It’s time to TikTok Exploring Generation Z’s motivations to participate in #Challenges B BACHELOR THESIS THESIS WITHIN: Business Administration N NUMBER OF CREDITS: 15 P PROGRAMME OF STUDY: Marketing Management A AUTHOR: Johannes Ahlse, Felix Nilsson, Nina Sandström J JÖNKÖPING May 2020 1 Acknowledgments We would like to thank our tutor, Ulf Linnman for the constructive feedback and guidance during the research process. With his expertise, we managed to gain useful feedback and ideas for our topic. Secondly, we want to express our gratitude towards the participants who provided us with their time and valuable insights. Thirdly, we would like to acknowledge the importance of the members of our seminar group, who provided us with valuable feedback and generated invaluable discussions throughout the process. Lastly, we want to thank each other for always keeping the spirits high and for helping each other. We want to highlight the importance of creating a diverse, light-hearted and enjoyable environment for which the research takes place. _____________________ _____________________ __________________ Johannes Ahlse Nina Sandström Felix Nilsson 2 Bachelor Thesis in Business Administration Title: It’s time to TikTok - Exploring generation Z’s motivations to participate in #challenges Authors: Johannes Ahlse, Felix Nilsson & Nina Sandström Tutor: Ulf Linnman Date: 2020-05-18 Keywords: ‘Viral Marketing’, ‘User-generated content’, ‘Generation Z’, ‘TikTok’, ‘Motivation’, ‘Uses and Gratification Theory’ and ‘Challenges’ _________________________________________________________________ Abstract Background: With the emergence of new social platforms, nascent strategies of Viral Marketing utilizing User-generated Content has developed. TikTok is a new social media based on User-generated videos, where content is mainly expressed in the form of #challenges. Given its nascent nature, marketers lack clear directives of how to capitalize on #challenges by engaging the user base, in their pursuit of reaching virality. As the underlying motivations behind the participation of #challenges are unknown, further research is required. Purpose: The purpose of this study is therefore to explore what motivates Gen Z users to participate in #challenges on TikTok and how companies can utilize these motivations to structure their own #challenges’ in marketing campaigns. Method: This is an exploratory qualitative study inspired by grounded theory where sixteen semi- structured, in-depth interviews were held with participants classified as Gen Z. Qualitative content analysis was used to develop a revised model of Uses and Gratification Theory. Conclusion: The results suggests that the Uses and Gratification theory could be used in explaining the underlying motivation for participating in #challenges on TikTok. By drawing connections between Uses and Gratification Theory and empirical data, a revised model was found to include the six traditional forms of motivations with structure as an added seventh prevalent motivation on TikTok. The results propose the motivators factors to participate in a challenge to be intertwined but suggest Entertainment to be a superseding motivator. Suggestions of elements that marketers could implement in their campaigns were thereafter derived. 3 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6 1.1 Background .......................................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Problem ................................................................................................................................................ 7 1.3 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................ 7 1.4 Research Questions .............................................................................................................................. 8 1.5 Delimitation ......................................................................................................................................... 8 1.6 Definitions ........................................................................................................................................... 9 2.0 Frame of Reference ............................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Introduction to Frame of Reference ................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Method for Frame of Reference ........................................................................................................ 10 2.3 Viral Marketing ................................................................................................................................. 11 2.4 User-generated Content ..................................................................................................................... 12 2.4.1 User-generated Videos ............................................................................................................................................................... 13 2.4.2 #Challenges..................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 2.4.3 Impact of User-generated Content ......................................................................................................................................... 16 2.4.4 Motivations of creating User-generated Content.............................................................................................................. 17 2.5 Uses and Gratification Theory ........................................................................................................... 19 2.5.1 Information Seeking .................................................................................................................................................................... 20 2.5.2 Entertainment ................................................................................................................................................................................. 20 2.5.3 Socializing ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 2.5.4 Status ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 2.5.5 Convenience ................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 2.5.6 Personal Identity ........................................................................................................................................................................... 21 2.5.7 Pros and Cons of Uses and Gratification Theory ............................................................................................................. 22 2.6 Gaps in Literature .............................................................................................................................. 23 3.0 Methodology & Method ....................................................................................................... 23 3.1 Methodology ...................................................................................................................................... 24 3.1.1 Research Paradigm....................................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.1.2 Research Approach ...................................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.1.3 Research Design............................................................................................................................................................................ 25 3.2 Method ............................................................................................................................................... 25 3.2.1 Primary Data................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 3.2.2 Sampling Approach ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26 3.2.3 Semi-structured Interviews ....................................................................................................................................................... 26 3.2.4 Interview Questions ..................................................................................................................................................................... 27 3.2.5 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................................................................................. 28 3.3 Ethics ................................................................................................................................................