On Thursday, November 14, Professor Sungjen Park from the Department of Business Administration at National Chengchi University delivered a three-hour guest lecture on 'Social Media Influencers' to our International Marketing Management class.

Professor Park began by asking students ice-breaking questions related to personal background and shared his experiences living in Taiwan as well as his academic expertise. He introduced key concepts including social media influencers, search ads, and marketing models. In this session, students explored their assumptions about different spheres of influencer (Nano, Micro, Mid Tier, and Mega) through group activities. This led to a discussion of virtual influencers, featuring examples like Korea's Rozy and BTS's animated version, TinyTan. The lecture then focused on analyzing the benefits and risks of virtual influencers, connecting directly to Professor Park's latest research. He presented his research model examining the relationship between consumer perception of virtual influencers and consumer attitudes. The session concluded with a detailed overview of his research design, methodology, findings, and both theoretical and managerial implications for future research.

Overall, Professor Park's engaging lecture provided valuable insights into social media marketing, particularly the emerging role of virtual influencers. His combination of interactive discussions, real-world examples, and academic research offered students a comprehensive understanding of this innovative marketing approach.

Written by TA Do Nguyen Viet Tung (Jason) from IBMBA