Summary of the lectures of the course Advanced Consumer Studies, YSS-33306. This is an optional course for the master MSc MME Management, Economics and Consumer Studies at the WUR. This is a summary that contains lectures 1-12. Theme 1 (food & health): lecture 1 (communication); lecture 2 (sociolog...
Online consumer communication: key principles; influencers, framing and conflicts (emotions).
Context online communication:
From traditional channels to consumers about new products (about what we say/do) from B2C.
B2C has changed! Not determined by business anymore, but by the interaction between consumers
and businesses (e.g. reviews). So: businesses become consumers and consumers become
businesses. Process is more complex now.
New ways: influencers and procumerism.
Influencers have a big impact: they can be seen as the marketeers and even the producers of a
certain product.
Social media influencers:
Celebrity endorsement: effect that celebrity have by their social status by promoting the product. Other
people try to match that celebrity. Therefore, they are very influential.
High impact because influencers are more organic (they are more closely to what you are, then mirror
yourself), authentic (normal people, they stayed normal), directness, similar.
They are influential because:
- Expertise
- Followers/community (friends of you also follow them)
- Interact (influencer tries to adjust the message to the public, and the public is more and more
linked towards this influencer)
Source credibility:
- Expertise
- Trustworthiness (because they are similar)
- Likability (similarity, people mirror themselves to those influencers)
Influence/persuasiveness is large
- Similar = knowledge
- Less resistance (to the persuasive attempt of the influencer/agent) See figure 3.
Strongly related to social context (=very important)
Credibility factors:
- Trustworthiness
- Likability/similarity
Role of community/social group large
Neo-tribes, online communities, social identity
SIT (social identity theory): who we are is determined (identity) by our social network/social group we
are linked to.
Influencers are able to build up a community and create a social group with a specific identity: what to
do and what not to do. It influences your behaviour: if you want to stick to a group, you have to perform
certain behaviour to be part of the group.
Online communication can increase group forming processes, but equally leads to loneliness (no
physical contact, they see that other people are successful and they are not).
But people look for bonding and other likeminded people.
Ingroup members are trusted, outgroup members not that much.
- Increased bonding
- Effect persuasive messages
- Less coping behaviour
Marketing wrap-up: (not that important)
- Less resistance to persuasion
1
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller jonathanvdb. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.81. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
