Margaret?Anne Lawlor|Áine Dunne|Jennifer Rowley
Young consumers’ brand communications literacy in a social networking site context
IBAT College|IBAT College|Manchester Metropolitan University
purpose substantial scholarly attention given childrens understanding advertising context traditional advertising channels gap literature regard childrens commercial awareness context online social networking sites paper aims seek explore nature extent advertising literacy among young consumers context use social networking sites namely facebook bebo designmethodologyapproach threestage study conducted 12 14yearold girls using focus group discussions participant observation indepth interviews findings study illustrates increasingly blurred line online advertising forms online brandrelated content militating development advertising marketing literacy young consumers key issue discussed extent traditional conceptualisation advertising literacy fit purpose online context originalityvalue authors propose alternative advertising literacy concept namely online brand communications literacy framework framework recognises convergence traditional online advertising forms online brand content also acknowledges messaging around brand may originate brand owner variety overt covert forms equally online consumers may also act brand promoters engage brandrelated wordofmouth