THE DILEMMA OF PERSONAL BRAND DEVELOPMENT: TO BE OR NOT TO BE

Abstract

Informatization of all areas of modern human activity and the rapid development of new information and communication technologies create favorable conditions for the implementation of programs of operational access to remote material and intellectual resources distributed throughout the globe. Over the past decade, social media has changed the way people, communities, and organizations create, share, and consume information from each other and businesses. However, today people have become more careful about their presence on the Internet, especially on social networks. It is becoming increasingly clear that social media poses enormous risks to individuals, communities, companies, and even society as a whole. Examples of such risks in social media include cyberbullying, addictive use, trolling, online witch-hunts, fake news, and privacy violations. The credibility of our study was enhanced by detailed data collection aimed at obtaining a deeper understanding of the phenomena of personal perception of social networks based on primary data obtained from interviews with social network experts and secondary data from the analysis of a large amount of secondary data (industry reports, press releases, eSports columns, and blogs). Using a reverse approach with primary and secondary data, we were able to ensure that all information based on the secondary data set was consistent with the expert interviews, and this was the basis for our interviewee research. As part of this process, we asked our interviewees to describe the motivational factors behind their involvement in social networks. The main goal of this study was based on the multidimensionality and duality of individual perceptions of social networks. Applying a qualitative methodological approach, the article investigates the individual attitude of consumers toward behavior in social networks (SNS). Through the prism of personal brand development, it is understood that people strive to create a satisfactory presentation of the desired self. At the same time, an important criterion of individual behavior in social networks is the preservation of public perception of one's identity. The fear of being unclear is associated with conflicting opinions in front of the target audience. In addition to promotion, the research helps to understand how personal brand interests influence social perception. The obtained results help to gain more knowledge about consumers from the point of view of their involvement in marketing communication.