Marketing

Mackenzie Falconer

Visual Storytelling, Identity, and Subtle Branding on Instagram

A headshot features a young woman with long, straight, dark brown hair parted down the middle, looking directly at the viewer with a broad, radiant smile. She has light green eyes and a natural complexion. She wears a light blue textured knit sweater over a black lace top, and two delicate gold necklaces with pendants. The background is a soft, plain light gray.

I’m Mackenzie Falconer, a fourth-year Professional Communications student, minoring in Public Relations. I have an interest in media, marketing, and the ways brands connect with audiences through digital platforms which has led me to want to pursue a career in digital storytelling. I am especially inspired by the opportunity to explore the world and discover the creativity that emerges from different perspectives and experiences.

You’re not just buying a product you’re buying a moment, a lifestyle, a version of yourself. And sometimes, all it takes is a simple post to make that happen. Most people can think of a time they’ve been influenced like this and that’s exactly what makes it such effective marketing.

My research explores how brands and influencers are changing the way products are marketed on Instagram by blending them into everyday life. Instead of directly selling, brands use aesthetic, lifestyle-driven content to create a feeling and ultimately an identity that consumers want to be part of. Through a qualitative approach and multimodal analysis of Instagram posts, this research shows how subtle branding, visual storytelling, and authenticity shape the way people connect with and buy into brands.

Lightning Talk

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A close-up headshot of a young woman with dark, wavy hair parted in the middle, smiling gently. She has fair skin, prominent eyelashes, defined eyebrows, and reddish-brown lipstick. She is wearing a black blazer and a delicate gold chain with a small cross pendant around her neck. The background is a soft, neutral grey.

Shaelyn Digos

Manufacturing Belonging: Brand Voice and Implicit Communication in Fashion Branding
A well-lit headshot of a young woman with fair skin, long dark brown hair parted in the middle, and dark eyebrows. She wears modern black and silver-rimmed glasses and a subtle smile. Her eyes are brown. She is wearing a reddish-orange ribbed knit sweater and a delicate silver necklace with a small, round pendant. The background is a softly blurred, light beige wall.

Rachel Da Silva

What TikTok Can Teach Out-of-Home: Shifting Advertising Strategies in the Age of Engagement
A close-up portrait of a Black woman with warm dark skin, smiling broadly at the camera with her teeth showing and wearing deep red lipstick. She has long box braids styled with a mix of black and vibrant blue hair, and wears small gold hoop earrings and a thin gold necklace. Her sleeveless top features a blue and teal animal print pattern. The background is a plain light gray.

Sonnet Hines

The Disappearance of Third Spaces
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