Brand Engagement in Relation to the Elements of Uses and Gratifications Theory through Participation in Virtual Brand Communities on Pinterest

Abstract

Many advertising, marketing, and communication professionals look for ways to increase consumers’ engagements with their brands. In doing so many have begun to use social networking sites, such as Pinterest. Consumers can engage with brands through participation in these sites. Through this brand engagement, businesses can hope for positive customer satisfaction towards their specific brand, which can lead to the development of brand attachments. The purpose of this study was to show the association between brand engagement and the elements of uses and gratifications theory, specifically through the use of the virtual brand community of Pinterest. Statistical tests were conducted to determine the relationship between individual and multiple elements of the uses and gratifications theory and brand engagement.