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Influence of Audience Feedback on Editorial Decisions of Digital Newspapers
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Francisca Greene
This comparative study analyzes ten digital newspapers from Chile and Ecuador with the objective of investigating how audience feedback influences editorial decisions. The objective is to answer the following research questions: To what extent does audience feedback influence editorial decisions in the most read digital newspapers in Chile and Ecuador? and: Do these newspapers have similar behavior in terms of the relationship between editorial decisions and audience feedback? A qualitative methodology was used based on semi-structured interviews carried out with editors of the five most read Web portals in each country. The most notable results reveal notable similarities between the media in each country, evidencing a strong influence of audience feedback on editorial decisions, changes in business models due to digital transformation and the use of tools for measuring results, collection of insights and contact with users. This finding suggests the importance of understanding and responding to audience preferences and opinions for digital media in the region, highlighting the need for editorial strategies that encourage audience participation and engagement.
Benefits and Risks of Employing Obscure Metaphors in Advertising Catchphrases: What the Proverb 'Like a Dragon Gaining Wings' Conveys in Advertising Media Communication
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nami Arimitsu
This study explores “less widely known metaphors” in advertising, as in Sanseido Bookstore's New Year 2024 "Used Book Festival" ad in Tokyo, Japan, with the catchphrase, "Like a dragon gaining wings (ryuu ni tsubasa wo etaru gotoshi), welcome to the enriching used book festival!" The phrase “like a dragon gaining wings” is unfamiliar to most native Japanese speakers, and a similar expression, "like a tiger with wings" (tora ni tsubasa), also exists. This is a proverbial expression, derived from classical Chinese literature, which symbolizes an already powerful entity gaining even more strength. In modern Japanese, a more common phrase with a similar meaning is "oni ni kanabou" (like a demon with an iron club). The author surveyed 83 Japanese university students aged 18-22, asking whether they understood this phrase. Results showed that only 10 participants knew the phrase, and 73 did not. Despite this unfamiliarity, 56 out of 83 respondents found the ad appealing, interpreting the phrase as a positive enhancement, suggesting a lively, attractive event. However, some felt the phrase was too obscure, preferring simpler language for clearer communication. This study builds on prior research by Barthes (1957), McLuhan (1964), McQuarrie and Mick (1999), etc., and offers an intriguing perspective by examining how intentionally obscure metaphors can captivate audience interest, but may also risk losing it, suggesting that in advertising, a certain obscurity can positively enhance interest, engaging audience’s curiosity. This study shows that clarity and common language are not always the best choice for effective advertising.
History of "Your Brain on Drugs" View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ken Westermann
The 1987 Frying Pan / “This is Your Brain on Drugs” PSA was a milestone event in the reach of Public Service Announcements on American television. A decade later it was followed by an equally compelling “Brain on Heroine” PSA and in 2016 the ad was revisited again as a “How to Talk to Teens about Drugs” PSA. Each PSA used a slightly different approach to the message and the messaging grew with its audience. This presentation looks at the confluence of events that propelled that PSA series and their producers, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, to dominate the media landscape of American Public Service Announcements in the 1980s/ 90s.
