MEDIA LANGUAGE - How can semiotic and structuralist theory help us to understand how online media constructs meaning? - Zoe Sugg’s YouTube homepage

• The bland colour palette favours whites, reds and greens. All simple colours, this selection connotes a minimalist and satisfying lifestyle.
• A range of fonts are included, yet every thumbnail image published recently includes a straightforward yet subtly serif font, which is presented in an off-white crème. Clearly fitting Suggs’s aesthetic, the colour is inoffensive and subtly feminine 
• In every single thumbnail image, Sugg represents herself as excited through the selection of her facial expression. Over the top and excited, it reinforces an idealised state of existence
• The profile picture is in black and white. B&W here connotes timelessness and signifies Sugg is a cult, timeless celebrity. Furthermore the MES of her love heart glasses, further anchored through the proairetic of her pursed lips symbolises Sugg’s love for her own lifestyle, and that she is satisfied and content 
• Sugg’s face is repeated throughout her thumbnail previews, which reinforces that she is not only the protagonist of this narrative, but also reinforces her brand identity.
• An initial analysis of Zoe Sugg’s YouTube channel homepage
• The MES of the lighting is soft, and with no dark elements, which connotes a family friendly and wholesome mode of address 
• Every video caption is in block capitals, which is symbolic of excitement, energy and youth
• The aesthetic of the font for every title overlaid over the thumbnail of every video video is identical. The font is bubbly and stereotypically feminine. On the thumbnail images, the font is lower case, and serif, which further reinforces connotations of modernity and friendliness
• The font colour is slightly cream and off white, which has connotations of softness, relaxation and comfort. It also appeals to Sugg’s millennial target audience 
• These stereotypical applications of media language help Sugg to construct a brand identity and therefore sell this image to a target audience
• The medium close-up shot of Sugg, Deyes and baby constructs a representation of a happy, nuclear family, that will appeal to millennial audiences with small children. By reinforcing hegemonic representations of families, it further anchors the idea of Sugg’s as a relatable figure 
• The colour scheme of the thumbnail images favours natural colours such as creams and greens, connoting a natural sense of authenticity. However, clearly a range of filters and adjustments have been uses, which emphasise a clearly edited and unrealistic presentation. The desaturated pastel colour choices construct a hyperreal representation of Sugg’s life that appeals to the target audience.
• This colour scheme is repeated throughout her thumbnails with little variation, once more constructing a brand identity.