Business Commons^™

The Impact Of “Humorous” Ads Featuring Social Media Influencers On Perceptions Of The Influencer, Brand, And Purchase Intention, Jason L. Snyder, Robert Forbus

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The present study explored the use of humor in social media ads that featured both a product being advertised and a social media influencer (SMI). Using extant literature and the theory of planned behavior as guides, the goal of the study was to explore the role of perceived humorousness on consumer perceptions of the SMI, the ad, the brand, and consumer purchase intentions. The experiment (N = 292) exposed self-identified males living in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 40 to one of two versions of an ad for a men’s grooming product. The ads were run …

The Public’S Companies, Andrew K. Jennings

Fordham Journal of Corporate & Financial Law

This Essay uses a series of survey studies to consider how public understandings of public and private companies map into urgent debates over the role of the corporation in American society. Does a social-media company, for example, owe it to its users to follow the free-speech principles embodied in the First Amendment? May corporate managers pursue environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) policies that could reduce short-term or long-term profits? How should companies respond to political pushback against their approaches to free expression or ESG?

The studies’ results are consistent with understandings that both public and private companies have greater public …

Maui Wildfires: A Case Study In Local Government Crisis Communication Response, Joshua A. Voda

Student Theses and Dissertations

When wildfires swept through the island of Maui in Hawai‘i in August 2023, the communities of Olinda, Kula and especially Lahaina were devastated. Thousands of people were displaced, and nearly 100 people were lost. Just like the speed at which the fiery winds consumed these towns, accusations of emergency mismanagement and a host of misinformation spread by word of mouth and online. The primary local government authority for these communities is the County of Maui, currently led by Mayor Richard Bissen. This case study examines the first month of communication from the County of Maui to the affected communities via …

Just Following Up: My Experience As A Summer Student Administrator For Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt Llp, Bridget Leslie

SASAH 4th Year Capstone and Other Projects: Publications

In this paper, I reflect on my experience as a Summer Student Administrator for Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP where I acquired skills such as proficiency in various software and data analysis as well as professional communication, confidence, and organization. I applied these skills daily to produce quality work, and I am still applying these skills to my academic and personal life almost a year later. The culminating experience of the summer was presenting my own data analysis to a group of executives, which helped me improve my presentation skills and foster confidence in my own abilities. In addition to …

And The Oscar Goes To... Tiktok, Dawson Bley

Senior Honors Theses

Companies have been forced to take note of the emerging social media app, TikTok, which has attracted more than a billion users to its platform and invited businesses into an uncharted market ready to be exploited. By seeking to understand and employ the unique features which have led to TikTok’s far-reaching success, many companies can similarly improve their position. In particular, traditional movie companies, which have recently suffered blows at the box office due to factors such as competition with online streaming, could benefit from an analysis of this tech to restore lost engagement and revenue. Specifically, how can the …

Role Of Social Media On Travel Destination Decision-Making: Young American’S Motivation, Attitude, And Behavioral Intention, Wooyang Kim, Dale A. Cake, Hyun Sang An

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

This study aims to examine how social media influences American Millennials’ and Gen Zers’ travel destination decision-making process in an integrative theoretical framework of the Uses and Gratification Theory and Theory of Reasoned Action. Young generations, who desire escapism and entertainment in order to relax through their everyday lives, are looking for value brought to their lives from vicarious out-of-routine experiences through social media, which engenders process gratification. This process evokes the desire to experience and explore the destination they viewed on social media, inducing vicarious pleasure that leads to affective responses toward the travel destination. Notably, a positive …

Serving Behind The Screen: Practical Recommendations For Best Practices On Social Media For Government Practitioners, Livianette Cabrera

Student Theses and Dissertations

The usage and importance of social media continues to grow in our everyday life, however, governments lag on using the platforms to the fullest extent. This study aimed at learning what best practices should government practitioners exercise to meet constituents needs and provide services and information online. Through oral histories conducted with a small pool of participants, four themes emerged which helped to answer the research question. Findings illustrated four main traits/themes were essential if social media managers wanted to excel at their job: Competent Strategic Senior Management, Effective Community Management, Mission and Value Alignment, and Customized Curation. Through an …

Keeping The Faith: The Impact Of Religiosity On Controversial Social Justice Advertising, Rebecca Rast, Josh Coleman, Christina S. Simmers

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Religious individuals have traditionally responded negatively to controversial advertising; however, little has been examined in their response to brand activism in the form of social justice issues. Interestingly, brands may find support from more religious individuals when promoting certain social issues. Across three studies using two social networks (Twitter and Instagram), this research demonstrates that individuals who identify as more religious (compared to those who identify as less religious) consistently display higher attitudes, intentions, and perceptions of authenticity for brands supporting social justice issues (precisely racial inequality, or “Black Lives Matter”). These findings are explained through social identity theory, in …

Tesla Vs. Its Stock Price: “Herd Theory” At Work?, Yun Cheng, Carroll Griffin

Southern University College of Business E-Journal

Since its inception in 2003, Tesla, Inc. has striven to be more than simply an electric automobile manufacturer. Since its first release in 2008 (the luxury Roadster), the company has introduced several additional high-end models as well as a much anticipated mid-priced model. Its vehicles consistently receive enthusiastic reviews from consumer analysts and industry publications alike. Perhaps as a reflection of its continued innovation and product-line expansion, as well as investor optimism regarding the company’s future prospects, its stock price has risen to extraordinary levels. However, despite all of this apparent success and highly-valued stock, Tesla has generated relatively little …

Corporate Activism Best Practices In The Age Of Social Media, Fransisco Flores

Theses and Dissertations

Corporate activism, or the act of corporations speaking out on sociopolitical issues, has become more common with technological advances and social media access. Corporations’ role in society has evolved to include non-economic functions that aim to improve societal conditions. Despite corporations fulfilling additional societal roles, they face increased scrutiny from shareholders and stakeholders alike. Speaking out on social issues or staying silent causes ripple effects amongst their internal and external networks. Speaking out on social media while working for a private or publicly traded corporation can be challenging as it entails weighing a wide array of conditions, stakeholder desires, and …

Putting The Social In Social Media: How Human Connection Triggers Engagement, Stephanie Adomavicius

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

Social media has become the preferred channel of information and has altered patterns of interaction and connection. As a result, society now revolves around a two-way form of communication with constant dialogue and instant responses. Public relations practitioners have had to adapt and change their strategy in order to keep up with the times, and because of this, engagement is now considered to be a measurement of success.

In terms of social media, engagement is how users interact with content and participate in online conversations. This study will uncover what causes people to engage on social media and identify the …

The Evolution Of Women's Opportunities In The Workplace: A Look At The Past To Interpret The Present, Emily Milich

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Learning From Experience: Designing For Western Libraries And Western Mustangs, Sophia Belyk

SASAH 4th Year Capstone and Other Projects: Publications

In this report, Belyk reflects on her two internship experiences. In her summer with Western Libraries, Belyk worked on social-media content production and social-media management, as well as expanded her knowledge of design and her skill of working collaboratively. In her three years with the Western Mustangs, Belyk learned a lot about working in design professionally, as well as how to thrive in unfamiliar circumstances, and what kind of team she likes to work with. Throughout the report Belyk reflects on the value of experiential learning and what it means to be a designer.

How Museum Utilize Social Media On Communication, Jiake Han

School of Professional Studies

With the development of Internet, social media became more and more popular among people. Many industries realize the importance of social media in business. Traditionally, museum concentrates more on personal visual experience, which is hard to be replaced by online media. However, museums now also put more concentrate on social media platform because it expands the way of engagement. Especially, for Coronavirus, many organizations including museums have to close. Therefore, museums have to depend more on social media platforms to communicate with audiences. This research aims at finding how different kind of social media help museum communicate and engage with …

Market To Me: A Case Study On The Marketing Efforts Of Salesforce Software Company, Marissa Adrianna Spiess Espinola

Experience Industry Management

Social media platforms constitute outstanding channels for fostering relationships with consumers. Recently, there has been a drastic shift towards social media marketing and away from traditional marketing. Marketers are beginning to understand the importance of social media opportunity and are implementing social media marketing strategies and initiatives into companywide marketing practices. Companies cannot afford to lack presence on social media, as competitors could outpace them with marketing efforts of products and services to the public. Social media has become a necessary tool when marketing and advertising. The purpose of this study was to examine social media marketing practices of Salesforce …

Juxtaposing Impacts Of Social Media Interaction Experiences On E-Commerce Reputation, Xinchen Li, Qinyu Liao, Xin Luo, Yaoyu Wang

Information Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

E-commerce enterprises use different social media channels to build their online reputation through customers’ rich interaction experiences, but no study has differentiated the individual impact of consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer interaction features on e-commerce online reputations. This study investigates the linkage between five interaction characteristics, consumers’ perceived values, and e-commerce online reputations. The results of our study show that only the perceived hedonic value has a significant influence on e-commerce online reputations. Perceived control, reciprocity, and responsiveness have a positive and significant influence on both perceived utilitarian value and perceived hedonic value. Sociability only shows a significant and negative influence on …

Young People, Social Media, And Impacts On Well-Being, Andreana Nop

School of Professional Studies

Millennials and Generation Z were born into an age where social media and digital technology have been integrated in nearly all aspects of their lives. While social media has proven to be a valuable communication tool in connecting with each other and sharing information, the long-term psychosocial effects are beginning to become more apparent as social media matures. This study analyzes what these effects are and how communication is impacted for these young people. It questions how young people can leverage social media and decrease harm. The study will be conducted through a literature review and analysis. Its goal is …

Fyre Festival: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly And Its Impact On Influencer Marketing, Loren Grace Gilbert, Courtney Childers, Brandon Boatwright

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Exploring Csr Communication On Twitter, Terry Damron, Lindsey Batts

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Millennials And Their Interactions With Financial Institutions, Fallon Endsley, Lucy Matthews, Cheryl Ward

Atlantic Marketing Journal

As the largest generational cohort since the Baby Boomers of the mid-20^th century, Millennials hold significant power over the future. This is especially true in business; therefore, consideration of the environment and the target market should be lucrative. Millennials seem to fit this role more every year. This project investigates the Millennial age cohort and creates a social media portfolio to create a short social media campaign for Ascend Federal Credit Union to market their financial services and education to people ages 23 – 37. This project seeks to better understand how to utilize social media in a business …

The Role Of Social Media And Social Networking As Marketing Delivery Systems For Preventive Health Care Information, Joe Cangelosi, David Kim, Ken Griffin, Ed Ranelli

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The use of social media and social networking (SM&N) is prevalent in health care. Through social media, individuals can access information to enhance their overall health and well-being. Given that prevention is crucial to a long healthy life, as well as restraining escalating health care costs, this study offers insights into the types of social media and networking platforms that health care consumers consider most important, especially with regard to obtaining Preventive Health Care Information (PHCI). Further, it goes on to identify the demographics of persons who consider social media and social networking platforms as most important. This research used …

Of Promoting Networking And Protecting Privacy: Effects Of Defaults And Regulatory Focus On Social Media Users’ Preference Settings, Hichang Cho, Sungjong Roh, Byungho Park

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Privacy research has debated whether privacy decision-making is determined by users' stable preferences (i.e., individual traits), privacy calculus (i.e., cost-benefit analysis), or “responses on the spot” that vary across contexts. This study focuses on two factors—default setting as a contextual factor and regulatory focus as an individual difference factor—and examines the degree to which these factors affect social media users' decision-making when using privacy preference settings in a fictitious social networking site. The results, based on two experimental studies (study 1, n = 414; study 2, n = 213), show that default settings significantly affect users' privacy preferences, such that …

Social Media For Government: Theory And Practice, Brittany L. Bowman

Journal of Applied Communications

Book review of Social Media for Government: Theory and Practice, by Staci M. Zavattaro and Thomas A. Bryer

Mocked And Shamed: Satirical News And Its Effects On Organizational Reputation, Lisbeth Lim, Juliana Chia, Augustine Pang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

With fake news the rage (Tavernise, 2016), this study examines one form of fake news, satire news (Reilly, 2010). This study examines factors that lead satire news to be created, how they are used to criticize organizations and the impact on reputations. News on five satire news sites – The Onion (US), New Nation (Singapore), The Shovel (Australia), NewsThump (UK), and Der Postillon (Germany) – were analyzed using social media monitoring tools. Findings suggested that crises or paracrises (Coombs & Holladay, 2012) were likely to be exacerbated. While its effects are not immediate, satire news may have impact on organizations’ …

Worcester Chamber Of Commerce: Recruiting Minority Business Owners, Ryan Dimaria, Alexander Hull, Xikun Lu, Haopeng Wang, Jiacheng Hou, Danning Zhao

School of Professional Studies

Our capstone project was to help the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce identify how to re-frame their marketing so it would be appealing to immigrant and minority owned businesses. Based on interviews and external research, our group was able to create a tangible and resourceful data set that provided justified recommendations and ideas on how the Chamber could make adjustments to their marketing plan to attract more businesses of this particular demographic in the city of Worcester. By implementing these recommendations, we believe the Chamber has the opportunity to create a more diverse group of Chamber members, add value to …

Evolution Of Corporate Reputation During An Evolving Controversy, Siyoung Chung, Mark Chong, Jie Sheng Chua, Ji Cheon Na

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the evolution of online sentiments toward a company (i.e. Chipotle) during a crisis, and the effects of corporate apology on those sentiments. Design/methodology/approach: Using a very large data set of tweets (i.e. over 2.6m) about Company A’s food poisoning case (2015–2016). This case was selected because it is widely known, drew attention from various stakeholders and had many dynamics (e.g. multiple outbreaks, and across different locations). This study employed a supervised machine learning approach. Its sentiment polarity classification and relevance classification consisted of five steps: sampling, labeling, tokenization, augmentation of semantic …

My Choice Greens, Alina Zulfikarova, Amelia Mohr, Hesi Zhang, Ruiqi Huang, Sean Tatar, Yuhao Zhou, Zijun Zhou

School of Professional Studies

My Choice Programs for Independent Living is a nonprofit in Worcester, Massachusetts that helps individuals with special needs. In 2016, My Choice Programs added a branch to their organization called My Choice Greens. My Choice Greens is committed to growing fresh produce in their hydroponic farm. The profit generated from selling their vegetables is put back into direct programming for My Choice Programs. My Choice Greens is the first hydroponic farm in Worcester, but unfortunately not many people are aware of their program. Also, since they are a small nonprofit, they do not have sufficient funding or resources to market …

A Social Media Plan For The Changemakers’ Playground, Meng Cong, Ciara Kilian, Xinling Wang, Sumanth Wilson, Chenyu Yan

School of Professional Studies

The purpose of this project was to create a social media plan for the Changemakers’ Playground campaign. The Changemakers’ Playground is a website thought up by our client, Sarah Lange, whereby ordinary individuals doing extraordinary things in their community can be celebrated for the work they are doing. Each person featured on the website, also known as a Changemaker, was interviewed by Sarah and that interview was split into three videos to be posted on the Changemakers’ Playground website throughout the week they are being featured. In short, our task was to create the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram content to …

Top Social Media Marketing Trends 2018, Gabrielle L. Murphy, Garin D. Harris, Demetri J. Morris

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Our compiled data and research, concluding with our forecast for the Top Social Media Marketing trends for 2018. Focusing on both macro and microinfluencers.

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Social Media Marketing On Individuals’ Attitudes And Perceptions At Nova Community College, Nya Gibson

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

Social media has become prominent in the 21st century. Companies are persistently looking for ways to utilize this new platform within their marketing strategies to increase business growth. Since social media is a networking and communication platform, it is important for companies to create a voice to humanize the business and maintain foot traffic. Although there are studies on how to use social media marketing within a business, there is minimal corroboration available of how social media marketing activities influence a consumer’s buying behavior. This study investigated the effects of social media on consumer attitudes of social media marketing and …