Abstract

The present study looks at how companies use corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social accountability (CSA) messages differently. This study uses Discovery Channels Shark Week as an example by utilizing a grounded deductive analysis of Discovery's X, formerly known as Twitter, posts from 2015-2020. This timeline was chosen thanks to Discovery partnering with the non-profit organization Oceana in 2010 to create more informed and conservation minded content. The posts on Discovery's X account during each Shark Week from 2015-2020 were examined. Each were coded for themes, Other, CSA, or CSR, and additional frames for those themes. The frames gathered consisted of education, conservation, what you can do to help, entertainment, engagement, sensational, and promotion. This study concluded that the definitions of CSA and CSR in previous literature discounted for instances like the one studied here with Discovery instead focused on either CSA or CSR messages and tactics, and usually in a more political context. This study showed that organizations can use both simultaneously and in a more light-hearted fashion, like focusing on conservation efforts rather than politics. An unexpected conclusion from this study focused on the nature of social media as a marketing tool as one week was studied over the course of five years with little to no consistency in the tone, style and content posted each year.

Degree

College and Department

Fine Arts and Communications; Communications

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/