An analysis of the use of visual storytelling by South African brands to promote brand engagement on social networks
- Authors: Gwatiringa, Tsitsi
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Digital storytelling -- South Africa , Branding (Marketing) -- South Africa , Social media -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7533 , vital:21799
- Description: Stories have the ability to evoke feelings and emotions in humans and have since been used by brands as part of corporate communication, communicating their vision and values. However, the growing technological trends have not only shifted the platforms for communication but also changed the techniques of communication as audiences on social media expect two-way communication instead of the traditionally used one-way communication. This is exacerbated by the power of word-of-mouth on social media as well as the presence of digital natives who are increasingly visual in their nderstanding and are immersed in their lives online. This has given rise to the use of visual storytelling as a corporate communication strategy as brands are using it to connect, transmit and receive messages from their audiences. This study examines the ways in which South African brands are making use of visual storytelling on social media and aims to determine the extent to which the use of visual storytelling promotes brand-audience engagement. The study is based on the philosophical assumptions of the Visual Rhetoric framework, which is concerned with the symbolic processes by which images perform communication. The hermeneutic – interpretive research method design is applied to justify knowledge produced by this study. A content analysis of six social media pages was conducted, looking at the visual content posted as well as interpretation of comments and interactions by fans of the selected brand pages. Overall, South African brands make use of visual storytelling to promote brand-audience engagement but they are not utilising the communication strategy to its fullest extent.
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- Date Issued: 2015
An investigation into the role of social media in the 2014 South African general election
- Authors: Numa, Esethu
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Social media -- South Africa , Communication in politics -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5271 , vital:20833
- Description: The citizens of a state make sense of political parties from what is communicated about the parties as well as how that message is communicated. The use of social media, as a campaign communication vehicle, by political parties and voters is increasing, which brings rise to the need to examine the role of social media in South African politics. This study, which is a necessary exploration of political communication in South Africa, particularly on social media post-1994, looks at the scope of political communication on social media pre and post the 2014 elections in South Africa. Through a content analysis, this study analyses the communication messages of political parties on Twitter and the public‟s response to those messages. Furthermore, drawing from the theories of Framing and Agenda setting, this study explores how issues are framed on social media as well as the agenda setting role of social media. The study also identifies the issues that present themselves in political communication through social media in South Africa, and proposes ways in which the political parties could campaign more compellingly and effectively on social media.
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- Date Issued: 2015
The use of Facebook and Twitter in sports public relations in the 2012 Olympics
- Authors: Cash, Carol-Anne
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Sports journalism -- South Africa , Social media -- South Africa , Communication -- Social aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8370 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020640
- Description: The purpose of this study was to provide professionals practising sports public relations in South Africa with insight into the use of social media platforms Facebook and Twitter. The secondary data from this study was drawn from the fields of communications, public relations, new media, social media, sport and marketing. South African Paralympic swimmers Kevin Paul and Shireen Sapiro were selected as the case studies and their Facebook and Twitter sites were analysed. The data was analysed leading up to, during and after the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. Content analysis using quantitative and qualitative data was utilized to conduct this study. During the period 27 July to 30 September 2012, the study was able to evaluate data by identifying the reach, frequency, interaction of the stakeholders and the positive or negative impact social media had on these athletes. The study established that there were correlations between the secondary and primary research that was undertaken. The findings revealed that social media platforms Facebook and Twitter can be useful tools to communicate with stakeholders. Social media can also create support for the athletes, create two-way interaction, create unity and enhance reputation. It was identified that social media could only be effective if it enticed stakeholders to engage with the brand and create two-way communication. Immediate feedback by responding to comments as soon as possible to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders is essential. This can be done through comprehensive planning, monitoring and proactively seeking ways to satisfy stakeholder needs.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Investigating the relationship between the social phenomenon of Facebook and narcissistic socio-cultural tendencies
- Authors: Zdanow, Carla
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Facebook (Electronic resource) , Narcissism , Self , Culture , Online social networks -- South Africa , Social media -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8377 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1445 , Facebook (Electronic resource) , Narcissism , Self , Culture , Online social networks -- South Africa , Social media -- South Africa
- Description: Narcissism is increasingly being regarded as one of the biggest socio-cultural problems of the contemporary era. Indeed, recent studies by Baldwin and Stroman (2007) and Buffardi and Campbell (2008), among others, have advanced that new media technologies – in particular social networking websites – have significantly exacerbated the rise and spread of narcissism in contemporary society. Based on this premise, namely that social media provide the perfect platform for the promotion of self-infatuation, this research project will provide a critical analysis of the potential influence of social media in the development of a widespread narcissistic socio-cultural condition. In this regard, claims that increasingly consumerist, individualist and media-saturated societies are nurturing a culture of extreme narcissism, vanity and entitlement, will be examined in relation to an increase in the use of consumerorientated new media technologies. In particular, by examining the structural components of the popular social networking site, Facebook, this treatise will highlight the connection between the use of this form of new media and the engenderment of an acutely consumerist and narcissistic subjectivity – namely, commodity narcissism. That is, by examining the growth of narcissism from the 1940s through to the new millennium, the role of the media, and most recently new media technologies, in the promotion of commodity narcissism will be examined as factors of particular significance in the formation of contemporary subjectivity. In relation to this, the impact of commodity narcissism on the perpetuation and propagation of capitalist isolation, alienation and insecurity will be investigated with a view to exploring the potential impact of such narcissism on the efficacy of the democratic process. Finally, some remedial measures, which co-opt rather than negate such social media, will be proposed.
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- Date Issued: 2011