Mayhem in social media

Abstract

This paper recounts Allstate’s transition from traditional to social media marketing, including its use of the brand character, ‘Mayhem’. Allstate maintained a dual-brand presence by having separate social media accounts for its brand and brand character on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Although Mayhem’s popularity varied across platforms, the addition of the character to Allstate’s social media presence resulted in significant increases in popularity for both the brand and Mayhem. This paper identifies factors potentially affecting the success of brand characters in social media. It closes with a discussion on managerial implications that includes three key points for managers to consider when using a brand character in social media.