Young entrepreneurs: Forms and functions of meaning when girls sell jewellery on a social media platform

Abstract

This study focuses on the analysis of videos posted by young girls on a social media platform, with a specific emphasis on videos featuring the sale of jewellery. The research aims to understand the qualities and characteristics of these videos, particularly their multiform and semiotic aspects of communication, as well as their compatibility with the Swedish curricula. The data consists of six posted videos related to selling jewellery, and the analysis is based on the identification and sub-categorization of meaning forms within each video sequence. The analysis examines the dominant meaning forms in the videos, such as Body, Objects, Speech, Text, and Sound and explores their relation to meaning functions. Audience design is also considered, with an understanding that successful videos must cater to the preferences and interests of the target audience while incorporating elements of selling discourse and self-branding. Additionally, the study acknowledges the importance of informal learning spaces, such as social media platforms, in children's overall development and highlights the potential for incorporating these experiences into formal education. The findings shed light on the communicative strategies employed in these videos and their relevance to educational contexts.