Recently, sexting has gained popularity in both popular press and academic publications. Despite the prevalence of this communicative behavior, there is limited research that focuses on a theoretical explanation as well as how it can potentially enhance relationships. The purpose of this dissertation was threefold: to utilize the multiple goals theoretical perspective to examine sender goals when sexting, to assess if multiple goals within sexting was associated with relational behaviors and outcomes, and to develop a reliable and valid scale for sexting goals. A two-phase study was implemented. In phase 1, participants provided actual sexting messages they had recently sent to another person, and also provided their goal when they sent that particular message. Participants also answered scales related to relationship, communication, and sexual satisfaction, affectionate communication, and relational maintenance behaviors. Analytic coding was utilized for the open-ended responses regarding message content and goals, and the researcher also used the responses to develop participant- and theoretically-driven scales. Nine themes were identified for the type of goal participants had when sending sext messages. For phase 2, the proposed scale for the multiple goals of sexting was added to the preexisting survey. The researcher coded 204 sexting messages provided by participants as instrumental, relational, or identity goals and conducted multiple regressions to assess how the type of goal influenced each of the five relational outcomes. Multiple regressions revealed no significant associations among multiple goals and outcomes. Finally, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the proposed scale for the multiple goals of sexting. The EFA revealed a four-factor solution and the CFA demonstrated factorial validity for the scale. Post hoc analysis revealed significant associations for the goals from the scale and the relational outcomes. The results of this dissertation demonstrate that multiple goals are utilized in the context of sexting, and that specific goals are important for relational outcomes.

Research questions: What role do culture and legislation have when it comes to the message content of betting companies? Do the culture and legislation influence the companies to use either emotional or rational marketing? Do culture and legislation influence the companies to use either hard or soft-sell in marketing? Purpose: The intention of writing this paper is to give the reader a full concept on the market of betting/gambling and get an explanation of how the changes in communication can differ in the Swedish, British and American markets depending on legislation barriers and cultural diversity. We strive to build a more comprehensive explanation of how these factors influence Svenska Spel, Bet365, and MGM to use either an emotional or rational marketing strategy and a hard- or softselling approach when they construct a favorable message content. Method: This is a qualitative research study with an abductive approach. The information used in the study is thoroughly researched, and the laws and cultural norms that are investigated are relevant within the study’s framework. The literature study was carried out by collecting theory from credible scientific articles, public regulations, and a carefully worked out Hofstede model. Conclusion: The results of this study show that the culture heavily influences the actual message content of each company on the market as well as the laws and legislations. Evidence to support this claim is that the traits of emotional and rational marketing combined with either soft-sell or hard-sell reflect the cultural traits of both the consumers and the market as a whole.

[pt] O varejo se depara hoje com a crescente onipresença de tecnologias móveis digitais. No entanto, a maioria das compras ainda é concluída em lojas físicas. Muitas questões surgem então com relação à conexão do digital com o físico, do online e do offline, sendo a proximidade do consumidor com relação ao ponto de venda um aspecto instigante do contexto estratégico do mobile marketing. Pouco se sabe ainda sobre os efeitos do marketing baseado em localização nas visitas à loja. O objetivo desta tese é então examinar os efeitos do conteúdo de mensagens mobile e dos dados de geolocalização nas visitas às lojas, conectando os esforços online ao comportamento offline, em uma perspectiva cross-channel. O método consiste em um estudo qualitativo, um estudo de dados secundários (estudo 1), experimentos de campo (estudos 2 e 3) e um experimento online (estudo 4), em uma abordagem de método misto. O estudo qualitativo envolveu entrevistas em profundidade com gerentes de nível C e especialistas em mobile de importantes empresas da indústria digital. O estudo 1 analisou quais elementos visuais e textuais são preditores de taxas mais altas de visitação (VTR) em campanhas mobile, usando visão computacional e aprendizado de máquina em uma amostra de 640 campanhas de celular baseadas em localização. Os resultados mostram que anúncios mobile com apelo de marca tendem a gerar mais visitas ao ponto de venda do que aqueles com apelo de compra. Um anúncio mobile exibindo uma pessoa / pessoas tende a gerar mais visitas ao ponto de venda do que um sem pessoa. As palavras black, desconto e participar tiveram um efeito positivo nas visitas. O Estudo 2 testou o efeito da proximidade do consumidor ao local em resposta a notificações push mobile. O Estudo 3 testou os efeitos do conteúdo de mensagens mobile (prompts promocionais, de marca ou personalizados) combinados com dados de geolocalização em visitas a lojas. Ambos os estudos foram realizados em um experimento de campo em um grande shopping center, com os usuários do aplicativo do shopping. Dadas as limitações dos dados dos estudos 2 e 3, devido à pandemia de Covid-19, foi realizado um quarto estudo experimental online, com 1.534 participantes. Como contribuição teórica, os estudos forneceram novas perspectivas sobre mobile marketing, comunicação baseada em localização e efeitos de notificação push sobre as atitudes e comportamento dos clientes, trazendo mais insights sobre a era do marketing de marca na mão. Os resultados ajudam a direcionar decisões estratégicas de mobile marketing, impulsionando ações de menor alcance, mas maior precisão, com expectativa de taxas de conversão mais altas. / [en] The retail context faces an increasing omnipresence of mobile technologies. Yet, most purchases are still concluded in brick-and-mortar stores. Many issues arise regarding connecting digital with physical, online and offline, with the consumer proximity to physical locations as an important aspect of the mobile marketing strategic context. Little is known about the effects of mobile location-based marketing on store visits. The objective of this dissertation is to analyze which visual and textual features of push online mobile messages generate more visits to brick-and-mortar stores, connecting online efforts to offline behavior, in a cross-channel perspective. The method consists of a qualitative study, a secondary data study (study 1), field experiments (studies 2 and 3) and an online experiment (study 4), in a mixed-method approach. The qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with C-level managers and mobile experts from major companies in the digital industry. Study 1 analyzed which visual and textual features are predictors of higher visit through rates (VTR) in mobile campaigns, using computer vision and machine learning in a sample of 640 location-based mobile campaigns. The findings show that mobile adds with branding appeal tend to drive more visits to the offline point of sale than those with purchase appeal. A mobile add displaying a person / people tends to drive more visits to the offline point of sale than one with no person. Words black, discount and participate displayed a positive effect. Study 2 tested the effect of the proximity of the consumer to the location in response to mobile push notifications. Study 3 tested the effects of mobile message content (promotional, branded or personalized prompts) combined with geolocation data on store visits. Both studies were conducted in a field experiment in a large shopping mall, with the mall app users. Given the limitations of the data from studies 2 and 3, due to Covid-19 pandemic, a fourth online experimental study was conducted, with 1.534 participants. As theoretical contribution, it provided new perspectives on mobile marketing, location-based communication and push-notification effects on customers attitudes and behavior, bringing further insights into the brand in the hand marketing era. The results help directing mobile marketing strategic decisions, driving actions of smaller reach but greater precision, with expected higher conversion rates.