UC Students As Canberra Influencers

A group of Faculty of Arts and Design students have become Instagram influencers after developing a social media campaign to promote Canberra as a place to live, work and visit as part of their studies.

The Digital Engagement and Analytics students have created social media campaigns as part of their Communication and Media degree. The accounts highlight some of the best Canberra has to offer. While lockdown presented the students with a challenge, they rose to the occasion, creating accounts focused on outdoor recreation, coffee culture, picnics and what many see as the best thing about Canberra, its people.

The students have been led by lecturer Prue Robson, whose PhD focuses on the reputation of Canberra as a place to live and subsequent ‘Canberra bashing’. Ms Robson is researching why perceptions and stereotypes of Canberra exist as part of her thesis, and her findings have led to an assessment that combines developing social media skills and getting students on board as champions for Canberra.

Among the Instagram accounts include @coffeeofcbr, which showcases Canberra’s finest coffee and has attracted 337 followers, while the account @cbr_hiddengems gives followers insight into Canberra’s best-kept secrets with more than 240 followers.

“In just 13 weeks, the students have researched the topic, developed a social media strategy, created content for their Instagram accounts and evaluated their campaign. It’s been a fantastic effort on their part, and they should be proud of the results they’ve achieved in such a short period. Any student who’s completed this unit is well-placed to work in the digital space with businesses that need to help with their social media. We have even had some students secure social media focused jobs in the last few weeks”, said Ms Robson.