How Do Brands Evaluate and Choose Social Media Influencers?

December 3, 2019

In the short amount of time someone spends on YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook, there is a high chance that they have encountered a social media influencer promoting a product. How many times have you scrolled through your Instagram feed and seen someone promoting Care/Of Vitamins? Probably a lot. So, what really is a social media influencer? What qualifies a person to become a social media influencer? How do brands come into contact with the influencer? In Jan-Frederik Grave’s 2019 research article titled, “What KPIs Are Key? Evaluating Performance Metrics for Social Media Influencers” all of these questions are answered.

 

According to Grave, there are two challenges that companies face when selecting a social media influencer: finding which social media influencer to work with and measuring the outcomes of the campaign. Fashion, health, beauty, entertainment and more are just a few of the various topics that social media influencers cover. Since there is a wide range of influencers for a company to choose from, they must rely on social media metrics to determine which influencer they would like to collaborate with.

 

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are various metrics used by brand marketers and agencies when selecting a social media influencer for their brand, according to Grave. One KPI that might be used is the amount of interactions an influencer recieves on a post (comments, “likes”, “shares”, etc). Another KPI could be the amount of followers, subscribers, friends, etc. the influencer has on their social media channels.

 

Grave explains that typical paid content on social media is created by the brand marketers themselves, which gives them more control of the overall message. However, social media influencers are given most of the control when it comes to creating the content for the brand. Although brand marketers provide the social media influencer with some tips to follow for the content, it is up to the influencer to create the content. Grave says this is why it is important for companies to choose an influencer whom they believe will create quality content with non-conflicting posts on their channels.

Kate Scott is an undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She will be graduating in May 2020 with a B.A. in Communication Studies with a focus in Integrated Marketing Communication.

 

References

Gräve, J.-F. (2019). What KPIs Are Key? Evaluating Performance Metrics for Social Media Influencers. Social Media Society, 5(3), 205630511986547. doi: 10.1177/2056305119865475

 

Why Your Business Should Adapt a Green Thumb

December 2, 2019

We’ve all heard the saying “Going Green”. Almost everyone nowadays is changing their daily habits to be more environmentally friendly. But what does this mean for businesses? Eco Brands are gaining popularity, which means adding some green to your business could be your next marketing move.

With the rising concern about climate change, it’s no wonder people are beginning to be more cautious when shopping. Whether you believe in the crisis or not, there is some sort of draw to making an environmentally friendly decision. Consumers are becoming more and more likely to spend extra on a product if it is considered “green”.

In a 2017 joint study done by, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, researchers found that there is a strong relationship between brand green image and eco branding; specifically, within textile brands. A majority of the people surveyed agreed that eco-branding helps a brand’s reputation and credibility, and that it increases their likelihood of purchasing from a business.

Eco-Branding is the emphasis on environmentally friendly practices within a company. This could mean that products are made with recycled materials, the production leaves a smaller carbon footprint, or that the company uses revenue to invest in protecting the environment. Some major corporations will highlight specific “green” projects they do while some companies are built upon the principle of being eco-friendly. Regardless, this is a rising trend for businesses as the world becomes increasingly worried about the state of the environment.

Brand Green Image is described in the study as the consumer’s value in the eco-friendliness of a brand. Target consumers are predicted to be more willing to pay more for eco-friendly goods and services. Not all consumers hold environmentally cautious production as a high factor in decision making, but some however do. It is important to reflect the green image to that target market. The goal is to tap into the target’s values and create a more personal connection between the brand and consumer.

Credibility is a huge factor in brand loyalty. Consumers favor brands that are consistent and reliable. Data shows a positive relationship between eco-brand and credibility. Eco-Branding shows that the brand is concerned in preserving the environment, a value in which some consumers hold highly. However, it is important when implementing eco-branding to be transparent with the audience. Claiming to be “green” when sustainable practices are not being made can cause major damage to a brand’s credibility.

The study also showed that consumers are more likely to prefer a brand with an established green image. If eco-friendly tactics are integrated into the company’s brand image, participants of the survey stated that they were more likely to do business with them. This means that sustainability within a company is a key factor to market to the public.

If you are considering enhancing your company’s brand image in the future, perhaps implement an eco-branding strategy.

1. Introduce green products or services into your company. An example of a green product would be something that was made from recycled materials or was made in a process that used low energy. These types of products are becoming increasingly popular, especially within the fashion industry. Textiles require a lot of energy and water to create, so many brands are looking for alternate production methods for their products. Retail franchise H&M has a service that promotes recycling used clothes in exchange for a discount- which promotes an eco-friendly brand image.

2. In addition to adding green products or services, promote green behavior in branding materials. Include reasons why it is important to shop sustainably or use green products. Being transparent on why the brand is eco-friendly helps to build credibility and trust amongst consumers.

3. Highlight the effect on the environment your company has made by switching to be greener and articulate that data to shareholders. This creates more value in the company and can attract potential investors. Being transparent with shareholders is another way to strengthen relations and brand reputation.

Not only does eco-branding have the potential to attract more customers, it can boost your company’s reputation. As the results of the study show, there is a positive relationship between eco-brand and green brand image. There is potential for increased value, profit, and brand loyalty. So perhaps going green might be your next business move?

Post written by Lyndsey Newton

Kan, Chi Wai, Ting Chow Cheby Yuen, Chamlong Sarikanon, and Rattanaphol Mongkholrattanasit. 2017. “A Study of Brand Green Image in Relation to Eco-Branding of Fashion Products.” Applied Mechanics and Materials 866: 448-451. doi:http://dx.doi.org.liblink.uncw.edu/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.866.448. https://search-proquest-com.liblink.uncw.edu/docview/1910408508?accountid=14606.

The New Consumer-Business Relationship on Social Media

November 29, 2019

In this day and age, social media is increasingly popular and more people than ever have access to the internet. Social media has changed the way businesses connect with their consumers. Now the communication between business and consumers is more of a two-way model. In this two-way model, the company has to be able to successfully communicate with consumers and the consumers need to be able to share their experiences with a business.

As social media continues to grow businesses are looking for ways to incorporate social media into their communication processes. This is not always easy for businesses. Since social media is so new, it is hard to come up with successful marketing strategies. A 2018 article by Martin Klepek and Halina Starzyczna researched the current communication needs of consumers and developed a new model for business-consumer communication through social media.

To develop a new communication method for consumers, Klepek and Starzyczna looked at past research on communication models to find patterns for their new model. They also looked at a questionnaire from a previous study. In this questionnaire, respondents stated their preferred brand, one that they follow on Facebook. They then answered 21 Likert scale questions about their attitudes, behaviors, and expectations, as a consumer, regarding how they communicate with their favorite brands on Facebook. The last part of the questionnaire had respondents answer questions about their past behavior on consumer-brand communication. These questions gave Klepek and Starzyczna an insight into how consumers interact with businesses and what consumers expect from their favorite businesses.

After researching different models Klepek and Starzyczna came up with their own communication model. “First, the information in the form of content flows from brands as well as from consumers.” What this is saying is that content is constantly flowing between consumers and businesses through various social media posts. “Second a vast majority of consumers prefer brands that have an active approach and interact with consumers regularly.” As expected consumers like brands that interact with them regularly. “By assessing how users react to different content, how they behave, and what they are complaining about is all valuable to develop a social network communication strategy.”

Based on the model Klepek and Starzyczna created they then realized that any good consumer-business communication model would have to have instant feedback, enhanced consumer role, different engagement levels, the openness of the company and a designated social media manager.

When a consumer expresses a concern or a problem with a business they expect quick feedback because they don’t want to feel like they are being ignored. How many times have you had an issue with a business and you tried to reach out to them but they ignored you? I’m sure this made

you even more mad and less likely to engage with that business again. When a business provides instant feedback it shows that they are always listening and willing to help their consumers.

An enhanced consumer role makes the consumer feel important and keeps them engaged with a brand. When a business makes you feel important you are more likely to keep interacting with them. Different engagement levels allow consumers to interact with a business as much as they prefer. One consumer may like to be updated daily about a business whereas another might prefer less interaction with a business.

The best thing a business can be is open and transparent with their consumers. This openness builds trust between the consumer and the business. Consumers never want to feel like they are being lied to, so the transparency helps create that strong consumer-brand relationship.

When a business has a designated social media manager it allows that one person (or team of people) to interact with consumers but also create content. It is key that this social media manager is not separated from the consumers or the employees of the business. This allows them to get insight from both sides. Klepek and Starzyczna state that “internal communication is fuel for the external communication on social networks since the demand for information is continuously increasing.”

No one can deny the fact that social media networks are becoming a more popular way for businesses and consumers to interact. Businesses must use Integrated Marketing Communication techniques to keep consumers engaged in their brand. This article created a new IMC method for a business to use to create and maintain a strong consumer-business relationship.

Isabella Velazquez

I am a senior focusing on Integrated Marketing Communication here at UNCW.

Klepek, M., & Starzyczná, H. (2018). Marketing Communication Model For Social Networks. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 19(3), 500–520. DOI: 10.3846/jbem.2018.6582

What Omaha Gives 2015 can teach non-profit organizations about the utilization of social media

November 27, 2019

The “Ice Bucket Challenge” in 2014 generated $220 million in donations within weeks after it was launched, Lyanne Alfaro reported 2015 in a Business Insider article. It is a brilliant example of a non-profit organization’s efficient management of opportunities offered by social media platforms.

Dr. Seungahn Nah from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Dr. Gregory D. Saxton from Claremont Graduate University showcased that non-profit organizations increasingly take advantage of social media platforms to share information and creatively engage with various stakeholders in their study “Modeling the adoption and use of social media by non-profit organizations” published 2012. A few years later, Abhishek Bhati – a professor in Political Science at Bowling Green State University – teamed up with and Diarmuid McDonell – researcher in Social Policy at the University of Birmingham – to investigate the effectiveness of using social media platforms to support fundraising events for non-profit organizations.

In the article “Success in an Online Giving Day: The Role of Social Media in Fundraising” published 2019, Bhati and McDonell investigated 667 non-profit organization´s utilization of Facebook before and during the fundraising event Omaha Gives in 2015 to encourage donations from stakeholders. Omaha Gives supports local non-profit organizations in the Omaha Metro area. The event is organized by Omaha Community Foundation and lasts 24 hours, on the Wednesday of the third week of May and donations are accepted through the website omahagives.org where the respective non-profit organization has created public profiles. Donators can donate an optional sum starting at $10.

“We model a non-profit´s fundraising success during Omaha Gives 2015 as a function of its Facebook network size (number of likes), activity (number of photos), and audience engagement (number of shares) as well as a set of organizational factors including budget size, age, prior participation in Omaha Gives…” Bahti and McDonnell say. Based on these assumptions 12 hypotheses were developed and tested in the study. The study focused on the 667 participating non-profit organizations that had a Facebook page. Content posted by respective non-profit organizations on Facebook from December 31, 2014, to May 20, 2015, (the day of the Omaha Gives 2015) that included the words ‘Omaha Gives’ or ‘May 20′ in various forms were assumed to be related to the Omaha Gives 2015 event and, therefore, taken into consideration.

Facebook network size, activity and audience engagement

Bhati and McDonnell argue that a non-profit organization´s Facebook network size (in terms of likes on the page), Facebook activity (in terms of posts created related to the fundraising event) and audience engagement all have a positive relationship to the monetary value of the respective donation. Similar, a non-profit organization´s Facebook network size and audience engagement are expected to have a positive impact on the number of unique donations received. However, Facebook activity is of less importance to the number of unique donations received.

The budget allotted to marketing activities

The more budget allotted to marketing activities, the more and bigger donations received during a fundraising event, Bhati and McDonnell claim. The budget may seemingly be of crucial importance, however, return on investment should be closely assessed. Bhati and McDonnell found that non-profit organizations which allotted between $250,000 and $1 million received up to 80% more in donations than non-profit organizations who allotted less than $250,000 and non-profit organizations who allotted more than $1 million raised over 250% more in donations than non-profit organizations which allotted less than $250,000. 250% increase in donations may seem out of this world but taken into consideration that these

non-profit organizations spent at least 400% on marketing activities compared to the companies with the smallest budget, the return on investment ratio is still negative.

Established lifetime and previous participation

Bhati and McDonnell say that the longer a non-profit organization has been established on the market the more, and greater donations it can expect to receive during a fundraising event in comparison to non-profit organizations that have been established more recently. Similar, non-profit organizations that participated in Omaha Gives previous years did receive more and greater donations during the Omaha Gives 2015 than first-time participants. Bhati and McDonnell believe non-profit organizations may learn from previous experiences of participating in a fundraising event that continuously improves their performance.

Bhati and McDonnell highlight that the return on investment for non-profit organizations with the varying budget was relatively stable leaving the most crucial factors of success to be Facebook network´s size, Facebook activity, and audience engagement. That said, they do raise a warning finger as maintaining social media presence requires resources and expertise. The importance of social media presence is especially important to small scale non-profit organizations that may tend to allot limited resources to online fundraising events. But by taking advantage of opportunities offered by social media small scale businesses could improve fundraising success drastically, Bhati and McDonnell suggest.

Linnea Nordqvist is an international student at UNCW with previous experience in global e-commerce marketing for profit-driven businesses.

References

Alfaro, L. (2015, August). Your $220 million to the ALS ice bucket challenge made a difference, study results show. Business Insider. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/your-220-million-to-the-als-bucket-challenge-made-a-difference-2015-8

Bhati, A. & McDonell, D. (2019). Success in an Online Giving Day: The Role of Social Media in Fundraising.

Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 00 (0), pp. 1-19.

Nah, S., & Saxton, G. (2013). Modeling the adoption and use of social media by nonprofit organizations.

New Media & Society, 15(2), 294-313.

What is wrong with IMC?

November 26, 2019

IMC seems to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Schools are teaching it and marketers are using it, but some experts are still reluctant to write about it in new media. I was curious as to why, so I chose to reference an article titled “Integrated Marketing Communication- from an instrumental to a customer-centric perspective” by Manfred Bruhn and Stefanie Schnebelen. The purpose is to inform readers about the role of Integrated Marketing Communication in new media. Brunn and Schnebelen attempted to do this through discussion of the changed conditions of the media markets since the development of Integrated Marketing Communication.

This article is based on research done via a literature-based approach. The authors conducted this with consideration of the modern media market and customer behavior. The first step in researching was analyzing the challenges of Integrated Marketing Communication, followed by the principles of customer-centric Integrated Marketing Communication, and lastly the implementation issues in Integrated Marketing Communication. By analyzing these three steps, Brunn and Schnebelen were able to point out the gaps of Integrated Marketing Communication in new media and establish a media-based umbrella framework that searched for common gaps in new media and Integrated Marketing Communication. The authors analyzed various forms of literature that discussed Integrated Marketing Communication in efforts to see the prevalence of Integrated Marketing Communication on new media.

Brunn and Schnebelen didn’t really END the conversation on why IMC isn’t being considered a part of new media yet, but the authors definitely opened the door for it and provided

good insight into the issues of experts in marketing and new media not considering IMC a part of the currently used approach to media and marketing.

As someone who is an avid consumer of things such as Nike shoes and also an IMC student, the marketing campaign they use to get me interested in purchasing their products practically revolves around IMC. First, they promote and share user-generated content all the time for their advertisements. Secondly, they integrate all kinds of different marketing and promotional tactics in order to reach the correct audience effectively. Personally, I do not know researchers and scholars can ignore IMC’s place in new media given the fact that it is in almost every advertisement and marketing campaign that we see in today’s world. The method of encompassing things such as influencer marketing, commercials, and targeted advertisements into one campaign is practically standard in marketing now, and it is time that literature catches up with the times.

The results of the study by Brunn and Schnebelen were that the artifacts about Integrated Marketing Communication that the authors analyzed did not discuss social media as a part of Integrated Marketing Communication in new media to any great extent. The articles that were analyzed were vague and only regarded Integrated Marketing Communication as a new form of media, but did not get into specifics and more information. The literature that the authors analyzed fails to address the foundational change of social media and the impact it has on Integrated Marketing Communication as a whole. The article also discusses the loss of control over advertising content that corporations are currently experiencing. Today, someone can post a viral tweet about your brand and that becomes a part of your brand identity. The corporation has no control over that happening and as a result of the rise in user-generated content, corporations are now more interactive with users on social media and promote UGC, as opposed to strictly

pushing their own content. The authors suggest changing the mindset of the corporate IMC world, rather than changing the process in which communication is done. The results of this study encourage corporations and IMC practitioners, in general, to remember that IMC is an adaptive concept and as new forms of media and communication emerge, IMC must be adapted, rather than made into a black and white, never-changing subject.

One example of this that I see regularly is when Instagram users “tag” the brands they were wearing or using in their posts. Today, more marketing on social media is done by consumers to other potential consumers than ever before, and major corporations are putting more resources consumers to spread the word about their products in hopes that consumers create marketable content for them.

This study has made a great impact on IMC. Firstly, this article forces those in the Integrated Marketing Communication research community to seek a deeper understanding of social media and its impacts on social media. As social media continues to become a mainstream of marketing, the literature not analyzing this information shows that the Integrated Marketing Communication industry is behind where it should be in terms of analyzation and application of Integrated Marketing Communication in new media, specifically the analysis of Integrated Marketing Communication in the customer-centric landscape.

Bio:

Adam Guttadauro is a student at UNCW, majoring in Communication Studies. He is originally from Boston, Massachusetts. While not in a class, he is working on his various business ventures

or at home watching football. Adam is interested in IMC due to its prevalence in his ventures and hopes to bring an IMC-centered approach to all of those ventures

How Social Media Benefits Brand Attitude and Awareness Online

November 25, 2019

Based on a research study by Daniela Langaro, Paulo Rita, and Maria de Fa ́tima Salgueiro

It’s no secret that social media has moved mountains, and has created a plethora of new ideas in the world of branding. The correlation between using social media sites and branding has always been an integral factor in utilizing the different communication and marketing skills this generation has to offer. Something so normal and monotonous like scrolling through social media feeds now has more power and value than we as a society of communicators could ever imagine. Branding nowadays cannot be fostered within a company without some sort of media and online presence, and social media happens to be a somewhat “free” platform for building a brand. The article “Do social networking sites contribute for building brands?” clarified a lot of my assumptions as a Communication Studies student on how different areas of social media serve different organizations. While a lot of my discoveries and observations were not new, they have expanded the way I think about social media and branding as a whole, and as two equal parts that help one another in the world of communication.

Before considering the advantages of social media, let’s discuss branding. Branding, by definition, is “the promotion of a particular product or company by means of advertising and distinctive design”, and a brand alone is defined as “a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name”. So, we can conclude that while a brand is the product or idea being promoted, if the act of branding isn’t successful, the actual brand may not be of as much value as it could be. These two individual elements of branding and an actual brand depend on each other for quite a lot.

From these ideas, companies build the image and vision of their “brand” and formulate ways to continue the branding process in different, creative ways. For example, almost anyone can identify the “target” emblem included in the retail store Target’s logo. People identify with the logo, and immediately think about what the logo means to them by associating it with a time or place they engaged with the Target brand, and then decide if they like it or not. From here, all of these interactions with branding can be broken down into subcategories including brand awareness and brand attitude.

Brand awareness, as defined in the article “Do social networking sites contribute for building brands?” captures the potential availability of a brand in the mind of the consumer (Langaro, Rita, and Salgueiro, 2018). In the same article, brand attitude is defined as the evaluative dimension of brand image. Customers, potential or current, develop their own evaluation and judgements towards a brand by what they see and interact with. Having a presence on social media heavily affects this interaction and can provide a leg up for companies looking to engage more with different audiences. This can make a company or organization more competitive as well. The more a brand image or brand in general is shown in an appropriate way, the more association, knowledge, and popularity the brand will attract. This is why an online or social media presence is so vital today. Because social media is so relevant, why not utilize free promotion and improve the image of a company by establishing an online presence on a social media website?

When it comes to branding, organizations want their personal image to be immediately identified and simple enough for people to remember. This is most often achieved by visuals and resonating cognitively with the organization’s potential or desired audiences. Brand association, brand quality, and brand knowledge are all benefits of using social media to boost any image or brand online (Langaro, Rita, and Salgueiro, 2018). When a company posts regularly on popular social media platforms, it now has individuals associated with and educated in it’s brand based off of the brand’s online presence, which is an essentially free outlet to promote or improve branding. Organizations now see the value and necessity in posting daily on social media sites and looking into analytics because it can show an organization exactly how people are interacting with their brand.

One can realize quickly that branding is a very broad element in the promotion of a company, business, or organization. Branding is not just simply “branding”. Branding is developing a certain image within a brand, connecting other people and things to the brand, showcasing the brand in a way that will connect with others and display the right idea to customers, and the list goes on. When one analyzes the purpose of branding, so many layers can be found within it and its purpose is ever-changing. One thing that isn’t going anywhere, though, is the constant yet rapid growth of the internet and social media. Companies should continue to use social media outlets for brand communication. They should stay current on evolving social media trends, and how the company can adjust and grow with a technologically-charged society. Taking advantage of the online community can work wonders in the world of branding.

Written by Natalie Oldani

The Elusive Gen Z

November 22, 2019

Generation Z is classified as people born between 1995 and 2015 with ages ranging from 4-24. These people are typically high school or college students. What sets this demographic apart from the rest of the age classifications? They have all grown up entirely in the digital age. It may sound strange when you first hear it since most of us have adapted to the ever-present technological devices that consume our everyday life. Although we may use them now, non-Gen Zs remember a day without it. For instance, I am 26 years-old and did not receive my first phone until I was a freshman in high school. No, it was not a brand-new iPhone that you can connect your email to, surf the web, and tweet at all hours of the day. It was a Nokia flip phone that only made calls since my parents thought that text messaging was of the devil. It is unreal to think that my neighbor, upon entering the fifth grade, received an iPhone 6 so that he could communicate with his parents to pick him up from various sporting practices.

This is the generation that the current market must penetrate. They are our next consumer base and some of them have already entered the workforce using their dollars in our economy. These consumers do not remember a day when they were at an age to make informed decisions, that they did not have the world’s information inside of a front pocket. So, what do these people like? How do we get them to by our stuff? I will tell you that most research can attest to this fact, they do not like advertisements. According to Alex Gallagher in his article 4 QSR marketing tactics to take on the Gen Z challenge, 69% of Gen Z said the best ads are ones they can skip. This generation has been tagged as elusive and unmarketable due to their natural filter to advertisements. That is a huge problem for marketing agents and advertisers. How do we reach these people?

Gallagher attempts to tackle this conundrum through a trial survey of 1,800 Gen Z students in the U.S. Gallagher based his study on advertisements in the food items and services industry. His hypothesis to cracking the code to Gen Z’s is very interesting. His first tactic for catching the elusive Gen Z is to make it social (Gallagher 2018). This demographic tends to rely on family and friends for recommendations of foods and services. Gen Zs are more likely to trust the opinions of friends and family than an advertisement seen in passing. They are so bombarded with information across all media that they rely on people they trust to sift through choices.

Gen Z is also very non-traditional when it comes to advertising. As mentioned previously, the best ad to them is one that can be skipped. With advances in ad-blocking applications in browsers and alternative media options for users to toggle between, the odds are stacked against advertising. Gallagher suggests making it non-traditional. Use campaigns on social media creating user-interactive content that drives traffic to your pages. If the content is shared, the youngsters will come. Use actual pictures of your food and create content generated campaigns and contests that get Gen Z’s into the door (Gallagher 2018).

Another tip to take into consideration, make your advertising spontaneous. Gen Zs as a whole are on the lookout to try new restaurants almost monthly. This is incredible when only 5% plan their meals on a daily basis (Gallagher 2018). Their lack of planning creates a big opportunity for advertisers to be spontaneous considering almost every Gen Z-er carries a smart phone with them every day. Targeted advertising through social media is an incredible tool. You can also send banners and alert messages through application software for your business. This generates an interest in your restaurant during meal hours when Gen Zs begin weighing their food options.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, Gallagher says to make it quick (2018). Gen Zs on average have the shortest attention span of all current generations. Advertisers have an incredibly small window of opportunity, around 8 seconds, to make an impression on this demographic. Be sure to make it fast and make it enticing to get the Gen Zs in the door!

Jennings Johnson is a last semester senior at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington pursuing a degree in Communication Studies with a concentration in integrated marketing communication and organizational communication. Johnson also completed a business minor.

Reference

Gallagher, A. (2018, Mar 07). 4 QSR marketing tactics to take on the gen Z challenge. QSR Web.News Features Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.liblink.uncw.edu/docview/2011401835?accountid=14606