Affordances

, 40, 46

Agency

, 59–60

Arab Spring

, 20

@arabianfox, case of

, 87–88

Audience focus groups

, 118–120

snapshots

, 118–120

Authenticity

, 6, 42–43

BBC

, 58–59

Bitcoin Fund

, 129

@black_arab_official

case of

, 105–107

objects of meaning

, 105–107

observable elements

, 105

theorising

, 107

Brand equity

, 61

Bridge of Tolerance

, 56–57

British influence, case of

, 96–97

Bucket list life

, 108

Burj Khalifa

, 21

ByteDance (Chinese company)

, 117

Calibrated amateurism concept

, 43–44

Capitalism

, 129

Cartographies, contrasting

, 93

Case study

methodology

, 84–85

methods

, 59–60

Charisma

, 13

Cigarette cards

, 11

City-branding

, 37–38

Cityscapes

, 36–37

Civil rights movement

, 13–14

CNN

, 58–59

Colonial traders

, 19–20

Community of practice concept

, 83–84

Computer-generated social media influencers

, 55–56

Conservative government

, 66

Covid Casablanca

, 95–98, 109–110

Creek Tower

, 128–129

Critical heuristics

, 90–93

Critical race theory

, 19

Critical theory

, 90–91

Cruel optimism

, 108–109

Crypto Center

, 129

Cultural sensibilities

, 36, 41–42

Culture

, 49–50

Decolonial disruption

, 31–32

Decolonial shifts

, 19–22

Deterritorialisation

, 112

Dicent Sinsigns

@hudabeauty

, 76

@rsbelhasa

, 73

@wheremyfoodat

, 71

Diegesis

, 13

Diffused aestheticism process

, 71–72

Disciplined-bodies

, 92

Douyin (Chinese version)

, 17–18

Dubai

, 4, 15

context

, 56–59

Dubai-based media research company

, 112

Dubai-based social media influencers

, 77

framing

, 49–50

government

, 59

influencers

, 78

physical terrain

, 56–57

social media influencers

, 77

social media influencing cartographies

, 82–83

technocultural spheres

, 58–59

transnational trade

, 57–58

Dubai City Walk

, 38–39

Dubai Futures

, 128–130

Dubai Marina

, 56–57

Dubai Media City

, 58–59

Dubai Presents

, 18–19

Dubai Water Canal

, 56–57

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)

, 18–19

Eccentric city

, 44–45

Entangled agencies

, 114–116

snapshot of observable elements

, 114–115

snapshots of meaning

, 115–116

Ethereum

, 72

Exceptionalism

, 49–50

Existentialism

, 43

Facebook reactions

, 15

Facebook.com

, 15–16

Fantastical authenticity

, 16–17, 102

Feminism

, 4, 19

Follower-orientations

, 91

Fragmented influence

, 22–23

Framing

, 83, 104

Gallery Lafayette

, 47

Gamification of capitalism

, 15

Gatsbying

, 12

Gender

, 77, 119

Genealogy

, 18–19, 127–128

Global Media Insight (GMI)

, 112

case of

, 112–113

Global semiotics

, 68, 70, 78

analysis

, 101

Global South

, 4–5

Globalisation

, 4–5, 21, 66

Glocal cases

, 100–101

Goffman’s dramaturgical approach

, 44

Government of Dubai Media Office

, 18

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

, 122–123

#Hashtag

, 62

case of

, 59–62

influencer agency

, 59–60

offices

, 59–60

Hegemony

, 32

Heuristics of influence

, 79–80

@hudabeauty

case of

, 75–77

dicent sinsigns

, 76

legisigns

, 76

objects

, 75

sign arguments

, 76–77

symbols

, 75–76

Hybrid cases

, 126–130

Dubai Futures

, 128–130

techno-semiotic culture (s)

, 128

Third Space Cityscapes

, 127–128

Hybridity

, 31–32, 65–66, 68–69, 99–100, 112

Hyper-visuality

, 22

Ideology

, 29–30, 95–96, 101

Imagined communities

, 36, 123, 131

Influence

, 48–49

authentic

, 43–46

contrasting cartographies

, 93

critical heuristics

, 90–93

disciplined-bodies

, 92

enduring

, 9–10

follower-orientations

, 91

framework of influencer heuristics

, 84–85

heuristics

, 79–80

images of

, 46–50

influencer biodata

, 80

influencer characteristics

, 83–84

influencer trajectories

, 85–90

marketing

, 40–43

Middle Eastern influencers

, 84–85

postdigital role-models

, 92–93

postdigital-amateurism

, 91–92

power of

, 28–33

serious-appeal

, 92

strategies of

, 80–84

transnational heuristics

, 81–83

Influencer agencies

, 59–63

case of #Hashtag and starfish influencer agency

, 59–62

web architectures

, 62–63

Influencer lifestyles

, 70–77

case of @hudabeauty

, 75–77

case of @rsbelhasa

, 72–75

case of @wheremyfoodat

, 70–72

Influencer trajectories

, 85–90

case of @arabianfox

, 87–88

case of @mounirlazzez

, 88–90

case of @Ranoy_

, 85–87

Influencer-genealogy

decolonial shifts

, 19–22

like economy

, 15–19

enduring influence

, 9–10

fragmented influence

, 22–23

pre-history

, 10–14

transnational reorientations

, 14–19

visuality

, 22

Influencers

, 9–10, 14, 41–42, 61–62

asset managers

, 61–62

framework of influencer heuristics

, 84–85

typology

, 80–81

@INSTACITY

, 4–7

Instagram

, 46–47, 55–56

Instagramism

, 40

Internet expansion

, 21–22

Interviews

, 101

Jumeriah Lake Towers (JLT)

, 105–107

@justin

case of

, 107–109

objects of meaning

, 107–108

observable elements

, 107

theorising

, 108–109

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

, 60–61, 122–123

Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC)

, 14–15

Legisigns

@hudabeauty

, 76

@rsbelhasa

, 73–74

@wheremyfoodat

, 71–72

LGBTQ1 research

, 88

Like economy concept

, 15, 19

Macro-influencer

, 80–81

Madbird (fake design company)

, 50–51

Managers

, 61–62

MBC

, 58–59

Media organisations

, 58–59

Mediatisation

, 40, 66–67

Mediatising images

, 39–46

Mediatising-self

global semiotics

, 68–70

influencer lifestyles

, 70–77

lifestyle menus

, 78

neoliberal mythmaking

, 77–78

neoliberal signage

, 65–66

self-branding

, 66–67

sign methodology

, 69–70

Mega-influencers

, 61–62

Meso-influencer

, 80–81

Meta-imaginaries

, 111–120

MetaWeek

, 59

Micro influencers

, 80–81, 113

Micro-publics

, 123

Middle East and North African (MENA)

, 9–10, 60–61

Middle East Conor McGreggor

, 88–89

Middle Eastern context

, 78

Middle Eastern Dubai-based influencers’ transnational heuristics

, 80

Middle Eastern influencers

, 84–85, 93

Mixed martial arts (MMA)

, 88–89

Mobile migrant labour

case of GMI

, 112–113

case of MMW’s TikTok

, 116–118

entangled agencies

, 114–116

meta-imaginaries

, 111–120

micro-publics

, 123

snapshot methods

, 113–114

snapshot theorizing

, 120–123

Mobile migrant women (MMW)

, 112

audience focus groups

, 118–120

case of MMW’s TikTok

, 116–118

platformed communities

, 119

Modernity

, 21, 30–31, 42

Money Kicks

, 72

@mounirlazzez, case of

, 88, 90, 92

Multi-stakeholder approach

, 7–8

#MYDUBAI

, 35, 37–39

Myth

, 68

Neoliberal hegemony

, 82–83

Neoliberal mythmaking

, 77–78

Neoliberal signage

, 65–66

Neoliberalism

, 65–66

New Woman

, 12–13

Non-fungible Tokens (NFT)

, 72

Gurus

, 72

#NOTASPACE

, 125–126

Observable elements, snapshot of

, 114–115

#ofwdubai (TikTok hashtag)

, 117

Online media monitoring platforms

, 61–63

OnlyFans (subscription sites)

, 16–17

Oriental narratives

, 96–99

case of British influence

, 96–97

orientalist tales

, 97

Orientalism

, 96–97

Orientalist cinema

, 97

Orientalist dog whistles

, 98

Orientalist illustrations

, 11

Orientalist influence

case of @black_arab_official

, 105–107

case of @justin

, 107–109

case of @Tracey

, 102–104

Covid Casablanca

, 95–96

glocal cases

, 101

oriental narratives

, 96–99

orientalist cinema

, 97

orientalist dog whistles

, 98

orientalist mediatisation

, 98–99

platformisation

, 100–101

postdigital faces, places and spaces

, 102–109

postdigital personas

, 109–110

postdigital platforms

, 110

Orientalist mediatisation

, 98–99

Orientalist tales

, 97

Palm Jumeirah

, 56–57

Parasocial connection

, 83

Parasocial heuristics

, 79–80

Parasocial relations (PSR)

, 83

Peirce’s abductive method

, 69–70

Peircean sign

, 70

Pentimento/i

, 32–33

Performance-driven platforms

, 17

Persona

, 11–12

Philippe Morris cigarettes

, 13

Picture Dubai

Dubai context

, 56–59

influencer agencies

, 59–63

postdigital hype

, 55–59

professional playbourers

, 63

Platform capital

, 130

Platform capitalism

, 66–67

Platformisation

, 100–101, 127–128

Playbour

, 15–16, 120–121

Popularism

, 4

Post-digital bubbles

, 22

Postcolonial scholarship

, 32

Postdigital cityscape

authentic influence

, 43–46

calibrating authenticity

, 50–52

city-branding

, 37–38

cityscape perspectives

, 36–37

framing Dubai

, 49–50

images of influence

, 46–50

marketing influence

, 40–43

mediatising images

, 39–46

#MYDUBAI

, 35–39

myriad-belongings

, 52

social-media-scape

, 38–39

Postdigital faces

, 102–109

Postdigital hype

, 55–59

Postdigital personas

, 109–110

Postdigital places

, 102–109

Postdigital platforms

, 110

Postdigital role-models

, 92–93

Postdigital spaces

, 102–109

Postdigital visual framework

, 80

Postdigital Visual Pentimenti

, 32–33

Postdigital visual theorising

, 128

Postdigital visualities

decolonial disruption

, 31–32

oblique visualities

, 33

postdigital visual Pentimenti

, 32–33

power of influence

, 28–33

scopic regimes

, 30–31

visible power

, 27–28

Postdigital-Amateurism

, 91–92

Power

, 4–5, 12, 28, 33

Professional playbourers

, 63

Prosumers

, 29

Protectorate of United Kingdom

, 96

Public sphere

, 121

Racism

, 129

@Ranoy_, case of

, 85–87

Religious pilgrims

, 51–52

Return on investments (ROI)

, 16

Reuters

, 58–59

@rsbelhasa

case of

, 72–75

conceptual links

, 74–75

dicent sinsigns

, 73

legisigns

, 73–74

objects

, 72

symbols

, 72–73

Scopic regimes

, 30–31

Search engine optimisation (SEO)

, 18–19, 112–113

SeekingArrangement website

, 115–116

Self- (re) presentation

, 88

Self-branding

, 66–67

Self-Orientalisation process

, 96

Self-reflexivity

, 7

Semiosis

, 5–6

Semiospheres

, 68

Semiotic theorising

, 76–77

Sexual harassment

, 129

Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR)

, 56–57

Sign arguments

, 69

@hudabeauty

, 76–77

of @wheremyfoodat

, 72

Signs

, 5–6

Dubai influencers

, 70

methodology

, 69–70

Sky News

, 58–59

Sky Views Dubai

, 37–38

Snapchat

, 55–56

Snapshot Methods

, 113–114

Snapshot of Observable Elements

, 114–115

Snapshot theorizing

, 120–123

altered states

, 121–123

Snapshots of meaning

, 115–116

Social media

, 4

auditing

, 113–114

entrepreneurs

, 61–62

influencers

, 21–22, 39, 79–80

influencing

, 128–129

scholarship

, 92

Social media ‘empowerment’ concept

, 29

Social reproduction

, 68

Social-media-scape

, 38–39

Spectacle

, 51, 127

Star Academy (Arabic-language reality show)

, 14–15

Starfish Influencer Agency, case of

, 59–62

Storytelling

, 82–83

Subculture

, 77

Subjectification

, 90–91

Superdiversity

, 21

Techno-semiotic culture (s)

, 128

Technocultural spheres

, 58–59

Technological affordances

, 46

The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE)

, 107

Theoretical pentimenti

, 32–33

Theoretical postdigital visual pentimenti

, 6–8

Theoretical snapshotting method

, 112

@thetrillionairelife

, 74–75

Third Space Cityscapes

, 127–128

TikTok

, 17–18, 55–56, 116

TikTok Academy video

, 116

Tourism

, 40–41

@Tracey

case of

, 102–104

objects of meaning

, 103–104

observable elements

, 102–103

theorising

, 104

Transnational heuristics

, 81–83

Transnational influencers

, 77

transnational influencer-genealogy

, 9–10

Transnational reorientations

, 14–19

Transnational trade

, 57–58

Tribal entrepreneurship

, 83–84

Trillion Circle

, 74–75

Trucial States

, 45–46

Turkish cigarettes

, 11

Twitter

, 61

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

, 89–90

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

, 7, 18, 35, 60–61

Violence

, 129

Visual capital

, 30–31

Visual culture

, 22, 31

paradigm

, 4–5

Visual economy

, 4

Visual framing

, 99–100

theory

, 49–50

Visual panoramas

, 36

Visual signs

, 10

Visuality

, 21–22

Web 2.0

, 62–63

Web architectures

, 62–63

Western influencers

, 93

@wheremyfoodat

case of

, 70–72

dicent sinsigns

, 71

legisigns

, 71–72

objects

, 70–71

sign arguments

, 72

symbols

, 71

Widgets

, 130

Word of mouth (WOM)

, 82

YouTube

, 72

stories

, 86

Zanzibar vibe

, 85–86