The ephemeral narrative I have chosen to reflect on is an Instagram story posted by the user ‘Strawberry Milk Mob”. This account is for the bathing suit brand created in 2018 by social media personality Georgia Costello. The brand name stems from Costello’s ‘mob’ of followers. Corresponding to the posts on the account, this story works as an advertisement for the Bikini’s sold by this brand. The link “Shop Bikini” takes users directly to the brand website where they can purchase any of the products available. This narrative reflects many other advertisements on platforms such as Instagram, particularly Instagram stories. The fleeting nature of the post (stories are only available for 24 hours) encourages users to act quickly in regards to purchasing the products advertised. Additionally, the bright colors that are used are common in social media advertisements as theory are eye-catching to recipients, aiding in the effectiveness of the promotion as users are more likely to click on images that have high visibility. Additionally, the use of bright colors in advertisements create “Enhanced brand recall”, as they are more memorable, and recognizable to users, as compared to neutral and dark tones. Additionally, brands with celebrity or influencer endorsements have been proven to be more effective, as users that admire the individuals endorsing the brand will often buy said product in order to feel closer, or similar to, the endorser. In the contest of this advertisement, Georgia Costello has many fans who admire her, encouraging their decision to buy her product.
The ephemeral nature of this instagram story is reflective of the arguments presented in: Ephemerality and Information Processing (2030), In which Barena, Meyer & Nave explore how users engage with ephemeral content less critically and more reactively than longer-term content. This causes faster engagement, increased emotional reaction, and reduced analysis of the content users are consuming. In the scope of advertising, this is extremely beneficial to brands and corporations, as it increases sales and productivity. On a personal note, I have watched Georgia Costello's content over the years, and I find her videos very entertaining, and when I discovered her brand, I was influenced to buy a bikini myself! Costello, like other entrepreneurs, often uses tactics such as “limited time sales” that she advertises using ephemeral narratives such as Instagram stories. These ephemeral narratives are a newfound tool in advertising products that continues to grow in popularity and effectiveness, along with the platforms they exist within.
Barnea, U., Meyer, R. J., & Nave, G. (2023). The Effects of Content Ephemerality on Information Processing. Journal of Marketing Research, 60(4), 750-766. https://doi-org.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/10.1177/00222437221131047
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