When my weekly screen-time report pops up on my phone every Sunday, one app always stands out: Instagram. While it began as a visual, artistic platform, Instagram has now completely taken over from Facebook and become my go-to social media platform of trust.
To be honest, I don’t post that much myself. I use Instagram more to stay in contact with friends, watch their stories, and discover other users, influencers, and brands that meet my interests. While my feed initially changed from food pictures to fitness influencers, it now mainly consists of travel and outdoor photography. During my daily train ride home from work, I immerse myself in this appealing world of stunning pictures and unique content and start planning my next weekend adventure or holiday trip.
As I hardly ever watch TV and don’t read newspapers or magazines, Instagram is also the most relevant touchpoint for me in regard to discovering new products and brands.
Authentic and interesting content affects my image of a brand. The best example is the partnership of Mercedes-Benz with German Roamers, a group of outdoor photographers. The event series had an overwhelmingly positive effect on my image of the brand. I had always said that I wouldn’t buy a Mercedes, but now I’m not quite so sure about that anymore.