Branding in pictures: using Instagram as a brand management tool in professional team sport organisations

Abstract

Research question/purpose-Instagram has become an increasingly popular tool for sport organisations to share visual content. This study aims to examine how professional team sport organisations use Instagram for branding purposes and to explore the given meaning of Instagram followers' reactions to the organisations' Instagram activity. Research methods-The study was conducted in two phases. First, we analysed 2017 Instagram photos of two football teams from the English Premier League. Photos were categorised on product-and non-product-related brand attributes. Employing a quantitative content analysis technique, statistical analysis involved intra-case and inter-case relationships between brand attributes and Instagram's key fan engagement features (Comment and Like). Second, we analysed 2100 Instagram comments from a qualitative perspective in order to gain further insight into the fans' meanings associated with such posts. Results and findings-The findings offer significant insights to sport marketers in their efforts to increase fan engagement through social media. For both of the examined football teams, product-related attributes were used significantly more often than non-product-related attributes and encouraged greater engagement from online followers. Against these brand attributes, fans' interaction through one of the Instagram's key engagement features is expressed through 'aspiring'-, 'belonging'-, 'criticising'-and 'loving'-based comments. Implications-The study shows that Instagram facilitates co-branding, while giving fans a more active role in the branding process through comments. We recommend a culture change whereby teams become more market-focused and communications-driven by employing a greater understanding of the semiotics of images and fan comments through the use of social media.

Fan Loyalty Toward International Football Team: The Role of Brand Image

“…On the contrary, Bauer's (2008) empirical study conducted in other sports literature reveals that attribute has a significant favorable impact in forming fan loyalty, both attitudinal and behavioural. The last literature is in line with the majority of scholars who agree that fan loyalty in a sports context is more influenced by product-related attributes (Anagnostopoulos, Parganas, Chadwick, & Fenton, 2018).…”

COVID-19 and Soccer Teams on Instagram: The Case of Corporate Social Responsibility

“…rather than on nonproduct ones (values, image, sponsors, etc. ; see Anagnostopoulos, Parganas, Chadwick, & Fenton, 2018;Parganas et al, 2017). Indeed, as PTSOs' CSR activities are considered a non-product-related brand attribute, research has shown that only a small proportion of Instagram posts reflect community service activities such as promoting social initiatives (Anagnostopoulos et al, 2018).…”

“…; see Anagnostopoulos, Parganas, Chadwick, & Fenton, 2018;Parganas et al, 2017). Indeed, as PTSOs' CSR activities are considered a non-product-related brand attribute, research has shown that only a small proportion of Instagram posts reflect community service activities such as promoting social initiatives (Anagnostopoulos et al, 2018). Thus, with the exception of the works of Hull and Kim (2016) and Kim et al (2017), little is known about how PTSOs communicate their CSR actions through Instagram.…”

Sporda Markalaşmada Di̇ji̇talleşme Ve Sosyal Medyanin Kulanimi

“…Picture-sharing social media sites, such as Instagram, is also gaining interest in managing the use of visual imagery (Thomson et al 2018). Anagnostopoulos et al (2018) conducted a study in English Premier League to reveal that all teams in the league have Instagram accounts to provide visual content to boost fan engagement; however, Instagram is text-constraint, so brand managers will find creative and thoughtful ways to cultivate their brands (Anagnostopoulos et al 2018).…”