- Home
- Academics
- Communications
- The Elon Journal
- Full Archive
- Fall 2024
- Fall 2024: Ryan Margaret Lee
Fall 2024: Ryan Margaret Lee
Water Bottle War: Examining the Relationship Between the Consumer Identity of Water Bottles and the Digital Marketing Strategies of Competing Brands
Ryan Margaret Lee
Communication Design, Elon University
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in an undergraduate senior capstone course in communications
Abstract
In the contemporary digital world, the relationship between consumer identity and brand marketing is more complex and intertwined than ever before, especially in industries where personal identity is shaped by brand loyalty. This study examines how digital marketing strategies shape consumer identities within the competitive market of water bottles, focusing on three major brands: Stanley, Owala, and Hydro Flask. Over a four-month period, Instagram posts were analyzed to reveal how these brands construct distinct personas and position themselves in the minds of consumers. By exploring the imagery, visual styles and recurring themes, observations into the unique brand personalities and promotional tactics each brand employs were revealed. Ultimately, this study provides fresh insights into the ways digital marketing shapes consumer identity, offering key perspectives for brands seeking to enhance their engagement and foster strong connections with their target audiences.
Keywords: consumer identity, digital marketing, brand personality, brand loyalty, water bottles
Email: rlee27@elon.edu
I. Introduction
In today’s digital age, the intersection of consumer identity and digital brand marketing is both relevant and of heightened interest, especially in industries where brand loyalty is deeply intertwined with personal identity. A well-known industry currently leveraging this relationship is the realm of water bottles. Brands, including Stanley, Owala, and Hydro Flask, compete not only through the features of their products, but also though the ability to resonate with consumers’ self-perceptions and social identities in order to expand their relevance. By exploring how these brands shape their digital marketing to reflect consumer identities and self-expression, valuable insights can be gained into the dynamics of contemporary consumer behavior, brand engagement, and promotional tactics.
Water bottles, once simple containers for the purpose of hydration, have evolved into lifestyle accessories that reflect individual tastes, values, and aspirations. The digital world, particularly social media platforms like Instagram, has become a central and crucial space for brands that seek to capture the attention and loyalty of consumers (Ciprian 2015). This study will examine four months of Instagram posts and advertisements from Stanley, Owala, and Hydro Flask and perform a textual analysis in order to gain insight into how these brands create individualized personalities and position themselves in the minds of consumers.
The digital marketing strategies employed by these brands reveal important connections between consumer identity and brand engagement. By examining how these brands leverage consumer identities in their digital campaigns, one can gain a deeper understanding of the factors that drive consumer preferences and foster brand loyalty within the competitive landscape of water bottles. The research aims to shed light on how these brands resonate with consumers’ self-perceptions and social identities through examining the language, imagery, and themes used in their digital campaigns. The findings will aim to contribute to the understanding of consumer behavior in digital marketing and provide insights for brands looking to enhance their strategies in the water bottle market.
II. Literature Review
Consumer identity is a complex relationship between the material goods individuals possess and the psychological experiences they hope to derive from them. The following literature review explores the relationship between consumers and brands and presents findings on how brands shape and reflect individual identities. Brand personalities enhance this concept, allowing consumers to engage with brands on a personal level, with each brand distinguishing themselves in the minds of consumers. The relationship between consumers and brands is highlighted within the realm of social media and digital marketing. The exploration of these concepts often reflects the effect that digital brand marketing and consumer psychology have on self-perception. As social media platforms and digital marketing fields have continued to expand, their influence on consumers has paralleled in impact. With this new growth, it is important to understand the relationship between the two in order to optimize marketing strategies and better engage with target audiences.
Consumer and Brand Identity
Consumer identity is influenced by both the material possessions individuals own and the psychological benefits they seek from these possessions (Dittmar, 2011). These benefits include moving closer to an ideal identity, which often is reflected through the identity of the brands they associate with (Dittmar, 2011). When individuals attach themselves to brands, it reflects not only their personality to others but also influences their own self-perception (Schmitt, 2012).
Brand personalities allow consumers to engage with the brands in a humanistic and personal way. They also differentiate brands in the mind of consumers. For example, when looking at vodka as a base product, personalities come through the “colorless and tasteless vodka product” and separate brands from “hip” to “conservative” (Schmitt, 2012). These brand personalities become a tie to the consumers own identity and what they want to portray themselves as. Another example of this concept can be shown through the relationship certain consumers have to the Jeep brand. One may think they show tough and adventurous aspects of themselves through owning a jeep car because of the personality illustrated by the brand (Schmitt, 2012).
When self is attached to brands, it can reflect personality to both others and the consumer themselves. Psychological research indicates that individuals possess knowledge structures, known as “self-schemas,” which organize incoming information that affects one’s view of “self” and assist in a deeper understanding and association (Schmitt, 2012). Individuals’ self-schemas influence their attitudes and behaviors towards brands. For example, people with strong masculine self-schemas tend to have different brand preferences compared to those with weaker masculine self-schemas (Schmitt, 2012). This concept that defines and links one’s “self” to certain brands is referred to as self-brand identity.
Brand Personalities and Value
Consumers often use brands as a means of “self-verification” and tend to seek products that confirm their self-concept and social identity (Raimondo et al., 2022). This suggests that consumers value brands that reflect and validate their self-perception and social identity. Once brands are tied to identity, research shows that consumers push to use products with prominent branding to signal their identity in relation to specific social groups (Raimondo et al., 2022). Social groups play a crucial role in this process, serving as tools that divide social environments into groups where one feels they belong (in-groups) and to those where one does not feel a sense of belonging (out-groups). As a result, individuals are inclined to adopt brand signals that are significant to their in-group while dissociating from the out-group (Raimondo et al., 2022).
This behavior extends to social comparison within groups, where consumers may choose products perceived as more “prestigious” or “prominent” to establish their status or differentiate themselves (Raimondo et al., 2022). This demonstrates that brands play a crucial role in the construction and expression of consumer identity, reflecting the value people place on brands as tools for social expression and self-definition. Consumers value brands not only for their inherent qualities but also for the social meaning and identity they convey (Raimondo et al., 2022).
Furthermore, the concept of brand attachment and brand communities further elevates the value put on brands. Brand attachment, a concept originating from “developmental psychology in the realm of parent-infant relationships,” describes a strong emotional bond that individuals can form with various items or concepts, including brands (Schmitt, 2012). Brand attachment pushes consumers towards a state of “true loyalty” which works to raise the value of the brand when broadened in “brand communities” (Schmitt, 2012). The concept of brand communities has been described as communities based on social relationships among users of a brand and are not necessarily tied to geography. Brand communities are characterized by a sense of emotional involvement and connection among members. These communities develop behaviors and values which members tend to follow, shaping how members engage with each other and with the brand (Schmitt, 2012). The mass loyalty created through these communities allows for brands to increase their value by enticing more consumers to participate through a herd mentality. The collective loyalty within these brand communities not only amplifies brand value but it also highlights the role of brands as cultural symbols.
Brands serve as more than representations of products or just oneself. They can also represent groups, societies, or entire cultures (Torelli & Cheng, 2011). They possess the ability to serve as cultural symbols for not only products and services, but also of broader concepts such as nations. This is commonly exemplified by the strong link of the United States to the McDonald’s brand (Schmitt, 2012). Consumers frequently use brands to embody “archetypes,” which are symbols that hold collective universal meaning (Schmitt, 2012). Brands reflect and influence the values, beliefs, and identities of societies which creates the potential for the production of modern cultural artifacts (Torelli & Cheng, 2011). As a result, understanding the cultural significance of brands is essential in comprehending their impact on consumer behavior and societal dynamics.
Social Media and Digital Branding
In recent years, social networks like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have become crucial for marketing and advertising. For example, Instagram’s rapid growth since its launch in 2011 has made it a key platform for social media marketers (Okazaki & Taylor, 2013). The platform has “one billion monthly active users and 500 million daily active users” and has become extremely valuable for building brand awareness, interacting with consumers, and promoting products (Hazari & Sethna, 2023). Different types of promotions are used on Instagram, including paid advertisements in various formats and unintentional advertisements posted by the consumers themselves. Most Instagram users follow a business account, which further emphasizes the platform’s importance for businesses that are looking to reach a wide audience and attract consumers (Hazari & Sethna, 2023).
Through these platforms, influencer and lifestyle marketing has also gained popularity. Influencers are larger personalities on Instagram promoting products to connect with a variety of demographics, most often the younger generations (Hazari & Sethna, 2023). This concept encourages personal interaction while still upholding a sense of aspiration. Similarity, lifestyle marketing through social media taps into consumer emotions. This concept allows brands to connect with consumers on a more personal level through conversations rather than solely a transactional basis (Hazari & Sethna, 2023).
These concepts along with consumer reactions highlight the rise of “word-of-mouth” via social media as a major factor influencing consumers’ brand recommendations (Lui & Lopez, 2016). This has resulted in companies using social media for product promotion. Consumer discussions on social media serve as indicators of product preferences and have a strong ability to shape consumer behavior (Lui & Lopez, 2016).
Trend Culture of Social Media Platforms
In the world of social media, certain topics have a tendency to rise in popularity and become “trending” on platforms, which attracts an increase of users. The topics that become popular begin to be widely discussed and can also “affect the public agenda of the community” (Asur et al., 2021). Factors responsible for the rise of a particular trend include the push by “hidden labor” behind the brands along with the collective community reposting or interacting with the trend (Duffy & Sawey, 2022). For example, an analysis of Twitter trends has revealed that the retweets by other users play a more crucial role in determining trends than the individual “attributes of users” (Asur et al., 2021). This emphasizes the significance of the content being shared when looking at the rise of trends on social media networks.
However, just as quickly as these trends seem to rise to the top, they are forgotten and passed over time. The general population tends to lose interest in topics as new topics pop up; the trends can quickly lose their appeal and fade into the background. This phenomenon is largely due to the competitive nature of the content displayed on these social media platforms (Asur et al., 2021). As new content spreads through the network, it can overshadow earlier topics of interest. This effect is further heightened by the limited attention span of users, who are constantly bombarded with new information and stimuli (Carstens et al., 2018).
Material Culture and Environmental Identity
Material culture often tends to reflect societal values and individual beliefs through a means of physical symbols. For example, through an array of everyday objects, from reusable water bottles to sustainable fashion, individuals express their commitment to environmental responsibility (Gregg, 2021). This intricate relationship between material objects and environmental consciousness tends to illustrate how consumer choices shape both personal identity and broader social movements towards sustainability.
A huge example of this phenomenon is the culture of “VSCO girls.” VSCO is a photography and social media platform with users that tend to be utilized by a younger demographic. The “VSCO girl” aesthetic was created through a trending idea on the app and grew well beyond photography. This identity grew to relate to environmental activism as users adopted eco-friendly habits and promoted sustainable products as part of their lifestyle (Gregg, 2021). The outcome of the identity grew beyond the trending aesthetic and translated into real change by “using reusable water bottles and purchasing from environmentally-conscious brands they are presumably reducing plastic waste that would be contaminating oceans” (Gregg, 2021). The identity, marked by specific accessories like Hydro Flasks and metal straws, not only promotes a specific style but also signals a commitment to eco-conscious living. The aesthetic extends beyond physical items, encompassing a broader lifestyle visible both online and offline.
III. Methods
The research aims to answer the following question: How do digital marketing strategies impact brand personality, and how does this, in turn, influence consumer identity and perceptions?
The research employs a textual analysis focusing on the Instagram posts on the Stanley, Owala, and Hydro Flask accounts, which are three prominent water bottle brands. The posts examined will be over four months, December 2023 through March 2024. This method works to reveal the underlying meanings and messages, which is essential for understanding the brand personalities and their influence on consumer identities.
The analysis examines how personality and meaning is created and conveyed through the content of the brands’ Instagram promotional materials. This includes the language, visual elements, and overall messaging strategies used by each brand. Secondly, it explores how larger social structures, such as social norms and trends, may influence the brands’ digital marketing content. These factors are used to understand the broader social context that affects consumer perceptions and behaviors.
Through a breakdown of content type distribution, which categorizes the focus of the posts, the analysis quantifies the types of content driving each brand’s Instagram feed. The study explores what percentage of posts are product-focused, lifestyle-focused, or include people in full-body focus. Correlation analysis is also used to explore how different post types influence consumer engagement, examining how visual style, post composition, and the presence of people drive interaction.
External forces that may impact the brands’ digital marketing strategies, such as current events, cultural movements, and industry trends are also examined. This works to interpret the brands’ messaging and strategies and perhaps gain insights into both brand personalities and consumer engagement. Overall, this research seeks to contribute to the understanding of how consumer identity is constructed and influenced by digital marketing strategies.
IV. Findings & Discussion
The analysis follows 198 Instagram posts published on the accounts of the three brands: Stanley, Owala, and Hydro Flask, from December 2023 to March 2024. It reveals distinct digital strategies and themes that each brand uses to resonate with and influence both their individual brand personalities and target consumer identities. The brands use their Instagram presence not only to showcase their products but also to construct social realities and push certain characteristics. Each brand tells a distinct story through its Instagram posts and works to create narratives about who their consumers can be and the values they embody. Through a breakdown of content type distribution, which categorizes the focus of the posts examined, the analysis quantifies the types of content that lead each brand’s Instagram feed.
Stanley: The Tried and True
Founded in 1913, Stanley is the oldest of the three brands analyzed (Stanley, n.d.). Its stable brand personality, crafted through the years, is reflected in the 52 posts analyzed. This analysis revealed that Stanley targets an older, more mature audience, predominantly adults and parents. Although few people appear in their posts, those included are typically middle-aged individuals and parents engaging with their children. The visual aesthetics are created through the use of neutral and darker color tones, contributing to a more subdued and perhaps sophisticated visual appeal. Stanley posts were primarily product-focused, with 85% of posts featuring products prominently. These posts were designed to showcase Stanley’s durable and functional design, often emphasizing new releases and limited-edition products. (see Appendix, Figure 1). One notable example of this was the post highlighting the limited-edition “Arctic Twist Quencher” release, which generated significant engagement with approximately 63.9K likes, nearly three times the brand’s average like count. This trend suggests that Stanley’s core audience responds enthusiastically to posts highlighting exclusive items, indicating a strong brand identity tied to product innovation and brand loyalty.
Lifestyle-focused posts were less frequent, accounting for 19% of the brand’s content during the allotted time. However, these posts presented the brand’s products as family staples, capable of fitting seamlessly into everyday life. For example, a December post featuring a family using a Stanley cup while exploring New York City during the holiday season showed the product’s versatility for various activities. The storyline of the post was curated from morning to night demonstrating the ability of Stanley products to keep beverages hot throughout the day. This reinforced its reputation for quality and reliability, offering a product that’s not just functional but also deeply embedded in everyday life. The key messaging appears to be straightforward and simple in comparison to the competitors who tend to prioritize the trending culture and personality features.
Stanley’s image of tradition and reliability works to appeal to consumers who value durability and functionality. This finding may imply that a “Stanley person” might prioritize stability and reliability. This both parallels and contrasts a persona created through the customer base itself and other digital platforms. As suggested in a New York Times article, Stanley has emerged as a popular choice among millennial and Gen Z women, particularly mothers (Issawi, 2022). This is also shown in an Instagram post published on International Women’s Day where Staley celebrated their “stan-ladies” and stated, “We couldn’t be us without you.” This choice pushes a sense of community and brand loyalty, directly addressing consumers and adapting a humanistic approach. In contrast from the millennial audience, Stanley has also shifted to younger demographics through other forms of digital marketing pushed by influencers rather than the brand itself. In the past year, Stanley water bottles have become a trend on TikTok, reaching a whole new demographic and personality yet not altering its own brand identity. This analysis shows how Stanley’s personal strategy aligns with broader social norms of reliability and maturity while simultaneously having an additional consumer identity, created independently of the brand, that appeals to a younger demographic detached from this original culture.
Owala: The New Kid on the Bottle Block
Owala joined the water bottle world quite late in the game compared to the other brands, but that does not make the company any less of a growing competitor. Similar to its young role in the market, the brand stands out with its playful and youthful visual style targeted towards a distinctly younger demographic, including teens (see Appendix, Figure 2). The use of bright colors and pastels, alongside a focus on product-centered imagery that taps into current social media trends on Pinterest and TikTok, suggests a strategy to appeal to a vibrant and energetic consumer base (see Appendix, Figure 3). Along with this, the number of posts (94) almost doubles the post count of Stanley and Hydro Flask over the period analyzed. The high post count speaks to the fast-moving pace of both the brand’s personality and the fleeting attention span of young consumers.
Owala’s Instagram strategy is heavily centered on product-driven content, with 93% of the posts featuring products in aesthetically coordinated environments. This focus on aligning product imagery with background elements like clothes and environment created a cohesive visual appeal, which enhanced the brand’s energetic and trending identity. The brand leaned into this aesthetic through the launch of the “Free Sip Twist” bottle, where posts highlighted how the product seamlessly fit into consumers’ lives, whether in yoga class, at a desk, or camping in the mountains. This positioning frames Owala products as essential tools for both daily routines and outdoor adventures, creating a balance between functionality and fashion. This tactic highlights new product designs and color variations dropping, which are often exciting factors for this age group. Posts regarding new product colors often also followed trending holiday themes. Additionally, Owala capitalizes on giveaways, which lead to notable spikes in engagement. The giveaways typically coincide with upcoming product launches and engage their audience through interactive posts. Examples include the “Alpine Angel,” “Soul Sisters,” and “’80s Collection” giveaways, which invited followers to engage with the content by liking the post, tagging their friends, and even bonus points for reposting the giveaway post on their story. As a new brand, this strategy works to both effectively expand Owala’s reach through loyal consumers and reestablish their lively and youthful brand personality.
The brand constructs a social reality that is vibrant and dynamic, emphasizing fun and excitement. Being an “Owala person” implies a playful, youthful spirit and a connection to modern social media culture. This identity appeals to teens and young adults who embrace trending culture and see their choices as a means of expressing their individuality and alignment with peer group norms. Owala leverages these broader societal trends towards visual expressiveness and social media engagement, tapping into the cultural capital of youth and novelty.
Hydro Flask: The Tree Hugger
Embracing nature-inspired visuals, Hydro Flask highlights connection to both community and the outdoors, earning them the personality title of “The Tree Hugger.” An analysis of Hydro Flask’s 52 posts reveals that its branding appeals to consumers in their mid-twenties, often incorporating imagery of happy people engaging with each other and the products, which suggests a community-oriented approach (see Appendix, Figure 4).
Hydro Flask’s content strategy took a more diverse approach than the other two brands, with a balanced distribution of product-focused posts (56%) and lifestyle-driven posts (52%). This suggests a dual focus on showcasing the product’s functionality and positioning it within broader lifestyle contexts. A particularly strong lifestyle theme was nature, with 54% of posts featuring outdoor environments, reinforcing Hydro Flask’s identity as a brand committed to the outdoors and sustainability. For example, a February post featured new product colors inspired by the landscapes of Oregon, paying homage to the lakes, flowers, and forests of the brand’s home state (see Appendix, Figure 4). This not only reinforces the brand’s connection to nature but also allows consumers to feel a personal connection to the brand’s environmental values. In addition to the pictures used, the posts include a use of copy both over and interacting with the products. The copy includes consistent headings and subheads tending to stay under ten words on each post. The use of neutral tones and simple sans serif typeface over images indicates a brand identity closely associated with environmental consciousness and clear straightforward values.
Hydro Flask also distinguishes itself with community engagement posts, which highlight their focus on both consumer well-being and sustainability. For instance, a post discussing the company’s lead-free bottle-sealing process, which it claims to have pioneered over a decade ago, generated engagement levels nearly 40 times higher than the average post. The emphasis on a healthy lifestyle and community allows Hydro Flask to foster trust and loyalty, reinforcing its image as a socially responsible brand that prioritizes the well-being of its consumers and the environment.
Hydro Flask’s approach seems designed to appeal to young adults who are likely to value sustainability, adventure, and social interactions. Hydro Flask crafts an identity centered around appreciating and immersing in nature and community. Beyond the posts and products, themselves, “Hydro Flask prides itself on maintaining environmentally sustainable practices when procuring the inputs for, and creating, their products” (Denhart, 2023). The brand’s personality is drawn inside and out and displayed through digital marketing. The frequent inclusion of nature settings and groups of people pushes the narrative that owning a Hydro Flask is about more than just having a reliable water bottle. Rather, it’s about belonging to a community of like-minded individuals who value the outdoors and environmentally responsible behaviors. A “Hydro Flask person” likely sees themselves as active, eco-conscious, and socially responsible. This identity appeals particularly to millennials and young adults in their mid-20s who are increasingly aligning their purchasing behaviors with their ethical and environmental values. Hydro Flask’s strategy effectively taps into the broader social norms of sustainability and community, essential components of contemporary consumer identity, particularly among younger consumers.
Bottle-to-Bottle Discussion
Across all three water bottle brands, there are shared similarities such as the emphasis on product imagery and lifestyle alignment. However, the approach to these elements tends to vary. Stanley (85%) and Owala (93%) showcased a strong emphasis on their products, often incorporating aesthetic coordination between the items and their environments. However, with Stanley, the brand tends to emphasize product utility and mature values, which works in tandem with the simple and straightforward personality of the brand. Owala on the other hand, highlights trendiness and visual appeal to speak to a younger audience and create a more youthful, energetic brand personality.
In contrast, Hydro Flask exhibited a much lower percentage of product-focused posts. The brand rather tended to emphasize its versatility and lifestyle integration instead. Hydro Flask was much more likely to focus posts on people and lifestyle (Figure 1). This emphasis on community connection reinforces the brand personality and may be a contributing factor in Hydro Flask’s engagement rates.
Figure 1: Percentage of Instagram posts focused on people and lifestyle
Each brand strategically crafts its online presence to resonate with specific consumer demographics and align with its individual brand personality. Despite the differences of each personality, there are also points of overlap which highlight important insights. For instance, all three brands adapt their strategies to capitalize on consumer preferences. This can be shown through the amount of posts each brand has. Owala almost doubles its competitors with 94 posts, while Stanley and Hydro Flask both posted 52 times. This finding suggests a specific strategy Owala has been following as a fairly new brand. It seems to work to push its relevance in the industry through posting more often with engaging content to expand its reach, while Stanley and Hydro Flask have been following a more typical industry standard with their already loyal followings. Another similarity is shown within the type of content posted. Video content was prominent across all three brands. While each brand varies in the number of videos, this strategy indicates an effective engagement method for all. Overall, while each brand has its own distinct personality and target audience, they all leverage digital marketing as a powerful tool to connect with consumers and reinforce their brand identities in the competitive market landscape.
Each brand crafts identities that connect with specific groups of consumers by creating visual stories and focusing on themes that align with their aspirations and values. These identities help consumers navigate their social worlds, providing them with symbolic resources to express who they are or aspire to be. By aligning their products with these broader social narratives, Stanley, Owala, and Hydro Flask not only sell products, but also sell ways of being, which are deeply integrated into contemporary social life.
V. Conclusion
Through the exploration of the digital marketing strategies of water bottle brands such as Stanley, Owala, and Hydro Flask, it becomes evident that these brands use Instagram not just to advertise products but to mold consumer identities. These brands appear to align themselves with the values, aspirations, and lifestyles of their target audiences. This alignment may play a role in influencing consumer perceptions of themselves and their choices in personal accessories such as water bottles. By strategically using imagery, language, and themes that resonate with specific demographic groups, these brands create distinct social identities for their consumers.
Stanley, Owala, and Hydro Flask have successfully demonstrated how digital platforms, particularly Instagram, can deepen brand loyalty and influence consumer behavior. The visual content seems to not only promote the products of each brand but also embed them within specific social narratives, potentially making water bottles symbols of broader personal and social identities. This strategy could encourage consumers to feel that their product choices are more than merely material, but rather extensions of their identity, which might be a significant motivator in consumer behavior and brand preference.
Future research could expand upon these findings by exploring how these strategies play out across different social media platforms, which may have different user demographics and norms. For example, the interaction styles and audience on TikTok or Facebook might lead brands to adjust their approach to consumer identity construction. Additionally, examining other products such as clothing or technology accessories could provide further insights into how brands across industries use digital marketing to influence consumer identity and create cultural artifacts. These studies could deepen the knowledge and understand of the dynamic between consumer identity construction and brand strategy in the digital age.
Ultimately, this research underscores the profound impact of digital marketing strategies have on consumer identity, particularly in markets where personal expression and brand loyalty are closely intertwined. As brands continue to navigate the constantly evolving digital landscape, understanding these dynamics will be crucial for crafting marketing strategies that not only engage consumers but also resonate with their lifestyles and values.
Acknowledgements
I’d like to give the biggest thank you to one of my most inspiring professors, Laura Lacy. If it wasn’t for the rebranding of her office hours into spirted brainstorm sessions, this research would not exist. Through our shared passion for crafting unique ideas and of course the lone water bottle on her desk, “Water Bottle War” was born and has been an immensely enlightening project ever since. I am extremely thankful for both her belief in me and her excitement throughout the entire process. Water bottles forever and ever.
References
Carstens, D. S., Doss, S. K., & Kies, S. C. (2018). Social media impact on attention span. Journal of Management & Engineering Integration, 11(1), 20–27. https://elon.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/social-media-impact-on-attention-span/docview/2316725647/se-2
Ciprian, P. (2015). The growing importance of social media in business marketing. Quaestus, (7), 94-98. https://elon.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/growing-importance-social-media-business/docview/1713658285/se-2
Dittmar, H. (2011). Material and consumer identities. In S. J. Schwartz, K. Luyckx, & V. L. Vignoles (Eds.), Handbook of Identity Theory and Research (pp. 745–769). Springer New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7988-9_31
Duffy, B. E., & Sawey, M. (2022). In/visibility in social media work: The hidden labor behind the brands. Media and Communication, 10(1), 77–87. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v10i1.4460
Gregg, M. (2021). Girlhood in the great outdoors. Silicon Valley Sociological Review, 19(1), Article 9. https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/svsr/vol19/iss1/9
Hazari, S., & Sethna, B. N. (2023). A comparison of lifestyle marketing and brand influencer advertising for Generation Z Instagram users. Journal of Promotion Management, 29(4), 491–534. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2022.2163033
Issawi, D. (2022, May 17). The sisterhood of the Stanley tumbler: The adventure quencher travel tumbler. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/17/style/stanley-tumbler.html
Liu, Y., & Lopez, R. A. (2016). The impact of social media conversations on consumer brand choices. Marketing Letters, 27(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-014-9321-2
Okazaki, S., & Taylor, C. R. (2013). Social Media and International Advertising: Theoretical challenges and future directions. International Marketing Review, 30(1), 56–71. https://doi.org/10.1108/02651331311298573
Raimondo, M. A., Cardamone, E., Miceli, G. N., & Bagozzi, R. P. (2022). Consumers’ identity signaling towards social groups: The effects of dissociative desire on brand prominence preferences. Psychology & Marketing, 39(10), 1964–1978. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21711
Schmitt, B. (2012). The consumer psychology of brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22(1), 7–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2011.09.005
Stanley. (n.d.). About Stanley. Stanley. Retrieved from https://www.stanley1913.com/pages/about-stanley
Torelli, C., & Cheng, S. (2011). Cultural meanings of brands and consumption: A window into the cultural psychology of globalization. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 5(5), 251–262. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2011.00349.x