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what’s a phone?

Phone addiction is real, like super real. According to Addiction Centre, “there are over 3.8 billion smartphone users in the world and of those billions, 427% receive more messages and notifications than they did a decade ago” (Gomez, S, Smith-Slade, D, Dr. Bhatt, A, 2022). Unfortunately, the little boxes of light we hold in our hands are designed to be addictive since they can make life easier by making information being so accessible. These little boxes have now been proven that they are altering our brain. “When we read digital media, the cluttered landscape of links and ads and the short bursts of attention that are required by scrolling and swiping, and tweeting result in a contradiction in terms: an intensely focused state of distraction” (Karanasiewicz, S 2022). This explains how after TikTok was created, no one could focus on anything for more than 30 second periods without getting distracted or bored.

Speaking of content, “TikTok also appears to be faster than any other platform at detecting interest” (Paul, K 2022) which only entices the addiction. “The app provides an endless stream of emotional nudges, which can be hard to recognize and really impact users in the long run,” Faddoul said. “It’s not going to make anyone depressed overnight, but hours of consumption every day can have a serious impact on your mental health” (Paul, K 2022).

TikTok is constantly walking on a fine line between raising awareness and bringing up past trauma. “These concerns are particularly pronounced in the realm of ADHD content, where users have reported being diagnosed by medical professionals after seeing videos about their symptoms” (Paul, K 2022). The type of realm that TikTok is offering if not taken lightly can be extremely damaging. It creates a replacement for social interaction and is something that can be super detrimental to the younger generations that are growing into this fixation. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, also coinsidently when TikTok became most popular with a 180% download growth (Ceci, L 2022), people were forced into their homes with little to no social interaction. There’s been so much recent controversy surrounding the app that entrepreneur Mathias Döpfner says that “TikTok should be banned in every democracy” and argues that “democratic nations are naïve and dangerous to allow TikTok to operate” (Barrabi, T 2022).

With TikTok on the rise and other platforms trying to catch up to its popularity level, it may be worth revaluating how much it truly needs to be on our home screens…

References:

Barrabi, T 2022, ‘TikTok should be banned in every democracy, media mogul says’, September 7th 2022, New York Post, viewed 9th November, < https://nypost.com/2022/09/07/tiktok-should-be-banned-in-every-democracy-politico-owner-says/ >

Addiction Centre, 2022, ‘Phone Addiction: Warning Signs And Treatment’, 2022, viewed 9th November, < https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/phone-addiction/ >

Karnasiewicz, S 2022, ‘7 Things To Know if You Think You’re Addicted to Your Phone’, Health, June 14th 2022, viewed 9th November,  < https://www.health.com/condition/anxiety/cell-phone-addiction >

Paul, K 2022, ‘What TikTok does to your mental health: It’s embarrassing we know so little’, The Guardian, Sunday 30th October 2022, viewed 9th November, < https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/oct/30/tiktok-mental-health-social-media#:~:text=Experts%20agree%2C%20saying%20that%20while,also%20lead%20to%20additional%20trauma.&text=%E2%80%9CFor%20many%20people%2C%20disclosing%20abuse,the%20children's%20mental%20health%20expert. >

Ceci, L 2022, ‘Share of individuals using TikTok during the coronavirus outbreak’, Statista, Jan 28th 2022, viewed 9th November, < https://www.statista.com/statistics/1207831/tiktok-usage-among-young-adults-during-covid-19-usa/ >

[mediaandcommsprojectbblog]

Boujee Business

What seemed like once a business luxury has now turned into a business need. Expansion into the global marketplace is now something that all brands and businesses aim to be a part of. The accurate definition of the global marketplace is “the exchange of goods, ideas, and services uninhibited by geographic boarders” and is an environment where these brands and business can “target and access relevant customer bases regardless of their proximity”, not to mention the participation in the “international supply chain management, logistics, service partnerships and scaled operations” that they get to be included within (G-P, 2020).

The major advantage of becoming a part of this new marketing realm is the new revenue streams that would be added to a business however, other benefits include “gaining competitive advantage, accessing a global talent pool, finding new global customers and utilizing government incentives” (Velocity Global, 2019). On the other hand, however, there are just as many risks involved for businesses when the opportunity for expansion arises. Aspects such as “tax compliance, HR management and legal complications” (G-P, 2020) are set to follow. Specifically after the COVID-19 pandemic, brand and businesses were forced to revaluate how they would take a new approach to global marketing. Although trading global can provide stability during economic turbulence, “for brands operating on an international scale, this meant navigating complexities on a country-by-country basis” (Howe, S 2021) forcing brands to completely scrape their marketing strategies.

With now more than half the world using some form of social media (59%), this left almost every social media branded business on the planet reconsidering their marketing strategies (Chaffey, D 2022). With the E-commerce sector booming now more than ever, it has now become easier to become a part of those international markets and tap into the new consumer bases they did not previous have. In a survey conducted by the United Nations, it was found that “countries with previously smaller online sales figures were the countries that have seen the biggest increase. All of this point to an increased opportunity to embrace digital sales in order to offset potentially declining sales via traditional routes” (United Nations, 2020). If brands didn’t already have a digital presence prior to the pandemic, “more companies are looking into internationalising their business and more companies are globally minded due to the pandemic” (Howe, S 2021).

References: Howe, S 2021, ‘6 Ways Covid-19 has changed international marketing’, February 12th 2021, LinkedIn, viewed 9th November < https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/6-ways-covid-19-has-changed-international-marketing-sophie-howe >

G-P, 2022, ‘Navigating the Global Marketplace’, 2022, viewed 9th November, < https://www.globalization-partners.com/blog/navigating-the-global-marketplace/?utm_source=Adwords&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search_|_AU_-_Dynamic_[en]&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgribBhDkARIsAASA5btQ4Xqz5BrPUpZVwrSaSDh6fIzTGeIIDZg7EJG_013sx7pTYSKlvFwaApMaEALw_wcB#Global-Expansion-Risks >

Velocity Global, 2019, ‘Think Global: Top 5 Benefits of an International Expansion’, July 19th 2019, viewed 9th November, < https://velocityglobal.com/blog/think-global-top-5-benefits-international-expansion/?GLOBAL_EX >

Chaffey, D 2022, ‘Global social media statistics research summary 2022’, Insights, 22nd August 2022, viewed 9th November, < https://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-global-social-media-research/ >

United Nations, 2020, ‘COVID-19 and E-commerce; Findings from a survey of online consumers in 9 countries’, United Nations & Netcomm Suisse, October 2020, viewed 9th November, < https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/dtlstictinf2020d1_en.pdf >

[mediaandcommsprojectbblog]

a new social, social media?

Some may debate that Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) was the original social media platform before technological advances. With a whopping “92% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising” (Whitler, K. A 2014) it’s no wonder this free organic type of marketing is so valuable.  

The brand RRD recently conducted a survey on 1,000 consumers comparing 2021 consumer expectations to marketer priorities. RRD are an organisation that “transform customer touchpoints into moments of impact” (RRD, 2022), and in this circumstance have been able to identify what areas of marketing brands should be implementing and pushing towards and to provide them insight that informs strategies and new investments. The majority of consumers being 55% have “discovered a new brand, product or service in the past year through word of mouth” with “40% of those consumers actually purchasing the product after discovering it”, yet sadly only “7% of marketers identified word of mouth as a channel which results in consumer purchases” (RRD, 2021). Having the reassurance of a friend discuss how much they’ve loved a new clearing product provides other consumers with peace of mind about the unknown or questions they might have regarding the product. Because “people trust each other more than brands” (Carmicheal, K 2022), it already acts to eliminate any doubts that may be stopping them from processing a purchase. Due to being a free organic and natural type of marketing, this type of strategy is not something that businesses have any form of control over, which is why they choose to focus on other marketing channels that they know they can specifically calibrate and conduct.

Influences are now aimed to bridge that gap in the WOMM aspect. Some are positioned to online ‘befriend’ followers by coming across as relatable and producing content that they may enjoy viewing. However, it was also indicated in the RRD survey that while “82% of marketers believe influencers drive consumer purchases, the reality is that just over a quarter being 26% of consumers say that influencers make them more likely to purchase new products or services” (RRD, 2021), and although this method of marketing is on the rise, it simply does not compare to the effects WOMM could be having if viewed correctly by marketers.

Another method that is being utilised to bridge the gap is user-generated content. It may not necessarily have the same effect as it would coming from a trusted friend however, “79% of people say user-generated content highly impacts their purchasing decisions” since they are willingly expressing their brand loyalty with no added paid promotion, they create open and honest conversations about their personal experience regarding their purchase. Having this also creates an extra bonus for the brand as it helps to engage potential buyers in a community that they may be subconsciously looking to enter.

References: Whitler, K. A 2014, ‘Why Word Of Mouth Marketing Is The Most Important Social Media’, Forbes, July 17th 2014, viewed 8th November, <https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimberlywhitler/2014/07/17/why-word-of-mouth-marketing-is-the-most-important-social-media/?sh=6d4b1a6854a8>

Carmicheal, K 2022, ‘Word Of Mouth Marketing: What Is It and How to Make It Work’, HubSpot, 20th September 2022, viewed 8th November, <https://blog.hubspot.com/agency/how-online-word-of-mouth-marketing-is-changing>

RRD 2021, ‘The (UN)Expected Report’, RRD, viewed 8th November, <https://www.rrd.com/unexpected>

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Authenticity who?

It’s becoming more and more noticeable that brands and social media handles are pushing for greater bonds with their consumer bases and/or audiences. It’s almost like they all hacked simultaneously that their fans are what drives business and that they almost need to have some form trusting relationship to successfully strive in sales!

They would be correct. With a constantly changing and updating society, authenticity and transparency amongst brands and their consumers is now more important than ever. This broad realisation is applied to brands business wide from transparency with customers, to employees, to salaries and wages, to hiring and even to day-to-day tasks. Building up this type of business structure only creates room for positive authenticity which is ultimately set out to help improve the brand and the name it is aiming to create for itself.

It’s unfortunate that there are some members of the social media realm being both brands and individuals that will do anything for some extra coin, these “inauthentic characters” set out to “prey on the vulnerable” and spread false information about how they too can make/save money (Schenk, L 2021). Creating real connections is something that is now sought after when trying to establish consumer/follower bases. Entrepreneur and successful business owner Lewis Schenk says that “story is the most people way to influence, engage and inspire” and if done correctly will “resonate with your audience and build a real lasting emotional connection”. This also then translates into likeability. If that vulnerable bond has been created between the two parties, it taps into the “psychological biases such as likeability bias, which creates a bond between you and your audience”.

In Schenk’s article, he explains how research has shown that “when someone tells a genuine story we are up to 22 times more likely to remember it”. This corresponds with another article written by Jennifer Dublion who discussed that “81% of shoppers say that transparency is important or extremely important” (Dublion, J 2022). Hiding things or not expressing the whole truth with certain aspects to a brand or its products can come off as ‘shady’ or ‘suspicious’ to some consumers which could potentially incline them to purchase from a competing, more trusting brand. Not to mention the state of the environment and what brands are doing to be more environmentally friendly now plays a huge part in consumer loyalty. Since “84% of shoppers now loose trust” in brands that aren’t playing their part in helping the environment and completely robs them of their authenticity.

References:

Dublino, J 2022, ‘How to Instill More Transparency in Your Business’, Business.com, October 21 2022, viewed 8th November, <https://www.business.com/articles/transparency-in-business/>

Schenk, L 2021, ‘Why Authenticity Is the Key to Making Great Social Media Content and Building a More Devoted Audience’, Entrepreneur, June 15th 2021, viewed 8th November, <https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/why-authenticity-is-the-key-to-making-great-social-media/369664>

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why is bullying getting upgraded?

Given the current social climate, it’s almost impossible to be across social media without being involved or witnessing cyberbullying in any of its forms. Although bullying used to be a concept that could be avoided when coming home from work or leaving school and its bullies during recess and lunch periods, as technology has evolved, so has the concept of bullying which has now made its way home – almost making in inescapable. The kind of bullying that is currently being experienced is an entirely different kind than what we were used to seeing which is what makes it trickier to spot and stop now. Specifically, from the COVID-19 pandemic with majority of the world transitioning to online learning, forcing kids to be on their devices more, making them more likely to “fall victim to cyberbullying” (Security.org, 2022). It’s no surprise that now cyberbullying has become more than just name calling across platforms.

In a systemic analysis of the relationship between brands and cyberbullying on social media, it was discovered that “consumers who seek to be popular and attractive are more likely to engage in CBC (consumer brand-cyberbullying), while those who seek to affiliate with close others and help the community are less likely to do so” (Breitsohl, Jimenez & Roschk, 2021). CBC is defined as a form of cyberbullying that results from consumers “bonds with brands” and although there is limited research on the matter, the notion of CBC also steams from the same themes that regular cyberbullying entails such as, an individuals (or in this case a brands) “race, gender, social norms, political opinions, physical attributes or personality dispositions” (Breitsohl, Jimenez & Roschk, 2021).

In Kasser and Ryan’s 1993 ‘Life Aspiration Theory’, they explain why cyberbullying may be something that users willingly wish to partake in, and although it does not justify actions, it aids in breaking it down to visualise and understand it for what it truly might be. “Consumers pursue two types of aspirations in life. Intrinsic aspirations refer to the pursuit of intrinsically rewarding need satisfactions, such as having meaningful affiliations, accepting one’s self, and making a valuable contribution to the community. Extrinsic aspirations focus on attaining external rewards or praise and usually include a desire to feel popular, to fit in, and to be attractive to others. In general, intrinsic aspirations tend to trigger positive interpersonal behaviours, whereas extrinsic aspirations are more likely to lead to negative interpersonal behaviours” (Kasser & Ryan, 1993). It's predominant that now moving forward brands now have a larger responsibility to be more conscious in how they wish to perceive themselves to their consumers. Although it is not something entirely in their control how their audience holds themselves across social media, it is extremely important now that brands are sending the correct messages that wouldn’t entice followers to act in certain ways. All to feel more included with the brand and create a false sense of a stronger bond by bullying other audiences of other brands.

Sercurity.org Team, 2022, ‘Cyberbullying: Twenty Crucial Statistics for 2022’, Sercurity.org, viewed 7th November, <https://www.security.org/resources/cyberbullying-facts-statistics/>

Breitshol J, Jimenez N, Roschk H 2021, ‘Investigating consumers’ motives for consumer brand-cyberbullying on social media’, Taylor & Francis Online, viewed 7th November, <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01972243.2021.1981507>

Kasser T, R. M Ryan, 1993, ‘A dark side of the American dream: Correlates of financial success as a central life aspiration’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 65, viewed 7th November, <https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.65.2.410>

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Freaky FOMO

The ideology of comparison has always been something that is present when looking at our own lives compared to those of others, and although the feeling of ‘FOMO’ has been around long before Instagram and Facebook, it has only recently been heightened thanks to the simplicity and real time that social media offers its users. FOMO, standing for ‘fear of missing out’ is “basically increased and pervasive anxiety or apprehension of missing out on social events or experiences that others are perceived to be having” according to Neerja Birla in her article discussing how the feeling of FOMO is affecting mental health and needs to be addressed. And that’s exactly it, FOMO is something that needs to be addressed because like most aspects on social media, it’s been blown up out of proportion and now affects more than just our endless scrolling.

In her article for The Economic Times, Birla outlines the prominent rhetorical questions that follow the initial feeling of FOMO such as “why do we envy those who are more popular or successful?”, and “why do we psyche ourselves into believing that others have it better than us – jobs, opportunities, friends, social lives, experiences, luck – the better of everything” (Birla, N 2018, Economic Times). Unfortunately, the principal of FOMO is affecting more than just our pre bedtime scrolling and morning routine mandatory phone checks and overall “compels you to pick up your phone every few minutes to check for updates” (Robinson L, Smith M 2022, Help Guide). It’s now made its way into the concept of business and trading.

It’s no surprise that “technology is often the greatest FOMO generator” (Balu, S 2017, Forbes), but these “shiny new things” that businesses are so inclined to adopt are often not solutions that will “instantly propel businesses out of cumbersome processes and into hyper-competitiveness” and although technology may provide new opportunities and open doors, they play “a mere supporting role” in the development. In his Forbes article, Balu explains that FOMO specifically takes place “when business leaders are afraid of missing out on something or not being where things are really happening”, rather than making themselves present and deciphering what their consumer bases really need over what they think they want.

Balu exaggerates that it is “more essential that firms focus on two markers—“design thinking” and “design-to-zero,” which when overlapped with technology, constitute actual digital transformation”. Both are aspects that ensure firms and businesses are encouraged to focus on more relevant priorities such as consumer needs instead of business wants and unnecessary upgrades.

References: Balu, S 2017, ‘FOMO Is Real: Does Your Business Really Need That Shiny New Tech Solution?’, Forbes, viewed 28th October 2022, <https://www.forbes.com/sites/edelmantechnology/2017/08/16/fomo-is-real-does-your-business-really-need-that-shiny-new-tech-solution-2/?sh=7224f0a71e32>

Birla, N 2018, ‘How FOMO is affecting your mental health, and needs to be addressed’, The Economic Times, viewed 28th October 2022, <https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/between-the-lines/fomo/articleshow/62550811.cms>

Robinson L, Smith M 20022, ‘Teen Issues: Social Media and Mental Health’, Help Guide, viewed 28th October 2022, <https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/social-media-and-mental-health.htm>