Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

Communication, Professional

Date of Award

5-2014

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Robert Andrew Dunn

Committee Members

Kelly Price, Stephen Marshal

Abstract

This study is a content analysis of media content in a 12-month time period in the lives of Jason Wu and Thom Browne, who were the designers of Michelle Obama’s outfit to the second presidential inauguration. In order to discover the increase in awareness and media coverage of these designers due to Michelle Obama’s fashion selection during the second inauguration, which brought about publicity, the researcher compared mentions, tone of stories, and framing of stories concerning these designers 6 months before and after the inauguration. Results indeed gave support to the hypothesis that mentions of these designers increased significantly after that pivotal event, that the mentions were more likely to include Michelle Obama, and that Wu received more mentions than Browne. However, support was not obtained for an increase in positive tone of stories after the inauguration.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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