Background: Social media influencers (SMIs) have become an important asset to the constantly changing world of marketing. The impact SMIs have within e-commerce and the influence they have on consumers have been observed. Therefore, the use of SMIs as a marketing tool in improving brand knowledge has been vastly adopted by many companies. However, the extent to which SMIs as co-founders contribute to creation of brand knowledge, remains undiscovered.  Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate how SMIs as co-founders in e-commerce companies contribute to creating brand knowledge. It aims to contribute with valuable knowledge in how e-commerce companies can implement modernized marketing and branding strategies by including SMIs as co-founders in a company.  Method: This qualitative study is based on semi-structured interviews with six relevant participants operating in four companies within the same industry. A deductive approach was implemented, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis, enabling interpretations and extractions of important themes and patterns. Conclusion: The research concludes that SMIs as co-founders significantly impact brand knowledge in e-commerce companies. Consumers form associations with the SMIs that are transferred into the companies. Further, SMIs contribute with an already existing engaged consumer base through their established relationships of trust and credibility. However, it is important to refrain from completely relying on the SMIs.

Submitted by Roberta Brito (robertakellylb@gmail.com) on 2018-10-23T01:13:19Z No. of bitstreams: 3 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) carta de encaminhamento.pdf: 176136 bytes, checksum: 534f77e5effb06abb7cd3d123c67e823 (MD5) Dissertação_Vapores_de_Mauá.pdf: 9139782 bytes, checksum: d37f0bad2770b44b69294049788989d1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by História PPGH (ppghsecretaria@ufam.edu.br) on 2018-10-23T16:02:38Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 3 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) carta de encaminhamento.pdf: 176136 bytes, checksum: 534f77e5effb06abb7cd3d123c67e823 (MD5) Dissertação_Vapores_de_Mauá.pdf: 9139782 bytes, checksum: d37f0bad2770b44b69294049788989d1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Divisão de Documentação/BC Biblioteca Central (ddbc@ufam.edu.br) on 2018-10-23T19:56:32Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 3 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) carta de encaminhamento.pdf: 176136 bytes, checksum: 534f77e5effb06abb7cd3d123c67e823 (MD5) Dissertação_Vapores_de_Mauá.pdf: 9139782 bytes, checksum: d37f0bad2770b44b69294049788989d1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-10-23T19:56:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) carta de encaminhamento.pdf: 176136 bytes, checksum: 534f77e5effb06abb7cd3d123c67e823 (MD5) Dissertação_Vapores_de_Mauá.pdf: 9139782 bytes, checksum: d37f0bad2770b44b69294049788989d1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-07-26 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The steam navigation in the Amazon was a subject much discussed since the beginning of the 19th century. However, this navigation was only effected in 1853, by means of a contract with the Navigation and Commerce Company of Amazonas, under the direction of Irineu Evangelista de Souza, the Baron of Mauá. This company served for eighteen years, sailing from one extreme to another in the region (from Belém, in Pará, to Nauta, in Peru). In addition to the navigation activity, this company also carried out the activity of colonization, another important theme in the nineteenth century. This research aims to understand the Company of Amazonas as a commercial enterprise, part of a political and economic project, and reconstitute its activities, outlining its operation in the region. / A navegação a vapor na Amazônia foi um tema bastante discutido desde o início do século XIX. No entanto, essa navegação só foi efetivada em 1853, por meio de um contrato com a Companhia de Navegação e Comércio do Amazonas, sob a direção de Irineu Evangelista de Souza, o Barão de Mauá. Essa empresa atuou por dezoito anos, navegando de um extremo ao outro da região (de Belém, no Pará, a Nauta, no Peru). Além da atividade de navegação, esta empresa também realizou a atividade de colonização, outra importante temática no século XIX. Esta pesquisa tem como foco compreender a Companhia do Amazonas enquanto um empreendimento comercial, parte de um projeto político e econômico, e reconstituir suas atividades, esboçando o seu funcionamento na região. / Alterar o nome de ICHL para IFCHS. Erro de caracteres no e-mail de cadastro de novos usuários. Obs. de Marcos Roberto