Dr. Ann-Kristin Knapp (University of Münster): 

“Does the Social Media Power of a Brand Alliance Partner Impact New Product Success? The Case of Movie Stars” (with Nora Pähler von der Holte, University of Münster, Raoul Kübler, Ozyegin University, and Thorsten Hennig-Thurau, University of Münster)

Thursday, November, 3rd, 14:00 – 15:30 (WiSo Building, Room 310) 

Abstract:

Determining the true value of social media for selling products is an important topic for both scholars and managers. In the context of brand alliances, managers can acquire an installed social media fan base of a partner brand, hoping that this social media base would enhance the success of new composite products that feature the partner brand. But does such an approach pay off, and how much is a brand alliance partner’s social media base really worth? We develop a conceptual model of the social media power of partner brands, including both social media variables and brand alliance factors. We empirically test our model with a unique dataset, combining information on 471 motion pictures (host brands), the movie stars involved in these films (partner brands), and their activities on social media. This project adds to our understanding of how social media influences the management of brands in today’s digital environment and offers multiple insights for managers of both host and partner brands, but also branding and social media scholars.