{"id":20,"date":"2026-02-21T05:43:37","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T05:43:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/?p=20"},"modified":"2026-02-21T05:43:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T05:43:37","slug":"understanding-audiences-chapter-8-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/2026\/02\/21\/understanding-audiences-chapter-8-9\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Audiences &#8211; Chapter 8\/9"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The first step for KFC\u2019s Generation Z ambassador program is defining the Gen Z audience based on behaviors, interests, and online participation rather than just age. KFC should identify key subgroups such as food-focused creators, college students, and lifestyle content creators who are already active on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These segments matter because Gen Z engages with brands through entertainment, relatability, and peer recommendations rather than traditional advertising. (for example, students lean towards influencer&#8217;s recommendations rather than a generic commercial on television). KFC should recruit authentic micro\u2011creators (influencers) who already show genuine engagement with their followers and naturally align with the brand. Choosing ambassadors who already enjoy or regularly talk about food helps ensure the program feels unique and credible, which is critical for earning the trust of Gen Z followers. From a personal standpoint (as a Millenial), I prefer watching YouTube vlogs on &#8220;food reviews&#8221; to hear personal recommendations and the detail of each food product. Especially at Walt Disney World!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once ambassadors are selected, KFC should prioritize co\u2011creation over strict message control. Ambassadors should be encouraged to present the spicy chicken and lemonade in their own voice through content such as reaction videos, challenges, taste tests, or everyday food moments. The creative freedom allows content to feel natural and appropriate for the platform rather than promotional. To strengthen the program, KFC should actively support ambassadors by reposting their content, using a branded hashtag, and offering recognition such as early product access, exclusive experiences or even compensation. A strong ambassador program like Hootsuite\u2019s serves as a useful model because it emphasizes long\u2011term relationships, shared values, and community building rather than one\u2011time sponsored posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the local bakery, the main target should be community members who are already active on Instagram and TikTok who enjoy sharing food-related content. This includes local foodies, micro\u2011influencers, college students, and nearby residents who frequently post dining experiences or support small businesses. These audiences are especially valuable because they are more likely to visit the bakery in person and influence others through word\u2011of\u2011mouth and tagged posts. Targeting local users can help the bakery maintain a strong sense of place and relevance within the community rather than trying to appeal to a broad, unfocused audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bakery should focus on authentic content and visually engaging posts that align with Instagram\u2019s strengths. This includes behind\u2011the\u2011scenes baking videos, oven product reveals, limited\u2011time specials, and reposted customer photos. Using Stories, Reels, and interactive features such as survey polls or questions can encourage personal engagement and make followers feel involved rather than trying to be &#8220;sold&#8221; products. This approach can build a strong local following and shows that the bakery is a welcoming, community\u2011centered business rather than just another brand advertising on social media.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The first step for KFC\u2019s Generation Z ambassador program is defining the Gen Z audience based on behaviors, interests, and online participation rather than just age. KFC should identify key subgroups such as food-focused creators, college students, and lifestyle content creators who are already active on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These segments matter because [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18014,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18014"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20\/revisions\/21"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/emilyborkowski\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}