Reading Marketing Sense in Short Video Content

This professional thesis studies how users perceive marketing sense in short-form video content. The project uses a survey of TikTok video stimuli, Likert-scale ratings, and open-ended responses. After data cleaning, the analytic sample includes 203 valid survey responses. The analysis shows that users identify marketing sense through explicit commercial cues, such as product links, price language, and dense product demonstrations. It also shows that authenticity cues matter. Scripted dialogue, voiceover style, repeated ad formats, and staged reactions can make a video feel more commercial even when the content is presented as ordinary entertainment. The deliverable is designed for content teams, UX researchers, platform designers, and brand strategists. It offers practical recommendations for reducing user fatigue and improving perceived authenticity while preserving useful product information.