COMM 310 – Social Media, Social Food

What is “Social Media”- and how will developing media skills help students plan successful careers in the world of food?

The world of social media has its specialized vocabulary for food studies as well as other fields. Key terms such as “strategy,” “engagement,” and “content” form the basis of our study. More importantly, we may say that social media today is a “must” not only for any business company seeking a place in the market but also for anyone willing to emerge professionally and build a career in a society where most people expect to have whatever they need whenever they want.

While in Florence, students will learn how to use social media for business and professional purposes, making the most of their presence in this world capital city of food.
Florence’s traditional food markets, restaurants, and groceries offer unique opportunities to engage with the local community and explore the global-local linkages of food, from production to consumption, with a historical and contemporary perspective.

Students who decide to attend “Social Media, Social Food“ should understand that the course will not help them to get more followers on their personal accounts.

The course focuses mainly on the QUALITY of communication through social media. Students will not learn to be as popular as celebrities, but through observation and analysis of best practices applied by brands and professionals (media people, celebrities, etc.) they will understand how to create a coherent storytelling that will help them increase their visual communication skills. Creativity is very much appreciated both in terms of copy and graphics. That’s why students should make all the effort to edit original image/video content and captions. Poor quality work will be evaluated accordingly.

As is well known, food, wine, lifestyle, and leisure are ingredients of Italian culture. “Social Media,Social Food” students will thus have the chance to contribute to this tasty menu of life by using social networks.

They will learn how to plan a strategy for a food-related social media account involving the institute’s many partners (companies, brands, associations, institutions), and how to analyze the results of the activities they planned and how to develop new ideas. For instance, students will contribute to digital field trips such as: “Markets of Florence” and “Food in Florence.” In doing so, they will be exposed to significant components of Florentine food culture and have the opportunity to provide a detailed account of activities through social media posting.