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Communicating via photographs: A gendered analysis of Olympic athletes’ visual self-presentation on Instagram

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  • Geurin-Eagleman, Andrea N.
  • Burch, Lauren M.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine Olympic athletes’ self-presentation on Instagram, a social media outlet on which users post photographs as their primary communication mechanism, in order to develop an understanding of the ways in which athletes use this medium as a communication and marketing tool to build their personal brand. Additionally, this research sought to understand whether differences existed between the utilisation of Instagram by male and female athletes. Drawing on Goffman's (1959) theory of self-presentation, this study examined eight purposively selected Olympic athletes’ Instagram photos. Findings revealed similarities to previous research on athletes’ use of written social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, as the majority of photos posted by athletes were personal in nature, thus reflecting backstage performance strategies according to self-presentation theory. The results indicated that female athletes were more likely to share photos of themselves and photos taken in private settings, but male athletes who posted a wider variety of photos encouraged greater engagement from their followers. Personal brand management implications for athletes and sport organisations are examined in greater detail in the discussion.

Suggested Citation

  • Geurin-Eagleman, Andrea N. & Burch, Lauren M., 2016. "Communicating via photographs: A gendered analysis of Olympic athletes’ visual self-presentation on Instagram," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 133-145.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:spomar:v:19:y:2016:i:2:p:133-145
    DOI: 10.1016/j.smr.2015.03.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Akiko Arai & Yong Jae Ko & Stephen Ross, 2014. "Branding athletes: Exploration and conceptualization of athlete brand image," Sport Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(2), pages 97-106, April.
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    5. Arai, Akiko & Ko, Yong Jae & Ross, Stephen, 2014. "Branding athletes: Exploration and conceptualization of athlete brand image," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 97-106.
    6. Adam Karg & Daniel Lock, 2014. "Using New Media to Engage Consumers at the Football World Cup," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Stephen Frawley & Daryl Adair (ed.), Managing the Football World Cup, chapter 3, pages 25-46, Palgrave Macmillan.
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    Cited by:

    1. Krzysztof Stepaniuk & Anna Sturgulewska, 2020. "Hitchhiking Experiences and Perception of Affective Label Polarity in Social Networking Sites—Potential Memetic Implications for Digital Visual Content Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Molinillo, Sebastian & Liébana-Cabanillas, Francisco & Anaya-Sánchez, Rafael & Buhalis, Dimitrios, 2018. "DMO online platforms: Image and intention to visit," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 116-130.
    3. SZIKSZAI-NÉMETH Ketrin, 2020. "Personal Branding In Team Sports Marketing," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 416-424, July.
    4. Carmen Berne-Manero & Mercedes Marzo-Navarro, 2020. "Exploring How Influencer and Relationship Marketing Serve Corporate Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-19, May.
    5. Geurin, Andrea N. & Burch, Lauren M., 2017. "User-generated branding via social media: An examination of six running brands," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 273-284.
    6. Hayes, Michelle & Filo, Kevin & Geurin, Andrea & Riot, Caroline, 2020. "An exploration of the distractions inherent to social media use among athletes," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(5), pages 852-868.

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