Article: My brand, my self(ie) - why consumers portray themselves in brand-selfies Journal: International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising (IJIMA) 2023 Vol.18 No.2/3 pp.310 - 334 Abstract: By presenting themselves in self-portraits with brands, so-called brand-selfies (BSs), consumers can demonstrate their personal attachment to brands. A closer look at this mainstream phenomenon expands the understanding of consumer-brand relationships. The ease of sharing and networking has increased the importance of BSs in marketing. Because they reveal a lot about consumers' opinions and spread quickly on social networks, BSs can be a valuable marketing tool. In a cross-sectional study, we identify brand identification as the strongest predictor of consumers' intention to portray themselves with a brand in a BS. Furthermore, we find belonging and reward to have significant impact on the intention to post a BS. We distinguish consumer motivations for posting BSs from general motivations for posting selfies, add to previous research on selfie posting behaviour and user-generated content, and conclude with a discussion of implications for marketers looking to incorporate selfie marketing into their marketing strategy. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: My brand, my self(ie) - why consumers portray themselves in brand-selfies

Authors: Anne Mareike Flaswinkel; Markus Rump; Reinhold Decker

Addresses: Department of Business Administration and Economics, Bielefeld University, Universitaetsstrasse 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany ' Department of Business Administration and Economics, Bielefeld University, Universitaetsstrasse 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany ' Department of Business Administration and Economics, Bielefeld University, Universitaetsstrasse 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany

Abstract: By presenting themselves in self-portraits with brands, so-called brand-selfies (BSs), consumers can demonstrate their personal attachment to brands. A closer look at this mainstream phenomenon expands the understanding of consumer-brand relationships. The ease of sharing and networking has increased the importance of BSs in marketing. Because they reveal a lot about consumers' opinions and spread quickly on social networks, BSs can be a valuable marketing tool. In a cross-sectional study, we identify brand identification as the strongest predictor of consumers' intention to portray themselves with a brand in a BS. Furthermore, we find belonging and reward to have significant impact on the intention to post a BS. We distinguish consumer motivations for posting BSs from general motivations for posting selfies, add to previous research on selfie posting behaviour and user-generated content, and conclude with a discussion of implications for marketers looking to incorporate selfie marketing into their marketing strategy.

Keywords: electronic word-of-mouth; e-WOM; brand-selfie; social media marketing; user-generated content; UGC; brand identification; selfie marketing; consumer behaviour; Instagram; social network sites; SNSs; branding.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.129669

International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 2023 Vol.18 No.2/3, pp.310 - 334

Received: 31 Aug 2021
Accepted: 02 Mar 2022
Published online: 20 Mar 2023 *

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Title: My brand, my self(ie) - why consumers portray themselves in brand-selfies

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