julius reimer (2014) personal branding in journalism: theory & systematization of a recent trend

Personal branding in journalism: theory and systema5za5on of a recent trend

Julius Reimer @julius_reimer

ECC 2014, Lisbon Nov 13th 2014

Trend: personal branding in journalism

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Trend: personal branding in journalism

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•  Studies on personal branding in journalism are rare •  Personal branding only secondary aspect of most studies (e.g.,

Canter, 2013; Hedman, 2014; Hedman/Djerf-‐Pierre, 2013) •  Studies confuse self marke5ng via social media with personal

branding as a whole (e.g., Hedman, 2014; Hedman/Djerf-‐Pierre, 2013; Schultz/Sheffer, 2012) – although „the product itself certainly contributes to the brand posi5oning“ (Siegert et al., 2011: 59–60)

•  Research lacks theore,cal founda,on à need for theory & systema,za,on/heuris,c categories

Theory: brands & (personal branding)

•  Brand (image) of an organiza5on, product, or individual = “associa5ons in the minds of customers and other important cons5tuents [that] differen5ate the brand and establish (to the extent possible) compe55ve superiority” (Keller/Lehmann, 2006: 740; also: Aaker, 1996; Esch, 2002; Meffert/Burmann, 2002)

•  Branding = prac5ces aiming at crea5ng those associa5ons (e.g., Chan-‐Olmsted/Cha, 2008)

•  However, “there is no guarantee that the recipients will perceive the brand as intended” (Siegert et al. 2011: 60)

à  Branding prac5ces are guided by the branding actor’s expecta6ons towards the target group, i.e. towards their preferences and reac5ons to different branding ac5vi5es

•  Applies to all business sectors (e. g., Chen, 2013; Pihl, 2013; Shepherd, 2005)

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Theory: (personal) branding in journalism

•  In contrast to other economic sectors, journalism fulfils a norma6ve func6on for society: Journalists…

…“convey informa5on, create publicity, cri5cize, […] control poli5cs, the economy, and the actors involved in those processes […] and foster public discourses” (Siegert et al. 2011: 53–54)

…serve the “societal needs for integra5on or at least synchroniza5on”(Görke/Scholl 2006: 650) of the different societal systems

à  Journalists’ branding prac5ces are guided by:

the branding actor’s expecta5ons towards the target groups as well as the objec5ves, logics, & norms of two societal systems: economy & journalism (cf. Entman, 2005)

à  Convergence of marke5ng & journalism

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Systema6za6on: process model

(with reference to Aaker, 1996; Esch, 2002; Keller/Lehmann, 2006; Meffert/Burmann, 2000; Wolff, 2006)

Target group image

Societal system of journalism

Societal system of economy

Target group Journalist

Observed current image

Target brand image

Meta-‐communi-‐ca5on

Journalis5c communi-‐ca5on of a certain kind

Brand aware-‐ness

Brand image

Previous experience

Others’ word-‐of-‐mouth

Brand experience

Brand loyalty

Con-‐sump5on

Feed-‐back

Word-‐of-‐mouth

Brand expecta5ons

Branding prac5ces

Brand preference

Compe5tors’ observed images

Brand value

Systema6za6on: branding prac5ces

•  Journalis6c performances as such = producing journalis5c communica5on offers (ar5cles, etc.) which they expect to evoke the desired brand image in the minds of the target group members

•  Meta-‐communica6on = communica5on about one’s journalis5c performances and oneself as their producer (e.g., tweets promo5ng one’s latest story, blog post describing one’s journalis5c aqtude)

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Systema6za6on: target groups & ideal types

Ideal types of self-‐branding journalists (in a Weberian sense) Target groups: (poten5al)...

...audiences

...employers/clients

...adver5sers

...sources/interview partners/other informants

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Ideal type Constraints of branding possibili6es (examples) Primary target groups

Employed reporters/editors

Employer’s brand (cf. Shepherd, 2005) Audiences, superiors

Freelancers Lack of organiza5onal resources

Clients

Entrepreneurs Audiences, adver5sers

Poten5al goal conflicts

Systema6za6on: dimensions of differen5a5on

(Modes of differen6a6on: Specializa5on or generaliza5on)

•  Distribu5on media: print, TV, radio, online •  Thema5c orienta5on: poli5cs, business, arts, sports, etc. •  Geographic orienta5on: local, regional, na5onal, interna5onal •  Journalis5c style

•  Tonality/language: personal-‐emo5onal/neutral-‐fact-‐oriented, etc. •  Presenta5on formats: report, feature, interview, etc. •  Journalis5c role concep5on: e.g., populist disseminator, detached watchdog, cri5cal

change agent, opportunist facilitator, etc. (e. g., Hanitzsch, 2011; Heise et al., 2013) •  Socio-‐poli5cal orienta5on •  Outer appearance: physiognomy, facial expressions, gestures, voice, etc. •  “Special skills”: management, technology & sotware, design, etc. •  Networks & sources

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Poten5als & risks

• More likely to be chosen by target groups (brand func5ons: ra5onaliza5on & risk reduc5on)

à More & beuer jobs & payment à  Beuer sources à beuer stories • More likely to be crowdfunded

•  Less 5me for “proper” journ. work •  Long-‐term posi5oning conflicts with changing journalism, society, and job market •  Less poten5al employers due to conflicts with employers‘ brands •  Employer/audience/peers disapprove of personal branding as incompa5ble with journalis5c values (cf. Hedman/Djerf-‐Pierre, 2013)

•  Visible & addressable = publicly auackable •  Self-‐presenta5on contradicts personality/journalis5c aqtude

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...for the individual journalist (micro level)

Poten5als & risks

•  Audience more likely to develop bonds with individuals than with anonymous organiza5on à increased audience loyalty •  Diversifica5on of content through specialized personal brands meets demands of fragmented audiences with diverse interests •  Strengthened or complemented organiza5on brand through “ingredient branding” •  Increased reach through personal brands’ (social media) audiences

•  If personal brands leave the organiza5on, so do their audiences •  Personal brand conflicts with/ “outshines” organiza5on brand •  Higher salaries for personal brands •  Personal branding during working hours à less 5me for “proper” journalis5c work

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...for news organiza6ons (meso level)

Poten5als & risks

•  Increased reach, trust, & loyalty strengthens performance of journalism system as a whole • Need for differen5a5on à increase of diversity in topics & opinions, coverage of previously neglected, but relevant topics

•  Convergence of marke5ng & journalis5c communica5on; emo5onaliza5on, personaliza5on, & opinionated news; audience orienta5on; focus on famous/elite sources; self-‐censorship for branding reasons; more entrepreneurs à less inves5ga5ve research; less coopera5on; mutual dis5nc5on; special interest repor5ng; personalized repor5ng & recep5on (“echo chambers” & “filter bubbles”)

à Decrease of neutral, fact-‐based, & relevant informa5on & topics

+ Threat for synchronisa5on func5on Nov 13th 2014 12

...for journalism & its societal func6on (macro level)

Thank you! Julius Reimer, M. A. Associate researcher @ Hans-‐Bredow-‐Ins5tute for Media Research PhD student @ TU Dortmund University www.hans-‐bredow-‐ins5tut.de/de/node/4346

julius.reimer@hans-‐bredow-‐ins5tut.de @julius_reimer

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References •  Aaker, David A. (1996): Building strong brands. New York. •  Berkler, Simon (2008): Medien als Marken? Wirkungen von Medienmarken aus medienökonomischer Perspek6ve. Konstanz. •  Canter, Lily (2011): The interac5ve spectrum: the use of social media in UK regional newspapers. In: Convergence, 19(4), pp.

472–495. •  Chan-‐Olmsted, Sylvia M.; Cha, Jiyoung (2008): Exploring the antecedents and effects of brand images for television news: an

applica5on of brand personality construct in a mul5channel news environment. In: Interna6onal Journal on Media Management, 10(1), pp. 32–45.

•  Chen, Chih-‐Ping (2011): Exploring personal branding on YouTube. In: Journal of Internet Commerce, 12(4), pp. 332-‐347. •  Entman, Robert M. (2005): The nature and sources of news. In: Overholser, Geneva; Hall Jamieson, Kathleen (Eds.): The

Ins6tu6ons of American democracy: The press. New York, pp. 48–65. •  Esch, Franz-‐Rudolf (2002): Strategie und Technik der Markenführung. Wiesbaden. •  Görke, Alexander; Scholl, Armin (2006): Niklas Luhmann’s theory of social systems and journalism research. In: Journalism

Studies, 7(4), pp. 644–655. •  Hanitzsch, Thomas (2011): Populist disseminators, detached watchdogs, cri5cal change agents and opportunist facilitators:

professional milieus, the journalis5c field and autonomy in 18 countries. In: Interna6onal Communica6on GazeQe, 73 (6): pp. 477–494.

•  Hedman, Ulrika; Djerf-‐Pierre, Monika (2013): The social journalist. Embracing the social media life or crea5ng a new digital divide? In: Digital Journalism, 1(3), pp. 368–385.

•  Heise, Nele; Loosen, Wiebke; Reimer, Julius; Schmidt, Jan-‐Hinrik (2013): Including the audience. Comparing aqtudes and expecta5ons of journalists and users towards par5cipa5on in German TV news journalism. In: Journalism Studies (online first). DOI: 10.1080/1461670X.2013.831232

•  Keller, Kevin Lane; Lehmann, Donald R. (2006): Brands and branding: research findings and future priori5es. In: Marke6ng Science, (6), pp. 740–759.

•  Meffert, Heribert; Burmann, Christoph (2002): Managementkonzept der iden5tätsorien5erten Markenführung. In: Meffert, Heribert; Burmann, Christoph; Koers, Mar5n (Eds.): Markenmanagement. Wiesbaden, pp. 73–97.

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References •  Pihl, Christofer (2013): In the borderland between personal and corporate brands – the case of professional bloggers. In:

Journal of Global Fashion Marke6ng, 4(2), pp. 112–127. •  Schultz, Brad; Sheffer, Mary Lou (2012): Name brand: the rise of the independent reporter through social media. In: Online

Journal of Communica6on and Media Technologies, 2(3), pp. 93–112. •  Shepherd, Ifan D. (2005): From caule and Coke to Charlie: mee5ng the challenge of self marke5ng and personal branding. In:

Journal of Marke6ng Management, 21(5–6), pp. 589–606. •  Siegert, Gabriele; Gerth, Mauhias A.; Rademacher, Patrick (2011): Brand iden5ty-‐driven decision making by journalists and

media managers – the MBAC model as a theore5cal framework. In: Interna6onal Journal on Media Management, 13(1), pp. 53–70.

•  Wolff, Per-‐Erik (2006): TV MarkenManagement. Strategische und opera6ve Markenführung. Mit Sender-‐Fallstudien. München.

Screenshots

•  hup://de.slideshare.net/mandyjenkins/social-‐media-‐for-‐branding-‐journalism •  hup://www.poynter.org/how-‐tos/career-‐development/ask-‐the-‐recruiter/224697/live-‐chat-‐1023-‐how-‐journalists-‐can-‐build-‐

their-‐own-‐powerful-‐brands/ •  hup://newstex.com/2013/10/02/do-‐you-‐need-‐a-‐journalist-‐brand/ •  hups://www.journalism.co.uk/news/5-‐5ps-‐for-‐personal-‐branding-‐on-‐na5onal-‐freelancers-‐day/s2/a555177/ •  hup://storyful.com/stories/23768 •  hup://buzzmachine.com/2006/10/13/independent-‐journalist-‐as-‐brand/ •  hups://gigaom.com/2013/07/22/nate-‐silver-‐and-‐the-‐nyt-‐media-‐pla�orms-‐s5ll-‐have-‐power-‐just-‐not-‐as-‐much/ •  hup://blog.spundge.com/journalists-‐benefit-‐from-‐cul5va5ng-‐their-‐personal-‐brands/ •  hup://belowthefold.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/03/unbundled_journ.html •  hup://thegentlemanjournalist.com/2013/02/02/the-‐double-‐edged-‐sword-‐of-‐personal-‐brands-‐in-‐journalism/ •  hup://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2009/journalists-‐must-‐build-‐a-‐personal-‐brand-‐10-‐5ps/

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