An Exploration of Brand Storytelling in a Video Sharing Social Network
The brand storytelling themes and emotional appeals of three major global brands were analysed by means of visual rhetoric in a digital environment focusing on the ethos communication technique. A well-known framework of five basic brand personality dimensions was used to delineate the analysis. Brand storytelling as a branding technique is becoming increasingly popular, especially since all brands can tell a story to connect and engage with consumers on an emotional level. Social media have changed the way in which brand stories are shared with online consumers, while social video networking sites in particular create an opportunity to share brand stories with a much greater target audience through electronic word of mouth (eWOM). The findings not only confirm three dimensions in the traditional brand personality framework, but can also serve as a heuristic tool for other researchers analyzing brand storytelling in a social video sharing network environment.
[1] J. L. Aaker, “Dimensions of brand personality”, Journal of Marketing
Research, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 347–356, 1997.
[2] G. A. Kennedy, Aristotle: on rhetoric (a theory of civic discourse).
Oxford: New York, 1991.
[3] C. A. Bartel and R. Garud. "The role of narratives in sustaining
organizational innovation", Organization Science, January/February, pp.
107–119, 2009.
[4] D. McCloskey and H.S. Jensen. "Visual rhetoric in advertising: textinterpretive,
experimental and reader-response analysis", Journal of
Consumer Research, Vol. 26, 1999.
[5] E. Bonet and A. Sauquet, "Rhetoric in management and in management
research", Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 23, No.
2, pp. 120–133, 2010.
[6] B.L. Byers. "Enacting ethos online: using classical rhetoric to analyze
visual Web design". Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Paper 10839,
2009.
[7] R. A. Opoku, R. Abratt and M. Bendixen, "Communicating brand
personality: are the web sites doing the talking for food SMEs?",
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, Vol. 10, No. 4,
pp. 362–374, 2007.
[8] R. Herstein and M. Zvilling, "Brand management perspectives in the
twenty-first century", Qualitative Market Research: An International
Journal, Vol. 14, No 2, pp. 188–206, 2011.
[9] M. Dahlen, F. Lange and T. Smith. Marketing communications:abrand
narrative approach, West Sussex, UK: Wiley Publishers, 2010.
[10] J. Burnett and R.C. Hutton, "New consumers need new brands", Journal
of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 16, No. 5, pp. 342– 347, 2007.
[11] T. Duncan, Advertising and IMC, New York, NY:McGraw-Hill,
2005.
[12] E.Kemp, C.Y Childers and K.M. Williams, "Place branding: creating
self-brand connections and brand advocacy", Journal of Product &
Brand Management, Vol. 21, No 7, pp. 508–515, 2012.
[13] W. Bostos and S.J. Levy, "A history of the concept of branding: practice
and theory", Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, Vol. 4, No.
3, pp. 347–368, 2012.
[14] S. Denning, "Effective storytelling: strategic business narrative
techniques", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 42–48, 2006.
[15] S. Herskovitz and M. Crystal, "The essential brand persona: storytelling
and branding", Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 21–28,
2010.
[16] S. Sophonsiri and K. Polyorat, K. "The impact of brand personality
dimensions of brand association and brand attractiveness: the case
study of KFC in Thailand", Journal of Global Business and Technology,
Vol. 5, No. 2, Fall, pp.51–62, 2009.
[17] Pace, S, "YouTube: an opportunity for consumer narrative analysis?",
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, Vol. 11, No.2,
pp. 213–226, 2008.
[18] E. Sevin and G.C. White. "Turkayfe.org: share your Tu¨rksperience",
Journal of Place Management and Development, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 80-
92, 2011.
[19] YouTube. (Online).Available: http://www.youtube.com, 2013.
[20] Q. Tang, B. Gu and A. Whinston. "Content contribution in social media:
the case ofYouTube”.45th Hawaii International Conference on System
Sciences, 2012.
[21] Comscore. "The explosive growth of online video makes it critical to
understand your target audience and have visibility across the online
video-viewing marketplace", (Online). Available:
http://www.comscore.com/Products/Audience_Analytics/Video_Metrix,
2013.
[22] J. Jasinski, Sourcebook on Rhetoric.Key concepts in contemporary
rhetorical studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2001.
[23] Warren, S. “Show me how it feels to work here”, ephemera, Vol. 2, No.
3, pp. 224-245, 2002.
[24] K.S. Dhir, "Corporate communication through nonviolent rhetoric:
environmental, agency and methodological prerequisites",
Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 249266,
2006.
[25] K. LaGrandeur, Digital images and classical persuasion.Eloquent
images: word and image in the age of new media, edited by E. Hocks
and M.R Kendrick.MIT Press: Cambridge, 2003.
[26] J.P. Zappen, "Digital rhetoric: towards an integrated theory", Technical
Communication Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 319–325.
[27] A.A. Lunsford, K.A Wilson and A.R. Eberly (eds), The SAGE handbook
of rhetorical studies. London: Sage, 2009.
[28] Interbrand. Best Global Brands. (Online). Available:
http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/2012/Best-Global-
Brands-2012-Brand-View.aspx, 2012.
[1] J. L. Aaker, “Dimensions of brand personality”, Journal of Marketing
Research, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 347–356, 1997.
[2] G. A. Kennedy, Aristotle: on rhetoric (a theory of civic discourse).
Oxford: New York, 1991.
[3] C. A. Bartel and R. Garud. "The role of narratives in sustaining
organizational innovation", Organization Science, January/February, pp.
107–119, 2009.
[4] D. McCloskey and H.S. Jensen. "Visual rhetoric in advertising: textinterpretive,
experimental and reader-response analysis", Journal of
Consumer Research, Vol. 26, 1999.
[5] E. Bonet and A. Sauquet, "Rhetoric in management and in management
research", Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 23, No.
2, pp. 120–133, 2010.
[6] B.L. Byers. "Enacting ethos online: using classical rhetoric to analyze
visual Web design". Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Paper 10839,
2009.
[7] R. A. Opoku, R. Abratt and M. Bendixen, "Communicating brand
personality: are the web sites doing the talking for food SMEs?",
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, Vol. 10, No. 4,
pp. 362–374, 2007.
[8] R. Herstein and M. Zvilling, "Brand management perspectives in the
twenty-first century", Qualitative Market Research: An International
Journal, Vol. 14, No 2, pp. 188–206, 2011.
[9] M. Dahlen, F. Lange and T. Smith. Marketing communications:abrand
narrative approach, West Sussex, UK: Wiley Publishers, 2010.
[10] J. Burnett and R.C. Hutton, "New consumers need new brands", Journal
of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 16, No. 5, pp. 342– 347, 2007.
[11] T. Duncan, Advertising and IMC, New York, NY:McGraw-Hill,
2005.
[12] E.Kemp, C.Y Childers and K.M. Williams, "Place branding: creating
self-brand connections and brand advocacy", Journal of Product &
Brand Management, Vol. 21, No 7, pp. 508–515, 2012.
[13] W. Bostos and S.J. Levy, "A history of the concept of branding: practice
and theory", Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, Vol. 4, No.
3, pp. 347–368, 2012.
[14] S. Denning, "Effective storytelling: strategic business narrative
techniques", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 42–48, 2006.
[15] S. Herskovitz and M. Crystal, "The essential brand persona: storytelling
and branding", Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 21–28,
2010.
[16] S. Sophonsiri and K. Polyorat, K. "The impact of brand personality
dimensions of brand association and brand attractiveness: the case
study of KFC in Thailand", Journal of Global Business and Technology,
Vol. 5, No. 2, Fall, pp.51–62, 2009.
[17] Pace, S, "YouTube: an opportunity for consumer narrative analysis?",
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, Vol. 11, No.2,
pp. 213–226, 2008.
[18] E. Sevin and G.C. White. "Turkayfe.org: share your Tu¨rksperience",
Journal of Place Management and Development, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 80-
92, 2011.
[19] YouTube. (Online).Available: http://www.youtube.com, 2013.
[20] Q. Tang, B. Gu and A. Whinston. "Content contribution in social media:
the case ofYouTube”.45th Hawaii International Conference on System
Sciences, 2012.
[21] Comscore. "The explosive growth of online video makes it critical to
understand your target audience and have visibility across the online
video-viewing marketplace", (Online). Available:
http://www.comscore.com/Products/Audience_Analytics/Video_Metrix,
2013.
[22] J. Jasinski, Sourcebook on Rhetoric.Key concepts in contemporary
rhetorical studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2001.
[23] Warren, S. “Show me how it feels to work here”, ephemera, Vol. 2, No.
3, pp. 224-245, 2002.
[24] K.S. Dhir, "Corporate communication through nonviolent rhetoric:
environmental, agency and methodological prerequisites",
Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 249266,
2006.
[25] K. LaGrandeur, Digital images and classical persuasion.Eloquent
images: word and image in the age of new media, edited by E. Hocks
and M.R Kendrick.MIT Press: Cambridge, 2003.
[26] J.P. Zappen, "Digital rhetoric: towards an integrated theory", Technical
Communication Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 319–325.
[27] A.A. Lunsford, K.A Wilson and A.R. Eberly (eds), The SAGE handbook
of rhetorical studies. London: Sage, 2009.
[28] Interbrand. Best Global Brands. (Online). Available:
http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/2012/Best-Global-
Brands-2012-Brand-View.aspx, 2012.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:65209", author = "Charmaine du Plessis", title = "An Exploration of Brand Storytelling in a Video Sharing Social Network", abstract = "The brand storytelling themes and emotional appeals of three major global brands were analysed by means of visual rhetoric in a digital environment focusing on the ethos communication technique. A well-known framework of five basic brand personality dimensions was used to delineate the analysis. Brand storytelling as a branding technique is becoming increasingly popular, especially since all brands can tell a story to connect and engage with consumers on an emotional level. Social media have changed the way in which brand stories are shared with online consumers, while social video networking sites in particular create an opportunity to share brand stories with a much greater target audience through electronic word of mouth (eWOM). The findings not only confirm three dimensions in the traditional brand personality framework, but can also serve as a heuristic tool for other researchers analyzing brand storytelling in a social video sharing network environment.
", keywords = "Communication technique, visual rhetoric, social video sharing network, brand storytelling.", volume = "7", number = "9", pages = "2633-5", }
