Generation Like Discussion Questions

1. Using examples from the documentary explain these terms:...

 - Engagement: the amount of people who interact with some kind of content. An example in the movie of engagement is its statistics on the amount of people following social media and other forms of internet communication
- Interaction - Anything a consumer does to respond to brand content. The movie shows examples of interactive online advertising, such as games or trivia that people can put feedback into and makes them feel more involved.
- Targeting - encompasses matching brands on lifestyle and interests to send ads for related brands. The movie showed aggregators that allow advertisers to see how many consumers of one product also showed interest in another, which helps specificity of ad targeting.
- Reach - the amount of people who have been exposed to content. The documentary explained there are simple ways to see who is viewing content on the internet. Usually this is right on the website, but 3rd party sites are sometimes used.

2. Explain what "like"ing someone's post on Facebook means to you

To me, the act of liking a post means that I am interested enough in the content that I'll take time out of my day to share my positive feedback with the originator.

3. Does knowing others like what you like influence you?

I think there is an inherent desire to like what others do. It helps reinforce our taste criteria and values, and allows a deeper feeling of acceptance.

4. Explain the concept of "influencer"

An online influencer is a presence on the internet whose opinion is valuable to at least a moderate segment of the relevant market. They can be incredibly useful tools for large companies trying to expand or reinvent their brand, and for a relatively low cost. Influencers like the one in the movie can profit from their decision to help these companies, but it is really the brand managers who collect big on it.

5. Explain how marketing Oreo alongside a current issue helped Oreo.

By associating Oreos with the social issue of homosexuality, they expanded the brand image to capture new audiences who would probably never have thought about Oreos in any connection with political or social ideals. It came as a surprise, and caught the eye of like-minded consumers who would otherwise have chosen another brand.

6. How do companies use social media to advertise?

Companies create facebook, twitter, instagram, snapchat, etc pages to branch out to new customers with new products or branding designs. It helps for preliminary research, particularly because of interactive aspects embedded in the page. These elements allow consumers to provide relevant feedback for the company in their marketing efforts.

7. How are marketers using social media to build brand trust?

If marketers can get enough people to like/share/comment on their products, other consumers can read this and learn from their peers. There is a greater level of trust among consumers than there is in a corporate-consumer relationship.

8. How do celebrities use social media to advertise?

Celebrities can use social media to personally interact with fans. This is a new concept; the idea of a celebrity is someone whom everyone knows about but few people are familiar with. With social media, fans get to feel like they are more significant because they're getting direct responses from their favorite celebrities.

9. What is Corporate Sponsorship?

Companies looking to capitalize on some type of celebrity can provide products to be used or worn on Youtube or social media, which gives them increased exposure, and provides the creators of the content with an additional source for fundraising.

10. Are marketers being transparent or invisible when using technology as described in the documentary?

I think marketers are retaining a level of transparency with online marketing strategies, but for the most part the companies themselves are attempting to remain invisible or unnoticed. They use third parties to advertise for them, and audiences can relate the product more to the individual promoting it rather than the corporation manufacturing it.

11. How is The Hunger Games plot a lot like advertising using social media?

Just like in the books, teens are spurred by adults (companies) to "fight" each other for likes and favorites. The more people who like a person on social media, the more likely they will earn a sponsorship.