Marketing

Mackenzie Falconer

Visual Storytelling, Identity, and Subtle Branding on Instagram

A headshot features a young woman with long, straight, dark brown hair parted down the middle, looking directly at the viewer with a broad, radiant smile. She has light green eyes and a natural complexion. She wears a light blue textured knit sweater over a black lace top, and two delicate gold necklaces with pendants. The background is a soft, plain light gray.

I’m Mackenzie Falconer, a fourth-year Professional Communications student, minoring in Public Relations. I have an interest in media, marketing, and the ways brands connect with audiences through digital platforms which has led me to want to pursue a career in digital storytelling. I am especially inspired by the opportunity to explore the world and discover the creativity that emerges from different perspectives and experiences.

You’re not just buying a product you’re buying a moment, a lifestyle, a version of yourself. And sometimes, all it takes is a simple post to make that happen. Most people can think of a time they’ve been influenced like this and that’s exactly what makes it such effective marketing.

My research explores how brands and influencers are changing the way products are marketed on Instagram by blending them into everyday life. Instead of directly selling, brands use aesthetic, lifestyle-driven content to create a feeling and ultimately an identity that consumers want to be part of. Through a qualitative approach and multimodal analysis of Instagram posts, this research shows how subtle branding, visual storytelling, and authenticity shape the way people connect with and buy into brands.

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