Transmedia branding and retail

Abstract

Drawing from the works of Henry Jenkins (Jenkins 2003), in this paper I will examine how transmediality and participatory culture are implemented by some Internet companies (Google, Ebay, Zalando, Amazon) in their core identity. These companies usually have both an online and a physical store, i.e. pop-up stores. Pop-up stores will be analyzed along with their online versions, in order to trace the relations between the two spaces and the way a coherent image and identity are maintained. Hence, my analysis will focus on the “two-step transmedial landscape” that produces the image and identity of the pop-up store on the social site: from the virtual space of the Internet company to physical space, virtual space and then back on social (Pinterest in this case), so to preserve and prolong the life cycle of retail space.