Instagram as a New Tool in Image Shaping: Case Study of the British Royal Family Account @TheRoyalFamily

For citation: Kulchitskaya D.Yu. (2018) Instagram kak instrument formirovaniya imidzha: keys-stadi akkaunta britanskoy korolevskoy sem'i @TheRoyalFamily [Instagram as a New Tool in Image Shaping: Case Study of the British Royal Family Account @TheRoyalFamily]. Mediaskop3. (in Russian). Available at: http://www.mediascope.ru/2479

DOI: 10.30547/mediascope.3.2018.15

© Diana Yu. Kulchitskaya

PhD in Philology, Associate Professor at the Chair of New Media and Communication, Faculty of Journalism, Lomonosov Moscow State University (Moscow, Russia), diana.kulchitskaya@gmail.com

Abstract

The article examines the ways, in which new media tools merge into contemporary PR techniques. Based on the Instagram account of the Royal family in the United Kingdom the author shows how visual content may help to create a positive image of a public person and engage a large online audience. According to latest statistical data, Instagram is the most rapidly developing social networking site, which engages mainly a young audience. That is why the investigation of Instagram as PR tool represents a topical scholarly issue.

The author conducts content analysis of posts, created during a year (N=512): from January 2017 until January 2018. Special coding categories were developed for video posts and images. The engagement rate of the posts is also analyzed, as well as the comments for each post.

The author concludes that the PR specialists from the Royal Communications division use several verbal and visual approaches to create a positive image of the members of the Royal family. The Royals are shown as tolerant, merciful people, who are actively engaged in different charitable activities.

Keywords: new media, Instagram, visual communication, social media, new PR technologies.

Notes

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