[Sigh] I’m sorry, if you’re offended by the title of the video, my profile picture,
the choices of the stock videos I used, and everything that you deem is wrong about
this whole channel. I am very regretful, and I will try to become a better person
in the future. This will never ever happen again, I promise. And please subscribe if you haven’t.
[James Charles]: I owe everybody an apology.
[Jeffree Star]: ...sick and tired of hearing about the subject.
[Jenna Marbles]: It offends them now. [Tana Mongeau]: I don't deserve a platform.
[Logan Paul]: I do not deserve to be defended. [TmarTn]: I have no idea how I'm gonna
record this video dude. [Jacklyn Hill]: If it
doesn't bother you, it doesn't bother you. [Rafi of Fine Bros]: We've set up an email
if you want more clarification. [Pewdiepie]: Something that
I said in the heat of the moment. [Laura Lee]: I didn't, and I am so sorry.
There's no excuse. [sobs with reverb]
Ah yes. The classic format of a typical YouTube apology video. It’s a trend so common these days
it basically spawned a new YouTube video genre, and there’s a name given to it. Vlogpology,
which means when a famous YouTuber becomes embroiled in a controversy, makes headlines,
and releases an apology video. This new term is coined by The Pudding in 2020 where they
investigate the effectiveness of an apology video. I’ll be using the word interchangeably
with the word “apology videos” throughout this video. [ha that’s a lot of videos]
Can we agree that these people have the balls to record themselves in front of the camera saying
the five-letter word “sorry” and then upload them online? That’s a hard word to say, and
not many famous people want to show their face and admit they are in the wrong. Most would just post
a written apology to apologize as a basic damage control, and anybody could’ve written it since
the person themself doesn’t say it from their mouth as if they don’t want to acknowledge it…
Hi. My name is Gabe. If you’re new to this channel, welcome.
I make video essays and commentaries on the culture and trends around the Internet.
You can support me by Subscribing and hitting that Like button. Your support will help this
channel grow. In this video, I’ll be discussing why Vlogpologies are better than written apology.
It’s just better, not necessarily good, but it is better if you know what I’m saying.
So initially, this video was supposed to be discussing solely on apology videos and their
effectiveness, but then I realized, there are more written apologies than apology videos out there.
I got inspired to change the topic of this video after watching D’Angelo Wallace’s
“Influencer-19” video, where he called out influencers for ignoring the current situation
and harming the lives of many - because guess what, they apologized for something unforgivable,
so thank you, D’Angelo, for the inspiration! [D'Angelo Wallace]: All facts, no cap on God,
he don't miss for it, for real... Oh, and if any famous people are
watching this, I hope you’ll find this video useful for your future. Good luck!
Disclaimer This video is mostly based on my observation
and opinions on apology videos. Some ideas and discussion in this video may not represent facts.
Being a huge public figure especially on the Internet means you are exposed to millions of
strangers watching every single digital move you make, and with the rise of Cancel culture
in the past decade [please watch my video on the topic after watching this video], there is
no room for any mistakes. So, if you’re a famous person and you’ve done something subjectively
offending in the past, you will be canceled eventually. But don’t worry. If you apologized,
everything will be back to normal and all peace is restored once again like nothing happened.
Most people who are popular on the Internet are called influencers,
“a person who inspires or guides the actions of others”
and “a person who is able to generate interest in something”. From this definition, we can conclude
that anyone who is famous online with a huge following and has done some brand deals before
can be considered as an influencer, which includes content creators on YouTube. I’ll
also talk a little bit about a few celebrities here, but they’re not considered as influencers.
I’m sure you know at least a few online dramas before. Now, I want you to think
of any public apologies by influencers that you know of or any that you can remember.
I am going to give you a few seconds for you to write them in the comment below.
Done? Cool. Let me guess, are most of the
apologies you remember in a video format? If I’m right, please leave a like… or dislike. I don’t
really mind, but I’m sure most of you can only remember apologies that are recorded on a video.
Before we look into why vlogpologies are better than written apologies, we should look into what
makes an apology video an apology video. These two are what I think the main components of a typical
apology video and I’ll explain each of them briefly later. Note that these do not represent
all apology videos out there or necessarily what counts as a good apology, but these are from what
I observed from notorious vlogpologies that define the genre. I am by no means an expert
in image repair techniques as this is only from the perspective of one single casual audience.
The first one, relatability, is important to
show that they are humans just like you. An apology video will usually start with a sigh,
[TmarTn taking a deep breath]
and then followed by a statement that aims to sympathize with the viewers
[Jeffre Star]: Some of our personal lives have been insane.
Crying is a bonus, if you can actually cry.
[Tati]: I promised my dad I wasn't gonna cry ugh.
This also includes a softer tone when speaking because of course,
you wouldn’t want to scold your audience.
[FBE]: Please write us and ask at FineBros at Gmail dot com. [Jacklyn Hill]: Please contact me if you're having an issue. Reach out. I want to fix it for you.
Secondly, an apology video has to look candid, as in looking bare, very minimal, and not extravagant
like they always do. For example, they would not want to look like they are filming a beauty vlog,
[Clown Star]: Breonna Taylor, still has not justice.
and they will be dressed in simple clothing, often opting for a sweatshirt or hoodie. Also,
the fewer cuts, the better. An apology video usually has minimal editing and only use
cuts to shorten a video. But influencers who know what they are apologizing for
usually don’t cut their video at all.
Matilda Sands (Sep 10, 2019) of FineMedium&Broad dot com suggests the format of a typical apology
is as followed. “Celebrity publicists have a list of keywords when it comes to writing
apology speeches. “Heartbreaking” is a favorite, along with“disgusting.”
First, suggest that you’ve been wounded by your own actions. Second, talk about the deed as
though it was committed by a disobedient imaginary friend or a badly trained dog.
Third, suggest that fame is a burden. You might be great at dancing on stage
in a rhinestone bikini, but being a famous person has never been your strong suit—you’re
still learning the ropes of mass-exposure.” Oh and also here’s a bonus! This sums up
what an apology video looks like that I got from Reddit. Yeah…
The Pudding has made a visual essay to clearly illustrate how the effectiveness of an apology
video can affect a channel’s growth, and I suggest you to go to their website
after watching this video because it’s really interesting, and also visually appealing,
and easy to understand. The link is in the description below and
the pinned comment. If you want me to explore their report on apology videos,
please leave a comment below so I know if you’d like to watch my thoughts on their report.
When I say apology videos are better, does not necessarily mean that these people are forgivable.
I’m just saying that being on camera, talking to your audience instead of texting on your phone
is so much better because it shows that they really are acknowledging their mistakes,
whether they like it or not. Posting a written apology and hiding behind a screen just feels
“safer” if you know what I mean. There’s something about written
apologies that just feel “fake” because you don’t hear their voice and face.
Controversial opinion but basically, they are a coward by posting a Notes app apology. Take
a look at this apology written on Instagram Story… This was written by Rita Ora who shamelessly broke
the rule in the middle of a world crisis. It is perfectly organized in a neutral tone.
Now, let’s also take a look at this Notes app apology… It is posted on Instagram by
Justin Timberlake, who is currently under online scrutiny after the release of a new Britney Spears
documentary on Hulu called Framing Britney Spears, where the #FreeBritney movement called out JT for
taking advantage of her. He’s also called out for being unaffected by the 2004 Super Bowl Halftime
Show controversy while Janet Jackson’s career was going downhill unfairly #JusticeForJanetJackson
It’s fairly short and I wouldn’t say it’s impactful because of how much damage he made
in his career, and it is only the bare minimum. Why do I bring this up? They apologized, so
what now? Well, you might think they are truly regretful by their actions,
but you can’t feel their words because when you read something, you are reading with
your own voice or what you think their voice sounds like. There’s a “corporate” feel to it.
You know, the apology usually published by big corporations when they’re in trouble?
We humans are social beings and we need physical interaction to feel
that sincerity. When someone apologizes, we need to hear those words from their mouth.
So, when you can see the person apologizing, and hear those words with their own voice, you would
definitely know what they are feeling about their controversy and how they were wrong, and it is an
advantage to actually see them apologizing because you would also know whether they are truly sorry
or not just by looking at their body language. Carly Lewis-Oduntan (2020) of Stylist.co.uk
perfectly sums this up. “Verbal apologies … can prove extremely effective if executed
well. But they require the right balance of humility, honesty and a level of vulnerability
in order for them to be seen as sincere, which could be why they [verbal apology] aren’t
most people’s go-to choice. By no means does this mean that all written statements are disingenuous,
it’s just easier to get away with a copied and pasted apology if they are.”
If you agree with the statement, please comment your thoughts below. Personally,
I believe videos are so much better because we get to see that “being” on a screen instead of a bunch
of letters perfectly organized as if someone was hired to write it. Sure, an apology video can be
scripted too, because, you know, they need to make sure the message is loud and clear,
but at least you see their presence, and that presence is important to ensure that
they want to acknowledge their mistakes. I think arguably, one of the best examples
of fixing an apology is by Logan Paul. Not saying what he did was forgivable, but he
definitely changed for the better these days. Before he posted the infamous “So Sorry” video,
he posted a Notes app apology on Twitter, and unsurprisingly people weren’t having it.
The way it was written is obviously rushed, egoistic, and disingenuous. The “peace” emoji
at the end didn’t help the matter either. Compare that to the apology video he posted,
it is a hundred times better. Even though the video is short and most likely scripted,
at least you finally see him addressing that controversy himself instead of hiding behind
the Notes app like most influencers would opt for. It has the main components of an apology video,
but the person delivering the apology is what makes it feel sincere. Even
if someone apologizes on camera with the two components I mentioned before, the main factor
for a good apology is the person themself. Body language, tone, language, and also
thoughtfully addressing the controversy itself while clearly showing that they are truly taking
accountability can help the public believing one’s apology. Besides, having absolutely
no cuts in the video helped to increase the believability and the candidness of the apology.
Of course, there are more good apologies out there but since I want to keep this video as
short as possible, unfortunately, I have to skip some of them. If you’d like to watch me discussing
the other good apology videos on YouTube, please let me know in the comment section below.
Even though this is only one example of a good apology, as we all know, this YouTube genre
has gained notoriety because of the abundance of cheap controversies around this platform.
Not all apology videos were created equally, but the bad ones are definitely a standout. Bad
acting, fake crying, soulless delivery, low-key bragging, and so many things that are wrong that
these videos define the current vlogpology genre. I think apology videos got their bad rep when
Laura Lee made arguably the worst vlogpology in YouTube history. The fake crying,
the incoherent speech and basically unprepared to address the actual issue in the name of clickbait.
[Laura Lee]: ...breaks my heart into a million pieces.
She later apologized for her own vlogpology, which is pretty hilarious when you think about it.
[Laura Lee]: In that video, I come off more as a victim.
Then, James Charles’ Tati video became the most notorious vlogpology that
spawned so many parodies for its absurdity and being a total mess.
[James Charles]: ...that you are the most supportive person in my life.
I have yet to see any apology videos, both Laura and James', that are this unprepared.
The sigh, which is present in most apology videos, is often associated with bad
vlogpologies because it is the easiest way to gain sympathy from viewers,
but since it is obviously intentional, the relatability lost its value.
Even worse, some would enable monetization on their video to profit off the clicks they get
because who doesn’t want to watch some juicy dramas right? Tati did it, Laura Lee too,
and some other influencers out there who prioritize money over their own wrongdoing.
I won’t be explaining further on the bad vlogpologies because Pewdiepie has
outlined why they are bad. You can check the video in the Description box below.
[Pewdiepie]: Uhh if you guys need any help with your apology videos,
always reach out to me. I, uhh, I'm here to help.
Like I mentioned, a public apology is meant to fix the public perception of an
influencer after a controversy, and some influencers are aware of this and did the
bare minimum of addressing their problems. That’s it, and life returns to normal until
the next scandal happens. Then the cycle continues when another drama broke out.
However, it really depends on whether or not these influencers actually learn from
their action. Merely saying that they are accountable is a basic PR move and it is
so much easier said than actually feeling remorseful about it. We see this time and
time again on YouTube and it becomes a trend that drives more profit to them. These people
are benefiting from click baits for their own gain, and that is how sad these rich people are.
So I found this comment under Justin Timberlake’s apology and I completely agree with what they
said. “I find apologies more genuine when they are the result of self-reflection,
not pressure as a result of negative feedback...”. This is true for almost all
influencers that have a controversy, which explains why their apologies, be it in written
or video, are more often than not half-assed. I also came across a channel called SmokeyGlow,
in which they perfectly explained why this is the case for influencers on this platform.
[Smokey Glow]: It's like this endless cycle
of just stuff happening and people having to apologize.
Some influencers feel obligated to apologize not because they are actually sorry, but they
needed to protect their brand and image because that is how they will generate money again.
What the Internet wants is for them to clearly clarify and address the situation carefully,
but more often than not, controversial content creators would ignore this for the sake of drama
and gaining viewers. Taking actual accountability is very rare because that’s how YouTube works.
However, I do appreciate the fact that these influencers address their controversies on
camera instead of going the easy route by writing an apology statement and then hide for a week.
In my opinion, apology video changed how we see influencers in some cases. Since most influencers
have a distinct Internet persona, we get to see them without the glitz and glamor, and their
loud persona. We get to see who is genuinely remorseful, and who is doing it for the money.
At the end of the day, we’re all just humans. It’s just so easy to apologize and never get
significant repercussions when they are almost untouchable because of the privilege they have.
And that’s the beauty of apology videos.
If you reached the end, thank you so much for watching. This is probably the longest video
I’ve made so far and I would appreciate it if you Subscribe to my channel and Like this video.
Your support will help this channel grow. I’ll see you beautiful people in the next video.