GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL AND ITS IMPACT ON BRAND AWARENESS: A CASE OFPAPAYE FAST FOODS LIMITED BY NANA KOJO M. DADZIE MAPR16027 \ . THIS THESIS IS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES, GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF ARTS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AUGUST, 2017 DECLARATION I hereby declare that this project work is the result of my own original research and that no part of it has been presented for another degree in this University or elsewhere. I am solely responsible for any errors and omissions detected. Nana Kojo M. Dadzie (MAPR16027) ~. -fY\1 ' J(~ Candidate's Signature ~~'# . . ~ ... SUPERVISOR: Mr. Wilson Dzisah S . , S' ~C"~ upervlsor s Ignatore . ~ Itv~, .............. .. ii Date .. v;)gf rl..!..7 • DEDICATION This work is dedicated to the women in my life. My dear wife; Mrs. Grace Esi Dadzie, my sweet daughter; Nana Adjoa Nkrumah Dadzie and my lovely mother; Madam Margaret Brown for their invaluable support throughout my education at the Ghana Institute of Journalism. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all I would like to thank my supervisor, Wilson Dzisah, for his patience, understanding and guidance through all these months of writing. Second, I would like to thank all the people who participated in my questionnaire and especially to the management of Pap aye Fast Foods for their participation. Sincere thanks also go to my elder brother, George Thompson and his family, for their immense support and encouragement. Thanks also to all my siblings - Gifty Dadzie, Maame Afua Dadzie, Mr & Mrs Felix Ackwerh, Mavis Baafi (Mrs.), Papa K wesi Dadzie, Mr & Mrs Eric Ackwerh and Betty Buah. I must also mention Kenneth K warne Asare, a good friend who supported me by buying modern books to aid in my studies throughout my course. Not forgetting Mr. Frank Yaw Appiah who cut my teeth in the field of integrated marketing communication and for his mentorship. Mention is also made of my course mates who brought out the best in me, especially, Solomon K warne Peprah, John Ekow Mensah and Rose Irene Inkoom. I also remain indebted to Mrs. Portia Maame Akosua Konadu Nimoh, Mrs. Joyce Akosua Atagra and Ms. Doris Margaret Kutorkor Kotei for their encouragement. To all the staff of Rub-Dee catering led by Mrs. Ruby Adei Kitcher I say thanks for your love and care Last but not least, I would like to thank all of you who helped me carry out the thesis in general and supported me in the whole process. iv DECLARATION DEDICATION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TABLE OF CONTENT ABSTRACT CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION TABLE OF CONTENTS ii iii iv v xi 1.1 Background of the Study............................................................ 1 1.2 Research Problem. .... .... .. . .. . ... ... . ... ... . ... . .... . ... .... ... .... . ... .... .. . .. ... 4 1.3 Statement of the Problem.. ... ... ... ... .... ..... .... ... .... ... .... ............. ..... 5 1.4 Objective of the study.... ...... .......... .... .... .... ... .... ...... ......... .... 7 1.5 Research Questions... ... ... ... ... ... . ... ... ... . ... .... .... ... . ... ... . ... ... .. ... . .... 7 1.6 Significance of the Study......................................................... ... 8 1.7 Operational definitions .............................................................. 9 1.8 Organisation of Study.... .. .. . ... .. . .. . .. ... .... .. ... . ... . .. ... ... ... ... .. .. . . . .. ... 10 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction. . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . .. . ..... . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 11 2.2 History of Social Media .. .................................................... 13 2.2.1 Social Media before 1900 ........................................................... 14 2.2.2 Social Media in the 20th Century. . ... . . . ... . . . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . . . .. . . . . . . .. .. . . . .. ... 14 v 2.2.3 Social Media Today.. . ... .... ..... ..... ..... .... .... ....... . .... .... . .... . .... ...... 15 2.3 Types of Social Media ............................................................. 16 2.4 Comparison between Social Media & Traditional Media .................... 17 2.5 Social Media and Marketing ... ... ... ... .... ............................. 19 2.6 Social Media and Branding ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ................... 20 2.7 Social Media Marketing ............................................................ 21 2.8 Brand Awareness ................................................................... 21 2.9 Brand Awareness and Consumer Attitudes ... .... ....... .... ....... ....... ...... 23 2.10 Theoretical Framework. . . ...... ..... .... ..... . .. ... ... .... .. ..... . .......... ... .... 24 2.10.1 The Diffusion of Innovation Theory........................................... 26 2.10.2 Review of the DOl Theory in Product Marketing... ... ... ... ... 28 2.10.3 Application of the Diffusion theory by Papaye Fast Foods ................ 29 2.11 Conclusion............ ........ .... .... .................. ..... ......... ...... ..... 32 CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.0 Introduction..................................................................... ... 35 3.1 Research Design.................................................................. 35 3.2 Research Population.......................................................... 37 3.3 Sampling Size................................................................. ... 38 3.4. Sampling Technique.................................................. ........... 38 3.5 Types and Sources of Data...................................... ......... 39 3.6 Data Collection Instruments................................ .................. ... 40 vi 3.7 Data Collection Procedure.................................................... 40 3.8 Data Treatment Presentation and Analysis.................................. 41 3.9 Research Ethics................................................................. 42 3.10 Brief Profile of Study Area............... ........ .... ... ... ... ... ...... .... ... 42 3.11 Reliability vrs Validity ............ ~ . . . .. . .. . ... . . .. . ... ... . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 44 3.12 Limitations to the Study........... ............................................ 45 3.13 Summary... ...... ....... ... ... .... .... .... .... ...... .... .... ..... ..... .... .... ... 46 CHAPTER FOUR FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 4 .1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 4.2 Quantitative Analysis.......................................................... 47 4.2.1 Classification and Characteristics of Respondent (Gender)............... 48 4.2.2 Age............................................................................... 49 4.2.3 Marital Status................................................................... 50 4.2.4 Educational Background...................................................... 51 4.2.5 Cross Tabulation.. . .. . .. . .. .. . . . ... .. ... . .. ... ... . ... .. . .... . .. .... ... . . .. .. . ... 52 4.3 Qualitative Analysis ............................................................ 61 4.3.1 Types of Social Media Use..................................................... 61 4.3.2 Why do you use Social Media................................................ 62 4.3.3 Using Social Media to Create Brand Awareness........ ................... 64 4.3.4 Using Social Media to Increase Sales........................................ 66 4.3.5 Using Social Media to find New Customers ................................. 67 4.3.6 Social Media effective for creating Brand Awareness? .................... 67 vii 4.3.7 Social Media and Corporate Communication.. .... ... ... ...... ..... ...... ... 69 4.3.8 Measuring Brand Awareness using Social Media. . ... ... .... . ..... . . .... ... 70 4.3.9 Advantages in using Social Media......................................... ... 72 4.3.10 Disadvantages in using Social Media...... ... ..... .... .... ..... ..... ....... 74 CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 5.2 Conclusions....................................................................... 78 5.3 Recommendations. . ... ... . ... . ... .... .... . ... . ... . ... .. .... ... ... . ..... . . ..... . . 81 REFEREN CES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 APPENDIX.. . . .... . .... . . .... .... ... . ... .. . ... . ... ..... ... . . .. ... . ... ... ... ... ... . . ..... ....... xii viii LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Gender distribution of respondent. . . . . . . . .. . . ... . . . ... . . . ... . . .. . . . . .. . ... . . . . . . . . . .. 48 Table 2: Age distribution of respondents....................................................... 49 Table 3: Marital Status of respondents ......................................................... 50 Table 4: Educational Background of respondents. . . ... . . . •. . . . .. . . ... . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . .. . . . 51 Table 5: Weekly earnings of Respondents. ..................................................... 52 Table 6: Respondents Sources of Social Media Information................................. 54 Table 7: Perceived Advantages of Social Media by respondents ........................... 57 Table 8: Rating brand perception in relation to social media ... .... ... .... ..... .... ......... 58 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Level of education & frequency of social media use............................. 52 Figure 2: Social Media and its Influence.................................................. ... 56 Figure 3: Usefulness of Social Media to respondents.............. ......... ..... .... ....... 56 x ABSTRACT Social media is a phenomenon that has become an important aspect in marketing mix and revolutionizing the way companies interact with customers. The purpose of this study has been using scientific research methodology to look at how social media can create brand awareness. The specific area of fast food industry was chosen. This study is of an exploratory, descriptive and mixed research approach and by looking at a single case; it has been possible to withdraw necessary primary and secondary data. Data collection was conducted by administering questionnaires to customers and an in-depth interview with the staff of the company. The results obtained from the data collection were subjected to descriptive analysis. The objectives of the research was to: To investigate the role social media played in the process of brand awareness, to identify the various types of social media available to Papaye in creating brand awareness, to determine the effectiveness of social media and its impact on brand awareness and the resultant share of market for Papaye Fast Foods and to determine the challenges and solutions to the use of social media in marketing of Papaye Fast Foods products. What was considered more important by the company in the case study was to integrate social media in the communications and Public Relations strategy, a task which is actually being pursued at this moment. The findings presented in this study conclude that even though social media is effective in creating brand awareness as a marketing and advertising channel, it cannot be implemented in isolation without augmenting it with other forms of traditional advertising channels. The implications are that social media alone as of now cannot on its own create brand awareness. xi 1.1 Background of the Study CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION The mass media predominated prior t6 the Information Age; particularly print media, film studios, music studios, advertising agencies, radio broadcasting, and television as the communication tools used by organizations to disseminate information about their brands. This old media, as is referred to now, is centralized and communicate with one-way technologies to a (generally anonymous) mass audience. The advent of New Communication Technology (NCT) and the internet in particular has brought forth a set of opportunities and challenges for conventional media. New media computer technologies are interactive and comparatively decentralized; they enable people to telecommunicate with one another The rise and wide spread of Internet and the fast growing consumers' digital media use led companies occupied in different business sectors to think about a new way of communication with customers (Cheong & Morrison, 2008). Among the fastest growing online tools for reaching the consumers is the so called "social media" (Trusov, Bucklin, Pauwels, 2009). Social media is becoming an important part in peoples' lives as can be seen from the recent marketing approaches done in that sphere. The results from these approaches are astonishing. The world spends 110 billion minutes on social media networks and blog sites (Nielsen Company, 2010). 1 They also stated that the number of people who are visiting social media sites has increased by 24% over the last year. All these facts don't even leave a doubt how fast is social media emerging in business sector and peoples' lives. (Nielsen Company, 2010). Social media represents the online content publicly created and available to end users. It is becoming one of the main tools used to spread information among customers. Blogs, social networking sites, content communities, virtual worlds or collaborative projects all represent groups of people that create and share content inside and outside of professional routines. For marketers this phenomenon is of high interest as social media is becoming an important source of customer information sharing, awareness, support and empowerment (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010). Consequently social media allows businesses to effectively and inexpensively engage in direct client contact, reaching levels of efficiency undoubtedly higher than any other traditional marketing communication tools (Berthon et ai, 2008). There are many evidences and examples how companies use social media for more efficient communication and better results. In 2010, Facebook has reported 400 million users from which 1.5 million are businesses (www.facebook.com) Integrated Communication Practitioners should therefore become more and more aware of the importance of these platforms and the information spread throughout them. Companies like Sony and Dell have experienced direct increase in sales through social media. In February 2013, Sony announced that through Twitter they had earned an extra $1.6 million in sales. Later in June, Dell made the announcement that their presence on Twitter accounted for $3 2 million dollars increase in sales. Somebody may question, "It's all about biggies that already have a brand reputation, what about smaller ones?" Here is the answer - in 2009, a small shoe making company in Canada named John Fluevog Boots & Shoes reported a 40 percent increase in sales, after it started social media marketing the same year. (Blakeman & Brown 2010) As social media is quite a new trend, still little research is available. Kaplan and Haenlin (2010) do explain the importance of social media platforms and offer several strategies of managing this phenomenon. These strategies, rather advisory in nature, lack empirical support and thus leave room for further research. All of the aforementioned facts make social media an interesting field for investigation. They also prove its significant managerial relevance and academic interest through the lack of many previous findings. As Larry Weber 2009 in his book "Marketing to the social web" says: "Social media is a new strategy that has the capacity of changing public opinion - every hour, minute, even a second". And why not changing customers brand attitude? Marketing managers have predicted that social media are integrated in the organisations and really start to become useful for companies and become important tools in the communication (Carlsson 2010). Others have argued that it is crucial for marketers to look to the Web for new ways of finding customers and communicating with them, rather than at them, that it is vital to create a dialogue with the customers, and various kinds of social media are the most promising way to reach new customers (Weber 2009) At the same time, one of the most prominent names in research about branding and related 3 subjects, David Aaker, has said that with the multitude of new media developing, it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to raise awareness for their brand. The only way forward in managing this complexity, is for companies to be able to coordinate messages and their marketing efforts across all media (Aaker 1996) The combination of coordinating your branding messages across all media including the social media, the great impact that social media has for both individuals and companies, the speed with which things move in this domain, and the relative scarcity of existing research about this area all are reasons why this study was initiated. With regards to the discussion above, this study will be about how social media influences branding. Therefore in studying how social media influences branding, we need to look at what social media is, what it is composed of and what existing literature says about the correlation between social media and branding. Branding per se is a vast and widespread area, where opinions diverge concerning the basic definitions, such as brand equity for example. We therefore need to clarify which parts of branding that we will focus on in this context. 1.2 Research Problem It seems clear that we are currently living in the midst of the boom of the use of social media. Social networks such as Facebook with some 400 million active members represent a larger community than most individual countries. But research is somewhat lagging behind this rapid development, and it is difficult to find relevant up to date studies on how social media are to be part of the branding process, how this relates to the strategy that companies have with the use of social media- if they are to be used to 4 strengthen the brand, increase sales, find new customers, recruit more competent staff, to improve the support-function, to be part of the product development and / or to improve the internal communication (Carlsson, 2010). Also the question of how companies create brand equity through brand awareness has been debated with the upsurge of social media. "Traditional" marketers such as Aaker, claim that brand awareness is the strength the brand's presence has in consumer's minds (Aaker 1996). Social media guru Weber is of the opinion that brand awareness is to be measured not in brand recall but by dynamic measures such as customer word-of-mouth (Weber 2009). These are the contents that will be looked into in this thesis. With regard to this, the research problem of this study can be formulated as: To increase the understanding of the role of social media for the creation of brand awareness 1.3 Statement of the Problem A problem statement thus summarizes "context for the study" and the main problem the study seeks to address. This research purposes to study the correlation between social media and its impact on brand awareness. A lot of concerns have been expressed in recent times about the use and misuse of social media in the country. This has greatly caused panic and fear among e-commerce and brands. Thus casting doubt on the potency of social media in marketing or positioning brands on social media. Negative public perception about social media and marketing in general has had bad effect on the corporate image of organisations that uses the social media platform for marketing and 5 branding purposes. Such negative perception could lead to low patronage of services, and possible legal disputes. This means attention to social media for brand consideration has declined. Revenue to the organisations and internet service providers has also declined and this has negatively affected their finances. However, since sales and marketing are the backbone to the operations of most product-oriented industries advertising and brand awareness is critical thus very important to utilize all available avenues that are market-oriented and consumer­ focused. As discussed above, most enterprise is aware of raising awareness through social media marketing for their brand; this is because social media could be opportunity and! or threat in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). In addition, the social media offer a cost effective way for the SMEs to improve their brand awareness. One of the difficult questions as most entrepreneurs realized is, how to improve their brand awareness in positive way in order to let more potential consumer know. As Weber (2009) pointed out that creating a dialogue with customers is better than other finding them through internet, and social media is a most promise way to bring the new customer and enterprise closer. Social media can discover the priorities and values of those who might be interested in this kind of product or services, and it provides very effective and practically instant feedback from online communications. However, it sometimes can be in a negative way as well. For instance, comment was written from lots of different user identifications (10), but it could be a same one. Then it could be decrease the customer's trust for any particular enterprise. The combination of social media and brand awareness is a complex process; the influence of social media was affected by both of them. Due to the limited resource in this area, and with the discussion above, this dissertation will be focus on social media in SME's brand awareness. 6 The problem addressed by this study is that as a result of intense competition in the fast food sector and the rise in the cost of traditional media advertisements with its attendant internet fraud people have negative perceptions about social media and brand awareness. 1.4 Objectives of the Study The objectives of this study were classified into general and specific. The general objective of the study is to establish the relationship between social media and brand performance and public perception about social media in brand positioning. The specific objectives of the study will seek to ascertain the following: 1. To investigate the role social media played in the process of brand awareness. 2. To identify the various types of social media available to Papaye in creating brand awareness. 3. To determine the effectiveness of social media and its impact on brand awareness and the resultant share of market for Papaye Fast Foods. 4. To determine the challenges and solutions to the use of social media in marketing of Papaye Fast foods products 1.5 Research questions From the preceding, considering that the use of social media to create brand awareness and ultimately to create brand equity in the forms of increased sales is a very recent trend, we need to find answers to the following research question are posed as a guide in an attempt to achieve the objectives of the study of an exploratory character: 7 i. What is the role of using social media in creating brand awareness? ii. What are the various types of social media available to create brand awareness? iii. How effective social media is to creating brand awareness and impact on market share? iv. Does using social media in marketing comes with any challenges? 1.6 Significance of the Study This study is important because, it will be a source document that will guide and improve using social media for brand awareness; the recommendations given will be a rich source of reference for organisations who seek to use social media in marketing their brands, i.e. creating brand awareness, brand recall and brand retention. Secondly, it will help awaken interest among organisations about the importance and benefits of using social media to reach a wide customer base or compliment the traditional advertisements in creating brand awareness. Thirdly, the findings and recommendations will help organisations re-package their services (brands) via social media to attract more potential patrons and retain existing ones. Fourthly, it will serve as a policy formulation and implementation document in streamlining the e-commerce industry as it is very new in Ghana. Last but not the least; the document will serve as a reference material for future researchers and expanding the already existing knowledge amongst academicians. 8 1.7 Operational Definitions For the purpose of this study: Social Media: use web-based technologies, desktop computers and mobile technologies (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals, communities and organizations can share, co-create, discuss, and modify user- generated content or pre-made content posted online. A Brand: is a name, term, design, symbol, or other feature that distinguishes an organization or product from its rivals in the eyes of the customer Brand Awareness refers to the extent to which customers are able to recall or recognise a brand. An awareness of the brand is created by giving information of the product, to bring about attitudinal change and result in the usage of the said product / brand. Social Media Marketing: is the use of social media platforms and websites to promote a product or service which enable companies to track the progress, success, and engagement of ad campaigns. Companies address a range of stakeholders through social media marketing including current and potential customers, current and potential employees, journalists, bloggers, and the general public. On a strategic level, social media marketing includes the management of the implementation of a marketing campaign Potential Reach: The potential number of people in a brand's audience, compounded by friends of audience members or others in a community who could have the opportunity to see a piece content, during a period of time Customer Satisfaction: A measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation Video views: Number of views your video content gets on channels like Y ouTube or Facebook 9 1.8 Organisation of the Study This study discusses the use of social media and its effect on brand awareness in delivery customer care and satisfaction and how to improve it. The study is organised into five chapters. Chapter one deals with the synopsis of the entire study. It traced the events and examined the issues which provided the background to the study. Added to this, the chapter gave a systematic approach on how the study was conducted, the rationale and benefits for undertaking the study. Chapter two presents detailed review of some relevant literature on the subject. It also examined the various theoretical issues and dimensions of the topic in relation to what other researchers and authorities have done to advance academic literature on social media and brand awareness. Chapter three of the study, looks at the methodologies used in the study. The main areas covered in this chapter include - research design, the research population, sampling methods, classification of respondents, sources of data, data collection instruments, data presentation and data analysis methods. The study setting (organization) will also be profiled in this chapter (After agreeing with my supervisor). Data collection, presentation and analysis are covered in chapter four. The chapter looks at the approaches to data gathering and the tools for the analysis. Chapter five draws the curtain down on the entire study by presenting its findings and draws conclusions and recommendations for implementation. 10 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW The literature presented in this chapter deals with research findings on social media; and theories relating to branding in a broader sense, and brand awareness more specifically. All the literature is described and explained in order to build a theoretical background for this study. The overarching goal of this thesis is to build up an answer to the research problem: "To investigate the role and impact of social media for the creation of brand awareness". The literature review served to provide an overview of what current literature says about various parts that are explicitly and implicitly implied in the research problem. The current concepts were introduced: social media, social media and marketing, phases in the product life cycle in which social media may be used, social media and branding, brand and branding in general and branding in fast moving consumer goods sector, brand strategy, and brand awareness. The area of branding is widespread and leads into several directions. The aim was to cover the central concepts related to branding which justify which aspects of branding are the most important ones when it comes to social media. 2.1 INTRODUCTION Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) define social media as "a group of internet based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content". The web is the platform on which social media is based (Carlsson 2010) 11 While Wikipedia defines social media as: "media designed to be disseminated through social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. Social media use web­ based technologies to transform and broadcast media monologues into social media dialogues which support the democratization of knowledge, information and transforms people from being content consumers to content producers" (en.wikipedia.org!wiki/Social_media; Retrieved 10-05- 17). Weber uses the term "social web" instead of social media, and defines the social web as "the online place where people with a common interest can gather to share thoughts, comments and opinions. It includes social networks such as MySpace, Gather, Facebook, BlackPlanet, Eons, Linkedln, and hundreds more. It includes branded web destinations like Amazon, Netflix and eBay and also has enterprise sites such as IBM, Best Buy, Cisco and Oracle. The social web is a new world of unpaid media created by individuals or enterprises on the web. In the recently year, Social Media - a platform whose content is modified not by the single individual but by all the users in a collaborative manner has made it possible for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to be more likely to be growth companies than other large corporation. At the same time, with the rapid developing of internet, then social media, as a part of Internet product was growth fast as well. Social media is kind of online word of mouth forums, customer can discuss on the board; write a comment and some social networks. As Gillin (2007) stated conventional marketing can share the information to 10 friends nearby, however social media may tell 10 million. (Michel, et aI, 2012). It means social media provide a unique connection to foster their together. 12 The tenn came up for the first time in 2005 to explain and summarize the variety of media content that has been created and is available to the people. In order to be considered and confinned as such, the User Generated Content must fulfill couple of requirements. The first requirement is about the content. It needs to be published on a publicly available website or on a social networking site accessible to a definite group of people. Second, it must show use of creativity, and third it must be created outside of the professional routines (Kaplan, Haenlein, 2009). Clarifying the aforementioned concepts allow us to give a better explanation for the central problem in the following thesis. One infonnal definition for social media is the following: "Internet-based applications that carry consumer-generated content which encompasses "media impressions created by consumers, typically infonned by relevant experience, and archived or shared online for easy access by other impressionable consumers" (Blackshaw, 2006). 2.2 HISTORY OF SOCIAL MEDIA Interacting with friends and family across long distances has been a concern of humans for centuries. As social animals, people have always relied on communication to strengthen their relationships. When face-to-face discussions are impossible or inconvenient, humans have dreamed up plenty of creative solutions. The advent of computers and apps has come to bridge this gab, making it possible for people to interact in real time, thus social media. The roots of social media stretch far deeper, although it seems like a new trend, sites like Facebook are the natural outcome of many centuries of social media development. 13 2.2.1 Social Media Before 1900 The earliest methods of communicating across great distances used written correspondence delivered by hand from one person to another. In other words, letters, the earliest form of postal service dates back to 550 B.C. In 1792, the telegraph was invented. This allowed messages to be delivered over a long distance far faster than a horse and rider could carry them. Although telegraph messages were short, they were a revolutionary way to convey news and information. Although no longer popular outside of drive-through banking, the pneumatic post, developed in 1865, created another way for letters to be delivered quickly between recipients. A pneumatic post utilizes underground pressurized air tubes to carry capsules from one area to another. Then came the telephone in 1890 and the radio in 1891. Both technologies are still in use today, although the modem versions are much more sophisticated than their predecessors. Telephone lines and radio signals enabled people to communicate across great distances instantaneously, something that mankind had never experienced before. 2.2.2 Social Media in the 20th Century Technology began to change very rapidly in the 20th Century. After the first super computers were created in the 1940s, scientists and engineers began to develop ways to create networks between those computers, and this would later lead to the birth of the Internet. The earliest forms of the Internet, such as CompuServe, were developed in the 1960s. Primitive forms of email were also developed during this time. By the 70s, networking technology had 14 improved, and 1979's UseNet allowed users to communicate through a virtual newsletter. By the 1980s, home computers were becoming more common and social media was becoming more sophisticated. Internet Relay Chats, or IRCs, were first used in 1988 and continued to be popular well into the 1990' s. The first recognizable social media site, Six Degrees, was created in 1997. It enabled users to upload a profile and make friends with other users. In 1999, the first blogging sites became popular, creating a social media sensation that's still popular today. 2.2.3 Social Media Today After the invention ofblogging, social media began to explode in popularity. Sites like MySpace and LinkedIn gained prominence in the early 2000s, and sites like Photo bucket and Flickr facilitated online photo sharing. Y ouTube came out in 2005, creating an entirely new way for people to communicate and share with each other across great distances. By 2006, Facebook and Twitter both became available to users throughout the world. These sites remain some of the most popular social networks on the Internet. Other sites like Tumblr, Spotify, Foursquare and Pinterest began popping up to fill specific social networking niches. Today, there is a tremendous variety of social networking sites such as whatsapp, imo, viber and many of them can be linked to allow cross-posting. This creates an environment where users can reach the maximum number of people without sacrificing the intimacy of person-to-person communication. We can only speculate about what the future of social networking may look in the next decade or even 100 years from now, but it seems clear that it will exist in some form for as long as humans are alive. 15 2.3 TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA Different kinds of information are exchanged in a different way. That is because there are various types of social media. Collaborative projects are the simplest type of social media. They allow each user to add, remove or change text based content. It is believed that throughout the collaborative efforts of different users the information offered by that source of social media is becoming more reliable. A widely spread collaborative project is Wikipedia. That is a free, web based, online encyclopedia written with the common efforts of volunteers and accessible by everyone with an Internet access. Blogs are another representative of social media. They let user to publish and participate in a multithreaded conversations online (Weber, 2009). Blogs are important for companies as they can easily higher their reputation in case of positive blogging and at the same time destroy a good reputation with negative blogging. Content communities give people the opportunity to share media content between each other. Under media content is meant the exchange of videos (You Tube), photos (Flicker) or even PowerPoint presentations (SlideShare). Users of content communities usually don't create a profile page, but just have a personal record with their recent and overall activity. For companies and large corporations content communities are of a great thread because of the chance to be used as platforms for sharing copyright materials (Kaplan, 2009). Social Networking Sites follow the content communities in the review of social media types. It's important to clarify their meaning and usage as they take central place in the current thesis. Trough these kinds of sites people connect while exchanging personal information, photos, 16 videos and even instant messages. People can also invite friends to have access to this information. Facebook and Twitter are considered to be the most popular social networking sites. Companies nowadays switch to Facebook in their efforts to bond with the customer (Kaplan, 2009). Twitter is a free social network and micro blogging service that allows people to read and exchange text based posts that are up to 140 characters. These posts are called "tweets". Last but not least comes the tum of virtual game worlds and virtual social worlds as social media representatives. Virtual game worlds present three dimensional environments where users interact with each other taking the form of avatars and experiencing real world situations. Virtual game worlds provide the highest level of social presence and media richness (Kaplan, 2009). Virtual social worlds slightly differ from the game worlds. They allow users to choose their behavior and actually live a life that is similar to their own ones. As in virtual game worlds, virtual social world users appear in the form of avatars and interact in a three-dimensional virtual environment but, in that case, there are no rules for the possible interactions, except for basic physical laws such as gravity (Kaplan, 2009). 2.4 COMPARISON BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA During the traditional marketing area, marketers employ integrated marketing communications principles in order to present a unified message to the target audience. As Mangold and Faulds (2009) stated that integrated marketing communications not only try to put the promotional mix (advertising, personal selling, public relations, publicity, direct marketing and sales promotion) into the scope of marketing activities, but also it is a simple way to help enterprise show their unique information to customer. 17 The majority of media theories assume that traditional media has singular power to disseminate infonnation and thus, impact public opinion; however, in the age of net-worded media, citizens can bypass traditional media to engage with other like-minded citizens. As the supply of media shifts away from the limited content offerings of traditional media monopoly ownership towards a long tail of niche-based, personalized media forms (Anderson, 2006), it is important to examine how the impact of social influence within networks of like-minded communities impact traditional media power. Social media has gained a lot of popularity over the past few years and as a result of this popularity, other traditional media have experienced decline in both business and popularity. Palmer and Lewis (2009) argued that the main stream media channels have faced many challenges in recent times that have led to closure with TV, Newspapers and Radio facing down turn in their profits levels. Palmer and Lewis are correlating the performance of these traditional channels to the rise of social media in marketing and brand management. As a result of completion and tough economic environment, companies have tightened their budgets especially advertising budgets which have shifted to online channels. According to Forrester research study (Ernst, et aI, 2011) found that companies or brands are gradually shifting their advertising priorities to align better with today's buyers. Today's buyers are tech savvy and social media maniacs. Also, it has been noticed that consumers are starting to be averse to traditional advertisement platforms such as television and the print media and are constantly looking for ways of self­ determine how much mass media they are exposed to. In this light, Rashtchy et al. (2007) observed that consumers are demonstrating affinity for accessing and obtaining information promptly according to their perceived need and without jeopardizing their convenience. 18 2.5 SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING According to Weber, marketing to the social web means to adopt a completely new way of communicating with an audience in a digital environment. Instead of continuing as broadcasters, marketers should become aggregators of customer communities. It is not about broadcasting marketing messages to an increasingly indifferent audience. Instead, when marketing to the social web marketers should participate in, organize and encourage social networks to which people want to belong. Rather than talking at customers, marketers should talk with them (Weber 2009). The task of aggregating customers is done in two ways: by providing compelling content on your website and creating retail environments that customers want to visit, and by going out and participating in the public arena (Weber 2009). Marketing to the social web is not only for the largest multinational corporations; it may be easier and more effective, argues Weber (2009), for a relatively small or medium-size company to take maximum advantages of the social media. Also the way of segmenting changes radically with the advent of the social web. Demographics like gender, age, education and income, lifestyle factors have become less relevant, and what really counts is segmenting according to what people do and feel- their behaviour as well as their attitudes and interests. The goal for the marketer is to identify groups of customers within the larger market that can be reached and affected through the marketing (Weber 2009). 19 2.6 SOCIAL MEDIA AND BRANDING Weber defines branding as the dialogue you have with your customer, and claims that the stronger the dialogue is, the stronger the brand is, and vice versa. Branding offers the world a great variety of definitions and concepts. It's one of the most broadly defined terms in contemporary marketing. Nowadays brands are used as symbols that allow consumers to make a difference between the producers and trace the quality of the product back to the manufacturer and if companies want to compete successfully on the market, they must have a brand that consist of various characteristics (Bertilsson, 2009). All that leads to the conclusion that when approaching the effect of social media on marketing we need also to focus on branding as an essential and huge part of it. A brand can be defined as "a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or combination of them which is intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors" (Kotler 1991; p. 442). A brand plays three significant roles. First, it aims to attract new customers to the firm. Second, it can be a reminder to customers about the firm's product and services. Finally, a brand can become the customer's emotional tie to the firm (Rust, et a1.2005, p.24). Moreover customers' brand attitude plays a great role in fums' efforts to make profitable business. That is because of the fact that a strong brand could gain a firm competitive advantage and leading positions in a certain sector (Kim et.aI.2008). It is not a SUrprise that many companies and organizations of all types and sizes are using social media to monitor and respond to negative feedback about their brands or products (Brown, 2010). In that line of thought social media and branding go hand to hand. Social networking is bringing branding to new dimensions by offering quicker deployment and return of information, 20 a significantly cheaper platform than traditional marketing and a way for people to get into conversations about a brand and in this way to spread the information more effectively (Chordas, 2009). 2.7 SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING Social media also referred to as consumer-generated media. This form of media describes a variety of new sources of online information that are created, initiated, circulated and used by customers intent on educating each other about products, brands, services, personalities, and issues" (Blackshaw & Nazzaro, 2004, pp .. 2). Social media are distinct from industrial or traditional media, such as newspapers, television, and film. They are relatively inexpensive and accessible to enable anyone (even private individuals) to publish or access information, compared to industrial media, which generally require significant resources to publish information. 2.8 BRAND AWARENESS Brand awareness is related to the ability of the consumer to identify the brand under certain conditions. The greater awareness, the better work that each of the brand identities (logo, name, characters, design, slogan or any symbols) have done (K.Keller, 1 993). There are two Possibilities of how brand awareness can be expressed. One is through brand recall or the process When a certain brand is recalled by the consumer when he is given a certain category as a cue, and brand recognition when respectively a consumer is able to recognize the brand when he is given a brand as a prompt (Dew,K won, 2009). Brand recognition can be two types - visual or 21 verbal. Visual when a customer sees the brand in the store or verbal which is popular in the telemarketing when a customer hears the brand name, which can lead to the creation of awareness ( L. Percy, 2008). Scholars claim that brand recognition may be more important than brand recall as most of the decisions people made are made in the store and rarely outside of it (Keller, 1993). In that line of thought the connection between verbal brand recognition, social media and brand attitude is pretty clear. Social media can be presented as a way of a customer to get familiar with the brand and this way create attitude toward it. Brand awareness and brand attitude in that aspect are mutually important. Therefore brand attitude cannot occur as well as any purchase decisions unless first brand awareness takes place (Macdonald, Sharp, 2003). According to the associative model theory by Anderson, 1983, awareness is a crucial and preliminary step for the formation of brand associations. This statement is also confirmed by the theory of Keller, 2003 for the building blocks of customer based brand equity, where he puts awareness as the most important factor needed for the realization of the other ones. Once the customer attaches associations to the brand then some feelings and judgments will follow, which by themselves represent the brand attitude (Keller, 2003). In the recent years people got significantly engaged in social media platforms. That's why companies started using namely social media for creating awareness. 2.9 BRAND AWARENESS AND CONSUMER ATTITUDES As Keller (2003) state that the definition of brand awareness is "the consumers' ability to recall and recognize the brand as reflected by their ability to identify the brand under different conditions and to link the brand name, logo, symbol, and so forth to certain association in memory." In another words, brand awareness is about the strength of a brand in the mind of its 22 target audience along a continuum (Aaker, 1996). In addition, Aaker (1996) emphasizes that brand awareness can be important for new or niche brands; and for well-known brands, brand recall and top of mind are more significant. In the social media environrpent, enterprise gains the increased exposure to its brand when customer uses their product or service every time. It is vital for retailers and marketers to be aware of the factors that affect consumer attitudes and motives because consumers are increasingly creating content about brands, something previously controlled solely by companies (Heinonen 2011). As a result, current research has examined what aspects of social media sites affect consumer attitudes and motives. Chu (2011) examined the link between Facebook brand related group participation, advertising responses, and the psychological factors of self-disclosure and attitudes among members and nonmembers of Facebook groups. The study determined that users who are members of groups on Facebook are more likely to disclose their personal data than nonmembers are. Chu (2011) explains group participation and engagement with online ads requires a higher level of personal information because users openly reveal their connections with Facebook groups and promote brands or products when they pass on ads to their friends. "Facebook groups provide channels that consumers deem useful when seeking self-status in a product category, as does passing on viral content about brands to their social contacts" (Chu 2011, 40). Chu (2011) also found that users who are Facebook group members maintain a more favorable attitude toward social media and advertising. Users who have more positive attitudes toward advertising are more likely to join a brand or a retailer's Facebook group to receive promotional 23 messages. Based on this result, Chu (2011) suggests that a link exists between consumers' use of and engagement in group applications on a social media sites. The relationship between consumers' use of and engagement with group applications influences the rate and effectiveness of advertising on social media, particularly Facebook. Generally, as Chu (2011) notes, Facebook's college-aged users have the most favorable attitudes toward social media advertising and are the largest growing demographic, which suggests that social media sites are a potentially rich platform for online advertising campaigns, especially for companies with a younger target market. 2.10 THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK The frame of reference has been defined by the dictionary Merriam-Webster as " a set of ideas, conditions or assumptions that determine how something will be approached, perceived or understood" This thesis aims at providing an increased understanding of how social media impacts brand awareness, and a presentation of the theoretical framework for marketing with the use of social media and brand awareness will now be presented: Concerning how to manage marketing with the use of social media, the analysis will be based on the findings of Weber. Weber argues, as previously mentioned, that marketing within social media means to adopt a completely new way of communicating with an audience in a digital environment. Instead of continuing as broadcasters, marketers should become aggregators of customer communities. It is not about broadcasting marketing messages to an increasingly indifferent audience, but about participating in, organizing and encouraging social networks to 24 which people want to belong. The catchword should be talking with customers instead of at them. The task of aggregating customers is done in two ways: by providing compelling content on your website and creating retail environments that customers want to visit, and by going out and participating in the public arena. Weber (2009) suggests that the social web can playa role throughout the entire life cycle of. product development, market introduction and market adoption, thus the theory of Diffusion of Innovation. As regards brand awareness, the analysis will be based on a combination of the traditional view defended by Aaker (1996) concerning brand awareness, and the new perspective that Weber presents. This leads to the following assumption: the strongest form of brand awareness will be considered to be word-of-mouth, i.e. that the customer has such a high brand awareness that shelhe recommends the brand to others. This stage is preceded by very strong brand awareness (dominant, the brand is the only one the customer can remember), strong brand awareness (top­ of-mind, the brand is the first the customer come to think of), medium brand awareness (recall) and weak brand awareness (recognition). How, then, can one reach the strongest form of brand awareness? In this thesis it is assumed, following Aaker'S ideas, that building a brand contemporarily is hard, and that the winning concept is to coordinate messages across all the different media. To create awareness is a process with different layers, ranging from weak brand awareness to the strongest form of brand awareness. 25 The first steps in the process are for firms, besides having a broad sales base, to acquire the knowledge of operating outside the traditional media channels. The highest layer of awareness can be created through acting as aggregators of customer communities and participate in, organize and encourage social networks to which people want to belong instead of broadcasting marketing messages to an increasingly indifferent audience. 2.10.1 THE DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION THEORY Development of Theories on Adoption Rogers (1962) introduced five main dimensions that influenced the adoption of an innovation, namely: complexity, compatibility, observability, trialability, and relative advantage. Rogers and Shoemaker (1971) further discussed these five dimensions which formed the foundation of subsequent studies on adoption of new innovations. Ostlund (1974) built on this research by adding a sixth dimension, the perceived risk of adoption. Perceived risk and risk attitudes were further discussed in various literatures. For instance, Rogers (1995) indicated that early adopters tend to be less risk averse than late adopters, hence providing an association between risk attitudes and adoption of innovation. Smith and Andrews (1995) explained that when the perceived risk of the innovation increased, it would have a negative impact on the evaluation of the product; this further correlated risk with the adoption of innovation. The number of dimensions thought to effect adoption continued to expand through the years with Tomatzky and Klein (1982) proposing 10 dimensions. They conducted a meta-analysis of all past studies on the innovation characteristics that had an impact on innovation adoption. Of the 10 dimensions they introduced, five were those proposed by Rogers (1962). The additional five 26 new dimensions introduced were cost, communicability, divisibility, profitability, and social approval. Of these additions, communicability tended to mirror observability; and divisibility and cost paralleled trialability; the original dimensions laid down by Rogers (1962). Of these newly introduced dimensions, cost of innovation to consumers received much attention by researchers and as a result, various studies on prices affecting rate of adoption followed. Kalish and Lilien (1986) postulated that the price of the innovation would affect its market potential. However, Jam and Rao (1990) contended that prices affect the rate of adoption rather than the market potential. In an earlier study, Kamakura et at (1988) had suggested that prices of innovation affect the timing of adoption and not whether consumers would adopt the product or not. They believed that lower prices would encourage consumers to buy the product at an earlier date, but not necessarily motivate them to buy just for that reason. They also stated that prices affecting rate of adoption would be true only to products with a narrow price range. Another view of price affecting rate of adoption was by Mason (1990), who provided empirical evidence that product attributes rather than price should be the main impetus for adoption. In view of the various opinions, Moore and Benbasat (1990) tried to summarise and redefine the various dimensions. After an extensive instrument development process, they arrived at a classification of seven characteristics, which included compatibility, complexity, trialability, relative advantage, result demonstrability, visibility, and image. However, they did not incorporate price as one dimension but treated it as part of trial ability. 27 2.10.2 REVIEW OF THE DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION THEORY IN PRODUCT MARKETING (BRAND AWARENESS) New products and innovations often come with high risks as most of them fail in the marketplace (Cooper, 1993). There has been extensive research carried out to unveil and discover the critical success factors affecting. adoption as well as on the process of innovation diffusion itself. In new product marketing, one has to understand the process of innovation diffusion and new product adoption: how an innovation/new product idea spreads and gets adopted by the different segments of a society/market over time. New product diffusion/innovation diffusion is actually defined as the spreading of a new idea from its source of invention to the ultimate users. As the innovation spreads, adoption of the product by the consumers picks up. All consumers in a given market are not responding to a new product in the same manner. The speed and enthusiasm with which different consumers respond to a new product are seen to vary widely. Some are quick in trying out the product and even in adopting it as a regular item of consumption. Some others take more time to embrace the product. Some others hesitate for a longer time and yet others are willing to try it at all. The differing speed in adoption by consumers is one of the most crucial issues in new product marketing. A new product marketer must understand thoroughly the diffusion process and the diffusion rate, and get a correct indication of the size of early adopters of the product, who will give him the initial sales. In fact, in launching a new product, most attention is given for attracting the innovators and early adopters. 28 Microwave ovens, introduced in the United States initially in the 1950s, took nearly 20 years to become widespread; the contraceptive pill was introduced during that same period and gained acceptance in a few years. 2.10.3 APPLICATION OF THE DIFFUSION THEORY BY PAPAYE FAST FOODS. Over the course of time, integrated marketing communicators and researchers described different steps of hierarchy of effects model. However, as suggested by Belch and Belch (2009) customers always pass through the steps while going to purchase: Awareness, Interest, Desire and Action i.e. AIDA. This notion is also supported by Derrick White (2000) as he concluded that "AIDA is probably the oldest acronym in marketing. It is the best and will never change". It is in this context of historical development of AIDA model, that Papaye Fast Foods applies a theory to its practice. However, Papaye has added "S" to this model to mean "Satisfaction". The AIDA is an acronym used in marketing and advertising, which helps Papaye Fast Foods Public Relations department develop effective communication strategies and communicate with customers in a way that better responds to their needs and desires. AIDA describes a common list of events that occur when a consumer views an advertisement / adopts to an innovation. Each letter in the acronym stands for the following: • The "A" represents attention or awareness, and the ability to attract the attention of the consumers. • The "I" is interest and points to the ability to raise the interest of consumers by focusing on and demonstrating advantages and benefits (instead of focusing on features, as in 29 traditional advertising). • The "D" represents desire. The advertisement convinces consumers that they want and desire the product or service because it will satisfy their needs. • The "A" is action, which leads consumers toward taking action by purchasing the product or service. The system which is used to guide marketers to target a market effectively has seen Papaye Fast Foods adding an "s" to mean satisfaction gained by the customer for which reason the customer decides to keep to the innovation (product and service) and even become brand ambassadors to recruit others to use the product. The head of PR and Marketing for Papaye Fast Foods stated that "naturally, as Papaye moves through each step of the AIDA(S) model, a percentage of initial prospective customers are lost throughout the sales cycle." The Public Relations and Marketing department of Papaye Fast Foods agrees with Rogers outlined five process of innovation that influence a person's decision to adopt or reject an innovation (Knowledge, Persuasion, Decision, Implementation and Confirmation). Roger's Diffusion of Innovation Model Knowledge Persuasion I I AWareness Interest Papaye's Fast Foods AlDA(S) Model Source: Author's field research Decision Implementation Confirmation I I I Desire Action Satisfaction 30 The Public Relations and Marketing department of Pap aye Fast Foods further agrees with Rogers outlined five characteristics that influence a person's decision to adopt or reject an innovation (Relative Advantage, Compatibility, Complexity, Trailability and Observability). PAPAYE FAST FOODS PRACTICALIZES DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION THEORY Here's how Papaye plays off this brilliantly (From Diffusion of Innovations). Relative Advantage - How improved an innovation is over the previous generation. Papaye has over the years added on to its original Fried Rice and Fried Chicken menu, and now has a variety of menu including ice cream, burgers, sandwiches etc, unlike KFC that has only fried chicken and chips, thus giving their customers and potential customers a relative advantage over its main competitors. Compatibility - The level of compatibility that an innovation has to be assimilated into an individual's life. This Papaye has done perfectly as it realizes that man will always have to eat to stay healthy. Papaye has per their research in the area of situation theory of publics rolled out a product line to integrate the needs of the customers. Fish and Grilled Chicken are on their menu now to meet the needs of those who are not compatible with the supposed "fatty fried chicken". They have also introduced the small packs to meet the pockets of those who cannot afford the original bigger packs. Complexity - If the innovation is too difficult to use an individual will not likely adopt it. Papaye has food an all inclusive package of the food in a foil container to keep it warm over a longer period, sauce, cutlery as well as wet sanitizer tissue for convenience. Thus one can eat anywhere without craving for water to wash hands. 31 TriaJabiIity - How easily an innovation may be experimented with as it is being adopted. I pick from the study that Papaye has consistently specifically designed an interacting device in a casual way and tried their innovations (new products, price, promotions) randomly on their customers. Based on the feedback, they carryon with the innovation. Observability - The extent that an innovation is visible to others. An innovation that is more visible will drive communication among that person's peers and personal networks and will in turn create more positive or negative reactions. Papaye' s strategy here is their strategic locations. All their branches are located by principal streets, have the same branding, and used activations to reach their target and potential customers. They have over the years held a flagship programme termed "Our Day Special" where brilliant pupils from over 30 schools within their operating areas are rewarded for academic excellence. This, the children trickle down by informing their peers about the Papaye brand. This I gathered from the research as a means of making the Papaye brand visible to the young ones so they could get their parents buying for them and being loyal and possible retention. 2.11 CONCLUSION In conclusion, research has determined that business can increase awareness of their brand by being creative when engaging customers on social media sites. "As more shoppers are using social media (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp, Viber, IMO, Y outube, MySpace, and LinkedIn) and rely on them for marketing shopping decisions, promotion through these media has become important" (Shankar et al. 2011, 32). Furthermore, Hill, Provost, and Volinsky's (2006) research establishes that a firm can benefit 32 from social networks to predict the likelihood of purchase intention. This can be done by taking into account a firm's choice of network (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest etc.) and by examining that network's data. Weber et al. (2011 ), stress that a retailer must go beyond the advertising aspect of social networking sites and find groundbreaking ways to use them as a way to conduct conversations with consumers, instead of a one-way communication network. Sinclair and Vogus (2011) determined that large companies are regarding social media sites as strategic tools and some businesses are even hiring employees to oversee their social media pages. "Consumers are no longer passive receivers of marketing messages; instead, they are using Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and Twitter to voice their opinions-both positive and negative" (Sinclair and Vogus 2011, 293). The researcher is however of the view that the literature reviewed stopped short of acknowledging the deficiency of social media sites being exploited for the information it provides on consumer behavior with regards to their purchasing intentions. The researcher thus suggests that businesses should incorporate social networking sites into their business model or promotional mix. Thus it is recommended that social media should be regarded as an integral part of an organization's integrated marketing strategy and should not be taken lightly. As Curran et al. (2011) points out, almost 1 in every 13 person in the world is an active Facebook user, which points to the potential offinding a ready market for any product or service. Social networking sites are being utilized to enhance a company's brand appeal and increase their target market because "new technologies allow for more personal, targeted communications, as well as increased consumer participation in the creation of marketing and 33 brand related information" (Jaffe 2005 as cited in Muniz and Jensen Schau 2007, 35). Feedback from consumers has always been important when it comes to product, brand, and business model development. Social media opens up a whole new world for small retailers by providing an endless array of potential interactions with consumers, which is the main reason why there is a need for an increase in studies examining the impact of this new phenomenon on small retailers. (Sorescu et a1. 2011, 11) From the literature reviewed it looks like a bed of roses for organizations if they apply social media marketing; but the researcher will look into both the positive and negative longterm effects of social media marketing on a small firm. 34 3.0 INTRODUCTION CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This chapter presents the methodology used in this study. It focuses on the brief profile of the study area and the research design that will be employed. The methodology adopted was systematic, rigorous, conventional and value-free or unbiased. The process ensures the gathering of relevant and reliable data and the application of appropriate statistical techniques in the analysis of the data in order to control potential statistical errors. The design among other things includes the sampling technique, sample size determination, the sample frame, data sources and methods of collection as well the methods employed in analysing the data collected from the field. Finally, critical questions about how to handle reliability and validity of the study are presented. 3.1 Research Design This study would employ the hybrid method; both qualitative and quantitative. This is because Using quantitative and qualitative data in isolation might not inescapably bring the best results. The quantitative aspect could be used for generalization of findings (Lobe 2008), while the qualitative approach would help uncover variables and explain why things happen after discovering them through statistical analysis, drawing on the introspective insight shared by respondents. As Patton (1990: 132) suggested, 'qualitative data can put flesh on the bones of quantitative results, bringing results to life through in-depth case elaboration' . 35 According to Collis and Hussey (1997:54, in Saunders et aI., 2009:72), research design is the overall approach to the research process from the theoretical underpinnings to the collection and analysis of the data; while Buame (1996) defines research design as the basic framework outlining the interrelationships between the various activities required in order to effectively address the central stages of a project to ensure that the research will effectively address the research question. The design of this study will be non-experimental with very little amount of control exercised over subjects. The choice of this design was informed by the qualitative nature of the study. Measures would be imposed on subjects as required by non-experimental design. This will involve asking a large number of individual's representative of the population, the same set of questions. Responses are then tabulated and reported in the form of frequencies and percentages. As such, the objectives of this particular research will be achieved through: Identify variables needed to be analyzed to achieve research objectives, sample respondents for the study, analyze data using appropriate techniques of analysis in order to achieve objectives, interpret findings in relation with the research objectives, conclude on the findings and make necessary recommendations for policy implementation. There are two major research methods, quantitative and qualitative. Each method is considerably different in the way data are collected and analyzed. Both methods are widely used in business research. A quantitative method means that the data collection techniques and data analysis procedures that generate or use numerical data. In contrast, qualitative method refers to any data collection techniques and data analysis procedures that generate or use non-numerical data (Saunders et al. 2009). It is the research problems and purposes that determine which method is more appropriate. 36 For quantitative study, the vital skills needed for the researcher are the ability to develop proper hypotheses, test them with proper statistical techniques, and interpret statistical information into descriptive information. A large sample size is preferred and it should be possible to generalize from the finding. In most qualitative research, in contrast to quantitative research, no statistical calculations aimed at establishing correlations between certain stated variables, with the ambition to give an exact representation of an objective reality "out there". It is possible to use a variety of qualitative techniques such as interviews, observations, and analysis of texts and documents. Using different techniques and combining them within one study gives a possibility to cover mUltiple perspectives of the phenomenon under study (Yin 2009). When examining the research problem in this thesis, a qualitative research method has been chosen. The reason is that there are complex connections between various factors that cannot be quantified numerically, and there is a need to create a deeper understanding of the situation of the relationship and impact of social media on brand awareness. 3.2 Research population Population could be defined as a group of variables that have common characteristics that are of interest to the researcher (Manson et aZ. 1999). A research population as indicated by the study of Joan Joseph Castillo (2009) is generally a large collection of individuals or objects that form the main focus of a scientific research. It is usually a well-defined collection of individuals or objects with similar characteristics. The 37 population under study is made up of mainly the marketing and communication department of Papaye (These department members are responsible for planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of social media and other communication channels) as well as some identifiable customers of Papaye who are the target of the communications via social media. The target popUlation of the study will be customers and staff of Papaye Fast Foods Limited in Osu, Spintex, Tema and Tesano branches in the greater Accra region. The study will focus basically on a population universe comprising both male and female across the educational ladder and varied economic background. 3.3 Sample Size A total popUlation of 103 respondents will be sampled to represent the various groups in the popUlation. 100 people from the customer base of the company under study with 3 respondents from the organization. This is because time will not permit me to work with a higher number which would grant me the statistical power to generalize the results. 3.4 Sampling Technique Probability and non-probability strategies will be used to achieve the required data. Probability sampling will ensure that every customer within the sample size determined is given an equal opportunity of being represented. Specifically, the systematic random sampling will be used to select respondents based on a system of intervals in the numbered homogenous population. Customers will be numbered and survey every fifth person to enter the restaurant at Osu, 38 Spintex, Tema and Tesano branches after selecting the first person until the required sample is achieved. On the part of the non-probability strategy, the purposive sampling technique will be considered in soliciting views from persons who have special knowledge in issues such as social media use by the company, roles they play and the challenges confronting them which were not covered by the sample size chosen. It will be used as follows: Purposively, three staff members from the headquarters branch will be selected for their knowledge on the activities the company carries out on social media. The organization has various departments but the study was limited to only officials from the corporate communications, administration and marketing departments to ascertain their views. This is because the corporate communications and marketing departments manages the media content of the organisation of which the social media is inclusive with the Chief Executive Officer being the head of decision making. Accordingly, subjects will be non- randomly sampled. 3.5 Types and Sources of Data This study would make use of primary and secondary sources. The secondary data would be gathered mainly from books, articles and other online publications. The primary data would of COurse be obtained from the questionnaires and in-depth interview. The study employed the use of in-depth interviews questionnaires and personal observations. Personal observations on the facebook page and the patronage of users on the Y ouTube portal and the company website were used to ascertain data on the impact of social media on the Papaye brand creating awareness. 39 3.6 Data Collection Instruments A combination of qualitative and quantitative tools will be used to collect data from the respondents. For the quantitative method, semi structured questionnaire containing close and open-ended questions on the demographic data of respondents, questions regarding the objectives of the study· as well as the questions of the study will be used. Structured interview guide and focus group discussion will be employed to complement the quantitative method. The use of questionnaire is to guarantee confidentiality of anonymity of the respondents so that they will be forthcoming with appropriate responses without hesitation. A checklist will be used to monitor those who will take copies of the questionnaires so that they could be easily monitored for retrieval. It will also ensure that all questionnaires distributed are collected back. 3.7 Data Collection Procedures Preparation of questionnaire will be based on the research objectives of the study, divided into sections with each section having a set of questions that could elicit appropriate responses to answer the corresponding research questions. After verbal permission had been sought and duly granted by the respondents, the researcher will distribute the questionnaires to respondents. This would be done one at a time to ensure that no respondent see others completing theirs. No respondent would be allowed to take the questionnaires home. The researcher will move away to leave a distance between the respondents who would answer their questionnaires instantly, and himself so that his presence would not unduly influence responses being provided. All these measures would be taken to prevent unnecessary external interferences. The one-on-one in­ depth interviews would also be conducted in line with the ethics of research. All necessary permissions would be sought from the organizations in the sample. A face-to-face interview will 40 also be conducted in English language as all the respondents can read and speak English. The questionnaires will be recalled from the respondents and edited for inconsistencies and the responses will be coded and analyzed for data interpretation . . In order to improve and test the questionnaire, the researcher conducted some pilot test. Two sets of the questionnaire were administered to senior executives of Papaye company who were familiar with all the issues involving social media use in the company. This was done to detennine whether the questions made sense and was easy to understand. After refining some of the questions which were deemed to be too technical for the intended respondents, a much improved questionnaire was developed and administered. 3.8 Data Treatment, Presentation And Analysis With regard to data analysis, qualitative analysis refers to the non-numerical examination and interpretation of observations for the purpose of discovering underlying meanings and patterns of relationships while quantitative analysis is the numerical representation and manipulation of observations for the purpose of describing and explaining the phenomena that those observations reflect (Babbie 2004). Collected field data would be critically examined to detect mistakes, errors and irrelevant information, while ensuring that data is not interfered with. After Coding, the quantitative data Collected from the field, the questionnaire was sorted into males' and females' category, positive and negative perception of social media and brand awareness. Factor analysis was then used to collate the open ended responses into meaningful and explainable data. The views so expressed in the open ended questions were presented in bar chart and other presentable formats as shown 41 in Chapter four. For the close ended questions, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for all preliminary analysis. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were carried out. For the descriptive statistics, the frequency distribution and cross tabulation were done. The qualitative data will be transcribed and discussed as such. 3.9 Research Ethics Ethical standards prevent the fabrication and falsifying of data and therefore, promote the pursuit of knowledge and truth which is the primary goal of research. One of the most important ethical considerations in research is the use of human subjects (Burgess 1989). This study would adhere to the ethical standards and follow the appropriate guidelines outlined for researchers. These principles will be followed to guarantee that all human subjects are choosing to participate of their own free will. The consent of respondents will be duly sought after explaining the purpose of the research, expected duration and procedures. This study will make use of anonymous questionnaires and naturalistic observations which disclosure of responses would not place Participants at risk of criminal or civil liability or damage their financial standing, employability or reputation, and for which confidentiality is protected. 3.10 Brief Profile of Study Area (Papaye Fast Foods Limited) Papaye Fast Foods Limited is a business focused on the production and selling of fast foods as a restaurant. Papaye Fast Foods was incorporated and issued with certificate to commence business on the 17th of June, 1991. However, it was not until December 1991 that the first Papaye pack was sold. 42 Papaye's corporate vision is "to be the brand leader in the integrated hospitality industry in Ghana." And its mission is "to provide affordable, quality food and service to the general public, to playa meaningful role in the promotion of tourism and to offer facilities for renting in promoting culture and entertainment, sports and other social events". According to the Chief Executive Officer of Papaye Fast Foods Limited, there was a gap in the restaurant business, the idea was thus to satisfy a demand of providing quality food at a competitive price and fast delivery service, particularly for people on the go. He further stated "as a table top business and with staff strength of barely twelve, Pap aye over the years has grown bigger and bigger. Today Papaye Fast Foods has become a household name and has been acknowledged as the pace setter and market leader in the fast food industry. Papaye serves meals including fried rice, fries, grilled chicken, roasted chicken, fish, burger, sandwich and natural juices. It's a fully Ghanaian-owned registered company and also registered as a catering enterprise, committed to contributing its quota towards the promotion of tourism in Ghana and under visionary leadership and by dint of hardwork the company has grown and opened 4 branches. (Osu, Tesano, Tema and Spintex) with a work force of over 400. Two new branches at Lapaz and A wudome will be opened before the end of 2017. Papaye has since been a good corporate citizen by being in good standing with the Ghana Tourism Authority, Accra Metro (LEKMA), Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Chamber of 43 Commerce, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Association of Ghana Industry, Food and Drugs Authority, Environmental Protection Agency and the Ghana Standards Authority. Papaye over the past 25years of its existence has won numerous regional, national and international in the areas of innovation, statutory compliance, quality services, good corporate citizen, customer care etc. (Citations and Certificates I personally cited) With the company's commitment to quality and excellence, it currently commands a 65 percent market share in the Ghanaian fast food industry in the Greater Accra Region. (Talent Marketing Research Report, 2017) 3.11 Reliability versus Validity Reliability estimates the extent to which data collection technique will yield consistent findings, similar observations would be made or conclusions reached by other researchers or there is transparency in how sense was made from the raw data - or more simply the degree to which an instrument measures the same way each time it is used, under the same conditions, with the same subjects. Validity, on the other hand, estimates the extent to which data collection method accurately measure what they were intended to measure, the degree to which you are measuring what you are supposed to (Saunders et al. 2009). Thus, should another researcher use the sample technique, population, the approach, data collection methods, same time frame etc, he / she must arrive at the same results. Therefore this study is reliable and valid. 44 3.12 Limitations to the study Although, substantial amount of effort was put into the designing of the research work and in administration of the questionnaire, certain problems were encountered which are worth mentioning. Some of the limitations encountered include: The literacy level of the Ghanaian populace was discovered to be low. The level of awareness of social media was also very low. These created problems of poor communication and an abysmally poor response from some intended respondents while others just did not bother to respond to the questionnaire at all despite repeated calls. Another major constraint that was faced was the time available for the study, which was limiting. Cost of travelling to project locations for the data collection, and stationery items were quite high and therefore a limitation. Even though this study is to investigate the impact of social media and brand awareness of the Papaye Fast Foods brand in Ghana, due to lack of resources, only a few sample size was considered. The findings cannot therefore be generalized to the whole population. Again the researcher encountered non availability of literature to conduct a longitudinal study to provide wider perspective to the present study, and provide a holistic picture. This research was conducted using non-probability sampling. A judgmental selection has been used to choose the company that will be investigated and the employees that will be interviewed and thus are not necessarily representative of the entire population. 45 Also certain commercially sensitive data, as the company desired, was withheld from the researcher. With all these limitations being realized before the actual work, efforts were put in place to mitigate its effect. 3.13 SUMMARY This chapter presents the methodology used in this study. It can be summarized as follows: The study is exploratory and descriptive, the approach deductive and qualitative, the strategy a single case study, the sample selection based on non-probability sampling, the data collection method is primary and secondary data, the data analysis used qualitative and quantitative data analysis and careful attention has been given to create high reliability and validity in the study. 46 CHAPTER FOUR DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 4.1 INTRODUCTION In this chapter, the study presents an analysis of the data collected from both participants and respondents by means of question-guide and structured-questionnaire. The chapter also contains the data in relation to the research objectives that guided the study. The interpretations of the results were categorized according to demographics data, general information and general attitudes of the respondents towards the social media approach by Papaye Fast Foods. The data are presented using tabulations and descriptive analysis. 4.2 QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF RESPONDENT Socio-demographic variables are crucial in the analyses of data in any sociological study (Kumekpor, 2002). The demographic characteristics of a group of people such as, sex, ethnicity, level of education, occupation and religion influence their action and reactions to a particular situation. In exploring the consequences of social media and brand awareness on Papaye Fast Foods Limited in the Greater Accra region of Ghana, socio-demographic features could influence knowledge, attitude and perception about the use and exposure to social media. It is believed that demographic characteristics of the respondents and participants continue to be important factors that people make about technological use and its influence. In this wise, it defines the relationship between the demographic variables and the character of respondents. 47 The following subsections give detailed descriptions of the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents within the operational areas of Papaye. The demographic characteristics of respondents analysed for discussion are age, sex, and marital status, level of education amongst others. 4.2.1 GENDER Gender is socio-culturally generated to institute the relationship between males and females. The choice of gender is necessary to reveal equity in the disparity of perceptions and attitudes, as well as for comparative purposes. The table below displays the gender of respondents. Table 1: Valid respondents based on gender and social media use Sex Total Respondents Male 60 Female 40 Total 100 Source: Field Data, 2017 Table 1 indicates that out of the 100 questionnaires administered to the customers, all the 100 were completed and returned. Out of the total completed questionnaire, 60% valid respondents were male while 40% valid respondents were female. This implies that more males patronize fast food more than females based on information gathered on social media. 48 4.2.2 AGE The age of respondents is one of the most important characteristics in understanding their views about social media and its impact on creating brand awareness. The Age was necessary because it indicated the level of maturity of the individuals as well as their interest in social media use in the research sample. The table below shows the age distribution of respondents. Table 2: Age ranges of respondents and social media use AGE 18-25 Percent 26-35 Percent 36-45 Percent 46+ Percent TOTAL MALE 15 65 20 63 15 52 10 63 60 FEMALE 8 35 12 37 14 48 6 37 40 TOTAL 23 100 32 100 29 100 16 100 100 Sonrce: Field data, 2017 Table 2 shows that out of the respondents, 32% were within the 26-35 years age bracket being . the most who patronize fast foods based on their knowledge of social media. 46 years and above were found to be least who patronized the fast food industry based on their knowledge on social media. This means the age brackets of 18-25, 26-35, and 36-45 are much into social media than the age 45 and above. While the age bracket 18-25 constitute the highest number of males (65%), that for the females is within the age bracket 36-45 representing 48%. These are relevant in capturing the diversity of experiences in social media usage and also power the differences between the different age groups. 49 4.2.3 MARITAL STATUS Marriage is one of the most important social institutions. The perceptions and attitudes of respondents can differ by their marital status because the marriage might make a person little more responsible and matured in providing responses to the questions asked. Relationship status plays a crucial role when assessing the use of time and ones exposure to new technology bearing in mind the supposed pressure of marriage and its numerous responsibilities. The table below shows the marital status of respondents. Table 3: Marital status of valid respondent and social media use Married Single Total Table 3 shows that 58% of Papaye customers who use social media are single. 42% of the respondents have once been married. This can be categorized into 30% are married (Traditional and Ordinance), with 10% divorced and 2% separated. From the above, it can be inferred that singles do have much time to have access to social media than those who are married. 50 4.2.4 EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND Education is vital for empowerment and also affects the person's attitudes and the way of looking at any particular social phenomenon. In a way, the response of an individual is likely to be determined by hislher educational status and it's therefore imperative to know the educational background of respondents. Hence, the variable Educational level was investigated by the researcher and the data pertaining to educational attainment of respondents is presented in Table 4 below. Table 4: Educational background of valid respondents No formal Education Secondary Tertiary (post Total The educational background of the respondents, which is represented by Table 4.4, shows that none of the respondents has never had any form of education. 65% of the respondents have completed Tertiary level education, with 5% being Junior High School leavers, whereas 22% of the respondents were Senior High School leavers, and 8% post graduate degree holders. We can therefore conclude that the use of social media require some level of education. 51 Figure 1: Relationship between level of education and frequency of social media use Source: Field Data, 2017 DJHS . SHS o DIP./DEGREE o POST GRADUATE From the responses gathered, as plotted on the above Figure 1, it is clear that there is a relationship between level of education and the frequency of social media use. Those who have a tertiary background are exposed more to the social media for networking and information gathering than the Junior and Senior Secondary certificate holders. Stafus 46+ S M D S 16 3 58 10 2 Source: Field Data, 2017 SEX Backgrouud SHS I T - Table 5 above shows that Sixty out of the Hundred respondents were male while Forty of the remaining were female. The reason behind a greater number of respondents being males could be attributed to the diverse attitude towards cooking and males love for technology. Males are generally believed not to be inte rested cooking and ready 52 for the already prepared meal and so would usually patronize fast foods while most females are avid cooks hence the lesser number in the valid respondents. On the other hand, even though there is a social change to more women working today as compared to some few years back in Ghana, on the whole, Males are expected by the society to shoulder responsibilities of most families and therefore the tendency for them to have also walked into the research area (pAPA YE) to get a meal for a female acquaintance, friend, wife is very high, which invariably result in higher numbers of valid respondents for males than females. AGE Following the results obtained from the table 4.2, it could be adduced that there is an inverse relationship between social media exposure and age. It is evident from the responses that 32% of the respondents fell within the age band of 26 - 35. This could be attributed to the fact that larger numbers of Ghanaians are able to mobile phones and other technological properties within that age band, hence, the higher respondent rate. On the other hand respondents within that age band have understanding of social media for the purposes of networking, source of information gathering and dissemination etc; hence their preparedness to invest in social media. MARITAL STATUS The marital status of an individual has a lot of influence on certain issues including the sources of eating, technology, spending and the use of time as well. The results in the table above, reveals that the number of single valid respondents was 58 percent. This is by far higher than 53 that of married, divorced and separated couples which are 30%, 10% and 2% respectively. This could be attributed to singles not having a lot of responsibilities, unlike the married who would have to fend for themselves and their families, and thus has money to spend on technology and time to use on the social media and food. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND The table also shows that out of Hundred valid respondents, Five of them had up to Junior High level education, Twenty had Secondary High level education and then Seventy Three of them had Tertiary education. Form the valid respondents received, an inference could be drawn that education has a lot to do with peoples understanding and appreciation of using social media. It is evident from the bar graph in fig.4.1 that people with higher education are exposed or take more interest in technology more than those who have little education. This is because social media is perceived to be more technical and one must have an appreciable level o f education to be able to compre hend to be able to configure and therefore people who are more educated can decipher the fine prints and make adequate judgments on the services.