Matching Items (64)
Description
Content creation, or the process of creating and then publishing pieces of creative work, is an increasingly popular way in which individuals can earn income. In fact, one area of content creation, video development, allows many creators to build a full-time career through content they release online through video distribution platforms like YouTube and TikTok. By building their platform and growing their follower base, creators are able to earn money simply by viewers watching their videos. Creators cultivate a brand around their personal image and how they want to be perceived, and they base their content around this brand which they tailor to a specific audience. Content creators often build profitable businesses based off of their personal brand in order to create a career that can potentially outlast fleeting fame and fortune. These businesses founded by content creators are uniquely positioned compared to a traditional business, due to the lasting relationships that creators nurture with their audiences. They create a deep-rooted connection based on authenticity and trust that the creator instills in their followers. Compared to influencer marketing, where creators are paid by a company to sell their products, products that creators personally create are able to make a larger impact on their audience since their product is rooted in the brand they have fostered and is specifically targeted toward their follower base. This paper focuses on exploring the background of YouTube, TikTok, and other methods creators can utilize to build their personal brand, and how they can leverage success on their platform to create businesses and strategically position themselves in the market. By considering individual success stories of content creators, this paper examines the factors that contributed to the growth of each of their platforms and the success of their businesses. Through these examples it becomes apparent that gaining popularity on YouTube and then converting that popularity to a successful business lacks a direct path for success and is not guaranteed for each person by following a specific formula.
ContributorsNance, Elizabeth (Author) / White, Victoria (Co-author) / Swarup, Ava (Co-author) / Giles, Charles (Thesis director) / Schlacter, John (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This paper describes the process of starting a sustainable fashion business, Happy Lola Collective, with the goal of saving all clothes from ever ending up in a landfill. The Business Model Canvas was used to flesh out the original business idea, treated as a series of hypotheses which were then tested over the next nine months. Our results were broken down and used to plan future changes for Happy Lola.
ContributorsO'Connor, Erin (Author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Giles, Charles (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor)
Created2022-12
Description
Content creation, or the process of creating and then publishing pieces of creative work, is an increasingly popular way in which individuals can earn income. In fact, one area of content creation, video development, allows many creators to build a full-time career through content they release online through video distribution platforms like YouTube and TikTok. By building their platform and growing their follower base, creators are able to earn money simply by viewers watching their videos. Creators cultivate a brand around their personal image and how they want to be perceived, and they base their content around this brand which they tailor to a specific audience.
Content creators often build profitable businesses based off of their personal brand in order to create a career that can potentially outlast fleeting fame and fortune. These businesses founded by content creators are uniquely positioned compared to a traditional business, due to the lasting relationships that creators nurture with their audiences. They create a deep-rooted connection based on authenticity and trust that the creator instills in their followers. Compared to influencer marketing, where creators are paid by a company to sell their products, products that creators personally create are able to make a larger impact on their audience since their product is rooted in the brand they have fostered and is specifically targeted toward their follower base.
This paper focuses on exploring the background of YouTube, TikTok, and other methods creators can utilize to build their personal brand, and how they can leverage success on their platform to create businesses and strategically position themselves in the market. By considering individual success stories of content creators, this paper examines the factors that contributed to the growth of each of their platforms and the success of their businesses. Through these examples it becomes apparent that gaining popularity on YouTube and then converting that popularity to a successful business lacks a direct path for success and is not guaranteed for each person by following a specific formula.
ContributorsSwarup, Ava (Author) / White, Victoria (Co-author) / Nance, Elizabeth (Co-author) / Giles, Charles (Thesis director) / Schlacter, John (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / The Sidney Poitier New American Film School (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2023-12
Description
This research covers the landscape of influencer marketing and combines it with the knowledge of 11 content creators and one social media specialist, ultimately producing an actionable handbook. Participants were asked questions that were intended to discover key strategies, level of difficulty, and overall insight into the content creator world. Best practices and key findings are identified in the research paper, and outlined into four parts in the handbook. The handbook serves as a compilation framework derived from my primary and secondary sources designed to provide anyone interested in becoming a content creator or social media influencer on steps they may take given what their predecessors have done to successfully launch their careers in the space.
ContributorsEsparza, Alexa (Author) / Giles, Charles (Thesis director) / Schlacter, John (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
The fashion industry demonstrates itself to be highly competitive and aggressive, making it difficult for fashion graduates to find work in the industry. Another customer problem is that fashion products do not ideally meet customers' expectations, whether it is through fit, design, etc. These two problems relate to the inefficiencies in the ideation and distribution channels of fashion. There is a lack of another outlet for fashion where products are different from what retail offers and fashion ideas can be shared. The two problems stated previously are byproducts of this. This research study and entrepreneurial effort of building a web platform will allow consumers, designers, manufacturers, and retailers (these target groups are also known as "customer segments" throughout the project) to work together to create a clothing product that not only fits the customer's vision, but also provides the ability for designers and small businesses to better establish themselves in the industry. The website was designed based on potential customers' inputs collected from a marketing survey, a competitive analysis, and the business model canvas. The website was developed following the systems development life cycle (SDLC) project management method. This was followed in order to make sure the website will be available on time, with all the required features, and within the budget. According to the survey analysis, most people do not make an effort to produce a unique design if a fashion product does not meet their standards. Instead, they will settle for an item similar to what was in mind and that already exists in-stores or online. However, further data analysis showed that this difference was apparent between men and women. Thus, the research finding was that the website would be targeting a niche market of college-aged women during the first launch. In order to reach the small target segment, different digital marketing approaches must be used to attract new users. To attract college-aged female consumers, the site must discover and sponsor "influencers" to authentically promote the website towards prospective consumers. To attract designers, word of mouth is best utilized: reaching out to design majors at Arizona State University, then other local schools, and expanding from there. To attract local manufacturers and retailers, a typical direct sales strategy is necessary by informing these businesses about the team and background, so that they feel confident in the partnership. The overall hypothesis of this project: the creation of a web platform that provides a network among consumers, designers, and local businesses will create jobs for designers, cause local businesses to build recognition, and allow consumers to create their own fashion product without design experience. This site is named My Clothing Line to make it feel as though each of the individual customers are logging into their own business site.
ContributorsTran, Melissa Kim (Author) / Lin, Elva (Thesis director) / Giles, Charles (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This paper intends to inform the reader about the current state of crowdfunding, also known as crowdsourced funding, as of early May 2014. Crowdfunding has proven to be an interesting alternate to other more common financing vehicles with its ability to unite people over common ideas and projects without requiring the contribution of large amounts of capital. Further, the changing legal landscape invites a new era of deregulation that makes crowdfunding easier than ever before. This paper contains explanations of the different types of crowdfunding, platforms (websites), and the international landscape particularly of the US and Europe as well as statistics regarding the predicted future growth of the industry.
ContributorsMurphy, Kevin Edward (Author) / Budolfson, Arthur (Thesis director) / Schein, Stephen (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis will be to outline the different tactics involving social and digital media that film studios currently use to market their films. Before that is done, a brief history will be provided about the ways the film industry has promoted itself in the past, as well as a brief history of the development of social media. After the history is provided, the marketing tactics that studios use that involve digital and social media will be listed and explained. In addition to discussing the tactics used by studios, there will also be a discussion of the shifts that have occurred in the marketing of films at a strategic level. After the explanation of all the tactics mentioned, there will be an analysis of the ways two major Hollywood blockbusters, The Hunger Games and Gravity, used some of those tactics to promote themselves. Through all these sections, the reader will be able to comprehend how big of an impact social media has made on the film industry and understand exactly how it is used to promote films.
ContributorsRamirez, Alvaro R (Author) / Gruber, Diane (Thesis director) / Giles, Charles (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
This paper explores the rationale and analysis of a global financial institution and the methodologies used to underwrite a deal between the commercial bank and a middle market client looking to renew existing commercial loans; particularly a real estate term loan, long-term revolving line of credit, guidance line of credit (GLOC), equipment line of credit, and an interest rate swap contract. Typical analysis in the form of risk allowance, collateral due diligence, industry observation, and company-specific financial and operational strength has been performed and the deal has been approved by JPMorgan Chase & Co. Additionally, the frequency of covenant default has been determined by a pro forma income statement simulation based on a combination of both normal and uniform distributions to determine various outcomes for sales and cost of goods sold growth in future years. The results of the simulation are used to determine probability of default on specific financial covenants in the deal to gain a better understanding of the risks associated with the proposed exposure amount and the client's future financial situation.
ContributorsHebert, Troy Thomas (Author) / Boguth, Oliver (Thesis director) / Budolfson, Arthur (Committee member) / Hoyt, Jeffrey (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
The goal of this thesis is to motivate college students to be financially aware and drive them toward attainable financial goals and freedom through budgeting. By providing a foundation of financial knowledge, they can begin to make intelligent decisions about their purchases. After they learn about their current spending habits, students can soundly determine what they have monetarily and then how to allocate that money appropriately. The paper outlines different categories these students should focus on fiscally, like rent and housing as the largest expenses and entertainment expenses as a common pitfall in a college student's budget. Constant financial awareness is reiterated throughout, indicating this is a day-to-day skill to develop. The thesis finally ties up with discussing financing options for college and life in general, with student loans, credit cards, and savings.
ContributorsSchachte, Jessica Linn (Author) / Budolfson, Arthur (Thesis director) / Hoffman, David (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2013-12
Description
Advertising to the Millennial Generation is an honors thesis project that combines research with a creative application. The thesis is broken into three main sections: a literature review of the Millennial Generation, three case studies identifying brands or advertising campaigns that have successfully reached Generation Y, and the application of these findings to an advertising campaign with additional marketing mix elements for Bose headphones.
Before creating a campaign targeting Millennials, this thesis first identifies which consumers belong in the Millennial demographic. The definition given looks beyond the ‘age 18-34’ demographic information and analyzes the generation’s unique characteristics, their feelings of being misunderstood by businesses, the importance of social media and technology in their world, and what motivates them to take action.
The subsequent case studies examine the advertising tactics of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, the burgeoning social news and entertainment website BuzzFeed, and Beats by Dre headphones. Each of these brands successfully captured the Gen Y demographic group, with an emphasis on the younger end of the 18-34 age spectrum, and effectively communicated their understanding of Millennials’ culture. Each of the three campaigns contained social or digital elements to create engaging and relevant content for the niche of younger Millennials. Immediately following the case studies, best practices are outlined to summarize the findings.
Finally, a digital campaign is proposed for Bose headphones. The literature review, case studies, and best practices contributed to the culminating campaign, which will allow Bose to reach the younger Millennial audience.
Before creating a campaign targeting Millennials, this thesis first identifies which consumers belong in the Millennial demographic. The definition given looks beyond the ‘age 18-34’ demographic information and analyzes the generation’s unique characteristics, their feelings of being misunderstood by businesses, the importance of social media and technology in their world, and what motivates them to take action.
The subsequent case studies examine the advertising tactics of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, the burgeoning social news and entertainment website BuzzFeed, and Beats by Dre headphones. Each of these brands successfully captured the Gen Y demographic group, with an emphasis on the younger end of the 18-34 age spectrum, and effectively communicated their understanding of Millennials’ culture. Each of the three campaigns contained social or digital elements to create engaging and relevant content for the niche of younger Millennials. Immediately following the case studies, best practices are outlined to summarize the findings.
Finally, a digital campaign is proposed for Bose headphones. The literature review, case studies, and best practices contributed to the culminating campaign, which will allow Bose to reach the younger Millennial audience.
ContributorsOechsner, Meredith Leigh (Author) / Montoya, Detra (Thesis director) / Ostrom, Amy (Committee member) / Giles, Charles (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2014-05