Research Article

Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Number: 48 April 28, 2025
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Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Abstract

This study analyzes UNEP's communication strategies on TikTok, contributing to the understanding of the organization's digital communication strategies, and elucidating TikTok's role in the communication strategies of international environmental organizations. Employing a content analysis, the study scrutinized 402 audiovisual content promulgated via UNEP’s TikTok interface from June 2, 2020, to January 3, 2025. The analytical dimensions encompassed thematic delineations, linguistic modalities, typological classifications, strategic intents, affective undertones, structural configurations, interactional metrics, spokesperson attributes, and the demographic parameters of spokespersons. The findings revealed that UNEP utilized diverse video formats, characterized by varying emotional tones and spokesperson profiles, to convey messages on topics such as climate change, sustainability, food waste, and biodiversity, aiming to foster audience engagement. Nevertheless, the analysis found that the organization does not sufficiently consider the needs of disadvantaged individuals, represents certain groups in a limited manner, and fails to adequately adhere to the principle of multilingualism. Moreover, notwithstanding the recurrent incorporation of subtitles, captions, music, and hashtags within the content, the organization's engagement metrics remained conspicuously low.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Communication and Media Studies (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

April 28, 2025

Submission Date

January 23, 2025

Acceptance Date

April 5, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Number: 48

APA
Çakıcı, Z., Meriç, E., & Uysal, R. (2025). Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Akdeniz Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dergisi, 48, 95-120. https://doi.org/10.31123/akil.1625534
AMA
1.Çakıcı Z, Meriç E, Uysal R. Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Journal of Akdeniz University Faculty of Communication - JAUFC. 2025;(48):95-120. doi:10.31123/akil.1625534
Chicago
Çakıcı, Zindan, Emre Meriç, and Rahmi Uysal. 2025. “Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)”. Akdeniz Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dergisi, nos. 48: 95-120. https://doi.org/10.31123/akil.1625534.
EndNote
Çakıcı Z, Meriç E, Uysal R (April 1, 2025) Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Akdeniz Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dergisi 48 95–120.
IEEE
[1]Z. Çakıcı, E. Meriç, and R. Uysal, “Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)”, Journal of Akdeniz University Faculty of Communication - JAUFC, no. 48, pp. 95–120, Apr. 2025, doi: 10.31123/akil.1625534.
ISNAD
Çakıcı, Zindan - Meriç, Emre - Uysal, Rahmi. “Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)”. Akdeniz Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dergisi. 48 (April 1, 2025): 95-120. https://doi.org/10.31123/akil.1625534.
JAMA
1.Çakıcı Z, Meriç E, Uysal R. Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Journal of Akdeniz University Faculty of Communication - JAUFC. 2025;:95–120.
MLA
Çakıcı, Zindan, et al. “Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)”. Akdeniz Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dergisi, no. 48, Apr. 2025, pp. 95-120, doi:10.31123/akil.1625534.
Vancouver
1.Zindan Çakıcı, Emre Meriç, Rahmi Uysal. Environmental Communication Strategies on TikTok: A Study on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Journal of Akdeniz University Faculty of Communication - JAUFC. 2025 Apr. 1;(48):95-120. doi:10.31123/akil.1625534

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