Matching Items (18)
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- All Subjects: Marketing
- All Subjects: Immigration
- Creators: Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
- Status: Published
Description
This paper looks at the growth of influencer marketing in application and how it has shifted the relationship between brands and consumers. Barriers to enter the space and methods of practice are discussed and analyzed to project the accessibility of obtaining influencer status. Best practices for brands and influencers are outlined based on research, and key findings are analyzed from interviewed participants that play an active role in the field. Another component of the paper includes the discussion of the significance of platform dependence regarding influencers and brands using social media channels to reach consumers. The dynamic of the relationship that exists between consumers, brands and platforms is demonstrated through a model to demonstrate the interdependence of the relationship. The final component of the paper involves the exploration of the field as an active participant through an experiment that was conducted by the researcher on behalf of the question: can anyone be an influencer? The answer to this question is explored through personal accounts on the journey during an eight month process of testing content creation and promotion to build awareness and increase engagement. The barriers to enter the space as an influencer and to collaborate with brands is addressed through the process of testing tactics and strategies on social channels, along with travel expeditions across Arizona to contribute to content creation purposed into blog articles. The findings throughout the paper are conclusive that the value of influencer marketing is increasing as more brands validate and utilize this method in their marketing efforts.
ContributorsDavis, Natalie Marie (Author) / Giles, Bret (Thesis director) / Schlacter, John (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The automotive industry is a staple of the U.S. economy, an international job generator and a leader in research and innovation. Cars have symbolized freedom and independence for generations. But to Millennials, they represent additional payments and crowded parking lots. Millennials are the largest generational cohort and wield considerable buying power. This thesis used case studies and elite interviews to examine Millennials' buying habits and how automotive marketers can reach this audience. The project found that life events, such as moving into the suburbs or having a family, are what motivate Millennials to buy cars. When they do purchase vehicles, Millennials strive to balance the need for practicality with the desire to purchase aspirational brands. Automakers that support Millennials during their consumer research and position their cars as a supplement to the Millennial lifestyle tend to resonate with the generation.
ContributorsSitter, Katherine Faith (Author) / Barrett, Marianne (Thesis director) / Edsall, Larry (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Searching for home: An in depth look at undocumented youth in Arizona from their perspective, a research and creative project, looks at not only the history and data surrounding unauthorized immigration, but a personal account through the stories of undocumented immigrants. The research paper focuses on the policies, court cases and history of protests that surround the topics. The article under Appendix A focuses on the personal stories and accounts of two undocumented immigrants who discuss the importance of fighting to stay in the U.S. and preserving the dream and life they built. Two videos also explore the emotional stories of the undocumented immigrants and those who live on the border. The first video features two undocumented immigrants who discuss their beliefs in protesting and working to stay in the U.S. The second video features two women who have lived in both Mexico and the U.S. legally and discuss how immigration and border policies affect them.
ContributorsMacklin, Alexis Isabella (Author) / Angela, Kocherga (Thesis director) / David, Seibert (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Unauthorized confronts the relationship between technology and personhood in the modern world. More specifically, it addresses the personal and social effects of border politics within the frame of cyber crime. The short film takes place in the near future where a hacker can create citizenship for anyone she wants, effectively turning anyone into a legal person in the United States. This parallels the real life struggles of unauthorized immigrants trying to gain a new life this side of the border despite the overwhelming backlash from the conservative and xenophobic population. The main character's ability to grant citizenship forces the viewer to confront what being a person really means. The film also alludes to the popularized antics of modern day hackers and whistleblowers who are often turned into heroes for fighting the establishment despite their character flaws. The protagonist of Unauthorized struggles through underhanded sexism and blatant racism as well as her own personal struggles with drug addiction and failed relationships. These are very real struggles women face in technology jobs and life in general. The main character's actions ultimately destroy every relationship that she's established, including the connection to her own family. This film, in short, is about the walls people build between each other, both physical and social.
ContributorsStabley, Justin E. (Author) / Bradley, Christopher (Thesis director) / Baker, Aaron (Committee member) / Department of English (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
It is important to examine training programs for in-store associates in the specialty retail industry. The retail industry is strong right now, and growth is expected to be at 7% over the next 10 years. In the retail industry, the Internet poses a credible threat to brick and mortar stores, as many customers now prefer to shop online. To compensate for this, storefronts need to provide an increasingly exceptional in-store experience to drive sales and maintain customer relationships. Creating excellent training programs for in-store associates is the best way in which to improve the relationship between the customer and the associate and create an excellent store experience. Strong associate training programs have numerous benefits to the overarching organization. An employee that feels confident and competent in their job is more engaged at work. Engaged employees are less likely to quit than average, which means a strong training program can save a company turnover costs and loss of institutional knowledge. Additionally, an engaged associate is more likely to exert extra discretionary effort, which increases operational efficiency. Ultimately, an engaged employee will strengthen the service profit chain and create a better overall experience for the customer. When creating a training program it is important to take into account the learning preferences of the company's associates. Millennial learners prefer working in groups, integrated technology, and lessons that are applicable to real life. Generation X learners are self-sufficient and view time as a luxury. They expect material to be straightforward and concise. Additionally, when creating a training program it is important to benchmark programs within and outside of the operating industry. REI has a comprehensive training program that focuses on connecting employees to the mission of the company as well as in-depth product knowledge. Macy's recently overhauled its training program to include more face time with managers and semi-annual refresher trainings. Ritz-Carlton, a step outside of the retail industry, provides legendary training where employees receive over 250 hours of training in the first year alone. Ritz-Carlton employees are highly engaged and autonomous in their work, which leads to an excellent hotel experience. Using my internship as a field study, I share some important results from work with a Fortune 400 specialty retailer headquartered in the Phoenix Valley. Here I examine the associate and customer relationship with the aim of improving the in-store experience. Through benchmarking, associate interviews, and data analysis I am able to recommend a long-term vision for training at the organization where up-to-date product information is accessible in the aisle and overall knowledge well rounded through buddy shift programs and cross-training. My overall recommendation for the specialty retail industry is to take a holistic approach to training. I advocate looking at training programs from multiple perspectives including learning preferences, employee motivations, and corporate culture. Additionally, holistic training means that a company educates and trains associates in all areas of the business through cross-training and buddy shifts. Holistic training will create an engaged work force and improve the customer experience.
ContributorsHouts, Madeline Kirby (Author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This full-length, two-act play explores the way loss brings together and tears apart two families in the United States, a lower-middle class Mexican family and a relatively wealthy white family. Throughout the play we explore family dynamics, culture, and how we all ultimately cope with navigating a complex and often devastating world. While this thesis project has completed the honors requirements, the play itself is still under construction. The version you see here is a final thesis project, but not a final product.
ContributorsBilker, Molly Alexandra (Author) / King de Ramirez, Carmen (Thesis director) / Stephens, Mary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Letters and Sciences (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2015-05
DescriptionThe purpose of this thesis is to analyze and outline the different publicity and promotion tactics along with social media tactics that film studios use to market their films and the overall importance of the audience.
ContributorsEngers, Carli Noelle (Author) / Pucci, Jessica (Thesis director) / Chadha, Monica (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Entertainment Marketing to the Millennial Generation is an honors thesis project which combines research with a creative application. The thesis consists of four main segments: an overview of data surrounding Millennials, a discussion of three companies that successfully marketed to this generation, the creation and explanation of a proposed marketing modeling framework and an application of the previously found conclusions to a brief advertising strategy for Paramount Pictures. This thesis first looks at the Millennial Generation to answer the question "Who are the Millennials?" and to more clearly understand their role as media and entertainment consumers. Characteristics of technological dependence, fast-moving attention spans, desire for connection, and unique brand perceptions emerged as most significant. The case studies examine the marketing campaigns of Lionsgate Films' The Hunger Games, Nickelodeon's The 90s Are All That and MTV Iggy's Music Experiment. Strategic tactics used to target and foster a strong Millennial fan-base were identified. The previously discovered principles led to the development of a modeling framework to be used to build a Millennial-focused marketing campaign. The framework utilizes the five key elements of connectedness, hyper-advertising, technological leadership, brand currency and cultural edge. Finally, all findings were gathered and applied to Paramount Pictures. The knowledge gained from Millennial research, the case studies and the marketing framework shaped recommendations for a creative advertising brief for Paramount Pictures' Anchorman 2. The general principles of the thesis were also suggested for use in marketing in various industries.
ContributorsHoy, Grace Dorothy Curran (Author) / Ostrom, Amy (Thesis director) / Olsen, Douglas (Committee member) / Brooks, Daniel (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
This paper reflects on the processes and outcomes of a multimedia storytelling project on undocumented, queer individuals in Phoenix. It weaves these stories into theories of intersectionality and social movements to give them context. Extensive research has been done on the separate experiences of undocumented immigration and queerness, but little research can as of yet be found on the intersection of both. Participants in this project stand at this intersection, and their stories demonstrate how the UndocuQueer experience brings unique challenges, and thus cannot be solely constructed by existing groups and norms. The web-based project can be found at: http://undoqmented.businesscatalyst.com/
ContributorsCline, Annika Susanne (Author) / Grzanka, Patrick (Thesis director) / Cheng, Wendy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
This study examines the relationships between the success of Instagram health and fitness influencers and the images they share. As social media continues to grow as a source of information and interconnectedness, the sway influencers hold over their followers and potential consumers grow too. The success of these influencers in gaining followers, motivating opinions and achieving an aesthetic physique, result in monetary gain. On the media site Instagram, influencers with one million followers can garner over $50,000 per sponsored post. Specifically, the research focuses on four Instagram influencers who have over 200,000 followers. The subjects, Amanda Bucci, Nikki Blackketter, Maxx Chewning and Christian Guzman, were selected based on their popularity within the weight lifting community. Together, these influencers have over 400 million followers on Instagram. The study analyzed 32 photos sourced from the influencer's Instagrams. Of the 32 images, 16 were selected as branded content and 16 were selected as candid content. These images were then coded to answer the following research questions: (1) is there a pattern in the visuals weight lifters share, (2) is there a difference between branded or candid content, (3) how do these similarities or lack thereof influence number of Instagram followers and financial success, and (4) what physical dimensions contribute to a weight lifter's success on Instagram? This study uses content analysis to understand the symbolic meaning of texts and visuals. With the findings showing recurrent themes between (1) posture of subject, (2) use of brand affiliation and (3) professional grade photography, we confirm that bodily capital, sponsorship and authenticity are successful tactics used by influencers to generate a following.
ContributorsKoontz, Ellanna Marie (Author) / Matera, Fran (Thesis director) / Artigue, Ray (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05