Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Public Relations and Advertising Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

PDF

Journal of Applied Communications

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 1 - 23 of 23

Full-Text Articles in Public Relations and Advertising

Flower Power: Testing Social Media Advertising Strategies For Floral Products, Rachel Corry, William R. Taylor, Jessica Holt, Hailey Bittles, Benjamin L. Campbell, Julie Campbell Sep 2023

Flower Power: Testing Social Media Advertising Strategies For Floral Products, Rachel Corry, William R. Taylor, Jessica Holt, Hailey Bittles, Benjamin L. Campbell, Julie Campbell

Journal of Applied Communications

Social media and the internet have impacted how companies and organizations advertise to consumers. Digital advertising has created the opportunity to engage with consumers, target specific groups, and capture metrics of use to help build effective advertising strategies. The floral industry is a large sector within the agricultural arena, which is primed to engage with young consumers. This research examined the effectiveness of utilizing static and animated social media advertisements to increase consumers’ intention to purchase floral products. Using an online survey and an experimental design, this study examined 8,488 respondents’ intention to purchase floral products after viewing static and …

Go to article

Instagram As A Tool Of Diffusion For The Livestock Industry, Savannah Locke, Karen Hiltbrand, Katie Corbitt, Darcey Richburg, David Shannon, Soren P. Rodning, Jason T. Sawyer, Don Mulvaney Sep 2023

Instagram As A Tool Of Diffusion For The Livestock Industry, Savannah Locke, Karen Hiltbrand, Katie Corbitt, Darcey Richburg, David Shannon, Soren P. Rodning, Jason T. Sawyer, Don Mulvaney

Journal of Applied Communications

Studies have shown that more people are getting their information through social media (SM). With so much misinformation presented in global media, it is difficult for consumers to distinguish what is true and what isn’t. With negative images and minimal context, consumers have a tendency to believe and trust what they see on SM. After IRB approval, a survey study was launched on Qualtrics and accessed via email. Using Instagram as platform, this study presented 5 cognitively and 5 emotionally oriented posts focused on the aspects of animal welfare, diet/health, and environment/sustainability. Prior to viewing the Instagram posts, study participants …

Go to article

Community Attitudes Toward Local Foods And Producers: The Role Of Warmth Versus Competence Across Demographics For Social Media Engagement., Danielle L. Eiseman, Andrea Stevenson Won Apr 2023

Community Attitudes Toward Local Foods And Producers: The Role Of Warmth Versus Competence Across Demographics For Social Media Engagement., Danielle L. Eiseman, Andrea Stevenson Won

Journal of Applied Communications

Connecting local food producers with consumers is useful for ensuring individuals have access to healthy, fresh, foods. Small farmers, however, lack the resources to effectively connecting with consumers through traditional forms of marketing. Marketing to consumers through social media is a low-cost method that local food producers can use to promote their products. Creating engaging content on social media can be challenging, thus there is a need for guidance on how to effectively engage with local consumers through social media. Studies in advertising have shown dimensions of warmth and competence can be useful frames for engaging consumers across a variety …

Go to article

The Steaks Are High: Covid-19’S Impact On Direct-To-Consumer Marketing In The Oklahoma Beef Industry, Linnea Langusch, Dwayne Cartmell, Quisto Settle Apr 2023

The Steaks Are High: Covid-19’S Impact On Direct-To-Consumer Marketing In The Oklahoma Beef Industry, Linnea Langusch, Dwayne Cartmell, Quisto Settle

Journal of Applied Communications

The COVID-19 pandemic encouraged some beef producers to market their products directly to consumers. For many consumers the idea of buying beef products from local sources is appealing. Relationship management theory framed this study, as beef producers used relationship building as a path to product promotion. This study explored Oklahoma beef producers’ perceptions of changes that have occurred in direct-to-consumer marketing and consumer communications in the beef industry during the COVID-19 pandemic using semi-structured interviews. This study consisted of 16 participants found via snowball sampling. Participants were Oklahoma cattle ranchers over 18 years old who used one or more channels …

Go to article

Innovative Industry: Environmental Horticulture Professionals’ Perceptions On Wildlife-Friendly Plants And A Potential Certification Offering, Christine L. Krebs, Laura A. Warner, Lauri M. Baker, Jaret C. Daniels, Adam Dale Nov 2022

Innovative Industry: Environmental Horticulture Professionals’ Perceptions On Wildlife-Friendly Plants And A Potential Certification Offering, Christine L. Krebs, Laura A. Warner, Lauri M. Baker, Jaret C. Daniels, Adam Dale

Journal of Applied Communications

Plants can improve people’s lives and mental health, but consumers have become increasingly concerned about the impact of plant production practices on the environment and wildlife. Previous research has not explored the interest and ability of plant producers and suppliers to provide wildlife friendly plant options for consumers. The University of Florida is considering the development of a wildlife-friendly plant certification to enhance production protocols for growers and connect consumers to sustainable plant options. This study explored perceptions of this certification through 11 in-depth interviews with environmental horticulture professionals. The study was guided by the following research questions: 1) What …

Go to article

Fresh, Grown, Made, And Proud: How State Governments Use Stewardship To Collectively Promote Their State’S Food Products, Laura Witzling Dec 2021

Fresh, Grown, Made, And Proud: How State Governments Use Stewardship To Collectively Promote Their State’S Food Products, Laura Witzling

Journal of Applied Communications

Many U.S. state governments have programs that promote the food grown or made within their state. In this study, the websites of 41 such programs were analyzed for indicators of stewardship, a framework concerned with relationship cultivation. Several of the indicators were observed commonly, demonstrating a generally balanced use of stewardship strategies by the programs. The websites also provided a platform to grow relationships between producers and consumers. One recommendation for managers of statewide food promotion programs, or similar umbrella food brand programs, is to examine their own websites to ensure indicators of all stewardship strategies are present. Though most …

Go to article

Challenges And Motivations Of Science Communication: An Administrative Perspective At Land-Grant Universities, Ashley Mcleod-Morin, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg Sep 2021

Challenges And Motivations Of Science Communication: An Administrative Perspective At Land-Grant Universities, Ashley Mcleod-Morin, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg

Journal of Applied Communications

Interdisciplinary agricultural research centers are becoming more common at land-grant universities. These centers often use an interdisciplinary approach to address complex science issues. As these centers address agricultural issues that impact society, effective science communication is a necessary activity. However, these centers may face unique barriers or opportunities. This study utilized a qualitative approach to identify the barriers and motivations of interdisciplinary agricultural center directors when communicating about science. Participants identified common science communication challenges, such as time and lack of funding. Funding was also identified as a motivation, as well as factors related to the tenure and promotion process. …

Go to article

Untapped Potential Of Local Brewery Brands In Their Communities, Cara Jolly, Quisto Settle, Laura Greenhaw, Ruth Inman, Dwayne Cartmell Sep 2021

Untapped Potential Of Local Brewery Brands In Their Communities, Cara Jolly, Quisto Settle, Laura Greenhaw, Ruth Inman, Dwayne Cartmell

Journal of Applied Communications

The craft brewery industry is growing in the United States. Due to changes in state law over the past 10 years, craft breweries are a relatively new industry in Oklahoma. A unique aspect of craft breweries compared to larger breweries is that craft breweries tend to be grounded in their local communities. The purpose of this research was to understand how craft breweries in Oklahoma establish their brand with respect to their communities. Interviews were conducted with brewery personnel across Oklahoma, including participants from both more established and newer breweries. The breweries in this study were purposefully engaging in their …

Go to article

Visualizing Values: A Content Analysis To Conceptualize Value Congruent Video Messages Used In Agricultural Communications, Laura Morgan Fischer, Kelsi Opat, Kayla Jennings, Courtney Meyers May 2021

Visualizing Values: A Content Analysis To Conceptualize Value Congruent Video Messages Used In Agricultural Communications, Laura Morgan Fischer, Kelsi Opat, Kayla Jennings, Courtney Meyers

Journal of Applied Communications

Visual messaging is becoming the new avenue to connect with consumers. The majority of the American public is not connected with agriculture and often questions procedures, practices, and tactics within the industry. Practitioners and researchers have suggested value congruent messages, a type of emotional appeal, may increase attention to agricultural messages. However, limited research has been conducted to define and investigate value congruent messages in agricultural communications. The purpose of this study was to describe the presented messages in videos used in one agricultural advocacy effort, CommonGround’s “Nothing to Fear Here” campaign. This content analysis described the video’s message content …

Go to article

Crisis Communications In A Natural Agricultural Disaster, Erica Irlbeck, Austin Moore Dec 2020

Crisis Communications In A Natural Agricultural Disaster, Erica Irlbeck, Austin Moore

Journal of Applied Communications

Wildfires in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas in the late 2010s caused seven deaths and catastrophic damage to millions of acres of ranch and farmland. Because of the rural location of these disasters, agricultural communicators were releasing information to media, internal stakeholders, social media, and other agricultural audiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the communications efforts made and subsequent lessons learned from agricultural communicators during the fires. Through a qualitative case study, researchers interviewed 14 agricultural communicators about their experiences in disseminating information about the fires. Most of the findings align with pre-existing literature; however the researchers found …

Go to article

Looking For Information: An Exploratory Analysis To Explain Public Information-Seeking Behaviors About Mosquito Control, Shelli D. Rampold, Melissa Cater, Ricky W. Telg Sep 2020

Looking For Information: An Exploratory Analysis To Explain Public Information-Seeking Behaviors About Mosquito Control, Shelli D. Rampold, Melissa Cater, Ricky W. Telg

Journal of Applied Communications

Mosquitoes pose substantial risks in communities worldwide, and the extent and type of such risk may vary across communities and regions. The integrated mosquito management approach integrates multidisciplinary methods into practical strategies tailored to local communities. Reduction of mosquito larval sources via community engagement in at-home mosquito control behaviors is a key component of this approach. Best methods of communicating information to the public to foster knowledge and motivation to engage in local mosquito control efforts. The purpose of this descriptional, correlational study was to describe the Florida public’s mosquito control information search behaviors, as well as examine factors that …

Go to article

Creating Relevancy In Agricultural Science Information: Examining The Impact Of Motivational Salience, Involvement And Pre-Existing Attitudes On Visual Attention To Scientific Information, Laura Morgan Fischer, Courtney Meyers, R. Glenn Cummins, Courtney Gibson, Mathew Baker May 2020

Creating Relevancy In Agricultural Science Information: Examining The Impact Of Motivational Salience, Involvement And Pre-Existing Attitudes On Visual Attention To Scientific Information, Laura Morgan Fischer, Courtney Meyers, R. Glenn Cummins, Courtney Gibson, Mathew Baker

Journal of Applied Communications

Agricultural communications literature has indicated scientists are struggling to make information salient to consumers. Prior studies have examined the efficacy of message frames and types of appeals that increase visual attention and information processing among general consumers. Research suggests that value-oriented frames may connect with consumers through increased personal involvement and motivational salience. To evaluate the effects of competing message frames on visual attention, an eye-tracking experiment was conducted to understand the interaction between pre-existing attitudes and issue involvement on participants’ attention to messages about genetic modification and antibiotic use in livestock. For products that are low in issue involvement …

Go to article

Misleading Or Informing? Examining The Effects Of Labeling Design On Consumers’ Perception Of Gluten-Free Products And Wheat Safety, Kimberly Cantrell, Nan Li, Courtney Meyers, Cindy Akers Feb 2020

Misleading Or Informing? Examining The Effects Of Labeling Design On Consumers’ Perception Of Gluten-Free Products And Wheat Safety, Kimberly Cantrell, Nan Li, Courtney Meyers, Cindy Akers

Journal of Applied Communications

As food products marketed as “gluten-free” become increasingly popular, many consumers start to exclude sources of gluten (e.g., wheat, barley, and rye) from their diets for both medical and non-medical purposes. The grain industry is facing a growing challenge to (re)boost consumers’ confidence in the healthiness and safety of its commodities. Using 561 participants recruited from the Amazon Mechanical Turk workers’ panel, this study implemented a 2 (pretzels vs. potato chips) * 2 (positive- vs. negative- frame) * 2 (wheat image vs. no wheat image) experiment to examine the effects of gluten-free labels on consumers’ perceived healthiness and safety of …

Go to article

Consumers’ Evaluation Of Animal Welfare Labels On Poultry Products, Rexanna Powers, Nan Li, Courtney Gibson, Erica Irlbeck Feb 2020

Consumers’ Evaluation Of Animal Welfare Labels On Poultry Products, Rexanna Powers, Nan Li, Courtney Gibson, Erica Irlbeck

Journal of Applied Communications

As the public has expressed increasing concerns regarding the humane raising and handling of farm animals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and industry organizations have developed a series of standards enforcing animal welfare in the poultry industry. Labels and value-added claims were created and defined to differentiate products and to inform consumers’ purchasing decisions. This study identified five labels related to animal welfare that are frequently found on food packages in the U.S. grocery stores, including both the mandatory labels and third-party, voluntary labels. Using a controlled online experiment (N=249), we examined the labels’ effects on consumers’ perception …

Go to article

Exploring Science Communication Effectiveness In The U.S. Federal Government Research Process: A Case Study With The U.S. Livestock Producers’ Antimicrobial Use Research, Katie Abrams, Chelsea Bonser, Amber Mccord Jan 2020

Exploring Science Communication Effectiveness In The U.S. Federal Government Research Process: A Case Study With The U.S. Livestock Producers’ Antimicrobial Use Research, Katie Abrams, Chelsea Bonser, Amber Mccord

Journal of Applied Communications

Several U.S. federal government agencies collect and disseminate scientific data on a national scale to provide insights for agricultural trade, research, consumer health, and policy. Occasionally, such data have potential to provide insights to advance conversations and actions around critical and controversial issues in the broad agricultural system. Such government studies provide evidence for others to discuss, further interpret, and act upon, but to do so, they must be communicated well. When the research intersects with contentious socio-political issues, successful communication not only depends on tactics, but as this study illuminates, it also depends on relationship quality between research producers, …

Go to article

A Website Content Analysis Of Corporate Animal Welfare Messaging, Olivia Morris, Jefferson D. Miller, Isabel Whitehead Nov 2019

A Website Content Analysis Of Corporate Animal Welfare Messaging, Olivia Morris, Jefferson D. Miller, Isabel Whitehead

Journal of Applied Communications

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the nature of corporate positions on animal welfare available on the websites of five meat producing companies in the U.S. The results of the content analysis illustrated that there were common topics among the dialogs the companies were willing to open related to their animal welfare positions. The companies typically took a general approach to animal welfare topics, commonly focusing on their corporate policy and their commitment to animal welfare. While each company focused on a unique combination of topics, companies commonly avoided mentioning more specific and possibly controversial …

Go to article

A Comparative Content Analysis Of News Stories And Press Releases During The 2015 Blue Bell Ice Cream Recall, Brandyl Brooks Calley, Courtney Meyers, Courtney Gibson, Erica Irlbeck Sep 2019

A Comparative Content Analysis Of News Stories And Press Releases During The 2015 Blue Bell Ice Cream Recall, Brandyl Brooks Calley, Courtney Meyers, Courtney Gibson, Erica Irlbeck

Journal of Applied Communications

In 2015, Blue Bell Creameries had its first recall in the company’s history. Blue Bell issued a voluntary recall of all of its ice cream products after Listeria was detected and was linked to 10 illnesses that resulted in three deaths. With the theoretical framework of framing and Situational Crisis Communication Theory, the purpose of this study was to explore how this recall was presented in company press releases and news media coverage to determine what crisis communication strategies Blue Bell implemented and how the media presented that information. This study was a content analysis of 23 press releases from …

Go to article

The Effect Of Emphasizing Credibility Elements And The Role Of Source Gender On Perceptions Of Source Credibility, Ariana Bigham, Courtney Meyers, Nan Li, Erica Irlbeck May 2019

The Effect Of Emphasizing Credibility Elements And The Role Of Source Gender On Perceptions Of Source Credibility, Ariana Bigham, Courtney Meyers, Nan Li, Erica Irlbeck

Journal of Applied Communications

Agricultural technology continues to evolve to meet the demands of a growing world, but previous advancements in agricultural technology have been met with resistance. Improved science communication efforts can assist in bridging the gap between expert and lay opinion to improve reception of scientific information. Using the framework of the heuristic model of persuasion, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of emphasizing elements of source credibility – trustworthiness and expertise – and the gender of the source on perceptions of source credibility. A sample of 122 undergraduate students were exposed to one of the four possible …

Go to article

Diffusion Of Innovations And Public Communication Campaigns: An Examination Of The 4r Nutrient Stewardship Program, Henry Seeger, Robyn S. Wilson May 2019

Diffusion Of Innovations And Public Communication Campaigns: An Examination Of The 4r Nutrient Stewardship Program, Henry Seeger, Robyn S. Wilson

Journal of Applied Communications

This project is an examination of how strategies for innovation in fertilizer application are communicated to agricultural communities. Specifically, this project examines the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Program‒a public ­communication campaign seeking to encourage the use of specific strategies, tools, and best practices in fertilizer application. The campaign is advanced by the Fertilizer Institute, an industry trade association, and targets local agricultural communities within the United States. To understand how this campaign functions to encourage adoption of innovative fertilizer application behaviors, this project draws on the principles of diffusion of innovations theory as well as established concepts within public relations, including …

Go to article

Collegiate Millennials' Perceptions Of Locally Produced Beef, Shelby Oesterreicher, Lisa K. Lundy, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg Dec 2018

Collegiate Millennials' Perceptions Of Locally Produced Beef, Shelby Oesterreicher, Lisa K. Lundy, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg

Journal of Applied Communications

Millennial consumers are stepping into important roles as decision makers and consumers. A knowledge and communication gap exists between cattle producers and consumers this knowledge seeking generation. This study focused on collegiate millennials’ perceptions of locally produced beef. The research design was qualitative in nature using focus groups. Participants associated the beef industry and beef products with the environment, management practices, treatment of animals, human health concerns, retail, experience with the beef industry, experience with beef, and transparency. Results of this study showed participants had minimal knowledge of the industry and relatively negative perceptions of the industry and beef products. …

Go to article

Matching Local Food Messages To Consumer Motivators: An Experiment Comparing The Effects Of Differently Framed Messages, Katie M. Abrams, Catharine Soukup Jan 2017

Matching Local Food Messages To Consumer Motivators: An Experiment Comparing The Effects Of Differently Framed Messages, Katie M. Abrams, Catharine Soukup

Journal of Applied Communications

Past research suggests the local food movement provides economic and social benefits to consumers and producers alike. These benefits might account for the significant increase in local food sales. Despite its increasing popularity, further communications research is needed since a dominant messaging strategy does not currently exist to advance the local food movement. Food quality, healthfulness, and support of local farmers were previously empirically identified as motivating factors to purchase local food; however, they had not been tested comparatively for effectiveness. Based in framing theory and the theory of planned behavior, we sought to test if brief messages framed to …

Go to article

Identifying Publics In Citrus Producing States To Address The Issue Of Citrus Greening, Taylor Ruth 7031249, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble, Jason D. Ellis Ph.D. Jan 2017

Identifying Publics In Citrus Producing States To Address The Issue Of Citrus Greening, Taylor Ruth 7031249, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble, Jason D. Ellis Ph.D.

Journal of Applied Communications

Citrus greening is a critical issue facing the agricultural industry in the United States. The disease has been identified in residential and commercial areas, and there is a need to identify best practices in communicating with the public about the disease. The Situational Theory of Publics (STOPs) uses audience segmentation to determine how to best communicate with target consumers and was used to guide this study. The purpose of the study was to determine the types of publics present in the citrus producing states of Florida, California, and Texas as they relate to citrus greening. An online survey was completed …

Go to article

Marketing Power Berries: An Importance-Performance Analysis Of Blueberry, Shuyang Qu, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble Jan 2017

Marketing Power Berries: An Importance-Performance Analysis Of Blueberry, Shuyang Qu, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble

Journal of Applied Communications

The unique health benefits of blueberries have increased consumers’ demand for this fruit. Although the demand is still low compared to other fruits including apples and grapes, consumers’ growing interest in blueberries has led to a significant increase of blueberry acreage in the U.S., causing the supply to exceed demand. To increase blueberry consumption and sales for the benefits of both consumers’ health and the blueberry industry, this study selected 18 blueberry attributes and used an online survey to examine blueberry purchasers’ perceived importance and satisfaction of these attributes. An importance-performance analysis (IPA) of these attributes was conducted to provide …

Go to article