In the latest talk of our Research Seminar Series Prof. Peeter Verlegh from University Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL) presented his work on how consumers use brands to show off on (visual) social media.
The past few years have seen a significant shift of the social media landscape towards the visual. This trend is illustrated by the rapid rise of platforms like Snapchat, Instagram  and  Youtube,  which  are  characterized  by  an  emphasis  on  the  creation  and  sharing  of  visual  information.  Although  much  research  has  been  devoted  to  social  media use, thus far, few studies have specifically addressed this trend. Social media are ideal  platforms  for  self-presentation  and  convey  a  favorable  impression  of  the  self  to  others,  as  the  information  one  shares  online  is  easier  to  control  and  curate  than  the  information  one  reveals  during  interpersonal  interactions.  Images  seem  particularly  popular for self-presentation purposes. Nascent research on the topic indeed suggests that  individuals  tend  to  carefully  construct,  select,  and  edit  the  images  they  share  on  social media. Prior research suggests that the effects of self-presentation activities may be regarded as “bragging” and (therefore) disliked by others. As a result, such efforts may in fact be counterproductive. The question that remains unanswered, however, is: when, or under what conditions are social media posts about brands interpreted as bragging, and how do they influence impression formation online? Drawing on the literatures on self-presentation  and  conspicuous  consumption,  the  present  research  aims  to  answer  these questions.

The Marketing department at WU thanks Prof. Verlegh for his time and the sharing of his knowledge.