Instagram doesn’t need an introduction, it is a free photo and video-sharing app available on iOS and Android. This photo and video-sharing social networking is owned by American company Meta Platforms. Instagram is a digital space that allows people to share and upload their photos and videos to their service or it can be shared with their followers or a group of friends. This social media platform provides a number of amazing features that people can “like”, “comment”, and “share” posts shared by their friends known as “followers” on Instagram. The brand always had a strong vision to be the best social media network, they have already focused on maintaining transparency, enhancing their video and messaging options, helping creators to make a living, and so on. Their new mission is to make people closer as a community over the things they love. The company is trying to focus on:
- Exploring new things
- Inspiring creativity
- Sparking connections.
BELOW IS THE RELATIONSHIP FORM SELECTED BY ME:
In terms of Fournier’s categories, the relationship with the most used social media network “INSTAGRAM” can be characterized as a form of fostering “COMMITTED PARTNERSHIPS” because according to Fournier’s framework, the term “committed partnership” represents a relationship of a brand with its customer, where customers feel love, intimacy, trust, and commitment to stay together. I feel the same relationship between me and the brand.
For instance, I use this app every single day and never get tired of it as it allows me to follow friends, brands, businesses, and any creative and influential person all in one place. It is a platform where everyone can show their creativity by editing photos and videos of their interest and uploading them so the whole world can see it and it feels like a portal to a new world. I feel a warm, connected, friendly relationship with this social media network.
Following are the reasons why Instagram can be seen as fitting the “COMMITTED PARTNERSHIPS” category:
- COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL CONNECTION:(LOVE)
Instagram allows its users to share their thoughts, opinions, and views on certain things, it is a platform for users to connect with their friends, family, and acquaintances. I believe this brand is a committed partner because it allows me to actually connect with my real old buddies, and promotes a feeling of love to me, because of this platform, I come across my old buddies with whom I lost connection once but Instagram made this happen. This social media network also allows me to share my personal moments, thoughts, and experiences with my close ones making it a place for connection and communication.
Instagram Group chat and Video call features
- DIRECT MESSAGE:(TRUST)
It also provides a feature of “DIRECT MESSAGING”, popularly known as “DM”, this allows private conversations between users as it enhances the sense of personal and one-on-one connection. This feature is not only limited to chatting with one friend at a time, but I can create groups of my friends and we can share posts that we find amusing, informative, motivational, and many more. The “DM” feature of Instagram makes me feel connected with my friends and family and I feel trusted with the brand.
Instagram Direct Message feature
- REAL-TIME UPDATE:(INTIMACY)
Instagram provides its users with a feature of “INSTAGRAM STORIES”, this gives me real-life updates about my friends and family like what they are doing, or where they are going. This creates a feeling that I’m also a part of their lives as they are sharing about their day-to-day experiences. Everyone I care about has an Instagram account which makes me feel more connected with the app because it provides me with all the real-time updates about my loved one and this adds a layer of intimacy and closeness to the relationship with the brand.
Instagram Stories feature
- GET INSPIRED:(COMMITMENT TO STAY TOGETHER)
Instagram is not only a platform for sharing and uploading content but many content creators can be seen here inspiring other users to certain levels. These users are usually categorized into different profiles, for instance, fashion bloggers, beauty and cosmetics, sports influencers, educational bloggers, motivational speakers, and so on. This allows Instagram to have such a variety of talent available on one particular platform and it helps the users to follow them according to their interests and passion. Some of the most inspiring content creators are available on the platform and doing a great job of inspiring the users of Instagram. Some of the most inspiring and influential content is posted here which makes me feel influential and motivated as well. Some of my favorite creators are Khaby Lame, Huda Kattan, and Olivier Wong. It makes me feel committed to the brand because I feel that checking up on the people I like or follow, makes me feel the constant urge to get updated on the fresh content and hence this makes me feel in a committed relation with the brand.
Instagram Reels and Post features
- MAKE ART WITH EACH POST:(COMMITMENT TO STAY TOGETHER)
The social media network plays a significant role in making people creative with what they post. Photography can be extended to another level to make it creative and innovative, there are many creators on Instagram who are known for having the most creative content that too from a simple and basic photo or video. “Transition videos” are another example of creativity as people view every post as an opportunity to show their talent to the world in a unique and engaging way. By posting something creative and innovative, people want to grab that favorable moment as an opportunity to show something beautiful and to say something encouraging. This makes me feel positive in a certain way because I can see the scope of posting on Instagram like how a single post can influence someone that too without spending a single penny(the cost of posting content on Instagram is zero). This feature motivates me to keep posting on the app which connects me to the platform in a way where I feel more committed to it for instance, I feel committed to posting on it frequently in order to get recognized, more creative, and distinctive on the platform.
Instagram creative post feature
To conclude, I believe my relationship with Instagram kept increasing over time than any other brand like Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, or LinkedIn, and I started feeling more connected to the brand because Instagram is beyond a social media platform, in this busy era, it acts as a digital medium among users where we can maintain and foster the relationships and connections with our friends, family, and loved ones. It is a digital space where almost every interaction is possible be it a DM, posting pictures and videos, sharing stories, going live, sharing memes, etc.
Fournier’s Brand Relationship Development Trajectories
Note: Time on the X-axis and Closeness on the Y-xis
Above we can see Fournier’s Brand Relationship Development Trajectories. Based on this graph my relationship with Instagram can be illustrated as a “Stable Maturity Graph”.
I believe in this way, it acts as a “COMMITTED PARTNERSHIPS” because my relationship with the brand kept more engaging over a period of time and at this moment I feel loyal to it. I have seen people in crowded rooms sitting in a corner busy with their digital buddy “Instagram”, scrolling the reels, laughing alone staring at their screens, sharing it with their friends, or sharing it on their story if they find it funny. So, that is how Instagram is taking up the role of a companion in my life as the network makes me feel connected, and emotionally engaged, and have a sense of proximity with the platform and the people I interact with on the network.
Thanks and Regards,
Mansi Kamboj.
REFERENCES:
10 Reasons Why I love Instagram
Instagram Chief Lists Top 3 Priorities For 2023
(PDF) Consumers and Their Brands: Developing Relationship Theory in Consumer Research
Mansi's Blog 
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