Framing On Facebook: Examining an Issues Management Approach to Obesity
Keywords:
Issues Management, Social Media, Framing, ObesityAbstract
This study utilized a quantitative content analysis to examine how ten major food corporations are managing and framing the obesity issue on Facebook. Despite the potential for communicating about issues with large numbers of active stakeholders on social media, corporations in our study are not maximizing their issues management efforts on this medium. This study reveals that the overall strategy used by these corporations involves providing individual-focused information about living healthy lifestyles. Food corporations are taking a very positive and empowering approach to the issue by refraining from using the term “obesity” in their messages and frames, providing personalized information related to empowering a healthy lifestyle, and using the product nutrition frame, all of which were found to be the more effective tactics in generating dialogue and positive reaction from stakeholders.
References
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Sung, K. H., & Kim, S. (2014). I want to be your friend: The effects of organizations’ interpersonal approaches on social networking sites, Journal of Public Relations Research, 26 (3), 235-255, doi; 10.1080/1062726X.2014.908718
Sweetser, K. D. (2010). A losing strategy: The impact of nondisclosure in social media on relationships. Journal of Public Relations Research, 22 (3), 288-312.
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Verduin, P., Agarwal, S., & Waltman, S. (2005). Solutions to obesity: Perspectives from the food industry. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(1), 259S-261S.
Waters, R.D., Burnett, E., Lamm, A., & Lucas, J. (2009). Engaging stakeholders through social networking: How nonprofit organizations are using Facebook. Public Relations Review, 35, 102-106.
Zieff, S.G., & Veri, M.J. (2009). Obesity, health, and physical activity: Discourses from the United States. Quest, 61(2), 154-179.
Carpenter, D. (2004, August 23). Kraft, like America, thinks healthy; Diet-conscious products catering to health concerns. The Columbian, p. e2. Retrieved January 22, 2012, from LexisNexisX.
Chong, D., & Druckman, J. N. (2007). Framing theory. Annual Review of Political Science, 10, 103–126.
Coombs, T. (2007). Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing and responding. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Coombs, T. (2010). Crisis communication and its allied fields. In W.T. Coombs & S.J. Holiday (Eds.), The Handbook of Crisis Communication (pp. 54-64), Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
Darmon, K., Fitzpatrick, K., & Bronstein, C. (2008). Krafting the obesity message: A case study in framing and issue management. Public Relations Review, 34(4), 373-379.
Diem, N. (2015, June 6). Obesity lawsuits: Who’s to blame when fast food makes you fat?, Retrieved from http://lawstreetmedia.com/issues/law-and-politics/weighing-obesity-lawsuits/
Dougall, E. (2008). Issues management. Institute for Public Relations. Retrieved from http://www.instituteforpr.org/issues-management/
Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Boston, MA: Pitman.
Freeman, B., & Chapman, S. (2007). Is “YouTube” telling or selling you something? Tobacco content on the YouTube video-sharing website, Tobacco Control, 16, 207-210.
Gonzalez-Herrero, A., & Smith, S. (2008). Crisis communications management on the Web: How Internet-based technology are changing the way public relations professionals handle business crises. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 16(3), 143-153.
Hainsworth, B., & Meng, M. (1988). How corporations define issue management. Public Relations Review, 14(4), 18-30.
Hallahan, K. (1999). Seven models of framing: Implications for public relations. Journal of Public Relations Research, 11(3), 205-242.
Hearit, K. M. (1999). Newsgroups, activist publics, and corporate apologia: The case of Intel and its Pentium chip. Public Relations Review, 25(3), 291–308.
Heath, R. L. (1990). Corporate issues management: Theoretical underpinnings and research foundations. Public Relations Research Annual, 2(4), 29-65.
Heath, R. L., & Palenchar, M. J. (2009). Strategic Issues Management: Organizations and Public Policy Changes. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Jiang, H., & Bowen, S. A. (2011). Ethical decision making in issues management. Public Relations Journal, 5(1), 1-21.
Jones, B. L., & Chase, W. H. (1979). Managing public policy issues. Public Relations Review, 5(2), 3-23.
Kelleher, T., & Miller, B. M (2006). Organizational blogs and the human voice: Relational strategies and relational outcomes. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11 (2), 395.414.
Kim, S., Kim, S. Y., & Sung, K. H. (2014). Fortune 100 companies’ Facebook strategies: Corporate ability versus social responsibility. Journal of Communication Management 18(4), 343-362. doi: 10.1108/JCOM-01-2012-0006
Kiousis, S., Popescu, C., & Mitrook, M. (2007). Understanding influence on corporation reputation: An examination of public relations efforts, media coverage, public opinion, and financial performance on an agenda-building and agenda-setting perspective. Journal of Public Relations Research, 19(2), 147-165.
Kraft flags new ad strategy to promote healthy food options for children. (2005, January 13). Hamilton Spectator, p. A16. Retrieved January 22, 2012, from LexisNexisX.
Lawrence, R. G. (2004). Framing obesity: The evolution of news discourse on a public health issue. The International Journal of Press/Politics, 9(3), 56-75. DOI:10.1177/1081180X04266581.
Macnamara, J. (2010). Public relations and the social: How practitioners are using, or abusing, social media. Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal, 11, 21-39.
Mahon, J. F., & Waddock, S. A. (1992). Strategic issues management: An integration of issue life cycle perspectives. Business Society, 31(19), 19-32.
McCorkindale, T. (2010). Can you see the writing on my wall? A content analysis of the Fortune 50’s Facebook social networking sites. Public Relations Journal, 4(3).
Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B. K., & Flegal, K. M. (2014). Prevalence of childhood adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. The Journal of American Medical Association, 311(8), 806-814. doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.732.
Perry, D. C., Taylor, M. & Doerfel, M. L. (2003). Internet-based communication in crisis management. Management Communication Quarterly, 17(2), 206-232.
Regester, M., & Larkin, J. (2008). Risk issues and crisis management in public relations: A casebook of best practices. [Books24x7 version] Available from http://common.books24x7.com/toc.aspx?bookid=28479.
Stein, C. J., & Colditz, G. A. (2004). The epidemic of obesity. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 89(6), 2522-2525.
Stuart, D. (2007, October). Kellogg bets on breakfast boost. Promotions & Incentives, 18-19. Retrieved January 23, 2012, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1372090731).
Sung, K. H., & Kim, S. (2014). I want to be your friend: The effects of organizations’ interpersonal approaches on social networking sites, Journal of Public Relations Research, 26 (3), 235-255, doi; 10.1080/1062726X.2014.908718
Sweetser, K. D. (2010). A losing strategy: The impact of nondisclosure in social media on relationships. Journal of Public Relations Research, 22 (3), 288-312.
Thompson, S. (2006, January). Standing still, Kellogg gets hit with a lawsuit. Advertising Age, 77(4), 1, 25. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 977858531).
Thorpe, K. E., Florence, C. S., Howard, D. H., & Joski, P. (2004). The impact of obesity on rising medical spending. Health Affairs, 23, 283-283.
Verduin, P., Agarwal, S., & Waltman, S. (2005). Solutions to obesity: Perspectives from the food industry. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(1), 259S-261S.
Waters, R.D., Burnett, E., Lamm, A., & Lucas, J. (2009). Engaging stakeholders through social networking: How nonprofit organizations are using Facebook. Public Relations Review, 35, 102-106.
Zieff, S.G., & Veri, M.J. (2009). Obesity, health, and physical activity: Discourses from the United States. Quest, 61(2), 154-179.
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