This study is a content analysis of media content in a 12-month time period in the lives of Jason Wu and Thom Browne, who were the designers of Michelle Obama’s outfit to the second presidential inauguration. In order to discover the increase in awareness and media coverage of these designers due to Michelle Obama’s fashion selection during the second inauguration, which brought about publicity, the researcher compared mentions, tone of stories, and framing of stories concerning these designers 6 months before and after the inauguration. Results indeed gave support to the hypothesis that mentions of these designers increased significantly after that pivotal event, that the mentions were more likely to include Michelle Obama, and that Wu received more mentions than Browne. However, support was not obtained for an increase in positive tone of stories after the inauguration.

Shifts in culture and technology have changed the manifestation of celebrity in modern society, culminating in the practice of internet microcelebrity, where one views followers as fans, produces content consistent with a personal brand, and engages in strategic interaction with devotees. This thesis examines how those effects have also changed how terrorists present themselves and operationalize celebrity status. An original typology of terrorist celebrity is presented: traditional, martyr, and internet micro-celebrity. Two in-depth case studies of terrorist micro-celebrities are analyzed: Anwar al-Awlaki of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Junaid Hussain of the Islamic State. The case studies are examined through content analysis of social media postings, personal chat transcripts, as well as mainstream media coverage of the individuals used to reconstruct their biographies. Following mainstream trends, these terrorist internet celebrities have built personal brands that target specific communities. Awlaki targeted English-speaking Muslims living in the West and IS foreign fighters like Hussain often target young people in the fighter’s countries of origin. Their online personas are created to be relatable and engaging to those specific audiences. Ultimately, mainstream celebrity trends have bled into terrorist behavior. By creating brands and managing them through micro-celebrity practices, terrorists have effectively weaponized online celebrity, using it for recruitment and planning.

Brands are an important feature in today’s society. A brand can consist of anything; a product, an organisation, a university, a person or even a city. They are not constricted to products or companies, but are important constituents of culture. Having a cup of coffee at Starbucks is not only about the coffee, it’s also about the brand; its values and motivations, and what it represents for the customers and fans. Brands are interweaving themselves further into society than ever before. Social media is growing and taking up a large part of people’s time. We discuss everything, including brands, on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Thus it is imperative for brands to actively partake in the discussion to not submerge and lose control over their brand image. They shape their brand identity, but the image is what is perceived by the people. If they let others shape the perception of the brand then there is a great risk that the image construct will not correspond to their intended identity. Social media provides a gateway for fans and brands to interact. This thesis investigates the primary uses of Facebook and Twitter for product and people brands respectively. Also, it looks at what components of the brand identity are displayed on the aforementioned platforms for both product and people brands and whether there are any differences between the brand types. The investigation takes the shape of a content analysis of twenty brands’ Facebook and Twitter pages – 10 each for product and people brands. Variables pertaining to the four identity perspectives proposed by David Aaker – (1) brand as product, (2) brand as organisation, (3) brand as person, and (4) brand as symbol – were used to see whether there is a dominant perspective that brands adopt when interacting with fans in social media. Also, the uses of social media were investigated and matched with authors’ suggestions for ideal uses of social media for brands. It was found that, in line with several authors’ recommendations of ideal usage of social media; brands adopt an identity approach consistent with Aaker’s Brand as Person perspective – regardless of brand type. The Brand as Person perspective was dominant for people brands on both Facebook and Twitter, however, slightly more enhanced on the latter. While still being the main perspective for product brands, the other identity perspective are given more attention so the prevalence of the Brand as Person perspective is not quite as distinguished. Also, the main uses of Twitter and Facebook were found to differ; Facebook is to a further extent used to engage fans whereas Twitter is predominately used to inform. The results provide a basis for which future research on brand identity and uses for brands in social media can build upon, starting with these general findings to dig deeper into more specialised areas of brands in social media.

This thesis looks at electronic dance music (EDM) celebrity and fandom through the eyes of four producers on Twitter. Twitter was initially designed as a conversation platform, loosely based on the idea of instant-messaging but emerged in its current form as a micro-blog social network in 2009. EDM artists count on the website to promote their music, engage with fans, discover new songs, and contact each other. More specifically, Twitter is an extension of a celebrity’s private life, as most celebrities access Twitter from their cellphones and personal computers, cutting out gatekeepers from controlling their image. Four power player producers in EDM are used as case studies for analysis of the intimacy and reach Twitter provides. Chosen because of their visibility, style, and recognition, Deadmau5, Diplo, Skrillex, and Tiësto represent different EDM subgenres, run their own record labels, have dedicated fans, and are accessible through social media. All use Twitter to announce shows, interact with fans, promote contests and merchandise, and share stories and pictures of their personal lives with their fan followers. Tweets are a direct line for fans to communicate with these celebrities through the reply, retweet (RT), and mention functions on Twitter. Fan tweets to and from these EDM celebrities are also examined by looking at celebrity-fan encounters in the cyber world and the real world, aftereffects of celebrity RTs, and engagement with said celebrities. The internet is the lifeline for this subculture as it changed the way EDM is shared, promoted, and packaged. Twitter and other social media sites give producers the exposure they never experienced with traditional media and allow fans to participate in a global subculture. To sum up, this is a study on how Twitter influenced EDM and personalized the relationship between producers and fans. / text

No description available.

This thesis explores the history of European integration in the 1950s and 1960s from a popular cultural perspective anchored to a central figure from the era, Brigitte Bardot, in order to demonstrate that the peoples of Western Europe were engaged in processes of Europeanization that helped legitimize economic and political unions. Yet, official EU policy’s privileging of one (outdated) mode for understanding culture has handicapped alternative interpretations of a common European cultural heritage, failing to embrace a shared popular culture. Bardot is a suitable icon through which to begin an exploration into the diversity and significance of an integrating postwar European popular culture because she was a microcosm of several broad, transnational trends in postwar Europe including the rise of mass mobility, a major shift in European fashions, new gender constructions, and the explicit politicization of popular culture. Her films, career, lifestyle, and representation(s) provide key axes from which one can pivot into interrelated areas of European culture and societies in this era—pop culture; consumer culture; youth culture; mobility culture; media culture; political culture; and gender relations—demonstrating a widely integrating European popular cultural sphere. Within this context, Bardot was representative of broad postwar societal changes, served as a mass diffusion tool in relating these changes to the people of Europe, and functioned as a driving force in creating new transnational popular cultural forms. In addition, Bardot is a figure useful in understanding the relationship between Europe and the United States, while also demonstrating that economics is not separate from culture and popular culture. The Treaty of Rome, ostensibly about economic integration, further enabled the many circulations apparent in Bardot's career—people, goods, information, and ideas—that were already taking place. Furthermore, popular culture was not irrelevant to, or separate from politics and it helps to explain how the escapism and narcissism of European popular consumer culture could generate a rebellious, but sophisticated political consciousness. Western Europe does indeed have a distinct history of shared popular culture, which should be a factor in discussions of ‘Europeanization’ and the legitimacy of the European Union. It is necessary to explore the roots of this shared popular culture so that it does one day form the basis of a longstanding shared popular culture and can become a recognized element supporting the legitimacy of identities in the European Union in more fluid, dynamic ways.

Användandet av sociala medier ökar kraftigt och har under de senaste åren blivit en viktig del i människors vardag. Detta ger företag en möjlighet att använda sig av sociala medier i sin marknadsföring och är en av de mest populära strategierna just nu är när företag samarbetar med influencers i sin marknadsföring. Detta kallas influencer marketing. Dock finns det svårigheter för företag att hitta rätt influencer att samarbeta med och det finns olika faktorer som behöver värderas innan ett samarbete startar. Forskningsfrågorna som har besvarats i denna studie är vilka faktorer företag anser är viktigast samt vad konsumenterna anser är viktigt när företag samarbetar med influencers på Instagram. Räckvidd, relevans samt resonans är tre faktorer som tidigare studier visar har betydelse samt är viktiga vid influencer marketing. Studien genomfördes med en kvalitativ ansats i form av fokusgrupp med konsumenter samt intervjuer med marknadsförare som arbetar på företag inom mode- och skönhetsbranschen i Sverige. Denna information utgjorde den empiriska data som studien består av. Resultatet av studien visar att både konsumenterna och företagen inom mode- och skönhetsbranschen värderar faktorn relevans högst. Konsumenterna anser att det viktigaste är att influencern är trovärdig samt kunnig om produkten personen marknadsför, medan företagen värderade högst att influencerns image speglar företagets. Förslag till fortsatt forskning är att studera vad influencers tycker är viktigast när de väljer företag att samarbeta med. Det skulle vara intressant att veta influencernas åsikter angående detta och om även de värderar relevansen högst.

[pt] Num mundo onde ser celebridade tornou-se algo a ser almejado, há um interesse crescente pela vida de pessoas que se tornaram famosas. Esse interesse está diretamente relacionado com as narrativas midiáticas da vida das celebridades, uma vez que, a partir do exemplo de alguém que já conseguiu o estrelato, pode ser possível tentar seguir o mesmo caminho. Nesta dissertação, vamos identificar as estratégias utilizadas na narrativa do programa Por toda Minha Vida, da Rede Globo, a fim de permitir que o telespectador, a partir do conhecimento da trajetória de vida de um personagem exemplar – artistas ligados à Música Popular Brasileira –, possa acreditar que é possível que a sua própria vida tenha igualmente sucesso e felicidade. Para atingirmos esse objetivo, analisaremos como se dá o percurso do personagem exemplar na narrativa biográfica desse programa de televisão, as estratégias que permitem que a história narrada seja crível e os elementos utilizados para criar apelo emocional e identificação entre o telespectador e o personagem exemplar, um verdadeiro herói, digno de admiração. / [en] In a world where being celebrity has become something to be desired, there is a growing interest in the lives of people who have become famous. This interest is directly related to the media narratives of celebrity life, since, from the example of someone who has already achieved stardom, it may be possible to try to follow the same path. In this dissertation, we will identify and analyze the strategies used in the narrative of the program Por toda minha vida, produced by Rede Globo, in order to allow the viewer, from the knowledge of the life story of an exemplary character - artists linked to Brazilian popular music - may believe that it is possible that his own life also has success and happiness. To achieve this goal, we will analyze how is how is the path of exemplary character in the biographical narrative of this TV program, strategies that allow the narrated story is believable and the elements used to create emotional appeal and identification between the viewer and the exemplary character, a true hero, worthy of admiration.

Title: The effect of the use of sports celebrities as the reference group on the buying preferences of the young generation in the Prague region Objectives: The main objective of the thesis is to determine through marketing research whether and what effect has the use of sports celebrities in marketing communication of companies as a reference group on the buying preferences of the young generation, so-called Generation Y, in the Prague region. Methods: The thesis used a questionnaire survey and subsequent focus groups. For the creation of the questionnaire is used as a basis the US version of the original questionnaire of the authors BUSH, MARTIN, BUSH (2004). Firstly the questionnaire undergoes a process of transcultural transfer, in which is utilized a modified direct translation and confirmatory factor analysis. This survey includes a sample of 416 respondents who are students of Prague secondary schools and universities. Focus groups are conducted with four groups which counts a total of 41 respondents. Results: The research results show that the use of sports celebrities in marketing communication has no demonstrable effect on the word-of-mouth communication and the switching and complaining behaviour for Generation Y. This communication tool can have an indirect positive effect on brand...

Submitted by Anderson do Nascimento Ricci (anderson.ricci@fgv.br) on 2018-07-23T14:09:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 J.Ribeiro da Silva_Tese FGV.pdf: 2952965 bytes, checksum: 91408927dff5ec9499641b2db136c131 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Janete de Oliveira Feitosa (janete.feitosa@fgv.br) on 2018-07-24T13:39:22Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 J.Ribeiro da Silva_Tese FGV.pdf: 2952965 bytes, checksum: 91408927dff5ec9499641b2db136c131 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-24T18:59:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 J.Ribeiro da Silva_Tese FGV.pdf: 2952965 bytes, checksum: 91408927dff5ec9499641b2db136c131 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-06-20 / Purpose – The Match-up hypothesis is a concept which suggests that the stronger the match (i.e. the congruence, adequacy), between both a celebrity and a product, the more effective an endorsement will be. In this paper, we pretend to examine the mentioned match-up hypothesis under a social class perspective. Design/Methodology – An experiment, consisting of two surveys, was conducted to evaluate both the perceived adequacy of a celebrity-product match and its impact on consumers’ purchase intentions. Findings – Results revealed that, although the match enhanced consumer’s perceived adequacy, this rise was not translated into greater purchase intentions. Research limitations – The usage of only one product category, as well as differences regarding personal preferences and biases stemming from the non-probabilistic sampling method, were some of the limitations faced during the research. In addition, the lack of information about the topic, since it had never been studied, corresponded to another limitation. Practical implications – By acknowledging that consumers do perceive an adequacy and match between the type of products and the celebrities’ social class, companies, through their marketing and communication departments, are able to create, design and “shape” specific strategies in order to increase both the effectiveness of endorsements and consumers’’ engagement. Social implications – As a result of its marketing nature and company specific focus, the present research does not offer a wide spectrum of social implications. However, one might consider the understanding of an existing cognitive association, as well as a mental construct, between consumers’ minds and the social characteristics of the elements involved in a consumption decision as a major contribution in this field. Originality - Extant literature has only focused on the celebrity’s attractiveness (physical and/or intellectual) and credibility (expertness and trustworthiness), being the present work the first to focus and explore other perspectives and characteristics such as the social class. / Objetivo – A teoria de “Match-up hypothesis” (hipótese de combinação) é um conceito que sugere que quanto mais intensa, forte, for a combinação (i.e., a congruência ou adequação) entre a celebridade e o produto promovido, maior será a eficácia do endosso. Neste trabalho, nós pretendemos examinar o referido conceito e o impacto do mesmo sob uma perspectiva de classe social. Metodologia – Um experimento/estudo, consistindo em dois questionários, foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar tanto a adequação percebida entre celebridade e produto, assim como o impacto da última nas intenções de compra dos consumidores. Resultados – Os resultados revelaram que, não obstante ao facto do o referido “match” realçar e aumentar a adequação percebida pelo consumidor, esse aumento não se traduz num crescimento das intenções de compra. Limitações – A utilização de apenas uma categoria de produtos, assim como as diferenças relacionadas com preferências pessoais e enviesamento decorrente de um método de amostragem não probabilística, foram algumas das limitações enfrentadas durante a pesquisa conduzida. Adicionalmente, a falta de informação e dados sobre o tópico discutido, uma vez que nunca fora antes estudado, correspondeu a outra limitação. Aplicabilidade do trabalho – Ao reconhecer que os consumidores são capazes de entender a existência de um “match”, uma relação, entre o tipo de produtos e a classe social da celebridade, as empresas podem criar, projetar e “desenhar” estratégias específicas de forma a aumentar não só a eficácia do endosso como também o engajamento dos consumidores. Contribuições para a sociedade – Devido à natureza do trabalho e ao seu foco nas ações de uma empresa, o presente estudo não oferece um espectro muito alargado de contribuições no campo social. Todavia, o reconhecimento da existência de uma associação cognitiva, assim como de construções mentais, entre a mente dos consumidores e as características sociais dos elementos envolvidos na decisão de consumo pode ser considerado o maior contributo do estudo neste campo em análise. Originalidade – A literatura existente tem-se apenas focado na atratividade (aparência, física e/ou intelectual) e na credibilidade (perícia e confiança) de uma celebridade, sendo o presente trabalho o primeiro a focar-se e explorar outras perspectivas e características tais como a classe social.