Social Media Commons^™

Fandom And Activism: Experimenting With Memetic Communication Appeals About Human Rights Issues During The 2022 Winter Olympic Games, Alicia Mason, Elizabeth Spencer, Tricia Combs, Tanner Glenn, Brooklyn Peterson, Isaac Lewis, Emerson Tice

Faculty Submissions

In the sports context, activism is a popular focus of inquiry. In fact, scholars have posited that sports present an ideal platform for human rights and political activism and protest (Agyemang, Singer, & DeLorme, 2010; Coombs & Cassilo, 2017; Kaufman & Wolff, 2010). This study aims to analyze the persuasiveness of memetic communication in the global sports context by investigating the influence of exposure to social advocacy memes on issue importance and general attitudes toward global human rights. This experiment relied on MTurk participants in an online experiment using Qualtrics software hosted by the Communication Research Lab at a Midwest …

College Girl's Guide To Fayetteville, Ar, Sydney Johnson

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The mission behind creating the College Girl’s Guide to Fayetteville, AR was to ease the adjustment from high school to college for females attending the University of Arkansas. This is one of life’s most monumental transitions, often resulting in anxiety, depression, and loneliness, specifically among the female demographic. With that in mind, the intent of the guidebook was to develop culture, confidence, and community on campus. In the aftermath of Covid-19, loneliness on college campuses has become an epidemic in need of a university-wide solution to increase student satisfaction and retention. A research aspect that heavily impacted the project was …

College Athletes As Endorsers: A Study Of Nil Advertising, Zach Johnson

Master's Theses

The objective of this study is to determine how effective the newly enforced NIL deals among college athletes are in terms of social media advertising. With the rise of social media and the amount of people using social media daily, it is imperative for advertisers to understand various ways of promoting brands on social media. A 2x2x2 mixed experimental design was used to investigate the effects of college athletes-sponsored Instagram posts among college students, specifically source relevance, product relevance, and message authenticity. Findings suggested positive effects of using college athletes as sponsors. Source relevance, product relevance, and message authenticity played …

An Imc Plan For The Blue Dolphin Company, A Local Nonprofit, Allison Evelyn Campbell

Journalism

Alan Godley's journey into marine preservation began as a dock boy, a role that brought him face-to-face with the environmental impact of boat cleaning practices. Witnessing the washing of harsh chemicals into the ocean and waterways fueled his environmental consciousness. Years later, he founded the Blue Dolphin Company in 1989, an “organization focused on furthering the awareness of whales and dolphins, and all marine life … [supporting] the rehabilitation and release of marine mammals and other wildlife”. Over the three decades, Mr. Godley has operated this nonprofit and small business, leveraging educational initiatives to inform people of all ages about …

Medical Tourism & Communication, Alicia Mason

Faculty Submissions

Medical tourism (MT), sometimes referred to as health tourism or medical travel, involves both the treatment of illness and the facilitation of wellness, with travel. Medical tourism is a multifaceted and multiphase process involving many agents and actors that requires careful planning and execution. The coordinated process involves the biomedical, transportation, tourism, and leisure industries. From the communication perspective, the process can be viewed as a 5-stage model consisting of the: (a) orientation, (b) preparation, (c) experiential and treatment, (d) convalescence, and (e) reflection phases. Medical tourism is uniquely situated in a nexus of academic literature related to communication, business …

The Crusading Days Of Jackie Stewart: Evaluating The Development Of Safety In Motor Racing During The 1960s., Alex Twitchen

Journal of Motorsport Culture & History

This article critically evaluates the contribution of Jackie Stewart in making motor racing a safer sport for competitors. It challenges the validity of the popular assumption that Jackie Stewart by himself developed a ‘culture of safety’ that transformed the sport. Instead, the role of other individuals are identified alongside the importance of three social processes. These processes are identified as the changing balance of power between different masculine identities, the development of commercial sponsorship and a growth in the coverage of the sport on television.

The development of motor racing from the 1960s onwards as a safer sport in which …

Book Review: I Was A Nascar Redneck: Recollections Of The Transformation Of A Yankee Farm Boy To A Southern Redneck In The Golden Era Of Nascar And Beyond., Quinn Beekwilder, Daniel Dean

Journal of Motorsport Culture & History

No abstract provided.

Building Solidarity Between Minority Groups, Seonwoo Kim

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Although a considerable number of scholars agree that an intergroup coalition among minorities will be more powerful in changing biased perceptions, regulations, and policies (e.g., Burson & Godfrey, 2020; Lane et al., 2019), cross-minority solidarity is challenging due to the inherent difficulties in establishing a shared goal and reaching a consensus on methods and tactics (Gawerc, 2021; Rogers, 2004) and competing policy stances and stereotypes (Hope, 2019; Nopper, 2006). Numerous instances of social movements that failed due to the failure of coalitions to form have been documented in the literature (e.g., Almeida, 2010; Ferree & Roth, 1998; Gelb & Shogan, …

Curating A Consumption Ideology: Platformization And Gun Influencers On Instagram, Jenna M. Drenten Ph.D., Lauren Gurrieri, Aimee Dinnín Huff, Michelle Barnhart

School of Business: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This study explores how a platform enables social media influencers to promulgate a consumption ideology. We show how gun influencers, or “gunfluencers,” use Instagram to link products, activities, and meanings to Second Amendment ideology – a gun-centric belief system in the United States colloquially known as “2A ideology.” Through a qualitative study of 25 Instagram gunfluencers, we identify a process of curating a consumption ideology wherein social media influencers employ four curatorial tactics: glamourizing, demystifying, victimizing, and tribalizing. Findings suggest gunfluencers extend audiences and leverage algorithms to prescribe and model how supporters of 2A ideology should look, act, speak, feel, …

Coverage Of The Israeli Military Spokespersons Of The Six Self-Liberated Palestinian Prisoners From The Maximum-Security Israeli Prison Of Gilboa, Moeen Koa, Neveen Alawneh, Rinad Mahmmoud

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

This study aimed to find out how the spokespersons for the Israeli occupation army, specifically the "coordinator and Avichay Adraee" pages on Facebook, covered the issue of the six self-liberated Palestinian prisoners from the highly secure walls of Gilboa prison through a tunnel they dug under their cell's bathroom. The study used the total population sample to analyze the two pages' content from September 6, 2021, to November 30, 2021. The study found that these pages used media frames to distort the image of the Palestinian prisoners. The most dominant frame was the strategic frame by 40% to show the …

Reputation Themes From Communication Perspective: A Qualitative Systematic Review, Omar Abu Arqoub

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

The article aimed to systematically review communication reputation-related research to shape the reputation literature from a communication perspective. After investigating several databases, a total of 366 peer-reviewed communication journal articles focusing on reputation were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. A qualitative text mining and thematic analysis approach was conducted using the NVivo program to examine the most frequently used words and major emergent themes. The results revealed that the topmost frequently repeated words in communication reputation-focused articles were “crisis,” “public,” “reputation,” “communication,” “media,” and “relations.” Also, this study discussed the six major themes that …

Fall Sustainability Festival, Julia Canuel

Senior Honors Projects

There has been an increased interest in sustainability and “green” products in recent years. In my sophomore year, I started working with the URI Free Farmers’ Market, a group that sustainably grows, harvests and provides students with free produce. My work with the URI FFM inspired me to look into sustainable agriculture and explore what other aspects of a college students’ life could be adapted to be more sustainable. To do this, I created a Fall Sustainability Festival focusing on sustainable initiatives at URI and in the Rhode Island community. The RI Food Policy Council, Rhode Island Office of Energy …

Crisis Communication For Public Organizations: Examining Pakistan Railways' Use Of Information Technology And Social Media For Image Repair, Shafiq Ahmad Kamboh, Muhammad Ittefaq, Yan Jin

School of Communication Studies - Faculty Scholarship

This study examines the induction of information technology and the use of image-repair focused crisis response strategies on social media by Pakistan Railways amid a recent crisis. A mix-method based content analysis (i.e., qualitative and quantitative) to investigate whether and if so, how Pakistan Railways used Benoit's suggested image restoration strategies on social media to repair its image among customers and in print media. Our results show that Pakistan Railways predominantly used reducing the offensiveness of event (40%), followed by corrective action (34.6%), evasion of responsibility (10.6%), denial (8%) and mortification (6.4%) strategies, respectively. In addition, the use of image-repair …

Review, Democracy And Fake News: Information Manipulation And Post-Truth Politics, Peter Krapp

Secrecy and Society

No abstract provided.

The Zionist Organizations’ Recruitment Of Propaganda Techniques On Facebook: An Analytical Study Of ‘Stand With Us’ Arabic Page, Mueen Fathi Al-Koua, Heba Hussein

Journal of the Arab American University مجلة الجامعة العربية الامريكية للبحوث

The study aimed at identifying the extent to which the Zionist organization ‘Stand with Us’ recruited propaganda techniques through its communication on Facebook to persuade Arabic-speaking audiences to accept the occupation entity presence as an “original” part of the Arab World. It also aimed at identifying the most important topics the organization posits and the way it frames its messages through the Facebook platform. The study used content analysis method to analyze the Arabic Facebook page of the organization from the 1st of May to the end of June 2020, which is the period when Israel announced its annexation plan …

Gender And Socio-Economic Differencesin South African Consumers’ Sentimentstoward Marketing Practices, Thérèse Roux

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

Studies on modern consumers’ sentiments toward marketing in an emerging market context are vital. This paper compares demographic diff erences in South African consumers’ sentiment toward marketing. Data were collected via a survey with 444 diverse consumers residing in the Tshwane metropolitan area. The fi ndings revealed that South African males are signifi cantly less satisfi ed with marketing communication practices compared to females. Consumers earning lower income were signifi cantly less positive towards marketing in general as well as product quality, price, and selling practices. Afrikaans-speaking consumers’ attitudes were less positive towards marketing communication. The fi nding can guide …

Social Media Reactions To Apologies From Public Figures, Brands, And Companies And Its Impact On Reputation, Melissa N. Dolan

Student Theses and Dissertations

Apologies issued by public figures, brands, and companies after a scandal or public perception of wrongdoing are common occurrences that have a significant impact on a brand's overall reputation. The impact on reputation hinges on how apologies are dissected and criticized by audiences on social media, which in turn influences public opinion and perception of the brand, company, or public figure. Furthermore, social media has exacerbated condemnation or support for public apologies, because it provides a platform for public discourse on the matter. Apologies are powerful tools that can be effective if implemented well or can be detrimental to a …

Exploration To Brand Communication On Tiktok, Victoria M. Priola

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the connection between the video-sharing social media platform TikTok and companies that use it to publish corporate branding content. The research intends to compare TikTok to other social media outlets. The motivation behind this study was fueled by the want to understand where TikTok lands within a company’s social media content planning process. Can TikTok ever become a solid foundation in social media content planning like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have been? Most of the previous research on TikTok has proven how unique the platform is compared to other social media, but …

The Value Of An Integrated Marketing Campaign To Grow Interest In Visiting The U.S. National Parks, Hermine Granberry

Honors Theses

When the centennial celebration of the National Park Service was approaching in 2016, the National Park Service launched a two-year campaign to only commemorate the last century of NPS, but to also reconnect Americans with the parks. Ten years have passed since the initial creation of the campaign. This thesis researches the value of how another integrated marketing campaign could increase visitation to the U.S. National Parks in the future.

Through evaluating the previous Find Your Park campaign and current trends in travel and vacation, this research investigates not only future campaign ideas but also the use and incorporation of …

New Technologies In The Field Of Sensory Marketing And Customer Experience: A Systematic Literature Review, Dawid Gajda

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

Nowadays, we are noticing more and more new technological solutions that fit into the field of sensory marketing, the implementation of which is in a relatively preliminary stage. They are intended to improve customer experience. The main objective of the research is to determine the main topics covered in the literature. This article covers a systematic literature review of research conducted to date on new technologies that are part of the field of sensory marketing related to customer experience. The research search was based on two databases: Scopus and Web of Science Core Collections. Studies conducted between 2007 and May …

The Role Of Storytelling In Digital Brand Marketing: A Case Study Of Tennessee Hills Distillery And Brewstillery, Cassidy Blackwell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study evaluates the impacts of brand storytelling on customers of a craft brewery and distillery in East Tennessee. Brand storytelling is well researched, but has not been applied to niche sectors and customer response. The study consisted of a 15-question survey distributed to customers of Tennessee Hills Distillery and Brewstillery (TN Hills), and received 139 responses. The results were that despite a seeming trend of lack of engagement with the business, respondents value brand stories and can identify unique brand characteristics. Respondents’ answers reflected a personal connection with TN Hills, and connected the brand to grander ideals like the …

T. Hanks For Nostalgia: The Power Of Tom Hanks And Film Branding, Jacob Higgs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In March 2020, Tom Hanks announced he had contracted COVID-19 while shooting the Elvis Presley Biopic in Australia. On Instagram, he encouraged fans to take the disease seriously and be aware of how severe of a disease it was. Character brands and nostalgia have been found to foster trust in products and encourage relationships with those brands. Using the lens of nostalgia and uses and gratification to examine Tom Hanks as a character brand, the researcher analyzed five blockbuster films with Tom Hanks as the lead character. The study used narrative thematic analysis to observe Hanks and the depictions of …

Exploring Avenues On Social Media For Public Health Organizations To Connect With The Lgbt+ Community, Louisa Glazunova

All Theses

There has been a significant increase in the number of nonprofit organizations that focus on health and wellness in the United States. These organizations center on creating and maintaining relationships with stakeholders through various approaches. One of these approaches is to use social media marketing to connect with their target audience and promote engagement with provided services and informational content. This study analyzed how sources of content on social media impact the LGBT+ community's perception of their relationship with a nonprofit organization specializing in LGBT+ health and well-being. An organizational-public relations and social media marketing framework was adapted to analyze …

Using Linkedin To Promote Effective Corporate Social Responsibility Communication Through The B2b Supply Chain, Eden Wallace

All Theses

Utilizing LinkedIn as a communication tool for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communications is a relatively unknown area of CSR research. However, existing scholarship and current business trends suggest that LinkedIn may be beneficial for business to business (B2B) companies to communicate to their corporate partners. Findings from this study advance communication scholarship in this relatively new area of research and provide new understanding in how LinkedIn can be used by companies to strengthen business operations pertaining to corporate social responsibility. This thesis examines how Equinix, a B2B company, communicates its socially responsible initiatives on LinkedIn and to what extent its …

Positive And Negative Attitudes Towards Skincare Products, Jordan Rachelle Barcenas, Jessica Herrera

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Understanding consumer attitudes about skincare products. Rise in skincare products from COVID. More demand for higher quality products. Examine price sensitivity, brand exclusivity, positive results, and clean ingredient preferences.

Rare Beauty: Social Media Audit, Amalia Fleming, Mariyah Martinez, Lillian Stegen, Briley Bodin, Nadia Rodgriguez

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Our report entails a thorough social media audit of the makeup brand, Rare Beauty, founded by Selena Gomez. It analyzes the many strategies utilized to create an effective social media presence on multiple platforms. This report discusses how successful these social media and communication strategies are in leading to brand growth, development, and profit for Rare Beauty. In addition, our presentation aims to touch all of the aforementioned points in a way which gives our audience a complete yet succinct overview.

In our findings we have discovered that Rare Beauty has successfully utilized social media to create a community of …

An Exploration Of Best Practices For Personal Branding On Social Media In The Fashion Industry, Danielle Brickner

Honors Projects

The purpose of my project was to evaluate the personal branding tactics that are used to be successful on Instagram in the fashion industry. Social media is a growing tool for influencers and brands. Since its creation in 2010, Instagram has become one of the most popular platforms, specifically for the fashion industry as it is centered around photos. This project explores how authenticity, creating a target audience, and utilizing content activities plans can impact one’s success on Instagram. Throughout the project, I used these three criteria on a fashion-oriented Instagram account to determine how these factors can impact post …

Promoting The Bc Digital Commons: For And By The Community, Ady Dewey

Strategic Public Relations Projects

The BC Digital Commons (DC) is an open-access robust repository of artifacts, scholarship, publications, performances, events, and more. Through Google Scholar and other search engines, the content is accessed worldwide, yet the DC remains a little-known resource on campus. This fact motivated the director of the Forrer Learning Commons to seek input on how to more effectively increase submissions and the number of users.

The 2023 Strategic Public Relations class (COMM 347) began by educating themselves on the DC and brainstorming about potential advantages from a student’s perspective. They identified stakeholders to interview to determine general awareness and to test …

Exploring The Impact Of Negative Words Used In Online Feedback In Hotel Industry: A Sentiment Analysis, N-Gram, And Text Network Analysis Approach, Daniel Dan

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

This study examines the words and situations that trigger and those that do not trigger a hotel response when customers post negative online feedback. The research explores, through sentiment analysis, bigrams, trigrams, and word networking, the valence of online reviews of five important hotels in Las Vegas. Only the feedback that has been categorized as negative by the algorithm is selected. In correspondence to this feedback, the existence of answers from the hotels is checked together with the response style. While the negative valence of the feedback can represent a mixture of subjective and objective emotions, there are common features …

How Agritourism Operators Make Marketing And Promotion Decisions, Katelyn Miller, Quisto Settle, Audrey E. H. King, Bree Kisling

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Agritourism operators in Oklahoma were interviewed to determine how they make promotional decisions. Three themes were found from the interviews. The first was Educated Guessing. Participants were not formally trained in promoting agritourism operations, but they used their past experiences and the resources available to them to make decisions. The second theme was Facebook First. All 10 operations in this interview used Facebook as their primary marketing method based on positive experiences with the site as a promotional tool, followed by other options, such as websites. The third theme was More of the Same. The participants mostly intended to keep …