The Journeys of Capital Accumuation, Transformation, Extension and Communication Strategies for the Image-Making of Thai Marathon Running Celebrities

Abstract

        This research aims to study the processes of capital accumulation, capital transformation and capital extension of Thai marathon running celebrities and to study communication strategies for the image-making of Thai marathon running celebrities. The study separates into three parts: personal background, their duration in the entertainment field, and their duration in the marathon field. According to the study objectives, the sample population is selected by the purposive sampling method using the selection criteria. The individuals who are mentioned in this study had to meet the following criteria: (1) must be a celebrity in Thai entertainment field; (2) has previously run a 42.195 km marathon and obtains an official record; (3) has to present himself/herself through the media and portrayed as a Thai marathon running celebrity by the media; and (4) is sponsored by a product or an event related to exercising. The selected sample population are Nat Sakdatorn, Artiwara Kongmalai, and Yossawadee Hassadiwijit. This qualitative research uses in-depth interviews, observations, and analyzing related documents in traditional media and social media to collect data.

          The research revealed that most of the celebrities who entered the entertainment field are those who have capital, especially cultural capital in terms of skill and ability in singing, acting, which is financed by economic capital or family support. Cultural capital increases their opportunity to enter the entertainment industry. Moreover, the research also revealed that the celebrity's beginning in the entertainment industry was a contest (music contest, singer, model), and while in the field of entertainment, they have expanded the opportunities to other careers in the industry as well. In addition to accumulating and transforming capital into work in the entertainment industry, the celebrity should be presented by the media. The media plays a role in celebrities' status conferrals and later accumulate as symbolic capital.

          It was found that the marathon running celebrities had images being presented through the media in the sports field. This is to extend the symbolic capital and field to the sports. However, before entering the marathon field a celebrity does not need a sports capital because a marathon requires a training process that enables anyone to run a marathon. The difference between a person with and without a sports capital is physical and mental strength, which is an essential foundation. Marathon helps celebrities to become sports celebrities and work in the field of sports concurrently.

          The communication strategy is what helps a marathon celebrity to have a clearer image, as well as to expand the symbolic capital of fame to increase both in entertainment and a new field for the celebrity, that is, sports. Their reputations stem from communication strategies through the media, and self-presentation through personal online media. This is what makes marathon running celebrities distinctive from other marathon runners. There are 2 eras of media that marathon runners use to create their images: the first media age (broadcasting era) example personal media, television media, movies, print media and the second media age (interactive era) example Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube. The result is news from the media. Marathon runners has no control over the content and presentation but the marathon runners' social media to be able to control the content of the presentation and be a channel that promotes the image and the existence of a star marathon runners. On the other hand, the message strategies were found to have both normal and special communication, which marathon runners who have a camp will have a PR team to help take care of the news release.