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  • Answering the Question: “What is COM Studies?”

    By Courtney Busick

    I still remember the day I was accepted to UNCW; I jumped up and down and hugged my mom. That day changed my life forever. However, I had no idea what I was going to do. I moved back and forth on what major I wanted, but I knew where my passions were: advertising. I wanted to work in advertising and be as creative as I could be. The business and studio art majors stuck out to me, but I felt a calling towards something different. After searching other programs, I looked into the Communication Studies department. The major offers me both the art and business aspects I was looking for. I told my mom I wanted to study COM, and she looked at me and asked; “what is that?” At that moment, I could not give her a definitive answer of what the major held, but it was what I wanted to do so it had to be great.

    Looking back at my journey at UNCW, I was continually asked the same questions; “What is that?” “What are you going to do with that major?” Professors would even prepare us for this question by giving us answers and things we are doing in our classwork. From that day when my mom first asked me to two months out from graduating, I cannot help but think of the different opportunities the COM department has given me. I have changed and learned to understand the study of communication in a new way than when I came. When I think about my answer to the question; “What is COM Studies?” I can answer with a plethora of experiences and life lessons I have found from the department. 

    COM Studies opens doors and opens minds

    Coming into the Communication Studies department, I was unsure of what I was getting into. I knew they had marketing, and that was what my heart was set on. The more classes I took for the major, the more I opened my mind to what COM offered. I learned that the study of communication was understanding how and why people communicate, and specializations like IMC and broadcasting were ways that exemplified and used this as a foundational skill.

    I was able to see this during my trip to Italy with the COM Studies Department over break. We understood the practices and lifestyle of another culture and how that affects their communication with one another. We learned a lot about business and practices that have been in place for many years. I was able to understand more about brand values of wineries and restaurants that have been around for hundreds of years.

    COM Studies is a community

    I have met some incredible people through the COM department. Each student strives to be their best self and understand the problems in front of them. We are a community because each of us is studying different specializations, but we are all learning and building community with one another because our skills are transferrable within any department or class. The department works to develop strong collaboration skills, so students can understand each other’s strengths and feel bound together by them.

    I have worked on many group projects and all have shown me the different styles and strengths of other people. It helps to create a strong project. I have seen this through my IMC classes as well. Each person is assigned a role in the project that showcases their strengths and what they love. We have learned to see how it creates a stronger project and we build community by knowing more about our differences.

    Every experience and project I have been a part of in the COM department has allowed me to understand a share with other people my ideas and knowledge to help us solve the problems at hand.

    COM Studies changes the world

    In COM 105, Dr. Weber teaches us about “Tikkun Olam,” which means contributing to the repair of the world.  Communication Studies can literally and figuratively repair the world. In other classes, I have learned that how you communicate, verbally and non-verbally, affects how you are perceived and the messages that you put out to others. Every choice you make is a communication choice, and it can affect your world and the others around you. In IMC, you learn quickly that the choices you make, matter. How you represent your brand, or a specific issue, will affect how the world sees you. You always have to be cautious about the message you are putting out, how you are putting it out, and who it is for. It can impact your brand and what you want to let the world see.

    With weeks left to graduation, I cannot help but wonder back to the moment I decided I wanted to major in Communication Studies. How I felt, what I thought, and the person I would become. The Communication Studies department has helped me grow professionally in understanding different aspects of my world. Now, I can confidently answer the question; “What is Communication Studies?”

    (Photo from chabad.org)

  • From College to Career: Making the Most of it

    By: Emily Klein

    (Photo from Unsplash – Vasily Koloda)

    Before you know it, the question of “What are you going to major in?” becomes “What are your plans post-graduation?”.

    Throughout your young adult life, you’ve probably had someone tell you to make sure you pick a job you love. This statement can carry a lot of weight, as choosing a career path is one of the biggest decisions you will make in life.  Once you’ve decided on a major, the focus moves to determine what you’ll do with the degree after graduation and how you’ll make money with it.

    If you are like me, despite the advice you’ve been given, you begin college and still have no clue what you want to do with your life. I am going to be totally transparent when I say that I chose communication studies because it was a “safe” major. COM studies is such a broad major with a wide range of jobs that you can apply your degree. I knew that I liked working with people, being creative, and having a diversity of tasks in my workday and COM provided opportunities for all of those things. I thought I was going with the safe choice, but little did I know how perfect of a fit COM studies was for me.

    Everyone has a different journey when it comes to their college career but compared to others, my journey has been somewhat simple. Due to the confusion, I faced regarding choosing a major I started my college career at a local community college. I decided to pursue an Associate’s Degree and then transfer to a university in hopes that after those two years I would have a better idea of what I wanted to do. Spoiler alert: I did not.

    (Photo from Unsplash – Jason Goodman)

    With my time at community college coming to an end I knew I had to make a decision on what university to attend and to do this, I had to pick a major first. Because I was transferring in, I needed to start my specific major classes right away and there was no time for general education classes. I was accepted into NCSU which happened to be my dream school ever since I was a child. ECU and UNCW also expressed interest in me as a potential student. I was already living in Wilmington at the time, attending Cape Fear, and had already committed to a lease in Wilmington for the next year. I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t devastated to give up my spot at NC State, the school I always envisioned myself going to, but God had other plans. I was meant to stay in Wilmington, to attend UNCW, and I am so thankful I did.

    (Photo by me. Me and Julia Dolinshek circa 2020)

    Having decided to stay in Wilmington, I settled on the idea of majoring in COM Studies with a concentration in Integrated Marketing Communication. I jumped right into my core COM classes, virtually, as we were at the peak of a worldwide pandemic. I never envisioned my college experience being online and never stepping foot inside of a UNCW classroom, but that’s exactly what happened. I attended classes virtually and obtained a marketing internship with the New York State Senate, working on a candidate’s campaign. I learned so much about written and verbal communication during this internship. I mean heck, you learn a lot from cold-calling people who tell you to shove it.

    After completing this internship, I was approaching the middle of my junior year and knew that I made the right decision in choosing COM studies, I still wasn’t sure what sector of communication I wanted to work in…but I knew politics wasn’t it. I was able to apply the skills I learned during the previous internship along with the knowledge I had from class to a new internship, which revolved around project management. I became a Project Management Intern with a computer software company called Red Hat. Project management was something I had never thought about exploring prior to this, but I felt equipped to try it due to the vast amount of knowledge I had learned in my first two semesters as a COM studies major. I learned so much through this internship, but once again knew that this specialty was not for me, so onto the next.

    Right after finishing my time at Red Hat, I accepted an offer as a Conference and Event Marketing Intern with an up-and-coming computer software company, nCino, where I was able to be IN THE OFFICE! I would no longer be restricted to the confines of a home office and would actually be able to have an in-person team to work with. This was huge! I was pushed out of the comfort zone that the pandemic had put me in, confining me to my home, and communicating via Zoom. This was it; I had found my niche.

    For the last 8 months, I have spent time applying everything I learned at UNCW to the workplace. The knowledge I learned in COM 346 taught me how to communicate with a diverse team. The information provided in COM 200 gave me the skills to conduct research and draw my own conclusions. The skills I gained from COM 334 taught me about branding and how to represent the company. I could go on and on about how I was able to apply the knowledge from the UNCW COM department to the real world, but I won’t bore you. My time in this program has forced me to grow not only professionally but personally as well.

    Being forced to make a decision so big at such a young age is hard but doable. Take the time to discover what you like, what you don’t like, and what your true passions are. Decide what your career options are. Pick your major. Apply the knowledge to real-world scenarios. You’ve got this.

  • Five Tips for An Upcoming UNCW COM Major

    By Sydney Jones

    (Photo by Bradley Pearce via uncw.edu)

    Upon exploring communication studies as a major, I was not sure what to expect. My initial thoughts were that I would be writing a lot of speeches, presentations, and papers. After all, communication means talking, right? In reality, the communication studies major explores a multitude of subjects, and many different contexts of communication. Being a COM major can also benefit students in many ways beyond academics. Students have opportunities for networking, internships, and potential jobs, along with the opportunity to meet some amazing people. Here are some things to consider if you are planning to become a COM major:

    Get To Know Your Professors

    Seriously. The professors in the COM department are some of the coolest people you will ever meet. Most of them, if not all, are truly rooting for you to succeed. By getting to know your professors, asking for help or feedback will come easier. For me, it made me more comfortable asking questions or reaching out when something didn’t quite make sense.

    Also, getting to know your professors could allow for potential networking and/or references. As I said, your professors are rooting for you to succeed. The professors in the COM department are very seasoned and may know of potential employers and internships. They could also prove to be valuable references for future job applications. Even without all the perks they may provide, the professors in the COM department are also very cool people who will make your experience in the major downright fun.

    Take Advantage of Workshops

    Throughout your experience as a COM major, you will do many things other than writing. There will be a lot of hands-on work with Adobe and video platforms, things that many students do not have much experience with right out of high school. Lucky for us COM majors, many COM professors put on workshops to allow students a little bit of extra help in these areas. For example, Dr. Stuart (an IMC professor) puts on workshops over zoom for Adobe Suite platforms such as InDesign and Spark. Some of these platforms may seem self-explanatory, but they can be difficult to navigate once you get in there. Take advantage of these free workshops, as they can help you with your projects in COM and add a new skill to your resume.

    Utilize the University Writing Center

    Of course, one of the main aspects of the COM major is writing, lots and lots of writing. Whether it’s research papers, justifications, or projects, you will inevitably spend a lot of time writing. COM professors do place a lot of emphasis on writing mechanics, but it may prove worthwhile to visit the university writing center. The UNCW learning center has a free writing center that provides free one-on-one writing consultations for all students for any academic writing purpose. Sessions are led by faculty-recommended and trained peer writing consultants that help students identify areas in the draft to improve while assisting in the development of specific revision plans. Students can work on their writing skills as the consultant guides them through the revision process. Utilizing the writing center can take a lot of stress off your plate, especially if you have multiple writing deadlines coming up at once.

    Get To Know Your Fellow COM Majors

    One of the most valuable resources you can acquire as a COM major is…other COM majors. Getting to know your fellow COM students will not only immerse you in a great community but may also help you with future projects. Many COM classes place a large emphasis on group work. In fact, COM 200 (a qualifying class for the COM major) is mostly made up of group work and writing. Getting to know your fellow COM majors may make this group work much easier in future courses, allowing you to see firsthand how your peers work and who you get along with. Aside from helping with work, your fellow COM students could become great friends and a wonderful community for you in the future.

    (Photo by Jeff Janowski via uncw.edu)

    Save Your Best Work

    Throughout your experience as a COM major, you will constantly hear “be sure to save your best work for your portfolio.” This will be for the communication studies capstone course (COM 400). While it is important to save all your best work and certifications for this course, these items may also prove valuable for other endeavors. Some jobs require a sample of previous work depending on the nature of the job. Having easy access to your best work from school will make the process of applying for the job much easier and may help you to be a stand-out candidate for the job.

    While these are just a few things that can help future students, there are so many other wonderful benefits of being a COM major. Throughout my education in the major, I feel that I have gained valuable tools and experience that will help me tremendously in my future endeavors.

  • Personalized or Invasion of Privacy?

    Mia Bruce

    (Photo by Jeremy Bezanger from www.Unsplash.com)

    Many companies offer personalized ads to appeal more to the interests of their consumers. Personalized ads are based on consumers’ preferences and behaviors that are released with permission from the consumer. This information can be pulled from shared information on consumers’ social media platforms, basic demographics shared from their account profiles, and tracked digital behavior. Is receiving personalized ads worth the exposed privacy that is required for them?

    Stronger CBRs Influence Consumers

              Just like strong friendships between people, strong brand relationships can influence consumers based on the trust that has been built between the two. The closer you are to your friends, the more comfortable you feel around them and the more personal information you will share with them. With brands that you develop relationships with, this is the same concept. The closer you feel to the brand, the more information you feel like you can share because you feel like there is a relationship established. Brands thrive off this concept to acquire personal information that can be used for personalized ads and to gain the demographics of their consumers.

    When brands have a strong Consumer-Brand Relationship (CBR), consumers are more likely to release their information to the brand compared to a brand they have a weaker relationship with. Brands have better relationships with their market when consumers find they are trustworthy and worthwhile. This customer loyalty can be established by putting forth products that live up to their standards and maintain their company values. Advertising a product that meets certain criteria, but doesn’t, will have consumers opting to find another brand that will.

    (Photo by Tushar Mahajan from www.unsplash.com)

    Consumer Interaction with Personalized Ads

              Consumers do not always think highly of personalized ads, unfortunately. More than half of consumers have negative connotations with personalized ads for privacy reasons (Hayes, 2021). When ads are seen as hyper-personalized, consumers tend to break away from the brand. This can make the consumers feel like the brand is overstepping its boundaries and encourage consumers to avoid these brands. Consumers have even gone to the point to use services that will block companies from being able to access their information and block ads to protect their privacy.

    By allowing brands to have access to their personal information, consumers can benefit from personalized ads. Having personalized ads makes it easier for consumers to find the products they are looking for. Based on their previous history and typical interests from their information, brands can suggest products that they will probably be interested in. Consumers find this very helpful when they’re trying to search for a product promptly. Websites receive more interaction and positive associations when consumers are shown personalized ads.  

    (Photo by Lukas Blazek from www.unsplash.com)

    Results of Personalized Ads

              There are both positives and negatives that come with personalized ads. Strong consumer-brand relationships work well to encourage consumers through personalized advertising. This promotes a positive ad experience and can help consumers find the right products and the right time. This is great for brands because it allows them to have a closer connection to their consumers. Brands can target their audiences properly because of the released personal information that they have to go off. The main point of advertising is to appeal to your targeted audience and having this information to use makes that so much simpler for brands.

              On the other hand, in the eyes of the consumer, personalized ads can be an invasion of privacy that is not necessary. When consumers develop these strong relationships with companies, they may not realize the true extent of what information they are releasing. Consumers may feel so comfortable with a brand that they may not mind or understand what information is being given out.

              Blatantly giving companies your personal information may not seem like a big deal to some, but this information ultimately is being used against consumers for brands to make their sales. Personalized ads can prove to be beneficial for brands and consumers who enjoy having ads that make their lives easier when looking for products. It may be convenient to have advertisements pop up for products that you may be interested in, but does that mean you should relinquish your information to a company that you truly don’t know?

              It’s important to think about both the positives and negatives that come with personalized ads to make an informed decision as a consumer if you will allow companies to your personal information or not. On one hand, you will have a customized approach to online ads, but your details are also given out whether you realize it or not. Weighing both sides is crucial as a consumer, as many people prefer to not give out their information to a company they know through the internet, just to receive more personalized ads for themselves.

    References

    Hayes, J. L., Brinson, N. H., Bott, G. J., & Moeller, C. M. (2021). The influence of

    consumer-brand relationship on the personalized advertising privacy calculus in Social Media. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 55, 16–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2021.01.001

  • Social Media: The universal power move

    By Hope Weaver

    (Photo from Unsplash)

    The Power Move

    The use of social media is skyrocketing. Individuals resort to sharing their lives on the internet now more than ever. It is constant being updated, retweeted, shared, liked, disliked, and deleted. Most  use Instagram to stay connected, Facebook to scout out their next restaurant visit, and Twitter to share what’s on their mind. As a result of this cycle, brands must resort to meeting their audience where it makes the most sense . . . on these digital platforms. The use of social media is an effective tool in boosting company performance and customer traction. Building a client base on social media is a new form of communication that is no simple task. As evolutionary as social media is, many companies rely on its algorithm to survive. Understanding the ins and outs of posting and growing on social media is a job in and of itself. Discovering what consumers want to see and how to provide that desired material is key to social media mastery.

    (Photo from Unsplash)

    Power Move Explained

    Researchers Jun Li, Woo Gon Kim, Hyung Min Choi conducted a study centered around the effectiveness of social media. More specifically the study focused on how social media pages enhanced the performance of casual-dining restaurants. The results of the study suggest that first, social media is a measurable component, and second a selective approach must be taken when cultivating a brand’s media presence.

    Social Media as a Measurable Component

    It may seem pointless to assume that social media is its own science. To the consumer, advertisements, products are marketed to you, images are posted, and you consume the media you want to see … scrolling past the rest. Yet, ads are planned, items are marketed to specific media accounts, and the algorithm is an ever-changing resource. Businesses benefit greatly from understanding the algorithm and guiding their focus toward learning more about media sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Li, Kim, and Choi mention in their article that “customer engagement metrics (customer reviews, ratings, likes, shares, and positive comments), in the social media environment, were directly related to overarching corporate goals, such as revenue” (2019). This means that competence in a variety of social media sites and their algorithms is vital to the success of customer engagement and overall company morale.

    Cultivating a Consistent Media Presence

    Brand consistency is an important concept in the methods of social media marketing. The overall aesthetic of each company should be presented on their online platforms as well as in person. In order to maintain customer loyalty and brand consistency, attention must be placed on the social media pages. For example, as cosmetic details like colors, typeface, and logos are important to the physical brand, the same ideas must be translated into media marketing. Maintaining consistent activity is also important to mastering the ‘power mover’ of social media. Posting on a schedule and with a theme will ensure that you reach your niche audience. New content is a must but keeping it consistent with the aesthetic and posting schedule is important.

    Tips and Tricks

    Based on the evidence compiled from the article mentioned above, proper use and selection of social media sites are important for a successful brand. Choosing the best site is important for finding the right users and followers for your page. Additionally, it is necessary to implement promotional activities that your users will show interest in. This way investing time in what they consume, and such information leaves a lasting impression. There are companies that make it easy to post consistent scheduled content allowing brand consistency and media mastery to be more attainable.

    Source

    Li, J., Kim, W. G., & Choi, H. M. (7 August 2019). Effectiveness of social media marketing on enhancing performance: Evidence from a casual-dining restaurant setting. Tourism Economics, 27(1), 3-22. https://doi-org.liblink.uncw.edu/10.1177/1354816619867807

  • How Does Branding Impact the Habits of a Nation?

    By Gabe Thomas

    (Photo from Unsplash)

    What role does experiential marketing play in the way a brand is viewed? Is it possible for branding to change people’s habits? An article from Wen-Jung Chang explored how a study on the famous brand Starbucks was able to use marketing and brand loyalty to exponentially grow the amount of coffee consumed by people in Taiwan.

    Experience Matters

    While people in the U.S. have been using coffee as a way to get their morning started for decades, this isn’t the case worldwide. It is only within recent years that coffee consumption has begun to skyrocket in Taiwan, but it is currently at “2.3 billion cups of coffee per year” (Chang, 2020). The leading coffee brand in Taiwan is Starbucks, and while many people can’t function without their morning coffee, it is clear that the rate of growth seen in Taiwan is about much more than just the coffee alone.

    Starbucks has used an important integrated marketing tactic called experiential marketing, which attempts to deeply engage the customer in their brand and in efforts to sell you “not just coffee, but a sense of affection and belonging” (Chang, 2020). Companies have used experiential marketing to cater to the idea that by selling an experience to your customer, you can hope to engage with them in ways that make them excited to return again. In the case of Starbucks, everything from the decorations inside the store, to the music playing while you wait, and engagement with the barista making your drink is deliberately creating an experience within the customer that is not only memorable but creates a positive brand image that will get you to come back.

    The Importance of Image

    Brand image is crucial to building loyalty among consumers, but this is not something that happens by accident. The way that you view a brand is often the direct result of deliberate marketing and brand communication efforts. When breaking down the image of Starbucks in Taiwan, it can be done through “identity, personality, association, behavior and attitude and competence and benefit” (Chang, 2020).

    Starbucks’ identity is in its enjoyable experience and has a personable personality that makes you feel connected in order to further the experience. It can be associated with fun, relaxation, or even an environment to get work done, and all of these factors play a role in the image created when you think of this brand. It is fascinating to see how well the results of Starbucks’ positive brand image have changed the habits of those it reaches worldwide.

    Loyalty is the Goal

    When you attempt to dig deeper into the why of marketing, the ultimate reason is so companies can create loyal customers. Selling a product to a returning customer creates significantly higher results than selling to a new customer, which Starbucks showed to be true with the national coffee intake increasing by “20% in the last two years” (Chang, 2020).

    One of the ways that Starbucks has attempted to improve customer loyalty is through their mobile app. Customers are able to order online and receive their order faster, as well as receive rewards and free drinks the more they go. While this alone does not create a loyal customer, the many other efforts to create positive experiences and brand images are all tactics that have seen great results.

    The Relationship Between Image, Experience, and Loyalty
    Image, experience, and loyalty are all key to a brand’s success. The results of Starbucks’ success placed a large emphasis on the experience of the customer, and this combined with a positive brand image has created loyalty within their brand that impacts a nation. The positive experience of a customer instead leads to a positive brand image, and the combination of both experience and brand image then both have a massive impact on the loyalty of the company. If a company is able to master the combination of brand image, customer experience, and product loyalty, they just may be able to change the habits of a nation.

    References

    Chang, W.-J. (2020). Experiential marketing, Brand Image and brand loyalty: A case study of starbucks. British Food Journal, 123(1), 209–223. https://doi.org/10.1108/bfj-01-2020-0014

    George, J. A. (2020, October 22). Photo by June andrei george on unsplash. Beautiful Free Images & Pictures. Retrieved February 26, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/1SL5Rj0xzsU

  • Social Media Connoisseurs: The Adaptability of Content Creators

    By Michalah Matthews

    (Photo by FreePik)

    Content Creators in IMC?

    Influencers and content creators are an ever-growing demographic, directly influencing what it means to be in social media strategy. As COM majors, we are expected to have experience with social media along with some knowledge of how to curate posts and increase visibility of a brand. Social media influencers are not just a face for promotion of specific brands, but they also make up their own brand and have to work a platform to their advantage.

    The Evolution of Social Media

    Technology and social media platforms are constantly updating and becoming more innovative in terms of what they offer their consumers. App developers want to continue to have users interact with their app so they’ve even adopted features on their sites similar to other platforms to encourage their users to keep using it. Instagram started to develop and change several different functions of their app. They’ve added a shopping feature, Reels, and have allowed users to start posting “stories” to showcase snippets of their life. While these updates have made things easier for the consumer, they have had some pretty big impacts on content creators who rely on social media for their brand.

    Making Apps Better…

    Social media moguls have had to adapt to the constantly changing platforms. These adaptations have had positive and negative effects on their ability to promote their brands. One adaptation they’ve had to make is choosing the correct platform to advertise their brand. Not long ago, sites like Tumblr and YouTube were “on and poppin” making them the app that produced the most visibility for content creators. People no longer have the patience or time to read a blog or watch a 15-minute long review about a product. This is where the creation of Instagram comes in. Instagram started as a platform to simply post a photo allowing increased visibility through use of hashtags. This technology created a very straight-forward system benefiting users and creators alike, making it a positive impact for their brand, but this update didn’t seem to be enough for consumers.

    …Or Worse?

    With these changes, comes a challenge for those who depend on these apps to make a living. One of these updates that had a negative impact on content creators was the development of the algorithm for Instagram feeds. Technology has updated and allowed us to curate experiences for people based on the things they frequently look at online. For example, I love a good human hair wig so every now and then I see a banner ad for some stranger’s hair on my browser. That is a benefit to the curation of ads and content based on what an individual likes to see when they’re on the Internet. Although I view this innovation as beneficial, the curation of content for users is actually a content creator’s worst nightmare. In creating posts for an individual based on what they usually view, it erases the visibility influencers may have had prior to the update.

    Content Creators Adaptation to Change

    Views are one of the ways content creators receive money but if their posts are not being seen, it makes it hard for them to profit. While this is a negative to having social media as a main source of income, it has allowed them to be creative in finding ways to combat this update to the algorithm. According to Arturo & Ibáñez, who have studied and dissected the adaptability of content creators, one way content creators have been able to work against the decrease in visibility is collaborations with other influencers. Arturo and Ibáñez have given this technique the name, “cooperative algorithm hacking”(p. 2). If you have an Instagram and you happen to follow a few beauty or fashion influencers, this is a common occurrence among that community. They do a type of series that is composed of several different influencers of the same category or community. For example, not too long ago the Bratz dolls were trending due to the influx of people becoming interested in the Y2K theme. This resulted in a few influencers doing a Bratz doll challenge, where each influencer selected a doll to create a look for. In doing this, their followers not only saw the content of someone they liked seeing but they saw similar content from a different creator. This is an example of how content creators successfully adapt to the constant updates of social media platforms.

    How does this relate to IMC students?

    As IMC students, we are content creators ourselves! We’ll have to be just as innovative in our ability to adapt to the ever-changing rules of social media. Experience in breaking down the reports and analytics that our posts generate will be necessary, as well as the familiarity with navigating any changes to apps themselves in order to maintain a successful marque. Our ability to be adaptive and innovative are some of the many things labels are looking for in individuals to represent their brand.

    (Photo from Jackie Aina via YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbQ-a-4xVwA)

    Source

    Arturo, A., & Ibáñez, F. (2020). “You need at least one picture daily, if not, You’re dead”: Content creators and platform evolution in the social media ecology. Social Media + Society, 6(3) doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2056305120944624