Colleague 1
Katlyn Bone
Social media has transformed how brands build visibility, shape audience perception, and drive engagement. When executed with authenticity and emotional intelligence, it becomes a powerful tool for influence. However, misuse can trigger backlash and damage credibility.
Positive Example: Nike’s “Dream Crazy” Campaign
Nike’s 2018 “Dream Crazy” campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick is a highly effective example of positive influence through social media. Nike aligned their messaging with social justice, courage, and authenticity—driving conversation across platforms. This aligns with one of the strategic pillars of content marketing: grounding campaigns in core beliefs and brand purpose to build meaningful affinity (Harris, 2025).
Why It Was Positive:
· Deep emotional resonance and cultural relevance.
· Increased sales and loyalty despite initial controversy.
Negative Example: Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner Campaign
Pepsi’s 2017 campaign illustrates how social media influence can go wrong. In an attempt to leverage protest imagery, Pepsi trivialized serious cultural movements. The reaction was overwhelmingly negative, as the campaign lacked authenticity and sensitivity.
Why It Was Negative:
· Tone-deaf to social issues.
· Demonstrated that inauthentic messaging risks public trust.
What Makes Social Media Messaging Effective
1. Emotional Impact and Shareability
According to Harvard Business Review, videos and content go viral when they trigger strong psychological responses—especially positive emotions like warmth, happiness, and surprise (HBR, 2015). The “Puppyhood” example from Purina demonstrates how emotionally rich storytelling drives organic sharing.
Viral success is driven by how content makes people feel and why they want to share it—social motivation is as critical as emotional impact (HBR, 2015).
2. Authenticity and Brand Purpose
The Content Marketing Institute emphasizes that standout campaigns focus on brand values, audience understanding, and strategic storytelling (Harris, 2025). Campaigns that reflect real beliefs—not just promotions—create stronger audience trust.
· Example: Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign – used real women, not models, to spark authentic conversations on confidence.
· Example: Airbnb’s Belong Anywhere – built emotional connection through real host and guest stories rather than ads.
Conclusion
Effective social media marketing hinges on a brand’s ability to spark emotion, inspire sharing, and remain anchored in authenticity. As HBR (2015) notes, virality is not accidental, it is driven by deep emotional triggers and social motivation. Meanwhile, Harris (2025) reminds marketers that superior campaigns are built on strategic pillars of purpose, audience insight, and storytelling. When brands harness both psychology and authenticity, they achieve influence—not just visibility.
References:
Harris, J. (2025, October 16). 3 strategic pillars that help brands exceed their campaign goals [Examples]. Content Marketing Institute. Informa PLC.
Harvard Business Review. (2015, September). Why some videos go viral (Reprint F1509Z).
Colleague 2
Lyndsay Camaroto
Hello,
there are numerous positive and negatives when it comes to utilizing social media to influence others. One major way is to provide information, build connections, and share experiences. The overall sense of building connections and relationships with people nationally or worldwide is a great asset, especially in a time where it may not be feasible to connect in person, especially with those from other locations. A negative is that things can be misunderstood or limited. We see "reels" and parts of situations that may lack full insight and picture. This has been highly apparent in recent years and even this past year since the election where there are hundreds of videos that essentially get taken out of context and that has created more harm and led people into a negative mindset due to the videos being "cut" and put back together missing out on important information and context.
Teresa Heath-Wareing discusses that social media is reshaping the relationship between brands and audiences, and it is not just a simple marketing channel. She discusses effective messaging being about emphasizing dialogue and pushes for two-way communication. This can aid in building trust and loyalty with a brand or organization based on being able to openly communicate.
TEDx Talks. (2018, October 30). How social media is changing the face of marketing | Teresa Heath-Wareing | TEDxTelford Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekPGf3QeBlE
