Social media refers collectively to activities or media based on web 2.0 with the features of participation, sharing, openness and expansion. Digital consumers in the era of social media not only collect, create, share and expand enormous information ...
Social media refers collectively to activities or media based on web 2.0 with the features of participation, sharing, openness and expansion. Digital consumers in the era of social media not only collect, create, share and expand enormous information but also play a role of wind-like something that causes waves in the Sea. It sometimes remains a small wave but finally becomes a tsunami that determines the success and failure of a brand.
The purpose of this study is to seek for a direction of and suggestion for brand management for the age of social media through bibliographical study and case study with the theme of ‘Brand Management in the Era of Social Media.’
To achieve this research goal, theoretical backgrounds of social media, the process of consumer purchase behavior model and brand management were examined together. In addition, the changes of brand environment and consumer purchase behaviors in the era of social media were studied through examinations and case studies. Case studies of brand management in the era of social media were preceded through the model of Scott M. Davis & Michael Dunn's The Brand Touch point Wheel and Brand Touch point Metrics models. The cases were selected based on the touch point management of experiences before purchase, during purchase and after purchase.
The results of this study are as follows:
First, in relation to experience before purchase, it was found that social media can form a functional interaction centering on the base of contents generation at the step of awareness promotion. In addition, when the generated contents are expanded, exchanging interaction focusing on the expanded relationship is made. Then, consumer-brand intimacy is formed and brand can be differentiated in characteristics. In addition, the use of crowdsourcing was found to be useful for creating differentiated value of brand and securing consumer insight.
Second, in relation to experience during purchase experience, social media can play a role of sales channel operations and give financial effect e.g. increasing sales to a company by means of exclusive information service and discount benefits, etc. Moreover, with customer complaint and A/S handling, new upgraded products information and news, etc., it can satisfy the consumer’s expected value for product and service, also make trust building for brand possible. In addition, it was found that commerce site can 1) facilitate the information sharing about consumer purchase, evaluation and review, 2) increase the possibility of consumer's purchase and 3) realizes convenient purchases.
Third, in relation to experiences after purchase, social media can play a role of building a continuous relationship with communication between consumers and brands. It was confirmed that irrecoverable decline of brand reliability and image will occur if companies coping with consumer complaints don’t keep up with the brand promise in the step before and during purchase. In addition, for negative issues, maintaining consumer-centered relationship rather than enterprises' excessive management or control, can turn crises into opportunities.
Considering social media with brand touchpoint management, Brand will be more sustainable and contribute to differential, new and solid relationship with consumers.