• social media studies is a thing now • academia based on social media • so popularity does matter!? • i need the attention now • who says media is an illusion?
• social media studies is a thing now • academia based on social media • so popularity does matter!? • i need the attention now • who says media is an illusion?

scholars say...

self-branding

"Self-branding, ‘micro-celebrity’ and the rise of Social Media Influencers”

by Susie Khamis, Lawrence Ang, Raymond Welling

The culminating platform propels the development
of Instafame and social media influencers
as it learns and builds upon phenomena.

An unhealthy relationship between consumers
and influencers rebrands the latter
as commercialized products.

Instafame and social media influencers
are perpetuated by audiences
who engage and consume conversational
media, knowledge monopolies,
and expansive marketing.

Celebrities maintain a charade of
desirable attributes for their
audience: they must self-police
under constant vigilance and scrutiny.

Public opinion defines their identity
on the social platform.

Genuity is rare in the social
media battlefield of fictitious images.

The illusion:

Social media influencers resort
to developing another persona
on media platforms, bolstering the
fictitious nature of online interactions.

The logical fallacy is incurable
because social media is too
powerful to the extent of no restraint.

Ethical restrictions are mere
self-determined guidelines ignored by
a majority and ultimately subjective reasoning.

Finland’s government collaborated
with social media influencers
during COVID-19 to share pandemic
content and raise awareness.

Conducting studies from the Centre
for Consumer Society Research
in Helsinki, Finland, researchers
used a two-step flow of
communication model and a social
influence theory to examine
96 Instagram posts, 108 Instagram
stories, and 1097 comments
regarding the campaign.

The analysis highlighted the practical
implications for organizations
in need of social media strategies
to target niche audiences.

The researchers also recognized the
important distinction between
the two types of influencers key to
this particular case: medical
doctors supporting expertise and
credibility, and regular influencers
affecting social norms through
an emotional appeal.

The distinguishing factors highlighted
a crucial component of the
campaign design, providing strong
grounds applicable to future research.

Limitations and future research
possibilities concluded the paper,
acknowledging the narrow scope of
research available and
the timely nature of the topic.

The subjective and capricious nature
of social media is easily
compatible with a global pandemic
because there’s more leniency
to shaping content and controlling
communication.

Research sparked a necessary question for
cultural, social, and political analysis
of influencer collaborations with
public health campaigns.

influencers share covid-protocol

“The Role of Social Media Influencers in Public Health Communication: Case COVID-19 Pandemic”

by Essi Pöyry, Hanna Reinikainen, Vilma Luoma-Aho

health influencers

“Boosting Health Campaign Reach and Engagement Through Use of Social Media Influencers and Memes”

by Ganna Kostygina, Hy Tran, Steven Binns, Glen Szczypka, Sherry Emery, Donna Vallone, Elizabeth Hair

Social media influencer power
generates more campaign-branded
and sharable content. Sharing
contemporary social lifestyles
effectively boost audience
reach and engagement.

The National Opinion Research
Center (NORC) at the University
of Chicago collaborated with
the Schroeder Institute’s Truth
Initiative to apply tobacco industry
marketing strategies to health campaigns.

Fewer organic messages and more
marketed content performed
better against oppositional
messages. Social media influencers
compell interest and engagement
in health campaigns.

Efficient coding and classification
organized data between branded,
non-branded, and original posts.

The tobacco industry fights against
competitive product marketing
campaigns wired by creative
industry tactics.

The strategy applicable to all
public health issues is strengthening
interest and engagement through
social media influencer input,
and exposing truth through
genuine means.

Researchers analyzed positive
relationship between social
media marketing, brand equity,
and consumer behavior towards
brands, Burberry, Dior, Gucci,
Hermes, and Louis Vuitton to
determine a survey demographic
of 845 consumers of Chinese,
French, Indian, or Italian,
nationality.

Research determined five aspects
of social media marketing
that compell purchases: entertainment,
interaction, trendiness,
customization, and word of mouth.

A quantitative survey analyzed
the distinguishing significant
effects on brand awareness and
brand image impacted by social
media marketing.

An analysis of brand preference,
price premium, and brand
loyalty indicates social media
marketing’s power improving
brand equity.

The study specifically
compares brand awareness
and brand image regarding
brand equity, conducting
statistical research for
credibility.

Examining brand equity and
consequential consumer behavior
requires an expansive understanding
of perception and bias,
and research successfully
identifies implications for social
media marketing juxtaposed to
general promotions in offline stores.

luxury marketing

“Social media marketing efforts of luxury brands: Influence on brand equity and consumer behavior”

by Bruno Godey, Aikaterini Manthiou, Daniele Pederzoli, Joonas Rokka, Gaetano Aiello, Raffaele Donvito, Rahul Singh