Mad Max and the metatext: Fan engagement and online culture

As one location boasting high broadband speeds, infrastructure, strong techno-nationalist policy and some of the early examples of so-called ‘digital natives’, South Korea has been seen as the model for the future of online culture. However, beyond these images of techno-fantasies is a technoculture that is marred by an increasing ambivalence towards online media. Specifically through user-created content (UCC), researchers can gain insight into some of the paradoxes emerging around online creativity, community and politics. Drawing on fieldwork conducted between 2009 and 2011, this article considers what UCC means in Korea and how this reflects the particularities of Korea's technoculture.

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Use of online cultural content for mental health and well-being during COVID-19 restrictions: cross-sectional survey

BJPsych Bulletin ◽

10.1192/bjb.2021.103 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Rebecca J. Syed Sheriff ◽

Helen Adams ◽

Evgenia Riga ◽

Andrew K. Przybylski ◽

Laura Bonsaver ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Online Culture ◽

Reported Data ◽

June July ◽

The Uk ◽

Health And Well Being

Aims and method To gain a deeper understanding of the use of online culture and its potential benefits to mental health and well-being, sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported data on usage, perceived mental health benefits and health status were collected in an online cross-sectional survey during COVID-19 restrictions in the UK in June–July 2020. Results In total, 1056 people completed the survey. A high proportion of participants reported finding online culture helpful for mental health; all but one of the benefits were associated with regular use and some with age. Reported benefits were wide-ranging and interconnected. Those aged under 25 years were less likely to be regular users of online culture or to have increased their use during lockdown. Clinical implications There may be benefits in targeting cultural resources for mental health to vulnerable groups such as young adults.

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Fan Engagement in Motorsports: A Case of the FIA World Rally Championship

The Journal of Media Innovations ◽

10.5617/jomi.6289 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 31-44

Author(s):

Hans Erik Næss ◽

Sam Tickell

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Media Campaign ◽

Audience Engagement ◽

Media Campaigns ◽

Building Relationships ◽

Transmedia Storytelling ◽

Fan Engagement

Social media success is increasingly being linked to profitable relations between sporting teams and their communities of fans. Through a case study of RallytheWorld, Volkswagen’s social media campaign 2013-2016 for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), this paper provides sports marketers with relevant practices on how to develop social media strategies and building relationships with and between the fans. Drawing upon theories of community facilitation and ‘transmedia storytelling’, as well as the method of autoethnography, our finding is that RallytheWorld, through its audience engagement techniques provided WRC fans with a new experience while respecting the championship’s sporting traditions. This combination, we argue, made RallytheWorld a qualitatively better offer to rally fans than comparable social media campaigns in the WRC.

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Rivalry Influences on Fan Engagement Within Twitter

Advances in Media, Entertainment, and the Arts - Understanding Rivalry and Its Influence on Sports Fans ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-8125-3.ch002 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 38-64

Author(s):

Michelle Gacio Harrolle ◽

Janelle E. Wells

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Media Influence ◽

Business Ecosystem ◽

Rivalry Effect ◽

Team Brand ◽

Fan Engagement ◽

The Way

Rivalries and social media influence the way individuals consume, produce, and experience sport. Thus, the purpose of the study was to understand the effects of sport rivalries on fan engagement within Twitter for segments of the Manchester United Football Club's business ecosystem (i.e., team brand, news-based fan club, unofficial fan club, and firm). First, the authors examined how specific Twitter content affected fan engagement during rivalry matches. Second, the authors compared fan engagement and virtual maltreatment within the segments of the Manchester United ecosystem. An analysis of 2,750 tweets from Manchester United's ecosystem during the 2015-2016 season was conducted. Results demonstrated a significant rivalry effect on fan engagement across all segments of Manchester United's ecosystem, and a significant virtual maltreatment effect on fan engagement during rivalry matches for the news-based fan club, unofficial fan club, and firm. Findings from the study provide practical and theoretical implications for marketing competitive relationships.

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Strategic Use of Facebook to Build Brand Awareness

Sports Media, Marketing, and Management ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-5475-2.ch006 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 97-118

Author(s):

Ann Pegoraro ◽

Olan Scott ◽

Lauren M. Burch

Keyword(s):

Communication Style ◽

Sport Organizations ◽

Non Profit ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Brand Attributes ◽

Sport Organization ◽

Facebook Pages ◽

Brand Ambassadors ◽

Fan Engagement ◽

Practical Implications

Social media provides a strategic means for non-profit organizations to build and maintain strong relationships with consumers. The purpose of this study was to apply branding theory and frameworks to the use of Facebook by National Olympic Committees in two countries, Australia and Canada over specific time periods related to three Olympics Games. These Facebook pages were examined to determine the types of brand-related post content and communication style utilized as well as the consumer response to these posts. The two organizations generally used Facebook to broadcast product related brand attributes such as information about athletes and teams. There was also a significant difference in Facebook post use and focus by two organizations indicating some international differences in using Facebook for branding a sport organization. The results also provide practical implications for non-profit sport organizations using Facebook to build positive brand images, promote fan engagement and ultimately create brand ambassadors.

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