The Influence of Social Media Platforms on the Consumer-Brand Engagement of Polarising Brands

Master's Thesis , 2022 , 108 Pages , Grade: 1,0

Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media

This master thesis focuses on the influence of the social media platforms Instagram and Facebook on the consumer-brand engagement of polarising brands. Social media platforms are not only for private use but are important communication and advertising tool for brands to build strong customer relationships. To stand out from the crowd of competitors and attract the attention of potential consumers, brands are increasingly using humorous polarisation. Based on a quantitative content analysis of user comments (N = 1,500), the correlations between the social media platforms Instagram and Facebook and the consumer-brand engagement of the polarising brands true fruits, SIXT and BVG are examined. The Uses and Gratification Theory and the Communication Accommodation Theory serve as the theoretical basis.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. Introduction
  • 1.1 Research Gap
  • 1.2 Research Question
  • 1.3 Structure
• 2. State of Research
  • 2.1 Advertising
    • 2.1.1 Definition of Advertising
    • 2.1.2 Polarisation in Advertising
  • 2.2 Social Media
    • 2.2.1 Definition of Social Media
    • 2.2.2 Brands on Social Media
  • 2.3 Consumer-Brand Engagement
    • 2.3.1 Definition of Engagement
    • 2.3.2 Driving Factors for Consumer-Brand Engagement
  • 2.4 Status Quo
• 3. Theory
  • 3.1 Uses and Gratification Theory
  • 3.2 Communication Accommodation Theory
• 4. Empirical Research
  • 4.1 Study Design
  • 4.2 Operationalisation
  • 4.3 Sampling
  • 4.4 Data Collection
  • 4.5 Data Analysis
• 5. Results
  • 5.1 Descriptive
  • 5.2 Social Media Platform
  • 5.3 Brand
  • 5.4 Content Classification
• 6. Discussion
  • 6.1 Summary and Interpretation of Main Results
  • 6.2 Limitations
  • 6.3 Managerial Implications and Future Research

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This master's thesis investigates the impact of Instagram and Facebook on consumer-brand engagement for brands employing humorous polarization. The study uses quantitative content analysis of user comments to examine correlations between platform usage and engagement levels for three brands: true fruits, SIXT, and BVG. The Uses and Gratification Theory and the Communication Accommodation Theory provide the theoretical framework.

• The influence of social media platforms (Instagram and Facebook) on consumer-brand engagement.
• The effect of humorous polarization strategies on user comments and engagement.
• The comparative analysis of user responses on Instagram versus Facebook.
• The relationship between content type (entertaining vs. informative) and consumer engagement.
• Application of Uses and Gratification Theory and Communication Accommodation Theory to brand engagement on social media.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the research topic, highlighting the gap in existing research concerning the impact of social media platforms on the consumer-brand engagement of polarizing brands. It clearly states the research question and outlines the structure of the thesis, guiding the reader through the subsequent chapters.

2. State of Research: This chapter reviews existing literature on advertising, social media, and consumer-brand engagement. It defines key terms, explores the use of polarization in advertising, and examines the role of brands within the social media landscape. The chapter establishes the existing knowledge base and contextualizes the study's contribution to the field.

3. Theory: This chapter lays out the theoretical foundation of the study, introducing the Uses and Gratification Theory and the Communication Accommodation Theory. It explains how these theories will be applied to analyze the data and interpret the results, providing a solid framework for understanding the research findings.

4. Empirical Research: This chapter details the research methodology employed in the study. It describes the study design, outlining the quantitative content analysis approach. It explains the operationalization of key variables, the sampling strategy, the data collection process, and the analytical techniques used to analyze the collected data (1500 user comments).

5. Results: This chapter presents the findings of the quantitative content analysis. It provides descriptive statistics and examines the relationship between social media platforms (Instagram and Facebook), brands, content classification (entertaining vs. informative), and user comments. The results section meticulously presents the data obtained from the analysis, preparing the ground for discussion and interpretation in the next chapter.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Social media, consumer-brand engagement, polarizing brands, Instagram, Facebook, quantitative content analysis, Uses and Gratification Theory, Communication Accommodation Theory, humorous polarization, user comments, brand communication.

Frequently Asked Questions: Master's Thesis on Social Media, Consumer-Brand Engagement, and Polarizing Brands

What is the main topic of this master's thesis?

This master's thesis investigates the impact of Instagram and Facebook on consumer-brand engagement for brands employing humorous polarization. It uses quantitative content analysis of user comments to examine correlations between platform usage and engagement levels.

Which brands are included in the study?

The study analyzes user comments for three brands: true fruits, SIXT, and BVG.

What theoretical frameworks are used?

The research is grounded in the Uses and Gratification Theory and the Communication Accommodation Theory.

What is the research methodology?

The study employs quantitative content analysis of 1500 user comments. The methodology includes details on study design, operationalization of variables, sampling, data collection, and data analysis techniques.

What are the key themes explored in the thesis?

Key themes include the influence of social media platforms (Instagram and Facebook) on consumer-brand engagement; the effect of humorous polarization strategies on user comments and engagement; a comparative analysis of user responses on Instagram versus Facebook; the relationship between content type (entertaining vs. informative) and consumer engagement; and the application of Uses and Gratification Theory and Communication Accommodation Theory to brand engagement on social media.

What are the main findings presented in the thesis?

The results chapter presents descriptive statistics and examines the relationship between social media platforms, brands, content classification, and user comments. Specific details of the findings are provided in the results section of the thesis.

What are the limitations of the study?

The limitations of the study are discussed in the discussion chapter.

What are the managerial implications and future research directions?

The discussion chapter also explores the managerial implications of the findings and suggests avenues for future research.

What is the structure of the thesis?

The thesis is structured into six chapters: Introduction, State of Research, Theory, Empirical Research, Results, and Discussion. Each chapter is summarized in the provided document.

What keywords describe the thesis?

Keywords include: Social media, consumer-brand engagement, polarizing brands, Instagram, Facebook, quantitative content analysis, Uses and Gratification Theory, Communication Accommodation Theory, humorous polarization, user comments, brand communication.

• College: Technical University of Ilmenau
• Grade: 1,0
• Author: Eileen Werner (Author)
• Publication Year: 2022
• Pages: 108
• Catalog Number: V1245460
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346675989
• ISBN (Book): 9783346675996
• Language: English
• Tags: quantitative content analysis, consumer-brand engagement, social media, polarising brands, polarising marketing, UGT, CAT