Communication of Climate Emergency in the Social Networks of Environmental Activists: the Case of Greta Thunberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Arturo Islas Allende

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5209/pepu.72129
Keywords: public relations; environmental activism; social networks; climate change; climate emergency

Abstract

Climate change and the climate emergency are issues discussed at the global level in order to find solutions to curb the problem. Taking into account the communication capacity of environmental activists to educate and mobilize the community on environmental issues, this study aims to know how they communicate the problems of both phenomena in the social networks. The study was done from three cases: Greta Thunberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and Arturo Islas Allende. For this, content analysis on social networks was applied based on the following categories: the communication resources, purpose of the message and content (the problem, causes, consequences and solutions). Finally, a total of 1,934 posts were analyzed during a period of 7 months between 2019 and 2020. The results showed that the issues most addressed by environmental activists do not coincide with the events have taken place at the international level, as is the case of the fires in Australia generated at the end of 2019. Greta Thunberg bets on the dissemination of information about protests against climate change. Leonardo DiCaprio highlights different consequences of climate change and emergency and Arturo Islas Allende maintains a balanced discourse addressing causes, consequences and solutions of the two phenomena.

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Author Biographies

Barbara Amico, Universidad de Girona

Grado de Publicidad y Relaciones Públicas en la Universidad de Girona (UdG), España.

Ileana Zeler, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona

Ileana Zeler es profesora Serra Hunter en la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), España. Con varios artículos publicados en prestigiosas revistas internacionales, sus líneas de investigación se centran en la “comunicación estratégica”, “gestión de Relaciones Públicas digitales”, “responsabilidad social corporativa”, y “reputación corporativa”. Es representante de YECREA (Young Scholars Network) de la sección de Comunicación Estratégica y Organizacional de la European Communication Research and Education Association. Y es profesora en el Grado de Comunicación en las Organizaciones (UAB) y en el Máster en Comunicación Estratégica y Creativa de Organizaciones (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya).

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Published
2020-12-15
How to Cite
Amico B., Oliveira A. y Zeler I. (2020). Communication of Climate Emergency in the Social Networks of Environmental Activists: the Case of Greta Thunberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Arturo Islas Allende. Pensar la Publicidad. Revista Internacional de Investigaciones Publicitarias, 14(2), 281-290. https://doi.org/10.5209/pepu.72129
Issue
Vol. 14 No. 2 (2020): Investigación sobre publicidad en Latinoamérica
Section
Articles

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