The Symbolic Meaning and Cultural Consumption of Virtual Celebrities in the New Media Environment: A Case Study of White Snake: Afloat

With the transformation of the media environment, the star system is also evolving, and virtual celebrities are increasingly visible in the public eye, playing dual roles. The relationship between virtual celebrities and new media is mutually beneficial: new media provides stable channels for promoting virtual celebrities, while the cultural and economic benefits brought by virtual celebrities inspire research into the creation and use of new media. The virtual celebrities in the film White Snake: Afloat offer a typical case for studying the symbolic meaning and cultural consumption of virtual celebrities. By analyzing the role of virtual celebrities in White Snake: Afloat, we can understand the relationship between the star system and media development, how virtual celebrities expand the fan economy in the market, promote the long tail effect in the film industry, and the reasons behind virtual celebrities as a symbol of mass aesthetics, thereby advancing the inheritance and development of traditional culture.