Being First on Social Part 2: Krystyn Nakamura
As the first group of Social Media Management students complete their coursework, here are their reflections on this experience:
Once seen as a tool for personal amusement, social media platforms are now indispensable marketing tools in business. Thus, with the growing need for social media managers, social-savvy candidates are in high demand. Whether it’s analytical skills or a creative mindset, social media literacy will give any job candidate a competitive advantage. That’s why Academy of Art University’s Social Media Center (SMC) now offers a first-of-its-kind Award of Completion in Social Media Management for students who have completed a series of courses dedicated to the subject. We sat down with five students who were among the first twelve to graduate with the Award of Completion in Social Media Management: Marisa Tania, Krystyn Nakamura, Alexander Tombach, Gabriela Granziera, and Niclas Långsten. We spoke to each about the role of social media in their respective fields of study, the social trends in their home countries, and the invaluable experience they’ve gained at the Social Media Center.
KRYSTYN NAKAMURA, BFA FASHION STYLING
SMC: How important is social media in fashion styling?
Krystyn Nakamura: Social media helps you to stay relevant to not only what’s happening in fashion styling but also in the world. Fashion is just one aspect, but social gives you a whole rounded view on current events and bridges a gap between different industries.
SMC: What skills improved while taking courses at the SMC?
KN: Through the SMC, I learned how to find out what makes influencers influential and how to tell who is going to last in the industry. I’ll start to notice new patterns from different influencers, some of the latest trends and when accounts have a spike in followers or traffic. Another thing is to figure out different platforms to organize social media arsenals and to manage my time. If you have these different platforms that you juggle, time management is something I struggled with.
SMC: Are there any differences in the way people approach social media in Hawaii?
KN: The way people use social in Hawaii is more personal than here. We have a hashtag going around, #LuckyWeLiveInHawaii. If you click that hashtag, there are so many pictures that belong on a postcard. It’s one place of content from people who live in Hawaii that tells a story of our home and how lucky we are to live there.
SMC: What brand did you pick for your final project, and why?
KN: I chose Sephora because I work there, and I am impressed by a lot of social media strategies and marketing that they use. Sephora has its main accounts and also other specific stores that have a different brand identity but still tie together. I know for my store on Powell, we have our own Instagram, @SephoraPowellSt, and we take it to a personal level. It gives loyal customers an insight into who we are as employees, and it’s easier to connect with them. Customers can ask us direct questions about our favorite mascara or lipstick. We also share events that are happening in our store.
SMC: Was there one tool or case study that stood out?
KN: I was fascinated with the level of thought that went behind the Lipton Ice Tea summertime campaign. Lipton built an app in which customers could snap and refresh summer memories, and the campaign had many aspects, including a competition, and in-store display and a summer hangout in a music festival. At the party, every cap of the ice tea had the Wi-fi username and password, and with free internet, people would share more posts of the event. Every little detail was planned out to reach the campaign goal of a user-generated movement.
If you are interested in pursuing a career as a social media strategist, consider enrolling in any of the Social Media Center courses at the Academy of Art University.
Text by Academy of Art University’s Social Media Center Contributing Editors: Marisa Tania, BA Fashion Journalism and Margaret Winkler, BFA Advertising.
