1. Role of Brands in
Online Identity
Jackie Riley

2. Topic and Relevance
 Self-presentation online and how brand identity
plays a role
 Brand Identity studies mention brands being
associated with characteristics
 Past studies examine Self-presentation online
in reference to physical and emotional
characteristics
 Lack of research in brand identity translating
into online characteristics

3. Purpose and Question
 Major goal to examine how users identity with
brands online
 Starbucks anaylzed – Voted “most engaging”
online brand (viture.com, 2010; Baur, 2010; Swallow, 2010; Wee, 2010)
 Questions
 How and do users apply Self-brand connections
online?
 What trends emerge if any?

4. Methods & Results
 Examined Starbucks with hashtag
#100factsaboutme
 Between March 21st and April 1st

5. Methods & Results
 Top 3 days examined
 Make up 71.2% of the total posts (1,081 total)
 Posts analyzed in Stratified random sample
 Random 10% of each date
 Posts analyze against 7 statements defining brand
identity
 Escalas and Bettman, 2003
 Escalas and Bettman, 2005

6. Results
Snapshot of March 23
160 people commented
75% of sample identified
Snapshot of March 22
315 people commented
60% of sample identified
Interesting trend
Users RT others hashtags

7. What does it do?
 The relationship between self-presentation and
brand identity online
 Show how users identify with brands
 Results show hashtags can effect user publicizing
brand identity
 Brand enthusiast online as well
as offline
 Help target ads/Hashtag in ads

8. References
(2010, January 5). Auto, Media, Game Consoles & Sports Brands Dominate the Rankings. Retrieved from
http://vitrue.com/press-room/2010-press-releases/41-2010-press-releases/311-iphone-tops-again-in-second-
annual-rankings-of-the-most-social-brands-from-vitrue
Baur, D. (2010, April 28). The top 100 most valuable global brands 2010. Retrieved from http://www.social-brand-
value.com/2010/04/28/the-top-100-most-valuable-global-brands-2010/
Excalas, J. and Bettman, J. (2005). Self-construal, reference groups, and brand meaning. Journal of Consumer
Research, 32(3), 378-389.
Escalas, J. and Bettman, J. (2003). You are what they eat: The influence of reference groups on consumer
connections to brands. Jounral of Consumer Psychology, 13(3), 339-348.
Swallow, E. (2010, November 8). 5 Big brands that are rocking the social media space. Retrieved from
http://mashable.com/2010/11/08/big-brands-social-media-2/
Wee, W. (2010, June 10). Top 10 Consumer Brands on Social Media. Retrieved from http://www.penn-
olson.com/2010/06/10/top-10-consumer-brands-on-social-media/