State of public discourse: What the culture creators want you to know

STATE OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE
What the culture creators want you to know
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A report by Sonic Boom, in collaboration with reddit.com.  
Photo Credit: WanderingtheWorld (www.ChrisFord.com)

State of Public Discourse SONIC BOOM
state of Public discourse
What the culture creators want you to know
For years, we’ve looked at the real world for clues on where our culture
is headed - fashion, art, music, television and more, all provide an
insight into the evolving values of our world. Now we are faced with a
very different scenario - an increasingly active online audience that
spend more time interacting with people online than they do offline.
But what does this mean? It means we can now mine this data to forecast our future,
recognize the evolving nature of people, and understand their values and beliefs.  
Trends defined by the internet’s culture creators 2
Source: ultraBobban

Table of Contents
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Introduction 4
Methodology 7
Understanding emerging value systems 8
Implications of value systems on your
organization
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Perceptions of key industry verticals 21
Automotive 22
Healthcare 26
Entertainment 32
Telecommunications 36
Conclusion 40
Appendix 43

Introduction
As marketers and individuals in the field of
communications, we’re looking to better
understand audiences, forecast trends,
engrain our brands/products into the fabric
of community-based conversations, and
drive advocacy organically in an
increasingly crowded online marketplace.
Leaders in organizations are looking to stay
au courant with evolving Internet culture
and the evolving needs of audiences to
ensure business models stay relevant. And
those interested in Internet culture are
looking to better understand its visceral
connection to humanity, and how it
continues to influence the nature of
relationships.
As much as we'd like to think there's no
method to the madness on the Internet,
behind every new idea, meme, community
and movement, are people. Empowered by a distinct set of shared
beliefs and values, online activity reflects people’s view of the world
and guides their responses to situations and brands. So why are
certain brands revered online, while others can’t seem to do
anything right? Is there a discernible pattern to why some
things turn into trends? Why do certain ideas turn into memes
while others just fizzle away?
With that in mind, we began to look for dominant patterns in
online discourse to identify the underlying value and belief
systems that determine how the most influential online
audiences behave in various contexts.
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Source: kagey_b
“The internet
now offers us a
great way to
forecast trends,
and understand
our culture.
TREND FORECASTING
SONIC BOOM

Why study dominant discourse on the Internet?
The Internet is a critical facilitator of public engagement that cannot be ignored. Driving
discourse in ways that have never before been imagined, the online world defines and
influences trends and public opinion. In this new reality, having a finger on the pulse of
online conversation in any given context can become a competitive advantage for
organizations in any industry.
Leveraging reddit.com as a lens into the pulse of the Internet
Over the past few years, reddit.com has emerged as one of the most influential
communities on the Internet, launching everything from memes about popular culture, to
large-scale movements across the globe. Widely regarded as the “front page of the
Internet”, it is frequented by early adopters of technology, geeks, and culture creators.
Unsurprisingly, reddit has attracted the attention of some of the world’s
most prominent artists, writers, politicians and leaders. Bill Gates, Barack
Obama, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sir David Attenborough, Chris Hadfield,
and many more have participated in live discussions on reddit, in the
hope of influencing public opinion of various issues and campaigns.
In 2013, reddit drew over 731 million Unique Visitors from across the Globe, including over
7.4 million Canadians each month, with an average time on site of over 18 minutes! The
numbers are staggering.
A conversation
between Bill Gates
and thousands of
members of the
community
reddit.com.

Methodologically speaking, the analysis of discourse in the online world through reddit
allows us to look at thousands of online conversations on a variety of topics (from religion
and politics to health care and technology), and apply a social sciences lens to the data.
This enables us to identify emerging value and belief systems that define communities of
people, the meanings created around brands, products and industries, and the future
impact of events on public perception.
Some notable events showcasing reddit’s influence on the Internet include:
• Through the support of the reddit community, comedian Louis C.K has sold over a
million dollars worth of online content.
• In 2009, reddit started the largest “secret santa” gift exchange in the world. In 2013 it
boasted 117,956 participants from 160 countries, and almost $4 Million spent in gifts and
shipping.
• In 2012, reddit influenced an Internet blackout to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act in
the United States. Other participants included Google and Wikipedia.
On numerous occasions, the reddit community has raised awareness, money, and
resources for various issues that matter – over $600,000 in support of public education,
over $185,000 to rebuild Haiti, $65,000 (in 24 hours!) for an orphanage in Kenya, a
community dedicated to the act of ordering pizza for someone in need of a helping hand,
over $30,000 for a terminally ill cancer patient, and the list goes on and on.
Given its significant impact and presence on the Internet, it is a natural conclusion to
leverage the community as a doorway into our current culture online, and as a portent of
our collective future. 

Methodology
We identify and analyze thousands of online conversations that
are relevant to Canadian reddit users across a range of topics.
These include government and politics, economics, corporations
and brands, people and culture. Our process begins with
identifying the 50 most popular sub-reddits (sub-communities on
various topics within reddit.com) among Canadian users. Within
each of these 50 sub-reddits, we identify the 50 topics with the most engagement over the
past 12 months, resulting in 2,500 identiﬁed topics and over 20,000 comments.
We then proceed to identify patterns and interpret meanings behind the words being used
by audiences to communicate with one another. This allows us to identify the underlying
values, beliefs and attributes that inform consumer perceptions, understand how online
activity shapes discourse and relationships in various industries, and establish baselines
for forecasting future trends. 
A visualization of
communities most
connected to Canada.
Source: yasiv.com

UNDERSTANDING EMERGING VALUE SYSTEMS
To understand emerging value systems on the Internet, we assessed
the dominant topics among Canadian reddit.com users over the past
year. Speciﬁcally, we looked to identify perceptions of corporations,
governments and people, with the aim of establishing a framework that can be used to
understand evolving belief systems in today’s hyper-connected digital world.
Over the next few sections, this report will summarize our ﬁndings and discuss the
emerging value system that is guiding and informing how audiences perceive brands,
products, people and things.
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Source: Stephen D.
Melkisethian

CORPORATIONS
By examining the most popular and engaging conversations
around some of the largest brands/corporations in Canada and the
rest of the world (as discussed by Canadians on reddit), we can
pinpoint two attributes that deﬁne how audiences scrutinize the actions of corporations in
Canada and abroad.
1. General level of distrust
2. Celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation
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Source: Daquella manera

1: General Level of Distrust
Audiences express a general level of skepticism and cynicism regarding the role of
corporations in society. This perception stems from what audiences believe are the
underlying truths about the way corporations function in Canada and abroad. When
speaking about general distrust in corporations in Canada, the reddit.com community
presents two arguments:
1.1 Large Corporations Are Inefficient
A commonly held (and rarely contested) belief is that the larger the corporation is, the
more inefficient its operations are. In the Canadian context, this translates into the notion
that consumers bear the consequences of this inefficiency in the form of higher costs,
ineffective service, contractual lock-ins, etc. The most commonly cited example is the
Telecommunications Industry in Canada, with the three largest providers often mentioned
negatively. Commonly referred to as “Robellus” (Rogers+Bell+Telus), the “big three” are
cited frequently in discussions about corporations overcharging consumers for mediocre
services.
1.2 Large Corporations Are Unfair
It is important to understand that as it pertains to the
overall perception of Corporations, audiences do not take
offense to the idea of profits or revenue growth. However,
they are concerned with how those profits are made, and at
what cost (to people, the economy and the environment).
Hot button issues that drive discourse on the topic of
fairness include:
1.2.1 The collusion of corporate and government interests
are often believed to come at the expense of consumers.
For example, there is an immense amount of discussion
around Verizon’s failed attempt to enter the Canadian
market, which is widely believed to be a result of the
government “being in bed” with Canadian telecommunications providers, and thus
preventing a free market system from prevailing in the country.
1.2.2 The subjective and selective use of scientific evidence in healthcare and
pharmaceutical product marketing is another popular topic of much debate. Audiences
believe that not all information – especially scientific research data – is shared by
“I'm just saying it will be much of the
same. Canadians have proven that
they can and will pay a lot of money
for the novelty of a cell phone, to
think that any company coming in
will have any sort of differing opinion
on a long term is just foolish. Any
immediate lower prices will be solely
to buy customer base, and will not
be long term. They have the backing
in the states to even run at a loss,
and they will. When they buy enough
customer base that price will jack
up, and why not? they know people
will pay it.”
A comment about Verizon’s entry
into Canada not helping consumers.

corporations in the interest of marketing their products and
services. This leads to the perception that the welfare of
consumers is ignored and often risked, further distancing corporations from the very
people they’re looking to serve.
2: Celebration of entrepreneurship
The entrepreneurial and innovative spirit is celebrated
in community discourse on reddit.com, and
corporations/brands perceived to embody that spirit
receive great support. Interestingly, audiences make
clear distinctions between companies that claim to
innovate vs. those that truly look at changing the way
we live, work, and play. Consequently, certain
companies such as Tesla Motors rank highly in these
conversations for everything from its products to its
business model (Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft are also
talked about a great deal). However, what is most interesting is the way conversations of
this nature use the term innovation to justify and defend a company’s high growth in
Source: reddit.com/r/canada
“Tim Hortons stores are not corporate;
they are franchises, the majority of which
are single store operations since
Timmy's does not permit non-resident
franchise ownership, and hence, are the
very deﬁnition of local small businesses -
it just so happens they're also part of an
advertising collective."
A conversation where Tim Hortons is
seen in positive light due to its support of
small businesses, through its franchise-
based business model.

revenue and profitability – “it’s okay to be Apple if you keep improving people’s lives with
technology” – because it serves as a reminder of larger libertarian (see Appendix 1 for
definition) values that define the community and influence discourse about corporations.
Looking through a libertarian lens, one can also see the close relationship between
entrepreneurship and the issue of fairness. Entrepreneurs are
seen as natural problem solvers, who are not afraid to disrupt
environments and redefine industries. Their ability to innovate is
considered an essential right, so when that ability is hindered, the
issue of fairness takes centre stage.
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Yet another very popular
thread showing general
perceptions towards
Corporations and their
unjust demands.

GOVERNMENTS & POLITICS
The second step in identifying emerging values on the Internet involves the observation
and analysis of thousands of online conversations on the topics of government and
politics, as discussed by Canadians.
A libertarian belief system
Overall, audience perceptions of
government are guided by a socially
progressive, libertarian frame, which
includes: belief in the efficacy of
capitalism, free-market systems, and the idea of the ‘invisible hand’; support of the
government having a minimal role in citizen life outside of the provision of basic services
such as health care; and, a socially progressive view toward people. Naturally, this frame
influences how audiences react to various political events and topics of discussion, and the
extent to which they openly exhibit loyalty and advocacy (and opposition) toward brands,
companies, products, services, people, etc.
Combined with the libertarian sentiment is the
resounding importance placed on individualism. In
community discourse, the necessity for liberty and
autonomy drives perceptions of events in Canada and
around the world. For example, law enforcement receives
frequent criticism for abusing its powers and limiting the freedom to protest and
demonstrate. The values surrounding individualism also offer an explanation of why
entrepreneurs are revered online; they are perceived to be representatives of free will and
the DIY spirit, taking chances, doing something unique, and challenging conventional
wisdom.
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Support for Bitcoins relate closely to
the community’s belief in a need for
reduced government involvement in
monetary systems.
Community members express their support for Lavabit by
jumping into the conversation. Lavabit was an American
encrypted email service that had to shut down operations. The
company embodies the entrepreneurial spirit, as an email
service started to combat the privacy concerns with popular
email services like Gmail.

Dedication to the ideals of individualism also guides the strong opposition to big
government, exempliﬁed by the amount of conversation pertaining to the case of Edward
Snowden and his whistleblowing activities (something that is universally supported and
considered essential for the future of society). Unsurprisingly, audiences also tend to
exhibit a slight anti-American sentiment, primarily because of the country’s “big-brother”
behaviour when it comes to its northern neighbour.
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Socially Progressive, Scientiﬁc, Morally Good
Audiences are overwhelmingly in support of evidence-
based research and policy-making, same-sex marriage/relationships, science-led
education, and religious equality. These are key examples of the fundamental values that
connect audiences and create communities based on a shared sense of morality and
justice, and further emphasize the importance of individualism and freedom of choice.
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Audiences expressing support for
Edward Snowden, an indicator of
libertarian belief systems.

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Conversation and support for socially
progressive values in Canada.

PEOPLE
The last step in identifying emerging values on the Internet is the analysis of thousands of
online conversations pertaining to the topic of people and how they define their position
online, what drives them to form relationships, and how they are perceived in a larger
community-driven context. The following three factors influence the perceptions of
people:
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1. The knowledge or level of expertise they bring to the community or use to contribute to
any discussion.
2. The belief that communities can
achieve greater results when they come
together in support of a cause or
initiative.
3. The individual contributions one
makes to society through monetary or
non-monetary acts.
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A combination of the above three factors
influences how (and if) people are accepted into the larger community, and dictates the
amount of influence they will have.
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Knowledge and expertise
The Internet is becoming increasingly detail-oriented, with numerous conversations
centred on niche topics that require niche sources of knowledge and expertise. In this
context, people who bring deep knowledge of the subject matter to the table are highly
regarded and often referenced for input and/or impact in conversation. Indeed, audiences
who occupy a strong presence online also take a lot of pride in bringing a specific
expertise and passion to the larger conversation. It is therefore no surprise that
connoisseur culture and obscure references to things in history, pop culture and even
politics are celebrated and highly valued in online discourse. This characteristic of online
behaviour proves that the capitalist notion of a technocracy is very much alive.

The Power of Many
reddit.com thrives on crowdsourcing. From encouraging
acts of charity to gathering opinions on matters of the
heart, the idea that everyone has something specific and high value to offer supports the
notion that the community is much stronger than the individual. It also further qualifies
the libertarian sentiment, showing us that audiences believe they don’t always need
governments or large corporations to implement change and reform in society.
A dominant example here is the banding together of
audiences to try and track down the Boston Marathon
bomber while the Police were hot on his trail in April,
2013.
A conversation about a desired new
Star Trek series that goes into great
detail about the plotline, key
characters, their roles and
relationships, etc.
Community members band together to
create Random Acts of Pizza - a
service where someone in need is
delivered a pizza from a volunteering
(and generous) reddit user, as seen in
the example above.

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Individual contributions
Online conversations on reddit.com show that being a good citizen and humanitarian is
considered a moral obligation. This belief supports a set of guiding principles for
acceptable behaviour and forms the basis for judging the actions of others based on their
perceived authenticity. For example, spontaneous acts of kindness and charity are viewed
favourably, whereas people who are seen as so-called ‘abusers’ of public services –
healthcare provisions or social safety nets – are criticized
harshly. Here, the libertarian beliefs reinforce the
community bond and have a direct inﬂuence on
individual action.
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Another example where a well-
informed conversation is started by a
user who is looking to take action for
the beneﬁt of society, and is asking for
support from the community (and is
seen ‘rallying the troops’).

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
When we put together the identified perceptions around Corporations, Governments, and
People, we can see a clear pattern emerge that allows us to define the evolving value
system among consumers in Canada.
We believe the following underlying values not only define the increasingly dominant and
emerging voice on the Internet but also define a framework that allows us to explain how
various brands and industry verticals are perceived and treated (seen in subsequent
sections of this report) in the real world (see Appendix 2).
Individualism: Individual autonomy and expression are highly valued. Brands,
organizations and things that allow people to express themselves and establish niche and
often bookish connections with others in the community are highly loved and celebrated.
Consequently, such entities (brands and things) are also advocated for the most
organically, through discourse.
Fairness: Morality is essential for
society and community - be it online or
off - and audiences are showing us that
an assessment of fairness is now a
critical ingredient in the evaluation of
various entities online. That also means
people are no longer satisfied with just
the information they receive from
“official” sources, and will leverage the
power of the Internet to source and
share information about entities in
question to arrive at an assessment of
the level of fairness.
Scientism or innovation: Audiences believe in the universal applicability of the scientific
method and approach, and hold the view that empirical science constitutes the most
authoritative worldview. In this context, brands, governments, people and other such
entities in culture that leverage science to innovate and in the process improve upon
existing systems, are regarded with great favourability.
Naturally, what we are seeing here is that organizations and people who manage to
embody all three of the above stated values, will be highly celebrated and even advocated
for organically in the online and offline marketplaces.  

IMPLICATIONS oF THE CULTURAL LENS ON YOUR
ORGANIZATION
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1 Examine your brand’s relationship to the identified framework of values and pinpoint the areas
of strength and weakness. Then, consider answering two questions:
!• What specific initiatives will allow you to play to your strengths and allow a deeper and more
emotional connection with your audience?
• Are there opportunities to introduce new communication programs, formats or even
channels that can address some of the identified weaknesses?
2 Consider the most pressing issues within your vertical today. Now, think about what your
organization/brand can do to address those issues through the values lens, and maybe even
lead discourse in the industry!
3 Don’t neglect the geeks! Find those people within your organization who really embody the
brand, the product or service in question. Give them an opportunity to have authentic dialogue
with brand fans who will be excited by the opportunity to “geek out” over what you do today,
and what you can do in the future.
4 Think about the overall values that guide your own organization, its operations and even
marketing. Are there points of alignment between organizational values and the emerging
values identified through discourse analysis? If so, what can you do to further communicate
this marriage in values to the marketplace, and build a closer relationship with your publics?

PERCEPTIONS OF KEY INDUSTRY VERTICALS
If we leverage the identiﬁed emerging value system as a framework,
we can look at the perception of select industry verticals and
understand how various events, brands, and people are treated online.
Speciﬁcally, we’ll look at perceptions of the Automotive, Telecommunications,
Entertainment and Healthcare verticals.
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Source: h.koppdelaney

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AUTOMOTIVE
In the automotive sector, there is a clear distinction between brands that are FOLLOWED
(mentioned in positive light) and brands that are LOVED (openly advocated for, repeatedly).
This distinction boils down to the extent to which a brand allows an audience member to
truly express his/her individuality - a complex set of beliefs and values, or a unique view of
the world.
Three brands stand out in this context - BMW, Volkswagen and Subaru - all of which are
seen as fringe brands in North America. Their cars are celebrated for their unique
character, and often used in conversations as a means to communicate unique viewpoints,
beliefs and sensibilities. Most importantly, these brands allow for pedagogery - the ability
for hardcore brand fans to start and carry conversations that may not be the most inclusive
Key Takeaways for Automotive brands
Individualism True inﬂuencers care about every minutiae associated with your brand, its
history, the products, their technology, stories of creation and adoption,
personalization and much more. And while bookish or often obscure content
may appear to alienate mass audiences, it actually strengthens the brand,
makes fandom aspirational and shows mass audiences that people truly care
about the brand in question.
Innovation Everyone claims to be “Innovative!” The audience, however, knows better. TRUE
innovation needs to be game changing; it needs to change the way we think
about our cars and what they are capable of delivering. Instead of claiming
innovation, demonstrate it.
Fairness Dealerships aren’t ranked favourably. They are equated with a lack of adequate
service and transparency during the sales process. Brands need to invest in
changing perceptions and improving business operations.
A Subaru fan writes a
letter to the company
and shares it on reddit,
showcasing his past
relationship to the
brand and engaging
many Canadians in
conversation.

to non-followers or to those lacking a certain minimum level of knowledge on the subject
matter.
The more obscure or niche
conversations in which audiences
can engage involving automotive
brands/products, the greater the
attention and emotional desire that
is expressed around them. For
example, Subaru cars are often
talked about as being odd looking
(and their ‘bug-eyes’ are compared
to anime characters), assigning to
the brand an almost mystic or
metaphysical characteristic. That,
of course, provides plenty of room
for audiences to showcase their
individuality and connect with
others just like them, through the
sharing of ownership stories and
anecdotes.
BMW is another example, with
many conversations revolving
around after market detailing and
gadgetry. Most recently, one of the
most engaging conversations
focused on the installation of a
Nexus 7 in a BMW 3 Series!
It is for this reason that brands such as Subaru, BMW and even VW
are talked about in an emotional context while other brands often get discussed in tangible
and utilitarian conversations - such as seeking technical advice or expressing disdain over
the quality of service from a dealership or mechanic.
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A conversation about Subaru.

Tesla captures hearts and minds
Tesla Motors has attracted a lot of attention in recent months, and has enjoyed signiﬁcant
support from community members online. As a brand, Tesla Motors is highly celebrated
and seen as embodying values of innovation, individualism, and even fairness.
In fact, Tesla is viewed as the paradigm for
innovation, with smaller advancements from other
brands seen as too traditional to make the cut (e.g.
hybrid cars or economical engines, all of which
centre discourse on making sacriﬁces to go green).
Tesla Motors sells high performance electric cars, and stands for a new way of living:
responsible, sensible, yet uncompromising. Its buyers and supporters stand for the same
values.
A conversation about the problems Tesla
Motors is facing, in an attempt to innovate
and disrupt the industry.

Most interestingly, Tesla is seen as a victim of the political system. Audiences are reacting
very emotionally in response to the ongoing battles of Tesla Motors in the United States to
build a business model without middlemen.
• Taking away dealerships is perceived as a move that will make the act of purchasing
vehicles much fairer to consumers, who often share their negative experiences at
dealerships.
• Audiences believe that all businesses must have the freedom to innovate their business
practices. The autoworkers union is seen as a roadblock and a threat to evolution (in the
way an automotive company conducts its business).
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A community member uses pictures of his auto detailing work as a means to express his individuality and garner
respect from the community.

HEALTHCARE
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The issue of fairness takes centre stage in conversations about healthcare and
pharmaceuticals, and continues to spark immense debate amongst an audience whose
passion for the topic stems from internal conﬂict. An example is the support for free
market systems and the ability for drug manufacturers to innovate and be compensated for
it, versus the ability of consumers to access drugs and treatment options at a reasonable
price.
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Key Takeaways for Healthcare brands
Individualism Healthcare audiences express their individuality on issues, rather than on
brands or products. This leaves the door open for a brand that can lead the way.
Innovation Audiences want visibility and transparency into the process behind
pharmaceutical innovation. The more scientiﬁcally driven a healthcare
organization is, the greater support it will garner.
Fairness People will support ‘big pharma’ if they feel the operational model is fair and
transparent. Philosophically, audiences vehemently align with free market
systems and its ability to allow for innovation and subsequent compensation
(for those involved).
The community grapples with its
own moral dilemma.

A number of issues in this context took centre stage in the second half of 2013:
Bribery scandal
The bribery scandal in China involving GlaxoSmithKline occupied audience attention for
months. During the time period under analysis, it became the biggest piece of news to hit
the Internet. The topic evolved from a conversation about fairness to one about the lack of
scientiﬁc adherence amongst big pharmaceutical organizations (more on this later).
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‘Patent-regime’ not working
While audiences openly acknowledge an understanding of the high costs of bringing a
drug to market (from research and development to marketing), there is a general
perception that large pharmaceutical companies are “gaming” the system and using
patents to their advantage. The general opinion is that they are preventing consumers
from getting access to drugs and treatment options. In this context, the Indian
government is celebrated for taking on ‘big pharma’ and producing generics that cost a
fraction of their branded counterparts.
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Community members argue over the potential for reform in the Pharmaceutical industry, in the hope for fairer
practices.

Sugar as a drug
Audiences liken the use of sugar in the food and beverage industry as one of the worst
drug epidemics to hit human society in modern history. The use of sugar is drawing
comparisons to Tobacco companies, and pointing towards the lack of regulation imposed
upon food and beverage manufacturers. As one would expect, credible sources of scientiﬁc
knowledge are cited in order to corroborate viewpoints.
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Conversations about patents not working to the beneﬁt of people. Here again, while a support for free market
systems is unquestioned, the community grapples with a moral dilemma (fair access to healthcare and treatment),
asking questions and proposing solutions.

 
While the conversation isn’t about supporting Tobacco companies, it makes the point that the fast food and
packaged food industry must be subject to the same sanctions and regulations as the Tobacco industry because,
scientiﬁcally speaking, the ill eﬀects of sugar are as serious as that of Tobacco.

Adherence to the scientific method
As one of the three foundational values driving advocacy on the Internet, Scientism (or
adherence to the scientific method) continues to drive support for, and spark debate
against, the pharmaceutical industry.
Unsurprisingly, the bribery scandal conversation quickly evolved into a criticism of “big
pharma,” as levelled from a scientist’s perspective - i.e., a failure to live up to the scientific
method, due to corruption and the lack of internal checks and balances.
On the other hand, scientism also drives support for the pharmaceutical industry.
Audiences completely reject alternative medicine, especially homeopathy, as it lacks
scientific evidence. Most recently, news about a Calgary woman who was being charged
for her son’s death (because she treated an infection with only homeopathy) generated
great debate online, even leading many to call for a nationwide ban of homeopathy.
In the same vein, they vocally criticize the anti-vaccine movement and express an
awareness of the linkage between physiological and psychological outcomes, through
A great conversation showcasing the community’s need to respect individualism (and libertarian principles)
without compromising on the importance placed on the scientific method.

recourse to scientiﬁc studies. For example, while audiences stand behind the value of
individualism, they openly recognize that when taken to an extreme, it can be very
harmful to the human mind. Citing a study that shows African Americans as having better
mental health than Caucasians in the United States, audiences engage in deeply reﬂective
conversations about loneliness and happiness.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Television takes centre stage in conversations around entertainment, primarily due to its
ability to continue a story and give online audiences an opportunity to partake in the
journey. But not all television entertainment occupies equal ground.
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It’s all very specific!
Shows that allow audiences the opportunity to dissect characters and plot lines, while
speculating about the future with an incessant obsession, are loved and engaged with
repeatedly in a manner that creates a cult-like community of participants. Unsurprisingly,
shows such as Breaking Bad, Mad Men and Game of Thrones occupy a large portion of the
conversation and allow audiences to connect with one another through the sharing of very
specific content that is often relevant only to those who are really into the show. Here, the
amount of knowledge one has on the minutia of the story line functions as a source of
influence within the sub-community, where specialized knowledge brings one greater
ability to sway public opinion. Most importantly, the pedantry reaffirms one’s self image as
a fan, and creates a sense of identity and belonging to a show’s community. For example,
audiences spent much of their time debating the difference between the portrayal of
sociopaths vs. psychopaths in television and movies, and in the process offered
clarification on the distinction between the two. More recently, audiences entered into a
long discussion on the history of late night shows on television, offering each other great
opportunity to showcase knowledge and expertise on specific shows or the subject matter
at large.
Key Takeaways for Entertainment brands
Individualism Building a community around television shows or movies will require the
sharing of non-traditional content that gives audiences an opportunity to truly
immerse themselves into a story. Think scripts, artifacts, clues, behind-the-
scenes footage of shoots and rehearsals, character discussions and preparations
etc.. These are the things that people use to build and express their identities.
Innovation Audiences want their thinking to be challenged. Story lines that bend the rules
of morality are of utmost interest at the current time.
Fairness People remain unapologetic about piracy. If fair online solutions come from
networks, audiences are more than willing to adapt.

!
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Morality in dispute
Characters that challenge the rules of morality and conventional wisdom are highly
celebrated, analyzed and obsessed over. Interestingly, the audience sees such characters as
highly authentic, with a very human sense of morality that is often conﬂicted, and where
actions often break personal boundaries of fairness. All of which really points to the
incredible appreciation online audiences have for complexity and authenticity in
A discussion about the portrayal of sociopaths and
psychopaths in movies. Accusations of how often people in the
threaded discussion confuse the two indicate the community’s
need for speciﬁc knowledge on the subject matter.
A discussion of episodes in Television history where morality is called into question, giving a show authenticity and
realism.

entertainment. A recent example
involved a dissection of some of the
most surprising or disturbing episodes on television, where people shared examples of
excellent, impactful storytelling (some even going so far as to call it “life altering”).
!
A need for innovation
Online piracy continues to be a hot topic of discourse engaging audiences, a majority of
whom remain ambivalent on the issue. Many point toward the need for innovation from
cable networks to fight piracy by delivering services and content, at a reasonable cost, in
ways that meet the changing needs of consumers. Since Netflix is regarded as one of the
few companies attempting to change the way content is developed and delivered to
audiences, perceptions of its brand are overwhelmingly positive. And while networks such
as HBO and AMC are scrutinized for their inability to offer audiences a fair deal (“find
another way to earn money from my online viewing and I am willing to meet you there”),
Netflix often gets a clean slate for giving consumers what they want.
!
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!
!
!
Another moment of authenticity, seen through the evolution of
the character Walter White on the show Breaking Bad.

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A conversation about the need for fairness and innovation in
the entertainment (and speciﬁcally Television) industry.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
The perception of the telecommunications industry in Canada is overwhelmingly
negative, and is closely tied to the perception of the ‘big three’ in the country - Bell, Telus
and Rogers. And unlike other verticals where discourse typically revolves around all three
identified value systems (innovation, individualism, fairness), almost all the conversation
around the telecommunications sector boils down to an issue of fairness. Clearly,
audiences are preoccupied with some important topics.
Lack of competition and value for money
There is widespread perception that the ‘big three’ are engaging in unfair, oligopolistic
practices intended to stifle competition. As a result, an “anything but the big three”
sentiment is repeatedly echoed through discourse, with many advocating for brands such
Key Takeaways for Telecommunications brands
Individualism Above all else, personal experience with a telecom provider matters. And it can
positively impact perceptions and even drive advocacy.
Innovation There’s a perceived lack of innovation in this industry. Audiences are looking
for innovation in service delivery first, rather than technology.
Fairness Consumers are looking for transparency and fairness in services and billing,
and are highly wary of public relations campaigns launched by any of the “big
three”.
!Canadians expect companies to play their part in being responsible corporate
citizens, and expect the government to uphold consumers’ interests.
Consumers expressing a lack of confidence in Canadian Telecom companies through personal experience.

as Teksavvy, Wind, and Mobilicity. To further extend their support for the smaller players,
audiences often share positive stories of service and customer experience, and often make
the point that equivalent prices (compared to the larger providers) are okay, as long as the
quality of service supports it.
The most popular discussions typically involve the sharing of negative experiences with
billing and service where speciﬁc cases are cited with evidence. Amongst the ‘big three’,
Rogers certainly bears the brunt of negative discourse.
Collusion of interests
Audiences believe that the big three in Canada have incredible inﬂuence over the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), and have
lobbied against growth and competition in the sector, citing the recent failed attempt by
Verizon to enter the Canadian market as an example.
!
More recently, audiences debated the
role of the CRTC in Canada, and expressed a rather ambivalent view towards the
organization. Some questioned the CRTC’s ability to uphold the interests of consumers,
Debate over whether the CRTC truly helped consumers with the
institution of “more expensive two year plans”.

while others praised its work against the “Fair for Canada” public relations campaign
launched by “the big three” during Verizon’s attempted entry
into the country.
!
No pain with personal gain
A conversation about negotiating with Telecom companies where audiences express a much more ambivalent
view of the industry.
Accusations of price ﬁxing in the
Telecommunications industry in
Canada.

Interestingly, despite all the negative perception towards the “big three”, audiences are
often swayed into changing their opinion as a result of personal gain - receiving better
service, a personalized experience (an oﬀer, or solution tailored to one’s needs) or ﬁnancial
gain (better prices or more services for the existing price).
!
!

CONCLUSION
What does examining the state of dominant discourse
on the Internet tell us?
!
Audiences use belief and value systems as a way to connect with people,
brands and things on the Internet. Understanding these value systems
can go a long way in understanding where a brand ﬁts in the context of a larger
conversation and, more importantly, whether there might be opportunities to authentically
engage audiences with conversations that go well beyond a discussion of products, their
features and beneﬁts.
Source: I like

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HAVE AN OPINION?
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Is your industry or vertical missing in this report? Interested in tracking online discourse
and trends relevant to your business, products and services?
Contact our futures forecasting team at forecast@sonicboom.com.
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310 Front Street West, 5th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5V 3B5
1.416.586.9988
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APPENDIX 1
What do we mean by ‘libertarian’ values?
!
When using the term ‘libertarian’, we are not referring to any associations with political parties (i.e.
the Libertarian Party of Canada) or groups in particular, but rather referring to a larger, commonly
shared value system that deﬁnes how audiences took at the world around them.
!
The term ‘libertarian’ refers us to two basic beliefs:
• A respect for individuality and freedom of expression. This refers to the absolute freedom to live
in a community or be part of an organization whose values or culture are closely related to one's
preferences; or, on a more basic level, to associate with any individual one chooses.
• A skepticism towards government imposed authority and a belief in minimal involvement from
Government agencies.
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APPENDIX 2
Why studying online content also teaches us about
emerging value systems in the ‘real world’?
!
Canadians spend an average of 45 hours online each month (source: CIRA, 2013), sharing details
about their lives, personal habits, brand affiliations, political interests, beliefs and values. Most of
this time is now spent on platforms that are publicly accessible, connecting us to our friends, family,
peers, coworkers and even bosses. Gone are the days where one’s online identity was truly
anonymous or even secretive. We now live in a world where mobile devices have bridged the gap
between our ‘real lives’ and online selves. Which means our online identities merely serve as
windows into our world - telling people about who we are, what we believe in, and consequently
what we’ll consume or even buy.
!
So it is not surprising to see conversations in the online world reflect in the real world. One of the
most recent examples of this is the public boycott of Chick-Fil-A in the United States, where
thousands took to the streets to protest following news about the company’s CEO publicly opposing
same-sex marriage. As one would expect, the public boycotts were all led and organized by
audiences online.
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We believe this report gives us a very strong indication of where consumer culture is headed in
Canada. The only difference is that we’ve chosen to take the study of online discourse, rather than
in-field ethnographies, as a way to arrive at our conclusions in an attempt to leverage the richest
and most incredible data source yet - the internet.
!
For more, please visit our blog at beliefbasedconsumption.com.

State of public discourse: What the culture creators want you to know

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State of public discourse: What the culture creators want you to know