Social media influencer marketing emerged in Web 2.0 as a new form of celebrity endorsement in which the Internet-famous create word-of-mouth marketing for brands and organizations on their personal social media pages, blurring the line between organic and sponsored content for their followers. This book explores social media influencer marketing through the lens of philosophy of communication with a praxis-centered approach. Kati E. Sudnick utilizes a multitude of theoretical touchstones-including Christopher Lasch's narcissistic culture, Marshall McLuhan's global village, Daniel Boorstin's human pseudo-event, Jacques Ellul's propaganda, and the interplay between charismatic leadership and parasocial relationships-in order to consider consequences surrounding Hannah Arendt's social condition, which appears in hyper-form within social media influencer marketing as a major integrated marketing communication tool. Sudnick applies these concepts to three major case studies surrounding Audible, BetterHelp, and Fyre Festival, drawing implications and conclusions for this integrated marketing communication tactic in an era entrenched within the banality of the social. Ultimately, the author argues for a more aware and conscientious public when it comes to engaging with influencers online. Scholars of communication, philosophy, and media studies will find this book of particular interest.
Kati E. Sudnick is assistant professor of communication studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Acknowledgments Introduction: Understanding Social Media Influencer Marketing in a Social Age Chapter 1: Human Pseudo-Events and Propaganda: Tools of Social Media Influencer Marketing in a Social Age Chapter 2: The Power of the Social: Charismatic Leadership, Parasocial Relationships, and the Social Media Influencer Chapter 3: Dances, Lip-Syncs, and Stitching: Tik Tok, Memetic Culture, and the Myth of Social Media Influencer Tactics Chapter 4: The Reverse Halo Effect: Cancel Culture and the Implications of Social Media Influencing as an Integrated Marketing Communication Tool Chapter 5: Tales from Social Media Influencer Marketing: A Trio of Case Studies Chapter 6: The Banality of Social Media Influencer Marketing Bibliography About the Author
This compelling application of philosophy of communication, media ecology, and communication ethics to social media practices in integrated marketing communication opens new avenues for understanding and engaging the dynamic landscape of our current historical moment. Through carefully chosen case studies, Sudnick works with theoretical and practical rigor to reveal insights of value for crisis communication, corporate communication, and integrated marketing communication. Both readable and rich with research, this volume is a must-read for students, scholars, and practitioners. -- Janie Marie Harden Fritz, Duquesne University
