Brand Activism: Working Toward Progressive Representations of Social Movements in Advertising
Loading...
Date
2018-06
Authors
Benner, Rachel
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Brands and advertising agencies have always used the cultural energy of social movements to connect to new audiences and promote their products. Academics have written a large body of critique about the intersection of social movements and marketing, but it is largely ignored by the advertising industry. This thesis addresses that disconnect, helping advertisers address critical discourse around social movements and brands, leading to industry success and progressive allyship with social movements. After exploring studies of social movements’ framing in advertising messages, this project assesses the strengths and weaknesses of those frames with a theoretical model. In-depth interviews with advertising professionals shape a best practices guide for creating activist ads. Advertisers today can leverage successful framing strategies to address social movements in their work by extending existing critical conversations about brand activism beyond large-scale strategy and into the message creation process. They can also succeed by giving their brand activism the context of tangible action and responsibly researching the audience they seek to reach with their messaging.
Description
Submitted to the Undergraduate Library Research Award scholarship competition: (2019). 121 p.