Experiment: The Clients

THE CLIENTS

"Possession of controlling influence. That is power."

                                                                                          -Anon 

We all define our lives and our worth through the concept of power. Its hard not to, when seemingly the only way to become successful now is to control something or someone. We as humanity tend to measure ones existence through their influence on others: their power. 

The people held in high regards in today society automatically become in a position of great power. In the age of instant globalisation of media and information (such as news and social networking i.e. facebook), we build interpretations and will base our lives around these people. When others around you follow or act like these powerful people, it is hard to not become influenced by your peers

In the case of the Three Clients, Jonathan Ive, Oprah Winfrey and Lady Gaga, these extremely influential people have been thrust into this position of immense importance through their gradual and consistent contribution to society, regardless of form. 

Jonathan Ive

Jonathan Ive, the  Senior Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple, alongside with Steven Jobs, are literally at the pinnacle of technological dominance. In recent years, millions of people have chosen Apple as their prefferred choice of media players and laptops. Apple has become the household brand for handheld media players and hence has an overwhelming influence on society and what direction the next generation of media is both recorded and viewed/experienced. Ive has had executive supervision over the design of most of Apples latest products, and hence it is largely his actions that influence the publics gradual technological evolution. Apples two newest products, the iPhone4 and the iPad, have reinvented the way that people can connect with each other and with the internet. The new FaceTime, a program similar to Skype, allows people to video call people anywhere in the world and transformed the definition of phone calls. Through this Ive has become a person of great influence in society.

Oprah Winfrey

Arguably the most powerful woman in the world is Oprah Winfrey. The most popular T.V. personality in the world today, Winfrey has entertained and won over millions of viewers through her emotional episodes and has even managed to build up an amazing repertoire among the highly-esteemed society. Her rise to fame was through the viewers sympathy in various situations where people have run into or overcome extreme adversity. What deepens this relationship between the viewer and Winfrey is her own struggle with different situations, such as weight loss/gain and her disturbing recounting of childhood abuse. Through her extensive relationship with her viewers, she has been able to achieve amazing things through inspiring entire masses. In recent times, she has addressed large-scale issues such as natural disasters (Hurricane Katrina), sexual abuse among youth, drugs and many others. Oprah has managed to unite millions of people and left them with a 'feel-good' sensation.

Lady Gaga 

In the past few years, no other musician/pop icon has made it bigger and in more style than Lady Gaga. Regardless of demographic, Lady Gaga has exploded on the pop music stage, with more than just music as her claim to fame. Her unique fashion and style on and off-stage has redefined the interaction that can be had between performers and the audience. Her music transcends age, as different age groups and social divisions are united under her performances and personality. She is an advocate of clean health, a trait that is admirable among celebrities, where temptation and drugs are too easy to come by. She has churned out many songs that have hit the top of music charts, all in the space of 2 and a half years. Her dominance in the music scene has become a task to control for her, as the influence she carries has provoked a lot of controversy among critics. In saying this, she manages the pressure and workload well, and has created a new dimension of pop music. 

These Three Clients are at the definition of influence; power. They are at the pinnacle of their industries, and have recognisable control over their followers. The Clients will be credited in history for their extensive contribution to society's exploration of these aspects; humanitarianism (Winfrey), technology (Ive) and entertainment (Gaga).