The use of Twitter in branding: the case of the University of the Free State
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Date
2014
Authors
Snyman, Annette
Mulder, Dalmé
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State
Abstract
Twitter is shaping brand communication globally at a mere 140 characters a time.
Although Twitter is seen as a social media platform with little impact, the number
of followers that can be attained “tweet” another story. This article focuses on
the way in which marketers can utilise this social media platform to promote
their brand image by improving their brand’s online presence. By investigating
the branding strategies and characteristics of an Integrated Marketing
Communication (IMC) strategy, and more specifically the 5R model proposed by
Schultz (2000), a framework was created to analyse social media messages. This
framework was employed within a qualitative research approach to analyse all
the Twitter posts of the University of the Free State (UFS) between 1 January
2013 and 31 July 2013. This was done to determine how the UFS made use of its
Twitter profile to enhance the perceptions about its brand. The results underlined
the importance of IMC characteristics in social media messages for the messages
to contribute to the overall brand image of the institution. Furthermore, the
results indicated that in order for a brand to have a successful online presence,
the marketers should embrace technology and align all messages with specific
objectives. When each online brand message contains an IMC characteristic, a
core value of the institution and a motivational objective, there are no boundaries
for how far the “little blue bird” can take the brand.
Description
Keywords
Twitter, Brand perceptions, Integrated marketing communication, University of the Free State, Brand communication, Brand image, Social media
Citation
Snyman, A., & Mulder, D. (2014). The use of Twitter in branding: the case of the University of the Free State. Communitas, 19,156-174.