1/2021 – Communication Today

The Role of Educational Content in a Digital Marketing Strategy

Ladislava Knihová — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:27:50 +0000

ABSTRACT:
Being under the pressure of uncertain times, galloping technology and dynamic changes in customer behaviour, companies hold their business managers accountable for fostering greater organisational achievements. While marketing budgets are shrinking, marketing professionals must deal with ongoing media fragmentation and declining advertisement performance. In their attempt to seek innovative communication channels, companies have started to recognise the high potential of customer education. This study’s objective is to identify, analyse and interpret the role of educational content in a digital marketing strategy. Educational content, formats and platforms are examined with the aim of suggesting efficient changes in the design of digital communication strategies appropriate to technology brands. The author has devised a Digital Communication Maturity Assessment Model as a tool for companies to carry out a reliable internal audit of digital communication processes. Based on the Fogg Behaviour Model, new types of customer relationships can be built with the help of relevant educational content which has been carefully crafted and adapted for customer-immersive learning. The insight into educational content implementation in technology brands’ digital communication represents an added value to this study. To further elaborate on the topic, the author suggests new opportunities for future research as well as specific research avenues.

KEY WORDS:
content marketing, customer success, customer-immersive learning, digital communication maturity, digital marketing strategy, educational content, education-based marketing, software-as-a-service

11. KNIHOVA – CT 1-2021 Download

Impact of the Corona Crisis on Marketing Communication Focused on Tourism

Tamás Darázs — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:24:38 +0000

ABSTRACT:
Tourism and travelling are among the most affected sectors of national economies worldwide due to the pandemic caused by a disease called COVID-19. Nowadays, we still cannot accurately predict the effects of this negative impact. Although the pandemic arrived relatively unexpectedly, it was still likely to be expected to occur. Perhaps that is why, in this scheme, Nassim Nicholas Taleb described it as a ‘white swan’, something that will almost inevitably occur in the future. Anyone who describes a pandemic as a ‘black swan’ may not have understood the topic well and is trying to clarify the related issues based on insufficient information resources. This study deals with the changes that the new situation has brought to the environment of regional marketing and marketing communication, especially in tourism. The work evaluates the mathematical analysis of data obtained from entities operating in marketing communication in regional marketing and tourism. Based on predetermined hypotheses, this research includes the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of subjects’ responses, providing a comprehensive explanation of the various impacts of the pandemic on the activities of entities whose main activity is to intersect with marketing. It seems interesting that not all changes are negative.

KEY WORDS:
coronavirus, crisis communication, marketing communication, regional marketing, territorial marketing

10. DARAZS – SALGOVICOVA – CT 1-2021 Download

International Obligations on Atmosphere and Climate Protection in Media Discourse: Propaganda Models of Russian and US Media

Nadezhda Radina — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:18:39 +0000

ABSTRACT:
The aim of the study is to compare the strategies of the Russian and American media in justifying the need to comply with international obligations on atmosphere and climate protection in the context of solving national propaganda tasks and to describe their dominant propaganda models. The research methods comprise the technique of intent-analysis by Ushakova and Pavlova, as well as the technique of rhetorical deconstruction by Ibarra and Kitsuse. Empirical materials of the research include texts of the of Russian and American media (Izvestia, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Gazeta.Ru, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today: 104 articles in total; published from 1st January 2012 to 1st January 2017). It was found that the propaganda models of the Russian and American media correspond to the description of propaganda within the state by Ellul under the two-party system of the state: the ruling party conducts propaganda for itself, the opposition party conducts propaganda against the ruling party. The propaganda model of the American media in this area of information competition between the two states can be characterised as the “propaganda model of the leader”, and the propaganda model of the Russian media may be called the “opposition propaganda model”.

KEY WORDS:
atmosphere and climate protection, environmental policy, intent analysis, mediatization of politics, propaganda, Russian media

09. RADINA – BOBKOVA – CT 1-2021 Download

Hard News Revisited: A Case Study of Various Approaches to an Incident at a Primary School as Reflected in the Media

Nataliya Panasenko — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:13:29 +0000

ABSTRACT:
The study highlights various approaches to an incident at a primary school as reflected in the media. The authors analyze different media outputs and by using numerous examples prove the most important features of the news. They supplement their quantitative analysis with a qualitative analysis of the media outputs of selected news portals and focus on several key elements: title of the media output, content of the article, and signals of addressee orientation in the texts. The analysis is based on the comparison of the time of publication of the media output, the method of processing information and the headlines. Additionally, the study gives valuable information on the meaning of timeliness, conflict, proximity, and surprise. The research presents an exhaustive analysis of different forms of hard news production, forms of its reproduction, and media channels dividing media sources into three groups: news presented in serious portals, official sources, and tabloid news portals. Such an approach gives the opportunity to specify signals of addressee orientation in the headlines and the text body, typical of each media group. The results of the analysis vividly show what common and specific signals of addressee orientations in media sources, forming three groups – official, serious, and tabloids present hard news on their portals.

KEY WORDS:
emotional journalism, hard news, media market, media output, tabloid news portals, traditional and new media

08. PANASENKO et al. – CT 1-2021 Download

Consumers’ Inclusiveness and Migration: Evaluation of Selected Brands through the Brand Identity Prism

Presly Ogheneruke Obukoadata — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:08:44 +0000

ABSTRACT:
Brand identity management is central to brand building which prompted our evaluation on two master brands – Coca Cola and CloseUp – using the Brand Identity Prism. It explored how consumer inclusiveness and socioeconomic migration have affected consumers’ identification with the select brands. A survey based on the projective technique that deconstructed the six facets of the BIP as items in the questionnaire was applied to a cross national consumer-base of sample size 2,881 arrived at using 95% confidence level, 80% expected response rate and loss of sampling efficiency at 1.5. Data collected was analysed using the simple percentage and the Two-Way ANOVA Statistics to ascertain if there had been any significant difference among the means of the timeline. We argue that a brand might not have consistent strong identification with consumers over all the facets every time, and that with consumer inclusiveness and socio-economic migration, it is likely that consumers will stick with existing brands irrespective of lifestyles, new tastes and choices especially if majority of the brands’ facets through the prism are optimised. It is concluded that consumer inclusiveness and socio-economic migration have positive effects on consumer identification with identified brands despite the existence of inclusion and migration over a timeline.

KEY WORDS:
brand communication, Brand Identity Prism, consumers, inclusiveness, migration

07. OBUKOADATA et al. – CT 1-2021 Download

The Interaction between the Marketing Communications Audit and Visitors in Museum Facilities

Michal Lukáč — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 17:56:20 +0000

ABSTRACT:
Museum facilities are part of an economic environment that is continually developing and subject to hypercompetitive conflicts. Museums must therefore apply adequate modern marketing tools, including marketing communications, which not only have informative and promotional functions, but at the same time enable the management of museum profitability and numbers of visitors to museums. Marketing communications for these institutions therefore represent a critical aspect of museum management. The purpose of this research study is to evaluate the levels of marketing communications to museum visitors for the purpose of acquiring feedback for museum management. At the same time, it is also possible to apply modern auditing techniques to governance and marketing communications management. This is a task undertaken by this research inquiry through experimental CASI interviews on a sample of 2,020 museum visitors over a period of four consecutive years and subsequent analyses using R statistical software. The recorded data shows a strong correlation between marketing communications and museum attendance. Based on this data, it has been possible to interactively formulate audit recommendations and a model for a marketing communications optimisation audit approach that can enable museum management to manage their marketing communications innovatively. At the same time, the results have also expanded interdisciplinary knowledge of marketing and management.

KEY WORDS:
audit, communication, management, marketing, museum

06. LUKAC et al. – CT 1-2021 Download

“Do I Care that You Are Credible and We Are Similar?” Examining Credibility and Similarity as Experienced by Social Media Followers

Caroline S. L. Tan — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 17:50:07 +0000

ABSTRACT:
This study explores the roles that similarity and credibility play in the influencer-follower relationship as experienced by followers. The data was collected using face-to-face semi-structured interviews that were conducted with 37 young adults, analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show that there were shifts in how followers translated similarity and credibility, transforming the motives behind following influencers. Followers also do not view themselves as having similar values or personality traits to influencers. The level of trust and perceived credibility were lower versus that of existing literature. The study also shows that similarity plays a part in the decision to unfollow. The findings reflect changes in follower behaviour and ultimately the way they consume content from influencers.

KEY WORDS:
credibility, influencer-follower relationship, similarity, social media follower, social media influencer, source credibility theory

05. TAN – CT 1-2021 Download

Attitudes towards Different Influencer Categories – Exploration of Generation Z

Lucia Spálová — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 17:46:04 +0000

ABSTRACT:
The issue of intersection of digital media and acquisition of forms of public awareness is still relatively new. This research study identifies cognitive aspects of subjective perception of different categories of influencers operating in the online environment. The aim is a more detailed explanation of the psychosemantic structure of the perception of selected domestic influencers in relation to the self-respondents and the brand, as this is where the promotional aspect of the researched topic is revealed. Theoretical starting points of the study accentuate the knowledge based on endorsement models of using celebrities in marketing communication, as well as on the concept of social psychology and persuasion. The elementary definition of the concept of influencers lies in the etymological analysis, which we supplement with the analysis of currently established scientific-professional approaches to the categorisation of influencers and also draw attention to a critical explanation of terms related to influencer marketing, such as opinion leader, brand ambassador, as well as the influencer itself. To identify social representation of celebrities and marketing communication in the semantic space of generation Z we applied a psychosemantic method of Semantic Choice Test. The results indicate a markedly positive self-concept of the studied cohort of Generation Z and its focus on professional application represented by the semantic proximity of two influencers (Sajfa and LucyPug). At the same time, significant distrust of politicians and political communication and a critical approach to the aggressive communication of political entities were identified.

KEY WORDS:
ambassador, celebrity, Generation Z, influencer, marketing communication, self, social media

04. SPALOVA et al. – CT 1-2021 Download

Attracting and Pre-Integrating Migrants Using Digital Media in the Local Labour Market

Wiktor Widera — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 17:38:18 +0000

ABSTRACT:
Multilevel migration management is, in the face of current negligence, a postulated management activity on many territorial levels: transnational, national and local. This process requires the intertwining of various spheres – public and private, internal and international. This kind of management is designed to define the dynamics of management and eliminate the barriers of the decision-making system, understood physically – as the boundaries of administrative units, and functionally – as political constraints. Growing deficits on the local labour markets require the state’s activity and taking targeted action in municipalities aimed at attracting and integrating immigrants. With the use of all tools available, especially digital media, territorial marketing and the resulting marketing communication can play a key role in this process. The main objective of the present study is to reflect on the problem of how to use digital media in order to acquire and integrate migrants into local labour markets. The article has the character of theoretical considerations. According to the author’s view, it is possible to conduct pre-integration of migrants even at the moment when they are still in their native country, during the period of making the decision to leave.

KEY WORDS:
immigrants, labour market, local government, marketing communication, migration, municipality management, territorial marketing

03. WIDERA – CT 1-2021 Download

Meta-Revision: The New Paradigm of Faustian Stories

Peter Getlík — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 17:33:47 +0000

ABSTRACT:
The aim of the study is to introduce and verify the perspective of the “meta-revision” concept for an analysis of adaptations (revisions) in the intermediality discourse. The issue of meta-revisions is presented through evident moral dichotomy in Faustian stories which are frequently adapted in Western culture. Besides many Faustian adaptations that are variable in plot yet traditional in the moral manifestations, we recognise only a few cases that question the exclusivity of conventional Christian ethics. Verification of the concept of “meta-revision” is done especially through the analysis of several film structures, whereas two of them bear significant meta-revisionist features: we identify the meta-revision of cultural self-identification with the hero (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus by Terry Gilliam) and meta-revision of cultural self-identification with the villain (Mephisto by István Szabó; based on the novel by Klaus Mann). As a conclusion of the study the three distinctive aspects of meta-revision applicable in further research on adaptations are defined.

KEY WORDS:
adaptation, Faust, film, intermediality, literature, Mephisto, meta-revision, remediation, revision, theatre

02. GETLIK – ANDRICIKOVA – CT 1-2021 Download