This study investigates and aims to capture a new phenomenon: “celebpreneurship”, a new form of entrepreneurship emerged through the celebrification process. Where ordinary individuals transform into celebrities, and become entrepreneurial when they reach certain amount of “well-knowness”, in order to monetize their activities. The empirical data is obtained based on a complete observational study of two exemplary cases dealing with this phenomenon; Chiara Ferragni, the fashion blogger and yTravel Blog, the travel bloggers. Celebpreneurs start to build up networks and communities online through accessible media as blogs and social networking websites, to create awareness and desire among their audience eventually. They follow the effectuation venturing principle to pursue capitals and resources and transform into stabilized causational ventures at a later stage. The commodification and contemporary fame of these individuals are fundamental in the establishments of further entrepreneurial activities. As result, the phenomenon shows the existence of entrepreneurship in different forms and areas, as the celebpreneurs are involved into various brand partnerships, endorsements, product campaigns and even in the creation of own ventures. The contribution of this study is to show how effectuation, community building and celebrification can extend, re-activate and mobilize the classical approach of entrepreneurship.  Keywords: Celebpreneurship, Entrepreneurship, Celebrification, Effectuation and Causation, Celebrity, Capitals, Online Networks, Social Media, Blogging

Influencer marketing and celebrity endorsement has grown in the past years and has become a vital part of marketing in the fashion industry. This field has been well researched, however a gap in the research is the focus on men and the role brand love has. The purpose of this study has been to enhance the understanding of how brand love influences men’s perception when exposed to influencer marketing and celebrity endorsement on Instagram. Additionally, the aim was to examine if influencer marketing or celebrity endorsement was most appropriate when marketing brands.    The method for this thesis was a qualitative approach by interviewing men in focus groups. The empirical findings were analyzed together with the literature in order to find thematics. The conclusions from the analysis was men do not experience brand love in the same capacity as the literature describes. However their emotional preferences and connections can still influence how they view brands being marketed on Instagram by an influencer or celebrity endorser. Men tend to trust celebrity endorsement more compared to influencer marketing regardless of gender, as they are viewed as more professional aligned with source credibility. However, the empirical findings showed men do not feel a need for male influencers. A reason why brands need to rethink marketing through endorsers.

The widespread use of social media platforms and the emergence of influencer marketing have revolutionized brand-consumer interactions, particularly among the younger demographic. In line with this trend, the influence of e-cigarette influencers on Generation Z (Gen Z) has become a prominent area of research. As influencer marketing continues to thrive and the e-cigarette industry experiences significant growth, it is imperative to comprehend how these influencers shape Gen Z's perception of influencers endorsing e-cigarette brands. Therefore, this study aims to examine the perception of Gen Z towards Instagram influencers in the United States who endorse e-cigarette brands. By exploring the perspectives of Gen Z, this research seeks to gain insights into the potential impact of these influencers on Gen Z's attitudes and behaviours regarding e-cigarettes. The study was based on the theory of source credibility and celebrity endorsement. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and employed in-depth interviews and netnography as methodology. A total of eleven in-depth interviews were conducted with participants from Gen Z who possessed knowledge and familiarity with e- cigarettes. Additionally, through netnography, comments from publicly available Instagram posts of the selected e-cigarette influencers were collected and examined over a period of three years. The findings highlight that Gen Z generally holds a positive perception of e-cigarette influencers on Instagram, perceiving them as credible sources of information and inspiration, thereby influencing their attitudes and behaviours concerning e-cigarettes. These insights have practical implications for e-cigarette brands aiming to engage Gen Z through influencer marketing, emphasizing the importance of trust and expertise in influencer-generated content. However, the study also highlights potential societal implications, including the potential for i increased e-cigarette consumption and ethical concerns surrounding the influence of trustworthy influencers on underage users. In conclusion, the study proposes avenues for future research, such as conducting surveys with larger sample sizes and exploring perceptions of e- cigarette influencers on alternative social media platforms like TikTok.

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...

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Social media use is ubiquitous, especially among young adults. Negative consequences of social media use has been associated with engaging in upward social comparisons with others on social media. The current paper presents a series of two studies that seek to understand the nuances of social comparisons as they occur while browsing social media. In Study 1 (N = 161) we tested whether upward social comparisons would be less harmful when the comparer focuses on the similarities, rather than differences, with the comparison target. We observed a marginal interaction indicating that when thinking about similarities with the target, upward comparisons were slightly less detrimental to self-evaluations, than when thinking about differences. Study 2 (N = 320) tested other potential moderators of upward social comparisons suggested by traditional theories of social comparison to see if they would apply to a social media context. We predicted when a participant rates the comparison target to be more similar (vs. different) and distant (vs. close) and the domain to be more attainable (vs. less attainable), upward social comparisons will be less harmful to self-evaluations. Neither similarity nor closeness were significant moderators. Multilevel models showed a significant interaction between upward comparisons and attainability on self-evaluations (p < .001). Simple slopes indicated viewing the domain as attainable amplified the harmful effects of upward social comparisons on self-evaluations compared to viewing the domain as less attainable. These results are contrary to our predictions and suggest that traditional theories of social comparisons may not apply to a social media context. We also investigated how the target of the social comparison would impact the experience of the social comparison and its impact on self-evaluations. Results from Study 2 showed that participants who made comparisons with distant others (celebrities/strangers) were more likely to have higher upward social comparison scores, lower levels of similarity and closeness and view the domain as less attainable. These results display when we could expect harmful consequences following making a social comparison with a celebrity or stranger while viewing Instagram, posts. Study limitations and advantages are discussed along with future research to be explored.

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This study explores the discursive construction of Chinese women in the Chinese reality show Sisters Who Make Waves, with a special focus on the discursive shifts and their relevance to the wider discourse of and about Chinese women. The analysis is carried out on two levels: the discursive construction of Chinese women in the said reality show and its recontextualisation across other discourses including in the public sphere and semi-private opinions of Chinese women.  This research discusses the discursive construction of Chinese women in the Chinese media field and the discrepancy between “top-down” and “bottom-up” discourse. The project uses a multi-layer theoretical framework situated in media and society, gender and media representation, celebrity culture and digital labour to explore the discursive construction of Chinese women. The study applies to the reality show as the primary context, media perceptions as the recontextualising context, interviews with female employees in the Chinese internet industry as the secondary context. In order to investigate the arguments and discursive strategies in different contexts, this study employs a multilevel model of the Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA) in Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA).  The findings discover that the said reality show focuses on the topos of age and the topos of beauty. These two main topoi cause different representations of social actors in Chinese media perceptions. As the representatives of female digital labour, the female employees in the Chinese internet industry construct three discursive strategies of self and relate their self-perception to those of other women. Furthermore, the study implies the discursive shifts in the discourse on Chinese women. This thesis contributes to understanding the discursive construction of women in the Chinese context, particularly the media and gender representations in the Chinese hybrid media system. In addition, this study stands outside the Western world and expands the understanding of the topic in a non-western setting.

Den här uppsatsen undersöker filmstjärnan Leonardo DiCaprios retoriska funktion såsom den manifesteras i klimatdiskursen. Undersökningen genomförs med speciellt avstamp i två av hans filmer vilka i uppsatsen anses särskilt relevanta med tanke på deras produktionsmässiga samtidighet med DiCaprios år som FN:s fredsbudbärare varunder han valde att uppmärksamma klimatfrågan: The revenant (2015) och Before the flood (2016). Filmerna betraktas i uppsatsen som diskurser, likaledes semiotiska texter. Denna undersökning utförs med stöd i ett antal analysverktyg och teoretiska utgångspunkter. Forskningsfälten klimatkommunikation och celebritetsstudier är viktiga utgångspunkter, medan melodrambegreppet och Lloyd F. Bitzers ”retoriska situation” är de viktigaste analysverktygen. Även västerngenren och tillhörande mytbildning bereds stor plats, inte minst på grund av att en av filmerna, The revenant, är en västernfilm. Melodrambegreppet, vars retoriska funktion betonas, sammankopplas med både klimatdiskursen och västerngenren samt George Lakoffs klimatkommunikatoriska tes som kortfattat och förenklat går ut på att känsloargument är det bästa sättet att informera om den globala uppvärmningen. Vidare diskuteras DiCaprios personas förhållande till dessa diskurser och begrepp. Uppsatsens analyser visar att melodrambegreppet är centralt för både klimatdiskursen och de analyserade filmerna. Och att DiCaprios funktion i klimatdiskursen vidare samspelar med dessa aspekter. Samtidigt upprättas frågetecken kring huruvida detta nödvändigtvis innebär att de retoriska diskurserna (filmerna), och likaledes DiCaprio, besvarar sina situationer. Snarare antyder analysresultaten paradoxalt nog att den melodramatiska klimatdiskursen, såsom den kommuniceras via filmerna, trumfas av andra, mer melodramatiska diskurser. / This paper examines film star Leonardo DiCaprio’s rhetorical function as it is manifested within the climate discourse. The analysis is effected with especial focus on two of his films which by this paper are considered particularly relevant considering their productional concurrence with DiCaprio’s year as the UN’s Messenger of peace during which he chose to direct attention toward the climate issue: The revenant (2015) and Before the flood (2016). Both movies are herein considered discourses, likewise semiotic texts. This analysis is effected with the help of several analytical tools and theoretical perspectives. The research fields of climate communication and celebrity studies are important theoretical views for the study, while the narrative concept of “melodrama” and Lloyd F. Bitzer’s “rhetorical situation” are the most important analytical tools. Also, the western genre and its adherent formation of myths are payed a lot of attention, not least because one of the analyzed movies, The revenant, is a western. Melodramas, whose rhetorical function is emphasized, is connected to both the climate discourse and the western genre as well as George Lakoff’s thesis of climate communication which shortly and simply boils down to the view that appealing to feelings rather than reason is the most effective way to inform people about global warming. Furthermore, DiCaprio’s persona is discussed in relation to these discourses and concepts. The analyses of the paper show that the concept of melodrama is central both for the climate discourse and the analyzed movies. And furthermore, that DiCaprio’s function within the climate discourse play into these mentioned aspects as well. Doubts are however raised as to whether this necessarily means that the rhetorical discourses (i.e. the movies), and likewise DiCaprio, succeed in answering their respective situations. The results of the analysis paradoxically suggest that the melodramatic climate discourse, as it is communicated by the two movies, is trumped by other, even more melodramatic discourses.

Sport sponsorship on social media is a marketing promotional tool that has become increasingly popular. Further, the sport sponsorship spending is only expected to increase. Athletes are becoming brand ambassadors and communicators advertising products and brands on their social media channels. Collaborations between athletes and brands can be essential for both parties. Previous research has studied the concept of sport sponsorship´s influence on brand equity and sport sponsorship´s influence on social media engagement. However, to the best of the author's knowledge, no prior study has focused on how an individual's personality affects the perception of the brand personality of the sponsor brand, as well as the personality of the promoting athlete in the context of social media marketing. As culture differences have been reported to affect sport sponsoring, the decision was taken to focus on the Swedish market, which has not been studied before. Thus, the following research question was put forth: How do Swedish consumers perceive sport sponsorship on social media, and what are the effects of congruence? Through a mixed method approach the study aimed to answer the research question. The aim of the study was to develop a deeper understanding around sport sponsorship on the social media platform Instagram and how it affects consumers' attitude towards and perception of the brand acting as a sponsor. An online questionnaire was sent out to consumers within Generation Z as well as interviews were held with business practitioners to gain information from various perspectives. The findings of the study will give brand managers within the Swedish market insights into the consumers´ attitude towards sport sponsorship which will be of major importance when planning future activities within this area. The study is based on the theoretical framework centered on the Big 5 Personality Traits, Brand Personality and Congruency Theory. Results reveal that congruence between the consumer ́s personality traits and the athlete ́s personality traits as well as between the athlete´s personality traits and the brand's personality both have an impact on how consumers perceive the outcomes of sport sponsorship on social media. The outcomes studied were consumers´ perception of fit, consumers´ attitude towards the sport sponsorship, brand reputation and consumers perception of self-brand connection. Looking at the brand personality dimensions, sincerity is considered to be highly essential for a brand as it is this dimension alone that was shown to have an effect on how consumers view the sport sponsorship when it comes to overall fit, attitude, reputation and self-brand connection. An athlete, on the other hand, should be sought by being perceived as conscientious, as this trait is shown to have a positive impact on the congruence between the respondent and the athlete and influences the perceived overall fit, attitude, and self-brand connection. However, results also reveal that different athletes are perceived differently and thus the outcomes of the sport sponsorship, from the sponsoring brand´s perspective, may differ.