The era of Selfie Marketing is here to stay

We are diving head first into the era of selfies. The selfie phenomenon has taken the younger generations by storm, but older populations are taking part of the movement, too. The rise of Instagram has created the perfect platform for selfie placement. 

Who can Participate?

Anyone with a camera-phone. 

-Younger Generations: 

Pre-teens and teenagers love their selfies. They are the biggest drivers of this movement. These kids either love to show off their braces, or crave peer engagement but have nothing better to take a picture of.

-Baddie Winkle: 

Baddie Winkle has defied age boundaries. She has been dubbed "World's Coolest Grandma," and her fame has stemmed purely from hilarious selfie content. Her selfies have paved the way to 355k Instagram followers and appearances on ABC News and Australia's Today Show.

-Celebrities: 

As crazy as Miley Cyrus might be, she knows how to reach her fan base. At concerts, she takes a break from her performance to pose and snap a selfie with fans in the crowd. Later, she posts them on her Instagram and Twitter accounts. This is an easy, yet highly effective way for her to connect. 

-Rising Techno Stars? 

I am unsure if "The Chainsmokers" group actually qualifies as techno stars. As annoying and catchy as their single, "#Selfie," has proven to be, it was played on all the mainstream radio stations and made its way into the 16th position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

What's the draw? 

The truth: Selfies are rarely quality pictures. They are not artistic or significant. They clog Instagram timelines, and will often lead to an "unfollow" if an individual posts too many. 

HOWEVER. There are several striking features to the art of a selfie. 

1- Convenience. 

No need to pester and recruit a stranger off the street to become your personal photographer. 

2- Bonding Aspect. 

I once fit 11 people into one selfie. In that context, selfie-taking became an "event" as a crew squeezed together to fit into the shot.

3- Individual Expression

There has been a spur of creativity in the selfie realm. The "donut selife" is a recent trend. 

Business Value? 

High potential. Individualism and consumer customization is the buzz in the marketing world. Dove's "True Beauty" and Coca Cola's "Share a Coke" campaigns have shown major success because of the emphasis on the individual consumer. The selfie, the ultimate form of individual expression, should be integrated into the content mix of a company's social media strategy.