The Podcast
Tune in to our group podcast where we explore and compare Justin Bieber's Instagram and TikTok through the lenses of media, semiotics, and interculturalism. From concept to recording, discover our process and findings.
Listen below to our podcast: Analysing and comparing Justin Bieber's digital identity on TikTok vs Instagram
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eiDFXdvHLo - Podcast on YouTube
Why Justin Bieber?
We chose Justin Bieber as our case study because his global presence across both TikTok and Instagram makes the larger patterns of digital communication impossible to ignore. With 292 million Instagram followers (Instagram: @lilbieber, accessed May 2026) and 30.8 million TikTok followers (TikTok: @justinbieber, accessed May 2026), his profiles offer a unique opportunity to examine how the same person communicates across two structurally different platforms. At this scale, patterns in platform design, semiotic choice, and intercultural visibility that might be subtle on smaller accounts become clearly and undeniably visible.
Three lenses, one celebrity
What to listen for?
Media
Have you ever wonder why a famous person feels so different on two separate apps? Examine how the frameworks of Instagram and TikTok differ and how they affect the possibilities for communication.
Semiotics
Same brand, same shoe but two completely different outcomes. Explore how the SKYLRK campaign reveals the power of semiotic choices and what happens when the signs don't match the platform.
Interculturalism
A global platform doesn't mean a global community. Explore who's really in Justin Bieber's comment sections, which languages rise to the top, and what that reveals about power, visibility and digital interculturalism.
Behind the podcast
Production notes
Pre - production
Topic research, role allocation, script development, and deciding on our three analytical lenses.
Production
Recording decisions, managing different voices, keeping the tone engaging but academically grounded.
Post - poduction
Editing for flow and clarity, what we would change, and reflections on the finished product.
