Social Media in Construction of Brand Meaning Order Instructions: Investigative Essay
Weighting: 40%
Students are required to complete an individual essay during the course.
The essay topic is as follows:
“ Social media has enabled and accelerated the social construction of brand meaning. Are
all brand communications (consumer, organization or other originated) within this
environment authentic, and trustworthy? Discuss.”
This is an essay based on scholarly journal article research, theory and critical evaluation/
synthesis (not mere description). You must support your answer with a minimum of 6 journal
articles (can be peer-reviewed or otherwise but must be from sources classified as Journals).
The essays upper word limit is 2,500 words. There is no minimum word limit. The upper word
limit is strict. NB. The word limit does not include; title page/cover page, sub-headings, reference
list (it does include in-text citations), appendix. You may include brief commentary on brand
examples, but only if the examples originate from within the specific journal articles you have
cited in your essay (i.e. not from personal experience, or from popular nonscholarly journal
press). Note – your essay should provide a balanced view of this topic (pro’s and con’s).
Notes:
• A minimum of 6 journal articles. A penalty of 20/100 marks applied if this criterion is not met.
• Full Harvard author-date referencing is required (in-text citations, and reference list).
• Exceeding the word limit will lead to a deduction of 10/100 marks.
No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks
made from the total awarded a mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is
late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for
cases in which an application for disruption of studies is made and approved. No submission will
be accepted after solutions have been posted. Your essay must be submitted online VIA
Turnitin for MKTG203:
Submit softcopy to the plagiarism detection system ‘Turnitin’ VIA iLearn before the deadline
Please make sure that you are submitting to the correct dropbox.
Please note the following:
• Your soft copy must include a title Page with full official student name (last name in
CAPITALS), student ID number, tutors name, tutorial day, tutorial time and tutorial room
number. It must also include your reference list. Please name your file as
follows: Surname_Tutor_Final Essay.doc
Unit guide MKTG203 Consumer Behaviour
http://unitguides.mq.edu.au/unit_offerings/57052/unit_guide/print 6
• An essay should be formatted as follows; size 12 times new roman font, 1.5 line spacing,
regular margins, headings in capitals and bold, sub-headings in upper and lower case
and bold italics.
• Essays will be marked electronically via GradeMark on Turnitin using iLearn, annotated
with comments from the marker and your grades will be available for viewing on the
Grades link via iLearn approximately 2-3 weeks after submission. An announcement will
be made on iLearn when assignments have been marked.
This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:
• Identify, understand, and articulate a range of influences on consumer behavior.
• Critically analyze, discuss, evaluate and integrate the theoretical literature to create a
coherent and theoretically rigorous argument.
• Critically evaluate and reflect upon specific marketing decisions and marketing strategies
through the use of applied questions.
Social Media in Construction of Brand Meaning Sample Answer
Social Media Has Enabled and Accelerated the Social Construction of Brand Meaning
INTRODUCTION
Social media platforms have a great potential for helping a company to increase its brand awareness and expand. Even though the practical applications of various websites such as Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and Facebook might vary from brand to brand, Coleman, Chandler, and Jian (2013) pointed out that the overall value does not change; it remains the same. A company needs to come up with a strategy which works for it and pursue it relentlessly all through the year. This paper provides an exhaustive discussion of how social media has actually enabled and accelerated the social construction of brand meaning. In addition, this paper discusses whether all brand communications in this environment are trustworthy and authentic.
DISCUSSION
Authenticity is defined as the condition or quality of being genuine, trustworthy, or authentic. It is and has always been an essential component for establishing a successful brand (Holt 2016). In the recent past, there have several research studies that have looked into what customers deem as the main characteristics for brands to have. For instance, studies by Cohn & Wolfe and Mindshare North America found that authenticity and honesty/trustworthiness are significant attributes, especially to Generation Y and millenials. In essence, authenticity and trustworthiness are two of the five main brand attributes for youngsters worldwide, and a lot of them are skeptical about how brands actually market to them (Vernuccio 2014). Consumers’ desire for authenticity and openness could be juxtaposed against the findings of other researchers that the trust of a consumer in big companies is reducing (Kissel & Büttgen 2015).
Social media offers opportunities for creating social content with a point of difference. This is especially significant in sectors like the retail sector in which business organizations are usually selling product items that are similar or the same. In this way, social media enables and accelerates the social construction of brand meaning. For example, Harrods across its retail store has a total of 28 eateries. The company employed social media in an innovative way and ran a campaign dubbed “Twenty Ate Days” that featured a dissimilar eatery each day all through the February month. This campaign was able to receive really affirmative press coverage and lots of consumer interest that helped build awareness of the Harrods company brand whilst at the same time promoting the variety of delectable foods that the company offers in its restaurants (Vernuccio 2014).
Social Media Enables and Accelerates Social Construction of Brand Meaning
When the brand of a company is not a household name or not yet very popular and the company’s management want more potential clients to know who the company is, then social media could help the company get there by increasing the company’s brand awareness. A business organization should be able to expect changes within its environment and respond to those changes in a creative and flexible way. The changing nature of communication implies that businesses should take on social media channels and use them in communicating to a wide audience (Holt 2016).
A business organization can use social media effectively in promoting its brand not only to its existing clients but also to future and new customers. For example, Harrods, a luxury British retailer based in London England, effectively employs various social media channels in promoting its luxury brand to its current loyal shoppers and to future, new shoppers. By monitoring and seeking novel trends and opportunities, this British luxury retailer ensures that its brand always stays relevant and current (Holt 2016). This way, social media effectively enables and accelerates the social construction of brand meaning. Recently, Harrods was voted by consumers and critics in the top 5 retailers to follow on Instagram (Holt 2016). This clearly demonstrates that an organization can actually utilize modern communication channels but still make certain that its values and brand do not become compromised.
If utilized in a proper manner, social media could easily become a very powerful marketing tool available for the business enterprise. Sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are able to move consumers along a spectrum from just ‘liking’ the company all the way to being ready to defend the company and its brand. In particular, social media is important for 3 different reasons which demonstrate the way in which social media enables and accelerates the social construction of brand meaning. Firstly, it humanizes the brand of the company – the problem which many brands have particularly electronic commerce or online-based firms is that they are not able to link with their clients on an emotional level. According to Yan (2011), social media enables a company to humanize its brand and meet its target audience where they are. This is really essential and could change the company’s brand from a stale corporate name to a breathing, living organization.
Secondly, social media can provide relevant insights – brands that are savvy know that social media platforms serve as a crucial listening tool. The company could utilize social media to learn and discover what consumers are saying about the company’s brand and utilize that knowledge in improving features, communications or processes. Social media can also be used to drive traffic – when social media websites are capitalized on, they are really good in terms of producing leads and driving traffic to external landing sites or pages (Watkins 2014). Even though it is an extremely organic way of acquiring traffic, social media websites are often much more valuable in comparison to paid advertising campaigns.
All Brand Communications on Social Media Are Authentic and Trustworthy
Authenticity in social media helps to set the tone: in general, it is hard work to pretend to be something or someone else, and in the end, the brand would come unstuck. According to Vernuccio (2014), being authentic is important in guiding the tone of the brand’s social media. Moreover, given that the tone of the brand would be emanating from a place that is genuine and real, it would resonate with the brand’s community, it would be sustainable, and would be a key reason that would keep customers coming back. Brands may have dissimilar personalities such as caring and warm, or serious and traditional. Companies ensure that their images on Instagram and posts on Facebook convey the personality of its brand.
Authenticity and trustworthiness in social media help to develop the brand’s personality: authenticity, along with a brand’s tone, will allow the company’s genuine personality to shine through. It is worth mentioning that authenticity is a feature of brands or persons and it actually comes through in a person’s or brand’s personality. If a brand lacks an authentic personality, sooner or later customers would consider it as being fake, a jerk, boring or contrived even when the brand thinks that it is getting away with it (Brennan & Croft 2012). Once a brand has built its personality via social media, it will need to sustain that personality.
Authenticity and trustworthiness in social media build trust: whenever the brand shares truthfully and authentically, then consumers would, without a doubt, pick up on it, ‘like’ the brand for it on Facebook and even more importantly the consumers would trust the brand. Holt (2016) reported that trust is essential in every aspect of a brand – that is, between brand and suppliers, between brand and staff members, and between brand and consumers – and is the most important emotion that good marketers look for whenever they build a brand. In essence, failure to be authentic and trustworthy could unravel any trust the brand has been building for several years within just a second and when that occurs, it is a long climb back for the brand. Authenticity and trustworthiness in social media help to build a community: If a brand has been authentic at all times with its online community and established the trust amongst them, when the brand faces some challenges its online community would surely stand by it (Kissel & Büttgen 2015). For instance, the Woogs World and Michelle Bridges are great social media communities: these two support their brands enthusiastically and passionately, which is really significant.
It is important for brands to boast and brag about their authentic side on social media. In spite of what service or product the company offers, consumers are generally drawn to brands which deliver on authenticity, honesty and trustworthiness. Brennan and Croft (2012) reported that as people’s lives have become very much virtual and the financial instability over the last several years have made people really critical and conscious, people’s hunger for authentic and trustworthy brands has only increased. Brands should deliver on trust and truth at all points in the social customer journey. Social media, as Watkins (2014) pointed out, is all about managing the journey of the client from initial awareness to full engagement. Given that social media is essential in ensuring that brands come through on that act of integrity, a brand should engage in conversations with its existing and prospective customers to build lasting relationships (Brennan & Croft 2012).
Most brands show off their authentic side using brand communications through the following efforts or measures: (i) treat their customers like insiders – considering that today’s era is regarded as the age of the customer, brands treat their clients as if they are insiders and they do so by being as transparent as possible. Such brands show their customers that they do not have anything to hide, since there is no better way of demonstrating that the company is human and is ready to make that strong link or relationship with its audience (Kissel & Büttgen 2015). Buffer, the social sharing firm, for instance, disclosed the pay structure of all its workers including the pay of the company’s Chief Executive Officer, which led to an increase in new applications (Kissel & Büttgen 2015). Be it through webinars, blogposts, tweets, or any other sort of brand communication on social media channels, a company should ensure that it is a true problem-solver even before clients choose to work with it. Given that they are equally armed with information these days, customers only expect to receive that invaluable, insider treatment.
(ii) Empower the company’s brand advocates and employees – Coleman, Chandler and Jian (2013) reported that when it comes to authenticity, a number of brands focus particularly on employees and advocates given that they play an essential role in building companies that are authentic and trustworthy. For instance, staff members have the closest connection and engagement rate with an organization. As such, employees become the brand’s ultimate social representatives by providing them a means of recognition that is straightforward and tangible. Moreover, brand advocates are credible game-changers who love that brand very much and speak well regarding their brand experience in social media channels. The powerful voice of brand advocates resonates with the audience of a brand since they hold the most trust (Vernuccio 2014). On the whole, there is no better way for a company’s brand to be authentic than to have the social support of its brand advocates who are at all times ready to get involved and affirm the company’s brand message.
(iii) Thirdly, companies deliver on authenticity by demonstrating that sharing is caring – companies show their authentic side by means of quality social sharing by becoming the go-to source for a wide range of topics on the industry. This could be in many different forms. For example, some brands share wonderful articles in the industry with their social following. Some companies choose to engage with their audience and offer them the company’s knowledge on the topics which the company actually knows everything about. In spite of which social media channel the conversation actually occurs, the brand should ensure that it is an easily accessible and valuable source for information which simply oozes personality (Coleman, Chandler & Jian 2013). (iv) The brands own up to their mistakes – some brands develop authenticity on social media through admitting mistakes instead of hiding them. If the brand has truly made a mistake, it may post an apology on Twitter or Facebook. The brand may as well contact the clients who have posted their complaints on social media. In the year 2007 for example, when JetBlue airline utilized videos on YouTube to make an apology to travellers who had been stranded on the airport tarmac for a number of hours, it branded itself as an authentic airline (Kissel & Büttgen 2015). Currently, this airline has more than 1.75 million followers on Twitter which is one of the largest compared to other airline companies since customers expect this brand to be helpful and clear-cut by means of the social media channel.
(v) The brands are clear about their values – brands show clients what they value by means of social media channels. The brand may post articles on Facebook with regard to a vital issue. The brand may as well voice its viewpoint regarding a current event on Twitter. For example, Zady the online retailer is usually considered as an authentic brand due to its commitment to fair labour practices and hand-crafted apparel. Zady makes use of its Twitter feed in reinforcing its values, posting about the significance of craftsmanship and transparency in the apparel industry (Watkins 2014). (vi) The brands are honest on what they deliver – customers generally view the brands which communicate openly and honestly about their services and products as being authentic. Since customers seek authenticity and honesty from brands, companies should communicate honestly regarding their services and products, and strive to act with integrity always. Brands which try to establish an authentic presence on social media in general consider whether or not they are actually delivering what they promise their consumers (Coleman, Chandler & Jian 2013). Furthermore, such brands are cautious about links and headlines they place on their social media pages. In order to develop authenticity, brands try to be honest and they do not over-promise their customers what they are going to deliver.
Social Media in Construction of Brand Meaning Conclusion
To sum up, social media without doubt enables and accelerates the social construction of brand meaning. This is because social media humanizes the brand, helps to drive traffic and can provide pertinent insights. Customers these days want authentic, transparent and open communications from brands regarding different things such as the way in which products are sourced and produced, although some consumers believe that quite a few brands at the moment deliver in this area.
Social Media in Construction of Brand Meaning References
Brennan, R, & Croft, R 2012, ‘The use of social media in B2B marketing and branding: An exploratory study’, Journal Of Customer Behaviour, 11, 2, pp. 101-115, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 May 2016.
Coleman, L, Chandler, K, & Jian, G 2013, ‘Social Media — A Moving Target’, Journal Of Marketing Development & Competitiveness, 7, 1, pp. 73-77, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 May 2016.
Holt, D 2016, ‘Branding in the Age of Social Media’, Harvard Business Review, 94, 3, pp. 40-50, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 May 2016.
Kissel, P, & Büttgen, M 2015, ‘Using social media to communicate employer brand identity: The impact on corporate image and employer attractiveness’, Journal Of Brand Management, 22, 9, pp. 755-777, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 May 2016.
Vernuccio, M 2014, ‘Communicating Corporate Brands Through Social Media: An Exploratory Study’, International Journal Of Business Communication, 51, 3, pp. 211-233, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 May 2016.
Watkins, B 2014, ‘An Integrated Approach to Sports Branding: Examining the Influence of Social Media on Brand Outcomes’, International Journal Of Integrated Marketing Communications, 6, 2, pp. 30-40, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 May 2016.
Yan, J 2011, ‘Social media in branding: Fulfilling a need’, Journal Of Brand Management, 18, 9, pp. 688-696, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 May 2016.
