November 5, 2014
Instagram is a fast-growing social media channel for brands to not only share product images, but a chance to share brand essence. Share 3 of your favorite brands on Instagram. (Link and provide a screenshot(s).
Visit each brands’ social pages in order to analyze them. Are the images/brand image/content they are using there integrated with their Facebook/Twitter/other social pages (i.e. is an IMC campaign present)? How? Suggestions?
Personally, I use Instagram mostly to post pictures from when I’m at the beach or traveling. I’m not sure why that’s become my social platform of choice for sunsets and sandy escapes, but it has. I haven’t really followed a lot of brands on Instagram, but here are a few that I know have integrated Instagram well into their other campaigns and social channels.
Brichbox Man – http://instagram.com/birchboxman
I’ve been a monthly subscriber for more than a year. I think their Instagram channel helps reinforce their brand’s segment targeting the sophisticated casual male consumer. Photos include everything from “guy food” like fried chicken and steak, to grooming products and daily essentials and definitely integrates well into their BBMan social channels (Facebook and Twitter) by amping up the “testosterone” of the product division.
Wawa – http://instagram.com/wawa
Wawa is a relatively new brand for me, a Floridian, as they’ve only had stores in the state for 2.5 years. However, as a brand that’s celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, its well-known throughout much of the country, mostly for hoagies, coffee, and gas. (In fact, as I type this I’m drinking a cup of their pumpkin spice coffee after lunch). To me, Wawa is a fun brand that uses its products to insert itself into the conversation. As an example of their posts on Instagram, you see spoofs on publications, movies, Apple, and more. While they haven’t generated a lot of content, they have a decent following and have found a way to take a longstanding brand and carry forward its tone and voice. Similar to their social channels, they focus on food & beverage (Twitter and Facebook) trying to be a dining destination … that also sells fuel, beer, etc. I think it works very well for them as brand amplification.
NOAA – http://instagram.com/noaa
I follow NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) because I’m both fascinated by hurricanes and because my cousin is a Hurricane Hunter pilot. The organization has been around for decades and similar to their Instagram account, NOAA leverages social media (Facebook and Twitter) both as an education and information channel. While the National Weather Service branch handles most of the content related to storms, NOAA takes a broader approach encompassing more of the oceanic side of their mission.
Overall, I think all three brands do a good job of activating Instagram and their social channels to further the voice of their cause, mission, or objectives as a company or organization. Each one felt like a natural extension of the brand allowing for an almost “push the envelope” activation beyond what’d you’d expect to see in traditional media. However, each brand stayed true using its primary logo, or bug, as their profile picture providing a brand “anchor” to the imagery and content posted.
Digital Presence, IMC, Social Media, VIC5325,