, drowning her sorrows. The presence of alcohol is very obvious here, and the idea of being surrounded by her friends and people distract her from what she is actually feeling.

There are slight references but nothing specific is mentioned and therefore people just assume that 'high' is her being on drugs instead of just being metaphorically high (or just feeling happy) of the atmosphere and the actual events themselves.

The viewers believe that the video would have meant more if the video was more illustrative instead of metaphorical; but that could be seen as boring and predictable by the music industry and would not have the got the same amount of attention this one did.

Racism and/or Sexism are sometimes present in pop music videos due to the topics having such a huge influence on the current generation. Some viewers have realised that everyone interprets the video differently and therefore we should not judge what others think or believe. We are a very judgemental society, and the female artist acting carelessly and rebellious is not accepted because we do not believe a girl should be acting like this.

Our society is still seen as a very sexist and rather controversial. The idea of there being two women in the video and not two males, sparks an interest in the homosexuals as well as heterosexual males in our society. This is known as the 'queer gaze'. The video does no make it obvious that there is nothing wrong with it, and that it is acceptable. Instead, it is stylised in the video that it isn't normal. Gay rights are a big topic of conversation currently and I believe that having this controversy in the music video includes everyone and makes the video itself stand out to the heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual people in this world. 

Viewers may connect with the video due to it being related to such a common topic, break up or loss. The only difference is that they are react a different way. By creating such a vulnerable character, the audience pity her and feel attached to her as you either relate to what she has been through or you wish you could help in some way. Therefore it is engaging the viewers on a more personal levels due to the realism in the video.

Most comments by women were actually rather critical towards the artist. This is because of the way she is portrayed and they believe that women shouldn't act like that when they are out no matter what problems they may be suffering from.

Men, stereotypically tend to focus on the actual visual aspect, such as the way a female character looks. This is known as the male gaze and is a part of the Exhibitionism audience theory. Yet some men have looked more in depth and feel for the character. This is due to the idea of females getting hurt easily and being vulnerable. They suggest that events like a loss or a break up have more of an impact of women than men and therefore understand that they will react very differently from them.