The Effects of an Informal Brand Communication Style in Social Media

MKTG5370 SEMINAR: SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-CORPUS CHRISTI

SUMMER MINIMESTER I 2017

Assignment1 – Article summary and critique

Summary Outline:

Key Points:

The effects of an informal brand communication style in social media on the brand trust for familiar brands: Here this point helps to demonstrate the use of informal style in social media may raise the trust on customers with what they are familiar.

Characteristics of informal language: Based on pilot study there are 14 characteristics of formal language and they are diverse, it reflected how they are addressed also.

Informal language works for a well-known brand:  As explained in the first experimental study, the researchers studied the effect of the informal style brand trust for the well-known brands. The study was done by taking a screenshot of Hampton’s Facebook page. The reactions were made in formal and informal language in the comments box.

Avoid informal language in an unknown brand: Informal language to be avoided as if we don’t know a person or brand directly then it is appropriate to be more professional and to be addressed in a formal way.

Brand Trust: Communication plays a major role in trusting a brand. Formal way is necessary to gain trust.

Consumer-brand relationships: Even though social media has a communication platform for              brands and customers, the markets need to maintain the relationship of consumers and brand as it helps to gain trust.

Critique Outline:

“Don't pretend to be my friend!” When an informal brand communication style backfires on social media. The title explains the communication style on social media in both formal and informal way. The title has made relevant variables throughout the study. The variables mentioned here is the Brand community-related variables.

Statement of the problem or research question:

 The research studies the effect of informal and controversial brand communication styles on brand trust. The question is “How brands should communicate with the customers to maintain relationship and gain trust by using social media?” A decision can be made that is the communication style that is whether formal or informal way of communication to be used depending on the familiarity of the brand. In the paper, how using an informal style can have a positive or negative effect on brand trust depending on how familiar the brand is discussed with clear examples. The variables of interest are identified and the variables of interest are the formal and informal ways of communication in the social media and how the experiments are conducted based on the brands familiarity is explained.