When brands go the 'selfie' way

The epidemic of the 'selfie' didn't just excite social media users in 2013 but has also become a premise for brands to engage consumers

The word 'selfie' was included in the Oxford Dictionary on November 19, 2013, defined as 'a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website'. The now hugely popular concept is shared most on Facebook (48 per cent), followed by WhatsApp and text (27 per cent), Twitter (9 per cent), Instagram (8 per cent), Snapchat (5 per cent) and Pinterest (2 per cent), according to research by digital agency Mindshift Interactive. But what makes the selfie phenomenon more interesting is how brands have decided to ride the wave in order to connect with consumers.

"Wherever you look, you will see people standing with their phones and arms stretched out, ready to click a selfie. This gives rise to a marketer's need to tap into this potential audience and get their attention. Consumers are using the hashtag #selfie massively on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, which led to this research," says Zafar Rais, founder and CEO, Mindshift Interactive.

Take Dove, which launched the hashtag #BeautyIs (globally) and #DoveSelfie (in India) on International Women's Day. It included a seven-minute short film called Selfie which featured teenagers and their mothers who were asked to take self-images that highlighted their insecurities about the way they look. The video garnered a total of nine lakh views.

Another example is Max Bupa Health Insurance which used the hashtag #FamilySelfie on social media to assert the brand's focus on the whole family. The brand encouraged Twitter audiences to take a family selfie for a contest. The campaign generated an outreach of 2,44,000 on Twitter while giving the brand 500 additional followers within four days of launch.

Now consider VIP Skybags, which promoted its latest backpack through a selfie campaign revolving around the theme that everything is done backwards in today's times. It introduced the concept of 'reverse selfies' where one had to capture his/her style quotient with their backs facing the camera (while wearing the backpack).

McDowell's Signature wasn't far behind, launching an attempt to help people take better selfies through a contest (#SignatureSelfies) that roped in fashion photographer Atul Kasbekar. It was supported by Android and iOS apps with filters to enhance the look of the selfie taken, along with tips from the photographer.

The selfie wave has not only touched brands but also TV shows, events, tourism and a host of other arenas. January 22, 2014, was promoted as the #MuseumSelfieDay, a Twitter project aimed at reviving interest in museums. Museum visitors, curators, managers and mascots from all over the world were invited to take part. In another attempt, Star Wars launched its Instagram account in 2013 with a comical Darth Vader selfie on social media.

Gmail has jumped into the selfie fray with the launch of 'Shelfie,' based on the idea that one should share selfies. Shelfie enables a person to read and write emails while looking at their faces in the background. If that was not enough, Apple also started a new section in the iTunes app store dedicated to selfie sharing apps. 'Shots of me' is a social networking application made for clicking and sharing selfies.

Is the selfie wave here to stay? We will know sooner than later.