Down the #netnography Rabbit Hole 🐇

Conducted over four days of our netnography classes with Professor Robert Kozinets, the mastermind behind netnography research studies. We dived into the landscape of social media and online forums to search for what consumers say about Beyond Meat products in Italy, and then on teen vaping emergency in Italy. Post our research we had to work in teams on our two projects. These are my recollections, recorded screenshots, feelings and reflections, gathered in a long blog post on WP, originally intended to be just like a notebook.

Here we go!

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Day 1. 21st May, Tuesday, 12:48 – 14:00.

We start working for the first time on our immersion journals, putting together all our personal findings in one place. I started with looking for online buzz for Beyond Meat in Italy, as it was our first project to run. We had to look into who talks and where, on which platforms, what kind of hashtags they use, what images and symbolism surrounds Beyond Meat and etc.

So first things first, I went to check e-marketplaces and check shopping carts comments, from Coccole di Gusto, and look into online reviews from actual consumers. It’s always nice to look into consumer journey first and leverage on existing WOM (or so I’ve been told :)).

Note to myself: mostly positive reviews, consumers are happy about food combinations, food textures, saying it’s very tasteful. Positive first findings.

Then I went to check official Beyond Meat Europe Instagram Account. What are consumers=followers have got to say about the brand and their taste preferences there?

Note to myself: consumers from the 1st screenshot are linking cancer and product, that it helps people to stay healthy — people who buy BM are concerned about their health and think BM is a healthier option? Very open and vulnerable comment, interesting to hear such a voice on the platform, also good to see that BM replied to their follower (and keeps answering to most, nice consumer-oriented approach and social media handling). Also, info from the 2nd screenshot on Beyond Meat party — party with just plant-based products — is something I have seen before in the comments section multiple times. Can we leverage on it? Maybe propose to throw a party as a marketing activation in Milan? The 3rd screnshot showed the discussion on how EU consumers are unhappy with the fact that the EU account might be shut down and all posts being transferred to US one, which means they will lose the authentic independent platform tailored to them solely. Also it shows anti-Americanism sentiment in a way that EU consumers don’t want overly sugary products on their shelves, like BM with syrup… So EU consumers are only EU-centered in terms of product tastes and individuality. That seems to be quite a common trend here in Italy too, with mostly Italian products. So we don’t propose anything non-EU, or not Italianized in a way.

Then I stumbled upon an English-speaking vegan rant-thread on Reddit. Not exactly Italian perspective so I didn’t dwell there too much, but even the first page was full of interesting sentiments. First of all, vegan people didn’t appreciate BM actually tasting and smelling like meat, having an overarching taste and smell, that covers all other dishes, especially when cooking; vegans who have never tried real meat associate BM patties with “the real thing”, as they would imagine — “smelly and somewhat old. Like soaked cardboard with a lot of salt and smoke”. Interesting take from a person who has never tried a real meat patty — so that’s the sensory perception of vegans who see eating real meat as raped, mutilated, tortured cow parts, as the other consumers says. And by the way, most are pleased that BM exists as an alternative to unethical meat consumption, although most would still prefer beans, falafel, or a sweet potato patty — real veggie alternatives, no additives or meshed formulas like in BM. INTERESTING TAKE: one vegan commenter thinks that BM burgers are side effect of veganism becoming mainstream and entering fast food market, as the other notes out to OG poster “surprised to see a fast food product at a fast food place?”. So, BM patties are trendy, part of vegan mainstream but don’t appeal to many consumers as a fast food product. Controversial takeout.

While searching for some Italian insights on the same thread, these posts caught my attention on the subthread within the same r/vegan community. They were discussing an alternative to BM and Impossible burgers found in a Flower Burger chain in Torino, Italy, with multiple colorful buns. One of the Reddit commenters shared that “traditional cuisine is not very vegan friendly” but you can find some vegan options, especially in vegan cafes such as Flower Burger, or markets. Maybe BM should start selling colorful plant-based gluten-free buns to match with their plant-based patties, would be a blast.

“Those burgers are some of the best you can find in Italy 🤩 much much better than beyond meat or impossible burger. They don’t pretend to be “meat”, and that’s what makes them so good 😎 I’ve had one near the office for some months and I was always eating there. Never been so satisfied to stop for lunch time. If you pass by, try it and enjoy 😋” — Commentary: again, consumers are happy that another plant-based option does-not taste or smell like real meat, not pretending to imitate, but in fact giving a valid alternative.

On another subthread, people were discussing political waves to ban lab grown meat in Italy to appease agriculture lobby, so not promoting plant based or lab-grown meat as people don’t see much difference, is not backed by ethical reasons or science. Posters shared their assumptions that “veganism has been politicized”, but both right-wing and left-wing people find lab meat gross.

Then I remembered to check also BM reviews on consumer-to-business reviewing platform Trustpilot; BM is rated “Poor” with 2.3/5 with polar opinions: 39% of 5 stars vs. 43% of 1 star, consumers’ geographic range from US, NL, GB. One consumer shared that it tastes like beef and they liked it, the other one said it’s good in term of texture but not taste to the actual meat eater, so not enough “beef-tasting”. Again contrasting opinions with other consumers on vegan subReddit who didn’t like the “meat-pretending” taste of BM. There is an very detailed review from Sonia Rosa Lokey, US, who shared from a vegan perspective for almost 35 years, and eating vegan products since 1970s. She has a complaint about the original recipe change, as they started adding fava beans that being dried taste differently (again related to Reddit rant on overarching taste of BM when paired with other dishes.

Last thing I did, I went to Quora to see what Italians are saying about cibo sintetico in general, as general consumers sometimes mention BM in this context, not knowing the difference. I was surprised to see those mixed comments between 4-6 years ago till now: there was skeptical sentiment. Major questions I have looked into: what is the taste of Beyond meat? What is the debate regarding the Impossible Burger (the meat made out of veggies)? What do you think of synthetic meat? In that latter question thread, some participants express skepticism about the term “synthetic” being applied to food, arguing that even lab-created vitamins are synthesized from natural sources like starch, not extracted directly from plants. Others share personal intentions to try cultured meat when it becomes affordable, noting its potential benefits such as safety from diseases. The conversation also mentioned two main approaches to creating synthetic meat: one using animal muscle cells and the other using plant cells enhanced with additives to mimic meat’s texture and taste.

17:59 – 20:00, Same day.

Had a meeting with the group. At some point found out that we realized we don’t have a lot of resources to navigate as the conversation seems to be mainly silent in Italy about BM. Sorted out materials, chose to go for the mixed reviews and lab meat ban and conspiracy, Twitter is more influenced by that narrative. 

Day 2. 22nd May, Wednesday, 18:00-21:00.

Started a new project focusing on Teen Vaping in Italy, with the aim of discouraging young people from using e-cigarettes by leveraging current consumer trends among Italian teens. Identified the following hashtags: #svapo #svapingitalia.

Talked to the 21-year-old brother of my friend, and he’s been vaping since he was 16-18. He mentioned that he doesn’t discuss vaping online, but he did suggest a few brands that caught his attention, such as Glo, iQos, or Ploom.

This time, I headed straight to TikTok to discover Gen Z trends on vaping in Italy and what people are saying online. Initially, it was challenging to ascertain the demographic of the speakers (whether they were teenagers or adults, their gender, etc.). However, I eventually came across conversations beneath a TikTok video discussing the legality and sale of e-cigarettes to minors. The individuals were deliberating on legal matters, questioning whether stores are permitted to sell these products and whether teens can use nicotine or non-nicotine e-cigarettes without being apprehended by law enforcement. Notably, a 14-year-old claimed that they can purchase a nicotine-free e-cigarette and use it to vape.

“Vaping is for people giving up smoking. I know plenty of people who vape and have had tests done & are way healthier then they were when they smoked.” “SHES 12 no wonder especially if she has asthma and not takin her inhaler and medication I vape myself I have asthma but I still take my inhalers.” — discussing the video where the 12 yo girl was suffering an asthma attack after vaping too much. She went to a TV show to talk about harm from vaping. Very early age and this is disturbing.

Smoking is often seen as cool, serving as a coping and unifying mechanism, or as a way to appear cool. It usually takes place in the bathroom during tedious or unpleasant classes, perhaps triggered by boredom. It occurs during breaks, often when individuals are trying to avoid parents or teachers, serving as a means of social bonding and escapism. Gen Alpha uses slang terms like beta alpha, skibidi sigma to describe vaping, although these words convey little meaning beyond their specific context.

Video: There’s a new trend of demonstrating a nifty vaping trick but then discarding it. We can tap into the group of teenagers who are abandoning vaping and embracing a healthy lifestyle? However, some are skeptical of this trend, thinking it was done solely for attention.

Video: So, I stumbled upon this super important chat about vaping being legal or not. In this vid, this big vaping influencer from Italy mocks Italian teens who are all into vaping and how crazy easy it is for them to score vaping stuff illegally, like from vending machines or sketchy sellers. This easy access is a huge deal for society. Moreover, teens actually lie to get cigarettes from stores, which are no big news, but the news is how some people easily sell these products to teens who are simply pretending it’s for someone else. This is a big wake-up call for Italian society to change its ways, but how can we leverage on that right now?

Video: Found another video showing how kids as young as 9-12 are smoking in school bathrooms. It looks like this is a common practice, and many people agree on seeing that in their schools.

Video: The video shows parents trying to prevent their children from smoking, while the teens seem to find the experience of smoking as a forbidden but exciting activity. They all share the common experience of hiding this behavior from their parents, which may be a unifying factor for them. The use of flip-flops as a reprimand from a parent appears to be a universal experience, and some teens seem to take pride in this. An interesting trend in the comments is the emergence of “Team air for life,” with some teens expressing that breathing in oxygen is the best. Others suggest that alternative methods, such as grounding or taking away addictive items like chargers or phones, may be more effective than physical reprimands for vaping.

Many online discussions do not support vaping, portraying it as a generational issue, highlighting the limited understanding of the potential impact on their well-being by teenagers. Some commentators use memes to illustrate how vaping is perceived as shallow and unwise within their peer group, so this trend of being not 99% of vapers, but 1% of people with actual interests, could be used to our advantage.

Or by bringing out the political issues instead — that bother teenagers more than being cool vaping.

The comments uncover a significant trend: a growing support among teens for a vape-free lifestyle. This points to a pressing health concern surrounding vaping. “Vapers are attempting to portray vaping as healthy,” highlights the deceptive nature of these products. Moreover, the psychological impact is a grave concern, as expressed in the statement: “psychologically it’s the worst.” The comparison drawn between smoking and vaping, “at least smoking looks cool,” raises interesting questions about perception and the influence of visual appeal. Additionally, the discourse on “real tobacco cigs or e-cigs?” delves into the debate on the relative harms of these two forms of smoking. The simple yet powerful statement “I prefer to breathe oxygen” distills the essence of the argument against vaping. Lastly, the word “Ossiggeno” serves as a poignant reminder of the fundamental importance of clean, oxygenated air. This is how the idea was born — we should leverage on FOMO BEING TRENDY WITH DITCHING, DUMPING VAPING, hence Team Air campaign proposal.

Satisfied with and curious about what I found on TikTok, I moved to my favorite realm— the world of subthreads on Reddit. An interesting discovery— effective approaches to discourage vaping: refrain from using memes or other “teen-centric” communication styles, and instead, employ negative imagery. An in-depth study reveals that anti-vaping advertisements targeted at teens have the strongest impact when they highlight the widespread epidemic and the adverse consequences and harms of vaping e-cigarettes, while steering clear of memes, hashtags, and other “teen-centric” communication styles. Some commenters expressed concern that leveraging memes and teenage slang would come across as “cringy” or awkward, noting, “Notably, ‘tobacco is whacko, if you’re a teen’ actually encourages teens to smoke.” Others suggested that a straightforward, adult conversation would have a greater effect than any of these ads.

Another subthread discussed banning flavored vapes, although it can just bring teens back to traditional cigs smoking. Same happened to me when I vaped — I was attracted to the flavor, but my chest and throat started hurting. Then I read many negative and scary reviews, and I stopped. I also wanted to quit smoking tobacco. The main problem is — flavored vapes and disposable e-cigarettes. Designed to appeal to young people and new users, flavored vaporizers and disposable e-cigarettes — which are gaining popularity also thanks to their constant presence on social media — should “be a top priority for health authorities.”

Day 3. 23rd May, Thursday, 10:30-11:20.

Today, we began with a brief exercise analyzing qualitative data using AI prompts and the ChatGPT model 4. I have attached screenshots of the prompts I used and the results I obtained while analyzing the Doctor Who fanbase. I provided various types of data analysis prompts for the AI, and ChatGPT responded with answers for each type, including an example of its argumentation supported by a relevant comment from the data. It also grouped the answers into relevant categories, even though I didn’t specifically request this. Following this, I inquired about the meaning of being a fan based on the provided data, and the AI categorized and organized meaningful clusters of comments based on their context, such as, for example, community building and emotional investment. Lastly, when I asked for a more concise output, it provided a summary visualization of all comments by cluster topics.

14:15-16:00, Same day.

I came back to digging into vaping, this time together with group. So, in order to find some visualization, or imagery, connected to vaping, I went to Pinterest and Instagram. There I found the word “puff” (both a vaping brand in Italy, and a process of “puffing” aka vaping) and all related to ”puff” aesthetic hashtags #emo #alt #vape #aesthetic #smokinggirls #svapoaesthetic 

My group mates deep dived into collectibles, aesthetics, tricks, and ASMR part of this world. Later in the day, we were finalizing our findings and sharing with each other our immersion journals.

My part for the presentation was also to create a social media campaign, so as usual I decided to create images with DALL-E for illustrations, here are the prompts and produced outputs.

A gallery of produced images by DALL-E for the social media campaign — I was particularly impressed by the realistically looking young adults.

Day 4. 24th May, Friday, 15:20–17:30.

Final day of my immersion journey. I had to produce/find more imagery related to our insights; some of them should have been Gen-Al. I have already created many images for our social media campaign linked to our insightful comments based on the “typicals” DALL-E has in their library, so I decided to use other prompt techniques “just to play” with DALL-E. First, I used the technique “Data Dump”, using the prompt “Please use the following online post to generate an illustration based on its content”. Here are some inputs and outputs with images:

To use another technique we have learned, such as “recreating the same image in a different setting or style, so that it cannot be traced back online in search engines“, I have used some real photos and images from our final presentation on vaping. Here are input prompts, output results, and images:

While DALL-E struggled with words, or texts, the amount of detail and realism is astonishing! Happy to finish my immersion journey on such a creative note.

I hope you enjoyed our little experiment with this platform. We will come back with more stories on urban and cinema, just you wait!

Yours,

POSTMODERN PROMETHEUS

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