Setting the Consumer Agenda: How Oregon Wineries Use Social Media to Promote Their Brand and Engage Consumers

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session and Reception
  In Interactive Paper Session: Public Relations Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

The research reported in this extended abstract is focused on how Oregon wineries promote and enhance (i.e., manage) their reputations and the regional reputation of Oregon wine while engaging customers through the use of social media (Facebook and Twitter). Our interest is in what kinds of messages are posted by the wineries and how Facebook fans and Twitter followers respond to each kind of message. We propose a framework of four message-objective categories: managing reputation, announcing news, engaging customers and prospects, and promoting sales. Using this framework, we are currently analyzing data collected from 20 Oregon wineries over a 6-month span in 2013. A total of 998 separate winery posts and 1248 consumer responses to those posts were collected. We will follow in January of 2014 with collection and analysis of similar data for Twitter.

Authors

• Lisa M. Weidman, Linfield College

• Sharon Wagner, Linfield College