Online firestorm: Hot eller möjlighet?
(2020) SKDK11 20201Department of Strategic Communication
- Abstract
- Existing research on online firestorms is usually based on the common assumpt- ion that the phenomenon poses a threat to brands, which at all costs need to be prevented, mitigated or eliminated. In this study we offer a different perspective of the preconceived notion of an online firestorm and argue that an online firestorm does not necessarily have to be counteracted, but rather can strengthen a brand. By examining a value-based advertising campaign that triggered an online firestorm, how the storm was handled by the exposed organization and how the organization's management affected the development of the storm, this study aims to provide in-depth knowledge of value-based advertising and online firestorms, thereby contributing to an... (More)
- Existing research on online firestorms is usually based on the common assumpt- ion that the phenomenon poses a threat to brands, which at all costs need to be prevented, mitigated or eliminated. In this study we offer a different perspective of the preconceived notion of an online firestorm and argue that an online firestorm does not necessarily have to be counteracted, but rather can strengthen a brand. By examining a value-based advertising campaign that triggered an online firestorm, how the storm was handled by the exposed organization and how the organization's management affected the development of the storm, this study aims to provide in-depth knowledge of value-based advertising and online firestorms, thereby contributing to an increased understanding of its possible implications for a brand. This study is based on a qualitative case study in which the empirical material consists of documents and internet-based communication that was ana- lyzed with a qualitative content analysis. The result shows that organizations can handle an online firestorm in a strategic communicative way towards value-based advertising by disproving critics and maintain their standpoints. In contrast to the majority of previous research this study shows that an online firestorm has the potential to create trustworthiness and strengthen a brand, especially when it takes a progressive standpoint. This study contributes to the research field of strategic communication, more specifically to brand and crisis communication research. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Befintlig forskning kring online firestorms utgår vanligtvis från det gemensamma antagandet att fenomenet utgör ett hot för varumärken, som till varje pris behöver förhindras, mildras eller förintas. I denna studie erbjuder vi ett annorlunda per- spektiv och hävdar att en online firestorm inte nödvändigtvis behöver motarbetas utan snarare kan stärka ett varumärke. Genom att undersöka en värderingsbaserad reklamkampanj som utlöst en online firestorm, hur stormen hanterades av den ut- satta organisationen och hur organisationens hantering påverkade stormens ut- veckling, syftar studien till att ge fördjupad kunskap om värderingsbaserad reklam och online firestorms och därigenom bidra till utökad förståelse för dess möjliga implikationer för... (More)
- Befintlig forskning kring online firestorms utgår vanligtvis från det gemensamma antagandet att fenomenet utgör ett hot för varumärken, som till varje pris behöver förhindras, mildras eller förintas. I denna studie erbjuder vi ett annorlunda per- spektiv och hävdar att en online firestorm inte nödvändigtvis behöver motarbetas utan snarare kan stärka ett varumärke. Genom att undersöka en värderingsbaserad reklamkampanj som utlöst en online firestorm, hur stormen hanterades av den ut- satta organisationen och hur organisationens hantering påverkade stormens ut- veckling, syftar studien till att ge fördjupad kunskap om värderingsbaserad reklam och online firestorms och därigenom bidra till utökad förståelse för dess möjliga implikationer för ett varumärke. Studien är baserad på en kvalitativ fallstudie där det empiriska materialet består av dokument och internetbaserad kommunikation som har analyserats med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet visar att organisationer på ett strategiskt kommunikativt sätt kan hantera en online firestorm gentemot värderingsbaserad reklam genom att motbevisa kritiker och stå fast vid sin ståndpunkt. I kontrast till majoriteten av den tidigare forskningen visar denna studie att en online firestorm har potential att ge trovärdighet och stärka ett varumärke, i synnerhet i samband med progressiva ställningstaganden. Studien ämnar bidra till forskningsfältet strategisk kommunikation, och mer specifikt till varumärkes- och kriskommunikationsforskningen. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9015025
- author
- Glans, Elsa LU and Karlsson, Julia LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Online firestorm: Threat or opportunity?
- course
- SKDK11 20201
- year
- 2020
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- strategisk kommunikation, online firestorm, värderingsbaserad reklam, Hall, varumärkeskommunikation, kriskommunikation, sociala medier
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9015025
- date added to LUP
- 2020-06-11 09:12:40
- date last changed
- 2020-06-11 09:12:40
@misc{9015025,
abstract = {{Existing research on online firestorms is usually based on the common assumpt- ion that the phenomenon poses a threat to brands, which at all costs need to be prevented, mitigated or eliminated. In this study we offer a different perspective of the preconceived notion of an online firestorm and argue that an online firestorm does not necessarily have to be counteracted, but rather can strengthen a brand. By examining a value-based advertising campaign that triggered an online firestorm, how the storm was handled by the exposed organization and how the organization's management affected the development of the storm, this study aims to provide in-depth knowledge of value-based advertising and online firestorms, thereby contributing to an increased understanding of its possible implications for a brand. This study is based on a qualitative case study in which the empirical material consists of documents and internet-based communication that was ana- lyzed with a qualitative content analysis. The result shows that organizations can handle an online firestorm in a strategic communicative way towards value-based advertising by disproving critics and maintain their standpoints. In contrast to the majority of previous research this study shows that an online firestorm has the potential to create trustworthiness and strengthen a brand, especially when it takes a progressive standpoint. This study contributes to the research field of strategic communication, more specifically to brand and crisis communication research.}},
author = {{Glans, Elsa and Karlsson, Julia}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Online firestorm: Hot eller möjlighet?}},
year = {{2020}},
}