Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes both ASU Theses and Dissertations, submitted by graduate students, and the Barrett, Honors College theses submitted by undergraduate students.
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With the millennial and Gen Z generations being comprised of avid social media users, corporations have turned to online platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, as a way of communicating and connecting to their audiences. One method that corporations are using to attract consumers is utilizing internet memes. Brands and corporations are now marketing through internet memes to enhance and define the brand’s personality and voice. This study examines the ways corporations use internet memes to personify their brand image and the overall effectiveness of meme usage in engaging consumers. Based on an exploratory analysis of brands over several media pages, we find evidence that brands with an edgy or humorous personality have increased engagement when using this method of communication, while more luxury brands should avoid using memes. Our research was conducted by examining and analyzing the social media accounts of four companies that use memes regularly as ways to promote their brands between November 1, 2018 and February 1, 2019. Our findings suggest that there is no definite correlation between internet memes and consumer engagement, rather that they are beneficial to use in addition to traditional marketing. In order to gain a stronger understanding of the relationships between internet memes and engagement, future research can study online brand personalities more in-depth and develop theories on the effectiveness of meme usage.
ContributorsReicks, Amber Michelle (Co-author) / Ahmas, Roxanna (Co-author) / Ostrom, Amy (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
For decades, corporate firms have included corporate responsibility initiatives in their regular business functions in an effort to communicate a priority toward the communities they operate in, rather than just the customers they serve. These actions \u2014 whether implemented through financial or human resources \u2014 have grown to be a common addition to business models across industries. In recent years, however, the simple addition of a community-oriented campaign to a firm's regular business proceedings have become less effective in positioning a firm as a devoted corporate citizen. Today, consumers have access to more information and opportunities for substitutes than ever before, and as they make buying decisions, they are interested in seeing the firms they support orient themselves at the heart of community engagement, rather than interacting with the community through passive support. This study and discussion highlights the trends that several corporate responsibility professionals have seen emerge in recent years regarding their respective employers' corporate responsibility initiatives. Thoughts and reactions from corporate responsibility managers representing financial, education, insurance, and technology companies will be synthesized and analyzed for trends and shared positive and negative experiences related to their common work in initiating corporate responsibility programs at their respective firms. The discussion will also illustrate the specific challenges each of the professionals face daily in implementing successful CR programs within their firms. In aggregate, this discussion will provide a comprehensive look at what exactly firms are doing in today's CR sphere: it will demonstrate what trends are working well, which have yet to be tailored to have the best impact, and what is to come of the corporate firm's relationship with its community.
ContributorsRoberts, Katelyn J. (Author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis is to describe and analyze work that I personally contributed to Sun Devil Giving Day and to present the recommendations I have as a result. This thesis will also serve as a guide for next year’s campus activation lead and team. Volunteers, locations, and booths are the three main components that I managed leading up to SDGD. The work within those areas has been detailed throughout the document. Having the opportunity to write and reflect on SDGD has given me the chance to share an experience I had as campus activation lead and to critically think about the work that was completed and my personal lessons for leading similar projects in the future.
The idea of a university-wide giving day is not a new one. Seven year’s ago, ASU and the ASU Foundation set out a goal to incorporate giving as a university tradition. Shifting the student mindset has been no easy task, as building the next generation of philanthropist will continue to take innovative creativity and grit. As the idea of monetary giving increasingly dwindles, it will be annual traditions like Sun Devil Giving Day (SDGD) that will serve as a touch point to educate students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the whole ASU community on the importance of philanthropy, what giving means to them, and how they can make an impact now. With 9,318 gifts and $11,462,634 raised, this year’s SDGD was a success. Outlined throughout are benefits of a giving day, the history of ASU’s SDGD, and current student giving. One of the ways that Sun Devil Giving Day sets out to do this is through campus activation. This includes creating and executing a philanthropic engagement booth that serves as a way for students to interactively think about their giving and what they care about at ASU. Through serving as the Campus Activation Lead, I coordinated the volunteers, campus locations, and the booths leading up to and the day-of the event.
The idea of a university-wide giving day is not a new one. Seven year’s ago, ASU and the ASU Foundation set out a goal to incorporate giving as a university tradition. Shifting the student mindset has been no easy task, as building the next generation of philanthropist will continue to take innovative creativity and grit. As the idea of monetary giving increasingly dwindles, it will be annual traditions like Sun Devil Giving Day (SDGD) that will serve as a touch point to educate students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the whole ASU community on the importance of philanthropy, what giving means to them, and how they can make an impact now. With 9,318 gifts and $11,462,634 raised, this year’s SDGD was a success. Outlined throughout are benefits of a giving day, the history of ASU’s SDGD, and current student giving. One of the ways that Sun Devil Giving Day sets out to do this is through campus activation. This includes creating and executing a philanthropic engagement booth that serves as a way for students to interactively think about their giving and what they care about at ASU. Through serving as the Campus Activation Lead, I coordinated the volunteers, campus locations, and the booths leading up to and the day-of the event.
ContributorsAlibrandi, Amanda (Author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This thesis explores data-driven engagement strategies for the ASU Baseball team to implement in order to increase student attendance at their home games, held at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, given that all general students have a financial buy-in to their collegiate athletic programs. Developing a loyal fan base is essential to a team’s overall success, leading to an increased sense of pride and passion for on-field heroism. Our research team's focus was on analyzing the brand positioning of the Sun Devil Baseball program to determine what opportunities exist within the program. Our methods included collecting secondary data and conducting primary research via a Qualtrics survey administered to undergraduate students on ASU’s campus. The survey results were then used to propose data-driven engagement strategies covering various aspects of campus life in order to provide a well-designed value proposition. Additionally, we used findings from our secondary data to evolve our recommendations past student attendance and into overall presence as well. Through conducting research of different histories, examining the current situation, then identifying an opportunity to grow along with a plan of action, this creative project will cover multiple key areas of a student brand report.
ContributorsPersonale, Caitlin (Author) / Berge, Nicole (Co-author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2022-05