Being First on Social Part 4: Gabriela Granziera
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.
GABRIELA GRANZIERA, BA FASHION JOURNALISM
SMC: How important is social media in fashion journalism?
Gabriela Granziera: Social media complements fashion journalism. Having a smartphone gives the power of being a journalist [on-the-go] and gives you access to real-time information. For fashion marketing, you don’t need to wait months to know if a campaign was successful because you have real-time data analytics on social media that will tell you in a day if you have to change a drive or model, influencer or other adjustments. A designer can know the public reaction to their collection the moment the show is going on. I think it makes everything more immediate, which is great but it can get hard to keep up with the instant gratification that the audience expects.
SMC: What skills improved while taking courses at the SMC?
GG: Nothing was super new to me. I had worked with social media before, so I knew what they were talking about. But, the real industry-type projects that I learned from the SMC gave students the confidence needed to enter the professional world.
SMC: Are there any differences in the way people approach social media in the U.S. compared to your home country of Brazil?
GG: The three biggest platforms in Brazil are Instagram, YouTube and SnapChat. Brazil is really big on “digital influencers” and YouTubers. In the U.S., people sometimes take it too seriously, whereas in Brazil it’s more casual and a place to have fun. However, I think that’s just cultural differences.
SMC: What brand did pick for your final project, and why?
GG: I decided to use non-profit institutions and a multi-brand store in Central America, and Rent the Runway for my last social media project. I chose those brands simply because I believe in them.
SMC: Was there one tool or case study that stood out?
GG: During the Social Media Law and Ethics class, there was the Harvard Business School Blonde Salad case study. The class also taught what the hackers and the social media policies companies have to come up with.
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: Margaret Winkler, BFA Advertising and Marisa Tania, BA Fashion Journalism
