The News in New Media

Author: lglazun

College Football Playoff Bracket is Released

December 5, 2022

This college football season has been filled with many easy wins, upsetting losses, and, unfortunately, injuries among the players. Taking all these factors into consideration, the college football committee carefully reviews each team and its ranking to determine who the final four college teams are that will compete for the national championship.

However, many individuals have gone to Twitter to express their opinion on the committee as being unfair, biased, and playing favorites based on previous years, not based on the current standings of each team.

https://twitter.com/CFBPlayoff/status/1599491038854320128?s=20&t=7vt-cVixZFzS7JEQ7kpfPg

Using Sprinklr Analytics, the platform identified over a 12 million reach with 2,000 mentions. The sentiment regarding this analysis was 69.88% positive mentions and 30.12% negative mentions. Out of the mentions, the analysis platform analyzed that 80% of the content was from male users’ accounts.

Many users are happy to see that both power teams, Alabama and Clemson, have been left out of the selection process this year, but on the other hand, some passionate fans of the schools are upset that their team did not make the cut.

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1599459706602405888?s=20&t=7vt-cVixZFzS7JEQ7kpfPg

Texas Christian University (TCU) has been a trending topic as well because they are not one of the few teams that are consistently in the top four selected, and thus their 2022 record had to speak volumes in order to finalize their spot.

The rest of the line-up includes Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State. These games will be played at the end of December and will determine who the 2022 national champion team will be.

On the bright side, the Clemson team will take on Tenessee in the Orange Bowl for the bragging rights of who wears the better orange!



Author: Louisa Glazunova

The Blood Bowl Begins

November 14, 2022

Every year, Clemson University and the University of South Carolina participate in a competition where students are encouraged to donate blood in the Blood Bowl.

The Blood Connection sponsors the event. The organization is the blood supplier for the Clemson community, providing blood exclusively throughout South Carolina communities. As blood donation is a critical part of saving lives, the Blood Bowl provides a way for students of the universities to help the local community while participating in the competition against their rivals.

Sprinklr Analytics helps pull data to analyze the reach of the topic, the trending conversations, and the sentiment around those topics.

https://twitter.com/ClemsonPrez/status/1592171102570450946?s=20&t=UtE0LzU06d0LDCFq1GbzZw

After a quick search to analyze the Clemson Blood Bowl, the numbers state that there are 12 mentions and over a 300k reach. Out of these mentions, all of them were recorded as neutral. This data was pulled from Twitter and news articles sources, and all revolved around promoting the blood drive.

https://twitter.com/UofSC/status/1592177794515369984?s=20&t=UtE0LzU06d0LDCFq1GbzZw

The current top influencers are the Twitter accounts of Clemson University @ClemsonUniv and the Blood Connection @BloodConnection. Since this week of promotion of blood donors within South Carolina has just begun, the data for 2022 is freshly accumulating on social media.

Clemson University has won the competition over the University of South Carolina in the past few years, and it will be interesting to follow who is able to promote its mission in an effective manner that motivates students to donate blood to their community.

Author: Louisa Glazunova

South Carolina: Election news and updates

October 31, 2022

As a way to incentive voters to make it out to the polls, early voting has been adopted across the United States. Since October 24, 2022, seems to be taking advantage of expanded access to early voting.

According to Chase Laudenslager and Hanna Powers of Count on News 2, several counties have taken to early voting in lower South Carolina. Some of these include – Berkeley County: 9,219; Charleston County: 26,751; Colleton County: 1,839; Dorchester County: 9,002; Georgetown County: 6,173; and Williamsburg County: 1,542.

In some of these counties, poll workers have seen an increase in wages in order to incentivize the longer working hours of this election.

Within the past week, using the Sprinklr Analytics platform, South Carolina Election has had over 19,000 mentions and 114 million reach.

As we mentioned last week, many of these tweets revolve around the candidates for each position as well as several of the controversial policies across the state.

Moving closer to the final election day, social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram will be the content to analyze sentiment about results and opinions!

Author: Louisa Glazunova

South Carolina Governor Candidates on Twitter

October 25, 2022

With the midterm elections around the corner in the United States, our team will look at social media sentiment and statistics regarding candidates and their political climates. This blog is focused on the gubernatorial candidates for the state of South Carolina.

Joe Cunningham – Democratic
Tally Parham Casey, running mate for lieutenant governor

@JoeCunninghamSC is the Twitter handle of Democratic candidate Joe Cunningham. He has 71,000 followers and over 4,000 tweets. Using Sprinklr Analytics, his handle was searched, and statistics were collected. With this search, an 80 million reach was recorded with over 7,000 mentions. Within these mentions, over 70% are of negative sentiment, and 28% are positive. With South Carolina being a primarily conservative state, the negative sentiment towards a Republican candidate could be a regular occurrence, especially after the political changes that have occurred this year regarding women’s and minority’s rights. Lastly, as expected, the top themes regarding this search are related to voting and the candidate’s name recognition.

https://twitter.com/thegamecock/status/1584239711291260928?s=20&t=AkBsTYnG4-UnEBbb8GwVtQ

Henry McMaster – Republican – Incumbent
Pamela Evette, running mate for lieutenant governor

@henrymcmaster is the Twitter handle of Republic candidate Henry McMaster, who is the current governor of the state. He has 81,600 followers and over 5,000 tweets. Using Sprinklr Analytics, his handle was searched, and statistics were collected. With this search, 68 million reach was recorded with over 9,000 mentions. Within these mentions, over 77% are of negative sentiment, and 22% are positive. Lastly, the top themes regarding this search are the names of other candidates. We can see the banter between Twitter users regarding political policies, and often, social media content compares the current candidate with competitors in order to foster debate on platforms.

Bruce Reeves – Libertarian
Jessica Ethridge, running mate for lieutenant governor

@Reeves4SC is the Twitter handle of the campaign for Libertarian candidate Bruce Reeves. The account has 35 followers and over 20 tweets. Using Sprinklr Analytics, the handle was searched, and statistics were collected. With this search, a 7 thousand-point reach was recorded with over 30 mentions. Within these mentions, over 90% are of positive sentiment. With a much smaller Twitter presence than his competitors, it is difficult to compare the statistics across the full board. However, after briefing the campaign’s website, they have much more information uploaded there, signaling that Twitter is not their primary means of communication. The top themes regarding this search are related to voting and the businesses and individuals that Bruce Reeves and his running mate are targeting with their campaign.

As the elections inch closer, our team will be analyzing Sprinklr for trends and insights into the midterm elections across both South Carolina and the United States.

Author: Louisa Glazunova

Iranian Women Fight for Freedom

October 17, 2022

In early September, a female Iranian citizen was beaten to death by the police force for allegedly violating the strict female dress code that is in place for the women of Iran. There were videos released by authorities, and the citizens of Iran, particularly the female population, expressed extreme distress. Her name is Asra Panahi, and she has become the face of this movement.

In solidarity, many women have begun protesting against the strict dress code, amongst other laws that restrict the rights and freedoms of women in Iran. There have been several isolated incidents over the years, but the mass protests of women standing together have caused an uproar in the country.

This is a major event in the country’s history and surrounding areas with similar restrictions against women’s rights. However, social media platforms are not seeing much discussion over the prominent issue. After analyzing #AsraPanahi over the last month, following her brutal death, Sprinklr Analytics found a 55 million reach count with a 19 thousand mention count. With the significance of this event and the protests that have followed, it is surprising that the numbers are so low.

However, over 98% of the mentions have been recorded as negative sentiments. Out of the trending topics analyzed by our team this month, this was the first topic with such high negativity surrounding it.

Prominent social justice warrior, Britney Spears has tweeted about the issue, and as an opinion leader on social media platforms, her followers’ retweet and support her voice.

These protests will continue to rise as the citizens of the community fight for their civil rights movement. Hopefully, the awareness of the issue will be spread and increased on social media in order to gain funding and educational awareness as to what is happening in the revolution of women’s rights in Iran. Below is a tweet from Swedish athletes supporting the cause.

Author: Louisa Glazunova

10/10 Growth of #WorldMentalHealthDay

October 10, 2022

10/10 marks the annual date for the internationally recognized day for mental health awareness. Over the past decade, mental health awareness has become more and more prominent a subject and is frequently a trending topic. However, this year,

In 2021, within a 24-hour period, Sprinklr recorded a 6.38 billion reach with over 419 thousand mentions. Out of these mentions on social media platforms, over 60% were recorded as positive! This is exciting to see the growth of the subject as individuals become more aware and mindful of their community members who struggle with mental health. Interestingly, the United Kingdom had more mentions within the country compared to the United States of America, overpowering by over 20 thousand mentions.

In 2022, within a 24-hour period, Sprinklr recorded 4.5 billion reach with over 500 thousand mentions. Out of this year’s mentions, over 80% were recorded as positive, a 20% increase from the previous year. Again, the United Kingdom had more mentions within the country compared to the United States of America, overpowering by over 20 thousand mentions. India was only a few thousand behind the USA, which was a steep increase from 2021.

For both years, trending subtopics were #selfcare and #mentalhealthsupport, and #mentalhealthmatters. Although the reach was not as great, the increase in mentions and positive sentiment is an important factor for the growth in the awareness and education of mental health.

Selena Gomez and Katy Perry were analyzed as the top influencers in #worldmentalhealth day this year. Selena Gomez announced her movie that revolves around mental health and celebrity status while Katy Perry retweeted the tweet, exploding the reach of the already famous celebrity.

It is fantastic to see influencers reaching out and promoting awareness of mental health via social media! The trending topic will continue to grow in support and understanding and the world will showcase this via social media platforms each year!

If you need any mental health support, please reach out to the BEWELL program offered by Clemson University; you are not alone!
Author: Louisa Glazunova

NFL Concussion Protocol Debate Explodes Over Social Media

October 3, 2022

Unsurprisingly, social media platforms exploded with remarks regarding NFL protocol on concussion safety following two dangerous hits that left a player seriously injured. Starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa, was hit twice in a way that left the NFL fanatics stunned.

The first hit occurred during their match-up against the Buffalo Bills on September 25, 2022. The video of the hit circulated on social media platforms and many users debated whether or not he was healthy enough to be let back onto the field.

However, after the second hit and video were shared, during the match-up against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 29, 2022, social media users sprinted to Twitter to express outrage and concern for their beloved NFL players.

The overwhelming majority of mentions recorded by Sprinklr Analytics were of negative sentiment. Within the week, over 12.4 billion reach was analyzed with 1.7 million mentions. Seventy percent of the sentiment was negative. This could come from negative reactions to the protocol, but, on the other hand, users were bickering with one another regarding the trust and intentions of doctors (which caused its own consequences).

The doctors affiliated were fired, coinciding with the social media outrage. Over 1.4 million of the mentions were recorded on Twitter’s platform, which acts as a conversational medium compared to other social media channels. After a quick search of the Miami Dolphins team, over eighty percent of the sentiment was negative.

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III (RGIII) expressed his opinion on the concern over a fellow peer. RGIII has become an advocate for player safety and has gained a large following on social media following his retirement from the NFL!

On the bright side, Tua seemed to be in good spirits and the community is pulling for a quick recovery for the young, up-and-coming Miami Dolphins quarterback.

Author: Louisa Glazunova

Clemson Community Takes Over Social Media with #EllaStrong

September 19, 2022

The South Carolina community has come together as #EllaStrong to support a Clemson family during their daughter’s fight against cancer. Bryan Bresee, a Clemson athlete on the football team, was supported by the Tiger community and team as his younger sister, unfortunately, finished her fight against a rare pediatric cancer.

The hashtag #EllaStrong took over on Clemson’s game day, Saturday, September 17th, as well as on Thursday, September 15th, as Ella Bresee passed away, finishing her fight against cancer. The sentiment over the social media platforms was overwhelmingly positive, according to Sprinklr’s data. Looking at Twitter, the South Carolina community came together to express their support for the Bresee family, as well as others who battle brain cancer. It is the power of the Clemson community that can come together for a family that is going through one of the most challenging times.

https://twitter.com/ClemsonFB/status/1571269591665451008?s=20&t=L6T6eFYdxeOoyohrVlEc_w

It was brought to the attention via Twitter by a Clemson alumna to the Barstool Clemson account to spread the word of a “grey out” for the Saturday football game against Louisiana Tech. With this “grey out” the attendees of the game would wear grey to show solidarity and support for those who are continuously fighting against brain cancer and for those who have lost their battles. Within a few days’ turn around, there was an eye-opening amount of grey worn during the Clemson home game; this emphasizes how quickly social media can reach large audiences.

The electronic word-of-mouth marketing spread quickly via Barstool Clemson’s post with over 600 retweets and 2000 likes. The posts were also shared on other platforms, and Sprinklr’s data analysis of #EllaStrong showed that between Clemson’s game against Furman and a week later against Louisiana Tech, 31.98M people were reached by the hashtag, and 7.36K were mentioned with it.

The players of Louisiana Tech saw word of the “grey out” and the head coach even wore a shirt dedicated to the hashtag. Furthermore, each player on the opposing team wrote hand-written letters to the Bresee family.

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1571470843460423681?s=20&t=L6T6eFYdxeOoyohrVlEc_w

It was positively overwhelming (89% of the Tweets, to be specific) to see such a heartwarming response via social media for those impacted by this tragic loss. Ultimately, the gratitude and appreciation the Clemson community shows for each other will prevail on social media platforms.

Author: Louisa Glazunova

Underdogs Bring in the Upsets in NCAAF Week Two

September 12, 2022

With college football in full swing, there have been several upsets overtaking social media platforms during week two. Several out-of-conference backyard-brawl games have allowed the “underdog” team to fight their way to a win over power 5 teams.

Starting with unranked Marshall’s Thundering Herd win over ranked number 8 Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish on Saturday, September 10, 2022. Marshall defeated Notre dame 26 to 21 and caused an upset on social media platforms. Over 5.13k mentions were logged as well as a 9.58 million broad reach. Within a 24-hour span, Sprinklr recorded 28.32% (175) positive mentions versus 71.68% (443) negative mentions. Twitter recorded the highest number of mentions with 2,312, and Reddit followed closely behind with 2,114. The sentiment seems to believe highly in Marshall’s favor and branding Notre Dame as ‘overrated.’ 

Secondly, unranked Appalachian State’s Mountaineers mark a win over ranked number 6 Texas A&M’s Aggies. Appalachian State has a history of bringing upsets to power 5 conference teams, but this one specifically gained an exponential amount of social media hits. Beating the ranked team by three points was a slap to the face to Texas A&M after being both invited and paid to attend the Aggies’ stadium. Within 24 hours, Sprinklr recorded 34.75k mentions with an outstanding 139.02 million broad reach. Of those, 68.92% (5.81K) negative mentions and 31.08% (2.62K) positive mentions. Twitter recorded the highest number of mentions with 16,536, and Reddit followed closely behind with 15,397. The sentiment seems to surround the fact that Texas A&M paid Appalachian State to be there, assuming that it would be an easy win. 

Lastly, Georgia Southern’s Eagles defeated Nebraska’s Huskies in a three-point differential, 45 – 42. The previous 214 games played on Nebraska’s home turg when 35+ points were scored had all been Huskie wins. Now, their statistical record is 241-1. Following the very first game and loss of the season, the head coach was fired, and the sentiment on Twitter was negative, seemingly outraged over the price of college football.  With an extremely high buy-out, many tweets with negative sentiment revolved questioning the funding and allocation of crucial money in a public institution. Sprinklr’s data record 7.2k mentions with a 2.3 million broad reach. Out of those statistics, 28.76% (564) were positive mentions, and 71.24% (1.4K) were negative mentions. 

These wins by the underdogs brought on a majority of adverse reactions from social media platforms, according to Sprinklr’s data. Social media platforms have become an outlet for both loving and hating fans to express themselves. It can be vital for teams to engage with their audience on platforms such as Twitter to keep authenticity and loyalty high amongst the fans. Although it is only week two, upsets will continue to stack up for the teams with the odds stacked against them, and those wins will be translated into Tweets and Reddit streams by the dedicated fans!

https://twitter.com/ESPNCFB/status/1568739768082788352?s=20&t=CHeDla5Nzqz0b0qzcV2-pQ

Author: Louisa Glazunova