Tweens Interpretation of Marketing Strategies Within Instagram
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION & LEARNING TWEENS INTERPRETATION OF MARKETING STRATEGIES WITHIN INSTAGRAM Victoria Johansson Thesis: 30 higher education credits Program and/or course: International Master’s Programme in IT & Learning Level: Second Cycle Semester/year: Spring term 2017 Supervisor: Patrik Lilja & Rebecka Nordström Graf Examiner: Marisa Ponti Report no: VT17-2920-004-PDA699 Abstract Thesis: 30 higher education credits Program and/or course: International Master’s Programme in IT & Learning Level: Second Cycle Semester/year: Spring term 2017 Supervisor: Patrik Lilja & Rebecka Nordström Graf Examiner: Marisa Ponti Report No: VT17-2920-004-PDA699 Keywords: Tweens, Marketing, Instagram, Social media, Sender intention Purpose: How are tweens understanding the relationship between the personal sphere and the commercial influences that occurs on Instagram? Theory: Semiotic and Social semiotics Method: Photo-elicitation practice, with semi-structured interviews. Pilot study of two tweens, and main interview occasion with 7 tweens. Results: The findings were that the tweens understanding of the relationship between personal sphere and commercial influences on Instagram became difficult to define, since the majority of content used for the photo-elicitation practice was mainly containing semiotic elements of social resources. This because, the tweens had experienced their own production and reception regimes and other experiences within tweens personal social surroundings both outside and within the world of different social media platforms. Another reason was based on the level of exposure tweens had experienced with content of marketing intention – which the majority had avoided by experience, based on only wanting to follow peers on social media, and not, for instance, celebrities since celebrities was considered as advertisement – which the tweens wanted to avoid. Other findings that wasn’t part of the aim and research questions was the issue of hate comments, and the discussion of how the issue had as impact of tweens social media usage and the world “outside”. Another finding was regarding using tweens as social media influencers, and what it takes to become an influencer and how the tween might act upon the role as an influencer outside the world of social media. Foreword 20 weeks of work has resulted into this master thesis, which has been accomplished during the spring term of 2017 at The University of Gothenburg, in Gothenburg. The master thesis has been the last assignment and project within the programme International Master’s Programme in Information Technology and Learning, 120 HEC. The assignment was within the course PDA699. I would like to thank those tweens I had the privilege of interviewing for this master thesis, as well thank their parents’ of giving the permission of letting their tweens being interviewed for this master thesis by me. Also, I would like to thank Viktor Frisk and his PR-management of giving me the permission of using one of Frisk’s pictures on Instagram for this master thesis research aim. Most of all, from the bottom of my heart and soul, I would like to thank my supervisors Patrik Lilja and Rebecka Nordström Graf, since both of them have been of great help in order for me to conduct this master thesis. I am so grateful for their burning engagement and interest for the topic in question, as well as regarding my wishes of potential contribution to the field. I’m forever thankful for having supervisors that believed in me and this master thesis from the very beginning. My final words of this foreword, will be a quotation by the Swedish author August Strindberg. A quotation that has been the “fuel” of drive for me with anything I do: “Genom att försöka med det omöjliga når man högsta graden av det möjliga.” = By trying to do the impossible, you will reach the highest level of what is possible. - Victoria Johansson, 23th of May 2017 Table of content 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 6 2. Background ................................................................................................................................ 7 2.1 Tween ..................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Branding & Marketing ........................................................................................................... 8 2.2.1 Branding vs. Marketing ...................................................................................................... 9 2.2.2 Branding & Marketing to Tweens ..................................................................................... 9 2.2.3 Branding & Marketing through Social media .................................................................. 10 2.2.3.1 Brand Ambassador/Instagram influencer ............................................................... 11 2.2.3.2 Marketing law on Social Media Marketing ............................................................. 11 2.3 Instagram .............................................................................................................................. 13 2.4 Summarized Discussion and Conclusions of ‘Background’ ................................................ 15 3. Literature review ..................................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Tweens usage of Instagram and other social media ............................................................. 16 3.2 Tweens interpretation of marketing ...................................................................................... 18 3.3 Tweens as population of research ......................................................................................... 20 3.4 Discussion and Conclusions regarding Aim of Thesis ......................................................... 22 4. Aim & Research question ........................................................................................................ 24 5. Theoretical framework ............................................................................................................ 25 5.1 Semiotics .............................................................................................................................. 25 5.1.1 Other concepts of definition of signs in Semiotics .......................................................... 27 5.2 Social Semiotics ................................................................................................................... 29 5.3 Motivation of using Semiotics and Social Semiotics as Theoretical framework ................. 30 6. Method ...................................................................................................................................... 31 6.1 Planned approach and structure ............................................................................................ 31 6.1.1 Selection of interview as method ..................................................................................... 31 6.1.2 Photo-elicitation as structure of interview ....................................................................... 32 6.1.2.1 Selection of image and ethical considerations ........................................................ 33 6.2 The respondents .................................................................................................................... 34 6.2.1 Pilot study and ethical considerations .............................................................................. 36 6.2.1.1 Implementation of pilot study .................................................................................. 38 6.2.2 Implementation of the main interviews and ethical considerations ................................. 39 6.3 Structure of analysis ............................................................................................................. 40 7. Research Picture ...................................................................................................................... 42 7.1 Content of Picture ................................................................................................................. 42 7.1.1 Viktor Frisk ...................................................................................................................... 42 4 7.1.1.1 Semiotic Analysis & Conclusion of Viktor Frisk ..................................................... 43 7.1.2 Bianca Ingrosso ................................................................................................................ 44 7.1.2.1 Semiotic Analysis & Conclusion of Bianca Ingrosso .............................................. 45 7.1.3 Lufthansa .......................................................................................................................... 46 7.1.3.1 Semiotic Analysis & Conclusion of Lufthansa ........................................................ 46 7.1.4 Emojis & Emoticons used ................................................................................................ 47 7.1.4.1 Semiotic Analysis & Conclusion of Emojis & Emoticons used ............................... 48 7.2 Conclusion of Analysis regarding Research Picture ............................................................ 50 8. Result & Analysis ....................................................................................................................