With the emergence of social media, brands have been searching for new ways to connect with their loyal fans. One way brands have done it is by revealing behind the scenes content. These behind the scenes content could include photos of employees working, photos of events the brand participated in, videos of how a product is made, interviews with brand creators, or just everyday photos that represent who the brand is.

Seeing the different ways that a brand can show their personality and identity impacts their fans’ attitudes towards them. Behind the scenes contents creates brand transparency as fans and consumers are able to look at what goes on behind their brand. It’s a way for brands to engage on a personal level with their fans. This also makes consumers trust the brand more because they see the brand as something more than just a corporate identity. People may think that brands like Microsoft or Sony are filled with stuffy employees who do not do anything but work behind cubicles, coming up with ideas. But by showing some behind the scenes content, brands are showing that their employees are like anyone else and that they care about them, and this could be done by simply sharing photos of the company’s annual Halloween costume contest.

Fans and consumers react favorably to behind the scenes materials because the brand now seems like a person, a close friend. The brands share who they are and hopefully their identity matches their fans’ perceived identity of themselves and of the brand. Another reason why fans are impacted by behind the scenes is because it’s intimate. Brands are revealing parts of themselves that they may not have otherwise done if they didn’t have a social media outlet, where they can openly communicate with their fans. Brand could also create brand identity through their behind the scenes content that could affect fans’ responses. For example, Zappos’s Facebook fanpage features videos of their employees doing silly things and having fun company events like their Halloween parties. This coincides with what customers already perceived Zappos as – a laid back work environment, care for their employees, and having one of the best customer services out there. They have carried that image with them into their Facebook with their behind the scenes contents which consumers notice. This, in turn, leads to good customer-brand relationship.