Purpose: The purpose of this study is to see what implications the new communication channel of Covert Virals has on acknowledged communication strategies and whether or not these strategies are still viable within Covert Virals.   Background: The term Covert Viral has been given to pieces of advertisement, spread through the medium of electronic word of mouth over social networks, which are designed to look user made. With the defense mechanisms towards traditional advertisements in mind, and the extensive growth of the social networks, it is of high interest to understand how traditional branding strategies work in this new communication channel.  Method: To answer our research questions, and thereby conclude our purpose, we have used quantitative data which was collected through the use of non-random sampling. This was analyzed within the SPSS statistics software, using both descriptive and inferential statistics.  Conclusion: The implications this communication channel brings to traditional branding strategies has been divided into two categories, Brand Awareness strategy implications, and Brand Attitude strategy implications. Within Brand Awareness strategies it was found that Covert Virals were unfit to execute brand recall strategies. However, Brand recognition strategies were found to still apply, with a possible negative backlash of advertising for a competitor‟s brand. Within Brand Attitude Strategies, we found that a new restriction has been placed on the traditional strategies. This restriction is the obligatory use of emotional branding. Furthermore, this emotional branding must be constructed in such a way so that it caters to both the viral intent of the advertisement, and the branding intent. / Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att fasställa vilken inverkan den nya kommunikationskanalen Covert Virals har på existerande teorier gällande varumärkeskommunikation och om dessa teorier är tillämpliga på Covert Virals.  Bakgrund: Covert Virals är en term för reklam som har spridit sig via så kallad elektronisk „mun till mun‟ -marknadsföring via sociala nätverk där upphovsmannen framställs som icke företagsrelaterad. På grund av svårigheter att nå kunder via traditionell  marknadsföring och den omfattande tillväxten inom sociala nätverk på senare år, är det av största vikt att förstå hur företag ska marknadsföra sig genom denna nya kommunikationskanal.  Metod: För att uppfylla vårt syfte har vi använt oss av en kvantitativ undersökning som har samlats in genom ett icke slumpmässigt  urval. Svaren analyserades både med hjälp av trendanalys och beskrivande statistik genom mjukvaran SPSS Statistics.  Slutsats: Utfallen av undersökningen är uppdelade i medvetenhet om, respektive attityd till, varumärket. Covert Virals är inte lämpliga för att öka tittarnas förmåga att erinra sig ett varumärke, men fungerar väl för att skapa igenkännelse av varumärket. Det finns en risk att de positiva effekterna av en covert viral tillkommer konkurrenter i lika stor eller större utsträckning som det egna varumärket. När det gäller attityd till ett varumärke så har studien visat att det finns en ny begränsning i det att en Covert Viral måste använda sig av känsloladdade budskap. Detta känsloladdade budskap måste dels skapa en stark vilja att vidarebefordra meddelandet samt förmedla den känslan marknadsföraren vill associera med varumärket.

The purpose of this research was to understand the creation of a brand composed of four individual elite athletes and how stakeholders involved used social media to co-create the brand. The study examined the unique context of the FAB_IV; four individuals divers branded as a team. Semi-structured interviews were performed with participants from Diving Canada, its athletes, member of the COC and sponsors. The sample was built through a purposeful and snowball sampling method that added to stakeholders identified from the literature. Archival data of organizational documents, FAB_IV microsite, social media accounts, news outlet content and online content were also gathered in order to complement the data from the interviews. The deductive and inductive data analysis highlighted four main themes: brand strategies and implementation - sponsorship and sponsorship activation - media and fan interest - stakeholder’s relationship. Specifically regarding social media, the research showed that in order to use social media as a brand co-creation tool, organizations and athletes need to have a strategy in place, use them with consistency and be creative in what they publish. Additionally, fostering relationships with followers was identified as a key contributor of building a brand on social media. Researchers and future researches should focus on organizations who, along with their stakeholders, are using social media as the main tool to co-create their brand. Moreover, having the fan or follower perspective, when doing a research pertaining to brand and value co-creation on social media, would also be a possible avenue for future researches.

Researchers have shown that strategies focused on building long-term competitive advantage tend to be more profitable for businesses. Further, companies have traditionally put their focus on strategies and on marketing tangible attributes of products and services such as quality, price and so on to differentiate from the competitors (Mascarenhas et al, 2006). Nonetheless, researchers have studied that consumers do not put any more emphasis in those characteristics when purchasing product or services underlining the needs to put the consumer as central aspect of a firm’s strategy (Morrison & Crane, 2007). In addition, it has been found that focusing on customer experience and use of correct brand management techniques and marketing initiative nowadays drives the company to have a competitive advantage and long-term economic sustainability. All being said it is true both generically speaking and in the specific context of kitchen appliances. In fact, market research suggests that in the kitchen appliances industry companies have begun to compete along new dimensions, whereby putting the consumers and their experiences as a central aspect of the business has become increasingly important for actors who wish to stay and be competitive in the business. However, in the existing literature, there is not accordance on how to define customer experience and scholars identified that it depends on the context, which makes it difficult and confusing when marketing experts and firms want to identify the key aspects to improve the experience of their customers. On top, it has been found that brand identities are more or less relevant depending on the context, country culture and such, where the brand market its product and services. In according to what said, the purpose of this study is to explore and identify the most important dimensions and touchpoints in the specific kitchen appliances context that has more impact on the customer experience, with the aim to better define customer experience in the kitchen appliances context that could give indication to companies operating in the market how to address to some extent those problematics. The research adopted an exploratory qualitative study design. Interviews were used to gather primary empirical data that together with secondary empirical data and insight from the literature review had allowed the researchers to explore and address the research questions and state conclusions that however cannot be considered conclusive according to the nature of the study. In addition, the research reveals that consumer experience is a broad topic that accounts for and depends of many different aspects all interconnected one to another. In addition, it has been found that the aspects around brands, consumer experience and its touchpoints vary not only in relation to the context in study, but as well according to different stakeholders that deal with them. In addition, in the consumer journey, critical aspects reside in both tangible attributes of products and services and intangible attributes that together become critical and in the specific context shape how people think about the brand, and consequently their experiences. Finally, a possible definition of customer experience according to what found was given

There are major challenges for Chinese firms that may jeopardise the creation of credibility when establishing in the Swedish market. It is therefore important for Chinese firms to implement efficient international branding strategies that contribute to the formation of credibility for Chinese companies. International branding strategies of brand positioning, brand awareness and brand image constitute a foundation that Chinese brands can adopt to obtain credibility among Swedish consumers. Abductive research in accordance with the topic of study has been conducted through qualitative means. Primary data collection through semi-structured interviews with participants contributed to the investigation of the theoretical framework presented in the second chapter: Literature Review, and analysed in chapter five: Analysis. Through the analysis of the data, along with the presented prerequisite knowledge, the authors have been able to identify international branding strategies Chinese firms can implement to gain credibility. The thesis presents a conclusion of positioning a brand in accordance with Westernisation, price setting, presenting the country of origin, and beneficial attributes, while establishing familiarity through brand awareness and finally, conveying trustworthiness and high quality through the brand image to gain credibility.

Bakgrund: Employer branding har blivit ett alltmer aktuellt fenomen i den föränderliga värld vi lever i. Det kan ses som ett verktyg för att både rekrytera och behålla anställda. Organisationer behöver ständigt anpassa sina employer branding strategier efter nuvarande förutsättningar, och modifieringar kan behöva göras för att en organisation ska kunna behålla nuvarande anställda. Syfte: Vår studie avser förklara modifiering av employer branding strategier i relation till interna och externa faktorer, i syfte att behålla anställda. Metod: Studien innehar en induktiv ansats där rollen av teori inte lagt grunden. För att förklara modifiering av employer branding strategier och vilka externa och interna faktorer som spelar in, har en fallstudie genomförts med sju informanter. Studien utgår ifrån kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med både HR-personer och medarbetare inom den valda organisationen. I studien genomförs en tematisk analys för att förstå vilka interna och externa faktorer som påverkar modifiering av employer branding strategier. Slutsats: Studiens resultat förklarar modifiering av employer branding strategier i relation till interna och externa faktorer, både baserat på HR och de anställdas syn. Utifrån resultat och analys har en modelltagits fram som illustrerar samspelet mellan interna och externa faktorer och hur dessa resulterar i modifiering av employer brandig strategier. En slutsats som kan dras är att samspelet mellan interna och externa faktorer är avgörande för en effektiv och hållbar modifiering som i sin tur gör att organisationer lyckas behålla anställda. / Background: Employer branding has become an increasingly well-known phenomenon in the changing world we live in. It can be seen as a tool for both recruiting and retaining employees. Organizations need to constantly adapt their employer branding strategies to current conditions, and modifications may need to be made to enable an organization to retain current employees. Purpose: Our study intends to explain the modification of employer branding strategies in relation to internal and external factors, in order to retain employees. Method: The study has an inductive approach where the role of theory has not laid the foundation. To explain how organizations modify employer branding strategies and which external and internal factors come into play, a case study was conducted with seven informants. The study is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with both HR-people and employees within the chosen organization. The study conducts a thematic analysis to understand which internal and external factors influence the modification of the employer branding strategies. Conclusion: The results of the study explain the modification of employer branding strategies in relation to internal and external factors, both based on HR and the employees' opinions. Based on results and analysis, a model has been developed that illustrates the interplay between internal and external factors and how these result in modification of the employer branding strategies. A conclusion that can be drawn is that the interplay between internal and external factors is crucial for an effective and sustainable modification which in turn means that organizations succeed in retaining employees.

This Thesis investigates China's utilization of social media for nation branding and its role in soft power projection in the digital era. Through an analysis of China's strategies on platforms like Weibo, WeChat, and Twitter, the study explores how digital communication shapes China's global influence and perceptions. Key factors influencing China's impact include cultural exchange, adaptability to technological changes, and strategic engagement with diverse audiences. The research highlights China's proactive approach to digital diplomacy, crisis management, and narrative control, emphasizing the country's efforts to enhance its soft power presence. The thesis provides valuable insights for policymakers, scholars, and practitioners navigating the complexities of global diplomacy and influence in the digital age.