Consumers' use of brands to reflect their actual and ideal selves on Facebook

How do consumers represent their identities on online social media platforms? In this article, we focus on consumers' use of brands on their Facebook pages as subtle cues to represent their selves. Although recent research suggests that consumers present an actual, not an ideal self, our data reveal that veridical presentations of the actual self through brands rarely exist. Furthermore, we contribute to an understanding of how multiple selves interact to inform brand connections. We offer insights into how and why consumers either blend or integrate their actual and ideal selves or choose one of them exclusively when these selves conflict. Additional contributions and future directions in the areas of self, branding, and social media are discussed.

► We explore how consumers use brands on Facebook to represent the self. ► We employ a multi-method approach utilizing qualitative research techniques. ► Findings illustrate that consumers express both their actual and ideal selves. ► Findings contextualize self-expression as congruous and incongruous identities.