The focus of this work is hereby on the images that influencers above the age of 60 (in the following also called as “older” or “elderly” as well as “older generations”) share on social media in both private and professional contexts. The aim here is to find out whether Granfluencers eliminate existing age stereotypes or reinforce them. The knowledge gained from this research can serve as a foundation for digital marketing strategies in cooperations that would like to diversify their campaigns in the future.
In order to be able to answer this question, the current state of research was presented in the second chapter. In this section, stereotypes, especially age stereotypes, gender stereotypes, gendered ageism, and the portrayal of older people in the media were discussed. In this context, gender and age studies were also discussed, followed by a closer look at Granfluencers. These were first defined, then the origins of these were described, and in the last step, the importance of Granfluencers for digital marketing was discussed.The third chapter deals with the actual analysis, which was executed to look at the expression of age and gender stereotypes of Granfluencers in detail.
For this purpose, the aim of the analysis, the research questions, and the methodological implementation were first presented. In a second step, the object of investigation was defined in detail based on the theory of content analysis by Rössler. Afterwards, validity and reliability were defined and documented in the context of the master thesis. The third section deals with the presentation of the results and lastly the results were evaluated in this chapter. The conclusion summarizes the thesis and mentions the limitations as well as the implications for future research.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Background: Aging People in Today's Society
- Stereotypes and Intersectionality
- Age Stereotypes
- Gender Stereotypes
- Gendered Ageism
- Media and Stereotypes
- Age and Gender Studies
- Gender Studies
- Age Studies
- Granfluencers
- Definition
- Development
- Granfluencers and their Importance to Digital Marketing
- Summary of the State of Research
- Stereotypes and Intersectionality
- Granfluencers on Instagram: A Quantitative Image Analysis
- Aim, Research Questions, and Methodical Implementation
- Object of Investigation
- Validity and Reliability
- Presentation of the Results
- Representation of Visual Age Characteristics
- Representation of Cooperations with Brands
- Evaluation of the Results
- Conclusion, Limitations, and Implications for Future Research
Objectives and Key Themes
This master thesis investigates the role of Granfluencers, senior influencers on Instagram, in challenging or reinforcing age stereotypes. The study aims to analyze visual representations of age and gender in the images shared by Granfluencers, specifically those over the age of 60, to understand how they contribute to the portrayal of older generations on social media.
- Age stereotypes and their impact on older generations
- The role of visual media in shaping perceptions of aging
- The influence of Granfluencers on digital marketing and brand strategies
- The intersectionality of age and gender in online representations
- The potential of Granfluencers to promote positive and diverse representations of aging
Chapter Summaries
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the research topic of Granfluencers and their role in challenging or reinforcing age stereotypes. It highlights the importance of visual representations in digital marketing and the increasing visibility of older generations on social media.
- Background: Aging People in Today's Society: This chapter provides a theoretical foundation for the research, exploring stereotypes surrounding aging, gender, and their intersection. It also delves into age and gender studies, examining how these academic fields contribute to understanding the experiences of older individuals. Finally, it defines the term "Granfluencer" and discusses their emergence and significance in the digital marketing landscape.
- Granfluencers on Instagram: A Quantitative Image Analysis: This chapter outlines the methodology and implementation of the quantitative image analysis used in the study. It defines the object of investigation, explains the chosen research methods, and addresses issues of validity and reliability. The chapter then presents the results of the analysis, focusing on visual representations of age and gender, as well as the prevalence of brand collaborations among Granfluencers.
Keywords
The core concepts and terms central to this master thesis include Granfluencers, age stereotypes, gender stereotypes, visual representation, Instagram, digital marketing, influencer marketing, quantitative image analysis, and online representations of aging.
- Quote paper
- Leonie Lippl (Author), 2022, Are Granfluencers breaking age stereotypes? An analysis of senior influencers on Instagram, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1256876
