Preliminary evidence of brand acquaintancing on Snapchat

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to empirically derive and test a framework of brand acquaintancing – a new emotional attribution resulting from user-brand interactions on Snapchat, a popular social medium with ephemeral properties. Design/methodology/approach: Focus group data were used to derive a framework, hypotheses and measurement scales for explicating the brand acquaintancing construct. Structural coherence of the framework and reliability and validity of scales were tested using a survey sample of Snapchat using students. The purified theoretical model was tested using a nationwide sample of Snapchat users. Findings: The studies find that Snapchat users are receptive to unknown and stranger brands. Users’ fear of self-disclosure triggers a search for acquaintances on the medium, i.e., acquaintances are sought over friends and intimates. Moreover, unknown and stranger brands encountered on the medium are acquaintance, i.e., awarded the status of an acquaintance. Research limitations/implications: The studies found Snapchat users receptive to unknown and stranger brands. Users’ fear of self-disclosure triggers a search for acquaintances on the medium, i.e., acquaintances are sought over friends and intimates. Moreover, unknown and stranger brands encountered on the medium are acquaintanced, i.e., they were awarded the status of an acquaintance. Originality/value: The paper presents empirical evidence of brand acquaintancing on Snapchat, and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of social media platforms to aid scholars and practitioners.