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Crafting the virtual self: A netnographic study of artisan chocolate consumption practices on Instagram

Suphawanichleela, Sirikarn LU (2017) SMMM20 20171
Department of Service Studies
Abstract
This thesis addresses the lack of consideration of Instagram as an online brand
community. The aim is to explore consumption activities and motives regarding
the artisan food brand on Instagram. It also seeks to investigate the idea of craft
products and its influence on consumers' consumption choices and activities,
including the concept of craft consumption. A netnographic approach is the main
method used with the complement of visual ethnography and online interview.
The empirical data was collected through the use of the hashtag (#mastbrothers)
with the chocolate brand, Mast Brothers as a focal object of study. The coding
analysis technique and a hermeneutic approach were employed to interpret the
qualitative data. The central... (More)
This thesis addresses the lack of consideration of Instagram as an online brand
community. The aim is to explore consumption activities and motives regarding
the artisan food brand on Instagram. It also seeks to investigate the idea of craft
products and its influence on consumers' consumption choices and activities,
including the concept of craft consumption. A netnographic approach is the main
method used with the complement of visual ethnography and online interview.
The empirical data was collected through the use of the hashtag (#mastbrothers)
with the chocolate brand, Mast Brothers as a focal object of study. The coding
analysis technique and a hermeneutic approach were employed to interpret the
qualitative data. The central narratives of the content were used to generate four
themes of activity: a food enthusiast, an aesthetic seeker, a lifestyle narrator, and a
moment collector. The results provide the insight of the way users integrate the
brand into their digital spaces, the motives of doing so, the active co-productions of
meanings, and also how brand images and narratives can influence users'
consumption choices. The motivations are mainly within the idea of social
belonging, individual and collective identities, and self-expression. The theoretical
contributions include developing an understanding of Instagram as an online
brand community, consumer culture in relation to food brand, brand image, digital
identity, and social brand engagement. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Suphawanichleela, Sirikarn LU
supervisor
organization
course
SMMM20 20171
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
language
English
id
8921572
date added to LUP
2017-07-11 10:04:18
date last changed
2017-07-11 10:04:18
@misc{8921572,
  abstract     = {{This thesis addresses the lack of consideration of Instagram as an online brand
community. The aim is to explore consumption activities and motives regarding
the artisan food brand on Instagram. It also seeks to investigate the idea of craft
products and its influence on consumers' consumption choices and activities,
including the concept of craft consumption. A netnographic approach is the main
method used with the complement of visual ethnography and online interview.
The empirical data was collected through the use of the hashtag (#mastbrothers)
with the chocolate brand, Mast Brothers as a focal object of study. The coding
analysis technique and a hermeneutic approach were employed to interpret the
qualitative data. The central narratives of the content were used to generate four
themes of activity: a food enthusiast, an aesthetic seeker, a lifestyle narrator, and a
moment collector. The results provide the insight of the way users integrate the
brand into their digital spaces, the motives of doing so, the active co-productions of
meanings, and also how brand images and narratives can influence users'
consumption choices. The motivations are mainly within the idea of social
belonging, individual and collective identities, and self-expression. The theoretical
contributions include developing an understanding of Instagram as an online
brand community, consumer culture in relation to food brand, brand image, digital
identity, and social brand engagement.}},
  author       = {{Suphawanichleela, Sirikarn}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Crafting the virtual self: A netnographic study of artisan chocolate consumption practices on Instagram}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}