Introducing COBRAs: Exploring motivations for brand-related social media use
Abstract
Social media websites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter provide unlimited means for internet users to interact, express, share and create content about anything, including brands. Such consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs) have significant consequences for firms. To effectively anticipate and direct these consequences, understanding people’s motivations to engage in brand-related social media use is imperative. This article makes a first effort to come to such an understanding. Instant messaging (IM) interviews were conducted with people engaged in COBRAs about their motivations to do so. Reporting motivations for the full spectrum of COBRA types (consuming, contributing and creating), the authors provide marketers and brand managers with valuable insights into consumer behaviour in a social media-dominated era.
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Earlier research showed that consumers' motivations to use online media, and experiences with these media, are rather stable.
“First, earlier research showed that consumers' motivations to use online media, and experiences with these media are rather stable (Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit 2011).”
From Engagement with Social Media and Social Media Advertising: The Differentiating Role of Platform Type (2018) · cites this paper as Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit 2011
Empowerment is seen as an important motivation for using social media.
“Empowerment is seen as an important motivation for using social media”
From Engagement with Social Media and Social Media Advertising: The Differentiating Role of Platform Type (2018) · cites this paper as Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit 2011
Some items were added to describe experiences especially appropriate or unique for social media, based on the work by Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit (2011).
“Because the original study focused on traditional media, some items were added to describe experiences especially appropriate or unique for social media, based on the work by Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit (2011) (i.e., 'Made sure I could vent my opinion'; 'Made sure I could help others'; 'Made me feel that I had influence on others'; 'Made sure (hopefully) that others like me respect me').”
From Engagement with Social Media and Social Media Advertising: The Differentiating Role of Platform Type (2018) · cites this paper as Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit 2011
Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit (2011) view 'staying updated about one's social environment' as a form of information.
“Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit (2011), for instance, also view 'staying updated about one's social environment' as a form of information”
From Engagement with Social Media and Social Media Advertising: The Differentiating Role of Platform Type (2018) · cites this paper as Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit 2011
Entertainment is a main motivation for contributing to brand-related content.
“Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit (2011) identified entertainment as a main motivation for contributing to brand-related content.”
From Influencer Marketing on Instagram: Empirical Research on Social Media Engagement with Sponsored Posts (2022) · cites this paper as Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit (2011)
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“Muntinga, Moorman, and Smit (2011), for instance, also view “staying updated about one’s social environment” as a form of information; and Kietzmann et al. (2011) take a less functional view of information.”
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- Authors
- Muntinga, D. G., Moorman, M., & Smit, E. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Amsterdam (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Muntinga, Daniël G.
- ORCID
- Smit, Edith G.
- Venue
- International Journal of Advertising
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2011-01
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 13-46
- ISSN
- 0265-0487 (ISSN-L)
- 1759-3948
- OpenAlex
- W1990596918
- Cited by
- 1,468
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 126 · 2025: 112 · 2024: 135 · 2023: 155 · 2022: 169 · 2021: 154 · 2020: 130 · 2019: 111 · 2018: 95 · 2017: 80 · 2016: 61 · 2015: 70 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 74.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Advertising (publishedVersion)
- UvA-DARE (University of Amsterdam) (publishedVersion)
- UvA-DARE (University of Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Marketing and Social Media
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Marketing and Advertising Strategies
- Keywords
- social media use, consumer motivation, brand engagement, brand consumption, brand building, consumer behavior, brand management
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