Videoblogging as an online news phenomenon : an exploratory study

This study explores the emergence of videoblogging as an online news phenomenon and investigates how this new technology is being adopted as a innovative mode of news diffusion. Rogers\u27 diffusion of innovations theoretical framework is being used to analyze the characteristics of this innovation and that of its adopters with particular reference to online news diffusion. Findings indicate that the early adopters tend to be predominantly young male adults located in the higher income regions of the world. Video content posted is predominantly related to arts and entertainment with a substantial minority related to current affairs and politics. While the majority of videos posted are produced by videobloggers themselves, a substantial minority of videos consist of images shot from television screens, extracted from other digital sources, or downloaded from other websites. Based on these findings, the impact of videoblogging in the online media environment is also discussed

Corporate brand management in a charity context: the internal communications challenge

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this paper was to investigate the practical issues and challenges faced when managing a corporate brand internally within a charity context from perspectives of both senior managers and grassroots volunteers. Design/methodology/approach An interpretive exploratory approach was adopted, where emphasis was placed on giving voice to participants considered as knowledge agents. Data collection methods included a combination of interviews and participatory observation. In-depth qualitative interviews were carried out with seven volunteers (including five branch chairs and one trustee) and five senior managers (chief executive officer [CEO], head of fundraising, national and regional directors and head of information and helplines). Participatory observations included visits in five branches as well as participation in two volunteer-targeted events. Findings Findings from this study revealed the complexities of managing a charity brand internally with several issues and challenges relating to internal communications. Also, three major themes emerged from insights gathered from both senior managers and volunteers, which are as follows: (1) internal brand clarity, (2) internal relational communications and (3) internal brand presence. Originality/value The key contribution of the paper lies in exploring the challenges of managing a corporate brand internally from both the perspectives of senior management and volunteers within a unique charity context. The study adds insights on the issues and tension faced by charities in managing their brands internally and provides a series of practical recommendations that might help charities in strengthening their brands from inside

Exploring Consumer Engagement in Gamified Health and Fitness Mobile Apps

This paper explores how Generation Y engages with gamified health and fitness mobile apps focussing on the popular Nike+ and Fitbit apps. An interpretative approach was adopted whereby ten in-depth interviews were carried out to explore this phenomenon from the perspective of the user. Findings suggest that consumers enjoy receiving intrinsic rewards but these only hold value when players understand the behaviour or activity for why they are being rewarded. It was also found that consumers would welcome social media integration in the gamified apps only if a purpose is clearly identified. Finally, competitive elements, such as leaderboards, points and status, are most likely to enhance consumer engagement but brands need to create opportunities for constructive competition

Exploring Choice overload in Online Travel Booking

When searching for their holidays online, consumers are frequently presented with thousands of options that require a large amount of cognitive effort to digest. This often results in consumers feeling overwhelmed, causing them to experience choice overload. This study explored and identified the moderators and outcomes of choice overload that could be specific to an online travel booking experience. A qualitative methodology was adopted to tap deeper into the experiential aspect of the online booking process from the perspective of the consumer. Indepth interviews were carried out with eleven participants who had prior experience in making online holiday bookings. Findings suggested that there were both intrinsic and extrinsic moderators that affected choice overload in an online travel booking context. There also seemed to be different forms of outcomes of choice overload in the online environment. In light of these findings, marketing implications for online travel booking operators are discussed

Exploring Visual Brand-Related Electronic Word-of-Mouth on Instagram

The aim of this study was to explore the possible drivers of visual brandrelated electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on Instagram. While eWOM has been the subject of growing interest in the literature, there has been limited research that has focused solely on the visual aspect of eWOM messages. A qualitative approach was adopted whereby data collection methods involved eight in-depth interviews (including photo elicitation techniques) with regular users of Instagram – a photo-sharing social media platform that has risen in popularity during recent years. This study found that there were both content-focused antecedents (presentation of focal point, authenticity, source attractiveness and colour) and source-focused antecedents (status, online homophily and character narrative) to visual eWOM which could potentially be linked to consumer engagement mediated by normative influence. Implications for brand owners are discussed and recommendations are made as to how brands could better influence consumer engagement on such visually dominant social media platforms

Commodity Marketing and Services Systems’ Relationship with Spacio-Economic Interactions in Akure City and Its’ Inner Towns and Villages

Spatio-economic interactions among different categories of people and communities are crucial to the promotion of regional development in different parts of the world. Indeed, spatio-economic interactions involve both the movement of people from one place to another in order to undertake specific socio-economic activities that are capable of generating wealth for the people and the organizations that are involved in such movements and activities. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the commodity marketing and services systems’ relationship with the spacio-economic interactions in Akure city and its’ inner towns and villages in Nigeria. A simple questionnaire was adopted for the study. The study utilized both primary and secondary data. A structured questionnaire as well as interview was used to obtain the relevant data from a sample of twenty respondents. The discussion of Findings show that the Agricultural Product Marketing System in Akure and its’ Inner Towns and Villages involve all categories of human settlement in the region in our consideration of agricultural product marketing activities and analysis. The study also revealed that the general orientation of the industrial product marketing sub-system in the region is almost the complete reversal of the agricultural marketing sub-system. Conclusively. There is need to intensity the caution that hunters and poachers should exercise restraint in killing animals in the vegetations secondly. The federal and state governments should not abandon the cocoa farmers to their fate. The cocoa farmers should not be left perpetually in the hands of the private cocoa merchants. Rather, the government ought to be involved indirectly in cocoa production through the provision of subsidy on inputs such as pesticides and storage devices. Keywords: Marketing, services systems relationship, Economic interaction, city, village

The Role of Advance Composite material In Contemporary Buildings

Composite materials have been used from the earliest times, from wood, which is a naturally occurring composite of lignin and cellulose, through straw reinforced clay bricks to reinforced concrete. In the 20th century, a new breed of composite materials was developed using polymer matrices with high-performance reinforcement fibres. The great effect and uncompromising properties of advance composite materials have enabled the emergence of composites cut across all fields of application and all areas of work, just to mention a few aeronautic engineering, automobile engineering, and medicine, military and building construction. Therefore, with emphasis on building construction, advance composite material has played a vital role in today’s contemporary building construction method, by presenting its self as an alternative building construction material, its application has made the contemporary building construction much more flexible and achievable, compared to traditional building materials and its methods of construction. It further offers the building construction industry the technical know-how of having new possibilities of design styles, shapes and forms. Therefore, advance composite material proves it’s self to be a better and a new alternative building construction material that remains construction friendly and flexible based on its properties. This study, therefore, tends to provide an overview of advance composite material, its application as well as its role in today’s contemporary building