The role of content in creating meaningful conversations online: Case study of Henkel Beauty Care’s digital campaign in Germany

Abstract

The advent of social media platforms has had a disruptive effect on the shopping habits of consumers. Whereas once a consumer would be inspired by a marketing tactic to buy certain goods or services, today they will more often than ever go online to research the product further before buying. This paper will look at how this change in buying behaviour is affecting marketing campaigns, and will ask what brands can do to adapt to this new state of affairs. Looking at the case study of Henkel Beauty Care’s digital campaigns, the paper will set out the authors’ views that far from being a threat to brands, the changing behaviour of shoppers represents a real opportunity for meaningful dialogue and engagement. The tactics described here represent best practice in social media and are being deployed by a variety of brands across many industries.