Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

Communication, Professional

Date of Award

5-2016

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Robert A. Dunn

Committee Members

Stephen Marshall, Kelly Price-Rhea

Abstract

Video game streaming has introduced to consumers a new method of creating branded content. Popular streaming platforms receive millions of broadcasters and viewers every month, and the current examines the influence of this type user-generated content on consumer attitudes and behaviors. The goal of this study is to understand how video game streams function as a marketing tool. To investigate this, a quantitative survey was designed and measured participants’ video gaming habits and their perceptions of credibility, usefulness of content, group identification, and purchase intention. Heavier gaming habits were found to be positively related to perceived credibility in a user-generated stream condition. Group identification and stream familiarity were found to be positively related to perceived credibility. These findings hold implications for using video game streams as a marketing tool, as heavier gamers were found perceive user-generated streams as a credible source of information.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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