Me and my brands: drivers and outcomes of ‘brand selfies’
(A2020-63842)

AUTHORS

Laurence Borel, Birkbeck University of London; Anastasia Stathopoulou, International University of Monaco; George Christodoulides, American University of Sharjah

KEYWORDS

brand selfies; posting intent; WoM

ABSTRACT

In spite of a growing body of research in social networks, no empirical research has set out to establish what motivates consumers to post brand selfies on social media, that is selfies posted alongside a brand. A conceptual model is developed using in-depth interviews and an online survey of 511 respondents. Six motives for posting brand selfies are identified (attention-seeking, status-seeking, social interaction, archiving, actual self-congruence and ideal self-congruence) to influence brand selfie posting intent, which can consequently influence solicited and unsolicited WoM. The results contribute both to theory and practice by providing new insights to the brand selfie phenomenon and guidelines to digital managers of how to better segment and manage their customers and their digital campaigns.