Document Type
Dissertation
First Faculty Advisor
Attaran, Sharmin
Keywords
Social Media, Online Advertising, Consumer Attitudes
Publisher
Bryant University
Abstract
Effectively utilizing persuasion techniques in advertising is essential for businesses to master in order to stay ahead of its competitors. This research project investigates the ways in which marketers advertise brands and products in the online environment, specifically on the social networking sites Twitter and Facebook. More specifically, the implementation of different techniques and credibility of sources will be examined to help gauge the effectiveness of advertisements. By utilizing the constructs of the Persuasion Knowledge Model and source credibility, the attitudes toward brands and advertisements within the online environment was tested. The goal of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of a new form of advertising, native advertising, and determine how consumers’ attitude towards the advertisements and the brands that utilize these ads are different from traditional banner advertisements. An experimental survey was distributed to test several hypotheses and provide generalizable findings. The hypotheses estimate that native ads will be an effective marketing tool in today’s world. After examining the results, native ads were interpreted as a credible and trustworthy format and it was determined that they can be successful when implemented in the right media and directed to the proper audience.
Included in
Advertising and Promotion Management Commons, Communication Technology and New Media Commons, Marketing Commons, Psychology Commons, Social Media Commons
