Senior advertising and public relations major Bre TenHulzen won top CoJMC presentation for her honors thesis “Advertising during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: The Rise of Influencer Marketing in a Recession” at Nebraska Research Days.
TenHulzen began her university honors thesis project one year ago at the start of COVID-19 when she decided to research advertising during recessions throughout history and compare it to advertising patterns in the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I wasn't sure how things would transpire, but I knew I wanted to write a thesis that was insightful and relevant as I approached graduation this May,” TenHulzen said. “Completing this project allowed me to do an in-depth investigation into how brands adjust their campaigns during recessions to resonate with consumers.”
After completing her honors project, TenHulzen feels more confident entering the industry because she has a better understanding of the advertising strategies that have the most impact now and into the future.
Some significant findings from her research show that during the COVID-19 pandemic, people are paying more attention to brands’ actions than their words, and they especially favor brands promoting social responsibility.
Learn more about Bre's research: https://journalism.unl.edu/news/bre-tenhulzen-wins-top-CoJMC-presentation-at-nebraska-research-days