"Generation Like" - PBS Film Class Assignment #1

1.             Engagement – people coming back to your information and showing that they are interested in being part of some product, brand, or celebrity. The film says gives the example that engagement is a way to take something you like and apply it as “part of your identity” and that “you are what you like.” The film also says that “companies have spent billions trying to get kids to engage with their products and brands…the companies that know they want to reach them know they have to change too”

Interaction - I define this as the way people respond to your information via digital platform. For instance in the film, “Generation Like,” the young girl’s twitter response and reaction to a reply from an actor from "The Hunger Games’ actor is considered interaction.

Reach – The number of people that see your information whether they want to or not. For example let's examine the fan-girl of "The Hunger Games." She gained followers by liking something from "The Hunger Games" and then those followers of "The Hunger Games" noticing she was getting liked back and they decided to start following her. It therefore, expanded her reach.

Target – Companies or teens target themselves or people like them. For instance, the company in the film targets certain audiences through data collection in order to achieve more and loyal viewers.

2. “Generation Like” explains that “Like”ing someone’s post on Facebook is a form of social currency. The more likes we get the better we feel. It holds value to get likes, both as a means of fame and of endorsement perks through advertisements and promotions. I feel that “Like”ing someone’s post on Facebook or other social media can be both good and bad. In my opinion, “Like”ing a post creates a form of competition between others. Sometimes we like things genuinely but sometimes we feel socially obligated to like something whether we want to or not. A good example is “liking” everyone’s birthday posts to you.

3. When I see people like the same things as me on their profile, I generally have a more positive impression of them. As biased as this may seem, I always found it hard to relate to other kids interests growing up and therefore it matters more to me that we have multiple things in common since it is so rare. Towards advertising, I think seeing what other people like influences me to check out events and videos but not so much sales and discounts.

4. Influencer – A good example in the film of this definition is the quote, “They tell the world what they think is cool.” This means that teens tell each other what influences them and therefore influence other teens to like the same things too by sharing and promoting product information.

5. By embracing same-sex marriage, Oreo was able to gain more publicity and support for their product. They recognized that they needed to stay relevant with the changing youth. By gaining the support of the LGBT community Oreo was able to market to both new and old customers and make strong supporters of Oreo products. Oreo also used consumers to market its product as well. Specifically it was said by CEO of Oreo in the film, “If kids want to express themselves by advertising his company’s products, like Oreo cookies, he’s happy to oblige.”

6. The process of advertisement through social media all starts with a like. The more visits or likes you get, the more advertisements people see, which means the more they click on them, and the more they buy the company’s products or give you their information to sell, and therefore social currency gets turned into real life currency. This all starts by handing over some sort of data.

7. Marketers are using social media combined with internet celebrities to build ‘brand’ trust. Then celebrities are collaborating over videos to bring more trusting viewers to a new idea or product.

8. Celebrities use social media to advertise through the power of mashing culture and commerce. They appeal to their audience through their popularity. Thus, followers will believe them based he their online relationship and buy or check out the promoted product.

9. Corporate sponsorship is when you get enough likes or followers that a company recognizes your ability to sell and therefore hire you as a corporate sponsor. As a perk, they give you free stuff as long as you promote it on your channel to your viewers.

10. The interactions are transparent because they are obviously using their audience to advertise. The marketers act invisibly, however, by showing that they are being open to customers and by establishing brand trust.  Specifically the transparency is modeled in the film when they say, “your consumer is your marketer.”

11. In "The Hunger Games", competitors must sell themselves to get a sponsorship. This is similar to advertising products or yourself in real life because you have to be interesting, like-able, and useful.