Spencer1

Tai C. Spencer
Dr. James Watkins
EN106DLIF2A2015 First Yr Writing Seminar II: Academic Research & Writing
11/19/15

Branding At Your Convenience

There was a time when people shopped at one store for literally everything they needed.
People knew the store owners by first and last name. The shopping experience was so personal
that customers were able to set up tabs in the event they werent able to pay right away. Mom
and pop corner stores are now a thing of the past, replaced by web stores and mobile devices
enabling consumers to shop in the comfort of their own home all with the push of a button. The
intimacy of brick and mortar stores come second to impulsive shopping habits sparked by social
media and pop culture.
In an era where technology has afforded us the ability to access information with a simple
mobile device, companies have come up with creative ways to advertise products. At any given
moment, news of a new product can go viral and spark the buying interest of millions. Brands
are clearly riding the social media wave by posting ads on the most popular social media
applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snap Chat. The social media app
Instagram gives followers and instant window to a brands identity. In the midst of scrolling your
timeline to view your friends most recent post, youll find random ads sponsored by companies
that give you the opportunity to not only follow their page but also make an immediate purchase.
In an online article titled, How Brands Using Social Media Ignite Marketing and Drive Growth
Gian M. Fulgoni states There are two types of branded social media communications: organic
and paid. Organic social media consists of brand communications that are created by the

Spencer2

advertiser. The advertiser/sponsor doesnt pay for it, and it can lead to earned media. Paid
content is as it sounds: The advertiser pays for the content. Both are used as supplements to
existing media programs, and are the most common way social marketing is used. Julia Boorstin,
of CNBC.com, reported that James Quarles, Instagrams global head of business and brand
development, stated Were moving from the hundreds of large brands we work with today to the
several thousands of medium and small businesses and brand development. There are 2 million
advertisers on Facebook today-thats the size scale were looking at. Plus, expanding from eight
markets to 30, that gives you a sense of the broadening of availability. Some people may feel
that the ads are overkill, but if a person wants to maintain his or her social status then theyll
have to put up with occasional ad placement.
While some may feel as though theyre being force fed products nonstop through social
media, brands have taken a step further to make up for the sudden inconvenience. Brands have
taken notice that people not only follow their friends on apps like Instagram, but they also follow
music groups, clothing lines, or even their favorite restaurants. Scientific based strategies like
neuromarketing havent produced concrete results, but social media places brand names in direct
connection with the consumer. James Quarles, Instagrams global head of business and brand
development went on to state that, Instagram is widely launching a shop now button-useful
for retailers, plus other buttons to encourage consumers to click to learn more or download an
app. There are just so many small businesses, from coffee shops to retailers that have organic
accounts; weve found we can create value for the businesses, value for the community. This
move helps the consumer choose their favorite brands to follow for an easier shopping
experience all while brands avoid fighting with competitors for the perfect spot on store shelves.

Spencer3

Advertisements are visible at every turn and can become overwhelming. There are times
where companies appear to be desperate as they make poor attempts with obvious product
placement. The next time you watch a newly released movie you may notice the unnecessary
shots of a night stand cluttered with popular brand name beverages, cigarettes, and even
contraceptives. Action films showcase clich car chase scenes where the camera conveniently
pans down to a Mercedes Benz logo right above the bumper. As stated by Naomi Klein in the
essay titled No Logo, Manufacturing products may require drills, furnaces, hammers, and the
like, but creating a brand calls for a completely different set of tools and materials; It requires an
endless parade of brand extensions, continuously renewed imagery for marketing, and, most of
all, fresh new spaces to disseminate the brands idea of itself. The alternative to what at times
feels like forced imagery, is the freedom of social media. Where consumers wouldnt normally
have a choice of what they view on a daily basis, social media provides a convenient alternative
to the invasion of personal space. People now have a choice to simply follow or unfollow their
favorite brands at any given moment. On the opposite end, brands can see just how much each
image translates to an increase in sales. The brand gets a birds eye view of whats trending, who
or what caused the trend, and how to capitalize from the attention.
Technology seems to have leveled the playing field in the war between brand identity and
personal space. There are endless opportunities to manufacture lifestyle identities to millions of
people all over the world. The down side is that people can easily unfollow or ignore companies
all by pushing a button, but theres also a great chance to make up for millions of dollars wasted
on advertising and self-proclaimed experts in neuromarketing.

Spencer4

References
Boorstin, J. (2015, September 9). Finally! Here Comes Instagrams Big Ad Push [Newsgroup
message]. Retrieved from www.cnbc.com/2015/09/08/finally-here-comes-instagramsbig-ad-push.html
Fulgoni, Gian M. (2015, September) How Brands Using Social Media Ignite Marketing and
Drive Growth [Article]. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?
vid=1&sid=a9898d40-501c-4d43-b4412095306ac569%40sessionmgr198&hid=111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU
%3d#AN=109999142&db=buh
Klein, Naomi. "No Logo." From Inquiry To Academic Writing: A Text and Reader. Ed. Scipione,
Stephen,,Erb, Gregory. Bedford/St. Martin's. 776-788. Print.
Satel, Sally, Lilienfeld, Scott. "The Buyologist Is In: The Rise of Neuromarketing." From Inquiry
to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader. Ed. Scipione, Stephen ,Erb, Gregory.
Bedford/St. Martin's. 796-809. Print