Posted by & filed under International Business, Management, Organizational Behavior.

Description: Noah Lamfers, a senior at the University of Northern Iowa, had never tried a 5-Hour Energy drink. But he still signed up to promote the brand online, getting paid to post images of himself and bottles of the product on his personal Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat accounts. He tagged each one with #5houruintern.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: Aug 31, 2018

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/31/technology/college-students-online-influencers.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=14&pgtype=sectionfront

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize how marketers are using students to promote their products and brands.
  • Is there anything unethical in these practices, in your opinion?
  • Should this type of promotion be more regulated by government or professional agencies?
  • Are these jobs useful to students who might be looking for professional development?