Self-branding and the commodification of regional identity on Douyi

Abstract

An increasing number of individuals on Chinese social media seek to make a living by uploading short videos that mix English language teaching with entertainment. Combining elements of traditional teaching with business acumen and a flair for the dramatic, these “platform language teacherpreneurs” (PLTs) compete for viewers and students in a highly competitive and algorithmically unforgiving attention economy. This article examines the self-branding practices of three PLTs on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), focusing on how the three PLTs construct attractive and salable identities. Drawing on theories of authenticity, language commodification, and self-branding, we show that PLTs’ success in attracting viewers is achieved in part by reflexively highlighting regional identities (e.g., Sichuanese, Shanghainese, and Cantonese). We argue that the use of regional identities for the purpose of self-branding reflects a broader phenomenon concomitant with platformization: elements of linguistic and cultural difference being used to signal authenticity on social media. Limitations and suggestions for further research are included.