Brands as personal narratives: learning from user–YouTube–brand interactions

This paper reports a three-stage study of user–brand interactions on YouTube. An initial exploration identified unique, previously unknown, constructs active in this context. Grounded hypotheses and scales were tested via two surveys separated by approximately 15 month; first survey taken pre-Covid was followed second May 2021 (Covid-vaccine present environment). We report that YouTube usage is significantly shaped feelings social dread; users find comfort fall into rabbit hole, which leads them to self-construal. Rooted cognitive emotional processes self-construal, brands emerge as personal narratives. These narratives help understand their history personality; they provide compelling basis for relating with others. The produces new implications future branding theories practice reflective the emerging reality