Beauty blogger selfies as authenticating practices

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the use of beauty blogging selfies in conveying consumer authenticity. The authors used an under-researched consumer-based authenticity approach. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopt a practice theory approach to selfies as both objects and practices. The study combines depth-interviews with a review of the participants’ blogs and selfies. Findings This research shows that bloggers use selfies as records of product trial, success and failure via specific sub-types. These selfies function as authenticating consumer acts, intertwined with key life narratives and as records of communal events, where bloggers identify as a community. Research limitations/implications This research is limited to beauty bloggers. Further research on consumer authenticity could be extended to other product categories and other media channels. The widened definition of selfies proposed enables further research on self-representational practices in consumption contexts. Likewise, the practice theory approach could be extended to other online contexts. Practical implications As social media and peer endorsement become ever more important to marketers, brands are seeking to leverage bloggers as brand ambassadors as well as the authenticity they convey. Maintaining this authenticity and credibility among peer networks and audiences is crucial for influencers and for marketers. Originality/value This study contributes to the understanding of consumer-based authenticity, self-representational practices using selfies and beauty blogging communities. Practice theories are applied in an online context, suggesting an opening for further research into mediated practices.

Selfies, Individual Traits, and Gender: Decoding the Relationship

“…Our study also concluded and measured the selfie-posting behavior of Indians; findings revealed that women are more interested and active to post selfies on social media platforms. Our result supports the previous literature and contributes to an understanding of posting selfies as practices in the context of theory (Albury 2014;Gannon and Prothero 2016;Kedzior et al 2016).…”

“…While most of the previous studies have shown that women are more engaged in selfie posting behavior and have shown the traits of the social exhibition and self-esteem, our results are contrary to this as Indian men exhibit more social exhibition than women. Indian men display and show themselves off much more than women; perhaps connected with a need to be the center of attraction and attention (Gannon and Prothero 2016). The results may also be correlated with the patriarchal structures prevalent in Indian society.…”

Netnography as a tool for understanding customers: implications for service research and practice

“…blogs (Gannon and Prothero, 2016). However, netnography is not limited to textual online data, and many netnographic marketing studies also include pictures and videos.…”

Assessing the effect of narrative transportation, portrayed action, and photographic style on the likelihood to comment on posted selfies

“…Facebook) have contributed to the widespread adoption of the "snapshot" style, a straightforward, generally unposed photograph of everyday life (Schroeder, 2012). A key aspect of the snapshot style is its "authentic" look, which derives from randomness and spontaneity through which visual elements are portrayed in photographs (Gannon and Prothero, 2016). Cultivation theorists (Lobinger and Brantner, 2015) would argue that frequent exposure to snapshot-like imagery leads viewers to interpret the portrayed action in visualised narratives as an authentic act.…”

“…Thus far, although exceptions exist (Gannon and Prothero, 2016;Pounders et al, 2016), scholars have paid scant attention to the influence of consumer photos. Marketing research in the domain of personal photography has mainly highlighted its representational role, namely the depiction of consumer life stories for consumer identity formation and maintenance (Holt, 1995).…”