The purpose of this assignment is to take the theories and concepts we’ve learned over the last few years and apply them to cases in the media sphere. You will choose a “case” to study, analyze, and draw conclusions from, supported by the scholarly works of authors you’ve encountered in your communication studies, as well as other sources. By no means do they all have to be academic references – in most of these cases, there has been plenty of discussion in many forms of digital media. Your paper should examine the power relations and market forces that shape content producers. Focusing on the Bud Light Boycott (2023) and how media, corporate decisions, and public reaction shaped the controversy.
This case started when Bud Light partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney for a small promotional campaign. The backlash which was led by conservative media and political figures, quickly turned into a major boycott, causing Bud Light’s sales to drop significantly. I think the situation shows how media framing, corporate interests, and public opinion interact in today’s digital world.
In my paper, I can talk about framing & agenda setting and how media outlets, especially conservative platforms, shaped public perception of the boycott. the corporate interests & market forces and how the backlash affected Bud Light’s business decisions and branding. Public relations & ethics and how Bud Light’s response (or lack of one) made the situation worse. and also power & cultural hegemony and how ow this reflects deeper struggles over gender representation in advertising.
It’s noteworthy that Bud Light marketing has gone quite a bit more traditional since then, really playing to the Bro-sports demographic (at least from what I’ve seen). Terms we have discussed and can be used:
– Cultural hegemony
– Framing
– Agenda
– Agenda setters
– Media coverage
– Goop and connection to public relations and churnalism
– Influence of celebrities (spreading misinformation)
– Misinformation (on social media platforms)
– Gatekeeping theory