COBRAs Framework - Three Stages of Engagement
Consumption - Users are passively exposed to brand-related content (shared by other consumers or the brand) without further participation or interaction. (e.g., viewing a brand-related video, reading product reviews). Reach or “impressions”
Contribution - Activities with a moderate engagement level, where consumers respond to branded stimuli by their peers or the brand. (e.g., rating products and/or brands, engaging in branded conversations). Provoking an active brand-related response that increases the organic reach of a campaign.
Creation - Content that is (co-)created by consumers, and that may stimulate further consumption and contribution by other peers. (e.g., writing brand-related articles, uploading brand-related videos, audios, pictures, or images). Provoking an active brand-related response that increases the organic reach of a campaign.
Level of interactivity increases across three stages
Consumption - Low
Contribution - Medium
Creation - High
Motivations and drivers of COBRAs
General - Empowerment and Remuneration
Consumption - Entertainment and Information
None of the three COBRAs - Personal Identity
How brands could satisfy each motivation
Empowerment - Opening co-creation environments for their users
Entertainment - Diversify the content to include more engaging and fun formats such as memes, games, videos, etc. Could also involve well-known influencers and content creators.
Integration and Social Interaction - Create a strong sense of community which encourages sharing and discussing content. Could even host real life events to further develop this aspect.
Personal Identity - Encourage users to create content that represents them and make a contest out of it. Create a brand image / culture that is clear and unique that users may then relate to.
Information - Incorporate AIs that can answer quick simple questions. Create engaging and interactive guides for products / services that can be posted on social media.
Remuneration - Include gamification aspects to encourage users to contribute and create content. This links to the previously mentioned contest which could incentivise users by offering discounts or free products if they win.
Definitions of Motivations
Entertainment - The emotional relief generated by temporarily recreating or recessing from daily routines
Integration and Social Interaction - The users' feeling of connection (to an online community, for instance) that enables them to increase their knowledge about other people's circumstances and augment individuals' socializing capabilities
Personal Identity - The need for shaping one's identity by providing an image of one's personality and by receiving peer recognition
Information - Individuals' understanding of relevant events and conditions in the world around
Remuneration - Users' intention to obtain some future benefit or external reward that basically stands apart from the behavior
Empowerment - Individuals' purpose of exerting their influence or power on others' perceptions (e.g., consumers, companies, brands), by voicing their opinions and by demanding improvements in products, services, and corporate policies