Social Media Commons^™

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 …

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 …

Tourism Marketing To Southeast Asian Countries Via Social Media And Its Ethical Implications, Emma Parker

Student Research Submissions

As the influence of social media on the tourism marketing industry continues to grow, it becomes necessary to analyze how these platforms are being used. This study aims to determine the ways in which the combination of visuals and written copy in an Instagram post work to create an advertisable overall image of Southeast Asian countries as tourist destinations.

Using a qualitative content analysis, twenty seven posts from the official tourism Instagram accounts of Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines were analyzed to determine what overall image is being presented, how this is being accomplished, and if the advertisement of these …

A Fake Future: The Threat Of Foreign Disinformation On The U.S. And Its Allies, Brandon M. Rubsamen

Global Tides

This paper attempts to explain the threat that foreign disinformation poses for the United States Intelligence Community and its allies. The paper examines Russian disinformation from both a historical and contemporary context and how its effect on Western democracies may only be exacerbated in light of Chinese involvement and evolving technologies. Fortunately, the paper also studies practices and strategies that the United States Intelligence Community and its allied foreign counterparts may use to respond. It is hoped that this study will help shed further light on Russian and Chinese disinformation campaigns and explain how the Intelligence Community can efficiently react.

The Promise Of Media Literacy Education When “Everything Is At Stake” And “Everything Is Expected”, Monica Bulger, Gina Baleria, Renee Hobbs, Kimberly R. Moffitt

Journal of Media Literacy Education

In the midst of a tumultuous time in American and global history, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference 2021 hosted a panel to explore the promise and limits of media literacy. Panelists discussed the vital role of media literacy education in responding to challenges to democracy, social justice, and public health. With “everything at stake,” the panelists moved through responses to current crises while grounding in a historical context and offering recommendations for the future. Curated transcripts share a pivotal moment when much was expected of media literacy and media literacy experts explored promise and …

Egyptian University Students’ Smartphone Addiction And Their Digital Media Literacy Level, Abdelmohsen Hamed Okela

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study examined the correlation between Egyptian university students’ smartphone addiction and digital media literacy. Data were gathered from a sample of 558 students enrolled at Minia University, aged 18-22, using an online questionnaire. Results revealed a significant positive correlation between smartphone overuse and digital media literacy levels. Moreover, it was found that university students obtained higher scores on the smartphone addiction scale, and social networking applications (e.g., WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok). Also, it was found that smartphone gaming, learning, and entertainment apps increase the likelihood of smartphone addiction and boost digital media literacy levels. These findings suggest that smartphone …

Social Media Impact On Entrepreneurship Intention: Lessons Learned From Business Startuppers, Panagiotis Mallios, Leonidas Zampetakis, Vassilis Moustakis

Journal of Business & Entrepreneurship

The potential impact of social media use on the development of entrepreneurial intention has received little attention. In addressing this gap, research reported herein extends entrepreneurial intention literature by explicitly incorporating social media use. Inquiry investigates development of intention via specific social media factors that influence intention through its antecedents, namely, perceived entrepreneurial desirability and perceived entrepreneurial feasibility. The article summarizes the salient aspects of a quantitative study of social media usage and startup entrepreneurial intention in Greece. Based on the entrepreneurship event model, theory of planned behavior and technology acceptance and adoption models, this article examines potential social media …

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

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 …

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 …

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 …

Watching Sports Online: Evaluating The Viewing Motivations Of Sports Streaming Service Users, Jordan Dove

LSU Master's Theses

With millions of viewers tuning in to sporting events each year, there are many different motivations to analyze as to why there are such a large amount of people involved. More recently, sports streaming services have become a second option for viewers to watch sporting events, creating even more popularity for the sports market. New highs of streaming viewers have been seen with each passing year, as new media continues to take over old traditional media like network television. In 2022, for instance, streaming service viewership surpassed cable tv and broadcasts (Nielsen, 2022), creating a turning of the tide. Many …

Performance Expectancy And Use Of Social Media For Marketing By Staff Of Selected Publishing Firms In South-West, Nigeria, Osarobu E. Igudia Dr, Solomon Tosin Ogunsina Mr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Social media are platforms through which people of the different networks create, share and exchange information, ideas and also market products such as books in a virtual community. They are instruments for communication that do not just pass information but interact with customers. Since many benefits are derivable from the use of social media for marketing, it becomes imperative to investigate how book marketers use social media to achieve the objectives of their organisations. This study adopted a descriptive research design of correlational type. The population of the study was 212 marketing and sales staff of selected publishing firms. The …

Toxic Positivity And Perceptions Of Mental Health, Madeline E. Feltner

Senior Theses

My thesis concerns how toxic positivity, especially the type we commonly see on social media, can affect perceptions and stigma around mental health issues on college campuses. Toxic positivity is the belief that a person should always maintain a positive mindset, no matter what situation they are in, and invalidates negative emotions. Previous research shows that toxic positivity can have a negative effect on mental health, but in this thesis, I study how toxic positivity affects perceptions about others with mental health issues, willingness to interact with those with mental health issues, and self-perception. It is important to research this …

Bridging The Gap Between Skidmore Students And Local Businesses, Charlotte Benson

Self-Determined Majors Final Projects

Skidmore students are an underutilized customer base for small businesses in Saratoga Springs. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the purchasing behaviors of Skidmore students in order to determine how local small businesses can better attract them as customers. Current Skidmore students were surveyed and interviewed to ascertain overarching patterns in their purchasing habits. Results show that word of mouth and social media are influential at Skidmore, but are underutilized by local businesses. Findings also suggest that purchasing habits are largely formed during students’ first year at Skidmore. Finally, interview and survey results indicate that Skidmore students most …

Coca-Cola Curses: Hate Speech In A Post-Colonial Context, Brittan Heller

Michigan Technology Law Review

Hate speech is a contextual phenomenon. What offends or inflames in one context may differ from what incites violence in a different time, place, and cultural landscape. Theories of hate speech, especially Susan Benesch’s concept of “dangerous speech” (hateful speech that incites violence), have focused on the factors that cut across these paradigms. However, the existing scholarship is narrowly focused on situations of mass violence or societal unrest in America or Europe.

This paper discusses how online hate speech may operate differently in a postcolonial context. While hate speech impacts all societies, the global South—Africa in particular—has been sorely understudied. …

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 …

Diversity In Morris With Social Media, Trey Rockey, Breckin Silvain

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

This work is about how the media can affect the college process, which can let schools have more of a diverse school. Also this work discusses how the media has its positive and negative side effects.

Utilization Of Facebook As A Media For Political Literacy In Building Political Awareness Of The Voters In The Regional Elections In The Province Of West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, Fathurrijal Fathurrijal

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract: This paper discusses the use of Facebook accounts as a media for political literacy by the Nahdlatul Wathan organization on the island of Lombok, in welcoming the regional head elections in the Province of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Indonesia. The questions answered in this study are what is the strategy of the Nahdlatul Wathan organization in using a Facebook account as a media for political literacy. This study was conducted to describe the political literacy activities of the Nahdlatul Wathan organization in the 2018 regional head elections in West Nusa Tenggara Province. The Nahdlatul Wathan organization has an active …

Let's Talk Body: An Applied Senior Project On Social Media Body Image, Katherine R. Tonges, Lindsey J. Dwyer

Communication Studies

This paper discusses the overwhelming presence of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok in the recent generation's (Gen-Z) daily lives. Influencers have become the new celebrities by creating a “relatable and desirable” lifestyle that users aspire to gain. However, the pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards and buy promoted products can lead to negative effects on users' mental health and self-esteem. The authors of this paper (Tonges and Dwyer) have created a podcast and Instagram account to encourage an honest conversation about the impact of social media on one’s actions, emotions, and brain chemistry. By analyzing social media …

Learning-Based Stock Trending Prediction By Incorporating Technical Indicators And Social Media Sentiment, Zhaoxia Wang, Zhenda Hu, Fang Li, Seng-Beng Ho, Erik Cambria

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Stock trending prediction is a challenging task due to its dynamic and nonlinear characteristics. With the development of social platform and artificial intelligence (AI), incorporating timely news and social media information into stock trending models becomes possible. However, most of the existing works focus on classification or regression problems when predicting stock market trending without fully considering the effects of different influence factors in different phases. To address this gap, this research solves stock trending prediction problem utilizing both technical indicators and sentiments of the social media text as influence factors in different situations. A 3-phase hybrid model is proposed …