{"id":8811,"date":"2019-10-22T21:23:45","date_gmt":"2019-10-23T01:23:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.servsig.org\/wordpress\/?p=8811"},"modified":"2025-05-10T02:40:03","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T06:40:03","slug":"identity-seeking-in-democra-tech-culture-the-new-commodity-for-marketers-here-are-six-things-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.servsig.org\/wordpress\/2019\/10\/identity-seeking-in-democra-tech-culture-the-new-commodity-for-marketers-here-are-six-things-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Identity-seeking in democra-tech culture \u2013 the new commodity for Marketers? Here are six things to know"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

Guest article from\u00a0Dr Paul Harrigan,\u00a0Associate Professor of Marketing at\u00a0UWA Business School<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Social media has revolutionized marketing by enabling brands to tap in to one of the most fundamental questions of human existence: Who am I?<\/span>
\nWe\u2019re driven to identify ourselves in order to make sense of the world. It gives us a sense of self – a place to stand amid life\u2019s variables. The opportunity given by social media is for marketers to understand their audience to a depth that enables fulfilling their desire for enhanced identity, and boosting their esteem. Don\u2019t worry; it\u2019s easier than you think. Authenticity, transparency and collaboration are now crucial for business survival, and social media provides the prime platform to succeed in this new environment. Our research revealed the strategies enabling organisations to adapt to this culture, thrive in it and to experience their audience on a whole new level – and when they do? It creates identification with the brand that\u2019s deeper than ever. What tactics and traits make this happen? We dug deep to find out.<\/p>\n

Here are six things to know:<\/p>\n

1. Acculturate and co-create with me.<\/strong>
\nNot only are we now determining the nature of the content we receive \u2013 welcoming what\u2019s valuable and relevant in place of obnoxious, interruptive ads \u2013 we\u2019re also influencing the very core of organisations \u2013 their identity.
\nWe\u2019re communicating who we want them to be with every like, comment and share, and those tuning in and adapting are discovering the power of social media marketing with the impact on their bottom line. They\u2019re building relationships, getting to know their audience intimately and empowering them to contribute \u2013 to define and shape the organization and co-create its identity. This phenomenon is known as \u201ctwo-way acculturation\u201d – when different groups come into contact with each other and the culture of one or both groups is altered as a result. Take Dove<\/a> for example\u2013 they engaged their audience by discovering body-image issues were a challenge they faced, made it the focus of their \u2018Real Beauty\u2019 campaign and had it form part of their identity. That\u2019s what two-way acculturation and identity co-creation look like in action.<\/p>\n

2. Don\u2019t have a Kodak moment.<\/strong>
\nWhy do marketers need to understand this concept? We could ask Kodak, except we can\u2019t because they no longer exist. They didn\u2019t understand their role in acculturating with their audience – they didn\u2019t listen or adapt. Social media technology is shifting the balance of power in favour of the people – creating a democra-tech culture, and the onus is on organisations to embrace it or get left behind. End of lesson two.<\/p>\n

3. Stroke my identity.<\/strong>
\nSo, what do the people want? To feel better about who we are, constantly receive positive feedback and external validation, enhance self-image, to fulfill our opposing fundamental needs to both fit in and stand out, to feel we are better than others, and also to form groups who share our identity \u2013 (especially if our group is better than other groups so we can bond over our prestige). We also want to reinforce, validate and enhance our chosen identities, express them in the world to boost self-esteem and just repeat this process until we die. Maybe that\u2019s a little exaggerated, but not much. It\u2019s a fundamental human desire, after all.<\/p>\n

4. We met online.<\/strong>
\nHave an online presence and use it. Social media is the ultimate platform for people and brands to acculturate in a way that\u2019s mutually meaningful and beneficial. People have identity needs to satisfy and social media enables organisations to fulfill these. It\u2019s also a great idea to create an online community of some kind. Bringing people together over a shared identity creates a sense of belonging, making them feel valued and respected.<\/p>\n

5. Do you know each other?<\/strong>
\nKnow your audience \u2013 really<\/em> know them. What are their needs? Aspirations? What are their challenges and their values? Do the groundwork to get into their world. Go on social media, check out their interactions\u2013 read comments, notice shares, ask questions and get interested. It will make all the difference when developing your strategy.<\/p>\n

5. Getting warm.<\/strong>
\nA little warmth goes a long way. It makes people feel supported, connected, strengthens relationships and in turn enhances brand image. Be this way in your interactions as much as possible. Try to be personal and act like a human (don\u2019t over think \u201cacting human\u201d, identity is confusing enough already), and can use emojis and slang. Maybe just be human (because you are human \u2013 consider that validated and reinforced).<\/p>\n

6. It all makes sense now.<\/strong>
\nThink about taking on a Sensegiving<\/em> mindset to social media marketing. That is, giving cues through your content that encourages creation of meaning \u2013 it appeals our need to make sense of the world and allows co-creation of identity. Sensegiving cues can also be used to bring people together; it fosters embeddedness and strengthens collective identity.<\/p>\n

Lastly, reconsider content – What need or identity motive is it fulfilling? Favour useful, entertaining or co-created content over purely promotional.<\/p>\n

If we resonate with who a person wants<\/em> to be \u2013 their desired<\/em> identity \u2013 they\u2019ll be instinctively drawn in and motivated to identify. It\u2019s win-win.<\/p>\n

More insights about this topic you find in Paul Harrigan research article here:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0040162517317031<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"Dr Paul Harrigan,\u00a0Associate Professor of Marketing at\u00a0UWA Business School<\/a>.\u00a0Paul has been at UWA since July 2012. Before this, he was a Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Southampton in the UK from 2008-2012. Paul has been an Adjunct Professor at IESEG School of Management in France since 2011. His PhD, awarded 2008, is from Ulster University in the UK.<\/em><\/p>\n