Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory and Brand Partnership with Instagram Social Media Influencer’s

 

Rebecca A. Bunnell

Department of Advertising/Public Relations, The Pennsylvania State University

COMM 473: Public Relations Campaigns

Professor Renea Nichols

February 11, 2020

 

Abstract

This paper explores published academic information of the Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA) Theory and Public Relations branded partnerships with Instagram social media influencers (SMI’s). The justification of research is to detail the history, orientation, and model of the ASA Theory and how understanding the theory applies to brand partnerships becoming a successful marketing strategy. This paper will examine selection of influencers to enhance or fulfill a public relations problem by reviewing two brand examples, Adore Me and Warby Parker.

Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory and Brand Partnership with Instagram Social Media Influencer’s

Instagram, a photo and video sharing social media platform has allowed brands to explore and discover a new form of marketing by collaborating with social media influencer’s. A SMI is defined as an individual with a large following who uses editorial and visual narration in partnership with a brand while maintaining casual and personal product opinionated advice (Abidin, 2017). The successful interaction and resulting gain in new audiences between brands and SMI’s can be attributed with positive use of the Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory, a three-part, person-orientated model that describes the collective characteristics of people that define an organization (Schnieder et al., 1995). Attraction, selection, and attrition are the three levels of a cycle that explain individual’s initial preference to an organization, the organizations selection process in choosing said individual, and the continued alliance or gradual weakening of association with an organization. If successful in maintenance of this relationship, the public attitude of the SMI’s followers towards a brand may increase and subsequent brand loyalty is achieved, creating a successful marketing technique. This paper will present the connection between the Attrition-Selection-Attraction Theory and how public relations practitioners can select and preserve a relationship with Instagram SMI’s to attain larger audience growth and loyalty of their organization or brand.

The Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory

In 1987, Benjamin Schneider published, “The People Make the Place” where the Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory was first presented. The framework of the model proposes that, “organizations are functions of the kinds of people they contain, and, further, that the people there are functions of an attraction-selection-attrition (ASA) cycle” (Schneider, 1987). Schneider explains that the importance of this theory is that how people act internally represent the organization externally and the specific attributes relevant to the model are values, personality, and attitudes (Schneider et al., 1995). The three steps, attraction, selection, and attrition, all work together in a cycle to understand how each individual within an organization is part of a larger reflection of the people, structures, and processes at work.

Attraction

The Attraction process defines how people have preference for choosing specific organizations due to a self-reflected understanding of their own personal characteristics and the characteristics of said organization. If a person believes that their attributes (values, personality, attitude) fit with the people, structures, and culture of the organization, the person can deduce that they will be a good match. In other words, people who are of similar type are inherently attracted to the same places (Schneider, 1987).

Selection

The Selection process defines how organizations make formal and informal decisions about the hiring processes and recruitment of individuals who possess attributes that the organization prefers (Schneider et al., 1995). Different types of people provide different types of proficiencies, and while this may seem counterintuitive to the attraction step, where individuals with similar attributes flock together, it seeks to view individuals as more than one attribute, but as layered. Therefore, in recruitment, additional subjection and review is taken on how the like-minded individual can also bring additional proficiencies to the organization (Schneider, 1987). In other words, not only do their attributes align but what other components and skills can the individual bring to the organization.

Attrition

The Attrition process is defined as being the opposite of the attraction step. It is when an individual may feel their attributes no longer align with the organization or while the initial attraction was there, if needs are not met they will leave. However, the critical point in halting this process, or avoiding disassociation, is if the individual expectations are met prior to hiring and during employment, and the organization remains transparent in practice and accepting to the attributes the individual provides (Schneider, 1987).

ASA Cycle

It is important to note how the theory interacts. In Figure 1, Schneider’s ASA Framework (1983) provides a visual model of this cycle. In the center is the organization’s goals, which are the goals conceptualized by the founder. These goals are turned into actions because of the founder’s behaviors, therefore creating the base of structures and processes the organization will follow. The goals determine the types of people who will be attracted (attraction), who will be recruited (selection), and who will stay (attrition).

Figure 1. The Attraction-Selection-Attrition Framework

From “An interactionist perspective on organizational effectiveness” by B. Schneider (1983)

Application in Public Relations

The advantageous knowledge of the Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory can assist a prospective employee as to what attributes they seek in a company based on their own attributes. In return, employers can discover the attributes that current and future employees can bring to the company. In any field of work, this cycle can assist in the decision making that goes into the selection of the best fit for an individual. Establishing and forming a mutually beneficial relationship with a client/s is an essential part of a public relations practitioners’ job.

The Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory provides a framework for how a brand’s PR practitioner can recruit can social media influencers and form a partnership to generate brand awareness. Specifically, SMI’s partnerships through the Instagram platform, which allows SMI’s to use visual and textual methods of communication, can achieve successful campaigns using the ASA Theory. The Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory can be initiated by a SMI with the attraction process or by the PR professional with the selection process. An examination of the of both will be discussed in the following 2 campaign examples. The qualitative content analysis of the Instagram selection process that a brand’s PR can look for in a potential SMI can be confidence, authenticity, and interactivity.

Confidence: “When influencers can trust their own-self and assures not only themselves but also their viewers of their abilities, Authenticity: The influencer is genuine and relatable with their followers, and Interactivity: The influencer works together with the viewer to solicit feedback” (Glucksman, 2017).

The first examination of the Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory can be seen in the partnership of Adore Me, a direct-to-consumer lingerie brand and Lela Espinal, a SMI on Instagram. The problem Adore Me was facing was the audiences content saturation of company advertisements. Espinal’s objective was to deliver video ads through unboxing and wearing of Adore Me lingerie to women in the United States, specifically the younger market (18 years +).

Figure 2: Adore Me advertisement on Instagram posted by @lelaspinal

Espinal was chosen through the selection process because her attitudes (confidence, authenticity, interactivity) of prior partnered advertisements aligned with that of Adore Me. The video and text format provide a visual and textual observance, with both speaking about the brand in the video and captioning the video with #adoreme and a link to the Adore Me Instagram page. Espinal successfully used the attributes in Figure 2. First, in how receiving the lingerie makes her feel beautiful (confidence). Then, in stating her excitement for receiving a package, the relatable excitement of feeling like a child reflects to her followers (authenticity). Finally, in the comments of this image, followers left comments discussing the related feeling of receiving a package or the encouragement that they wanted to try the Adore Me products, where she replied back and liked said comments (interactivity). In using the ASA Theory, a mutually beneficial relationship was formed between Adore Me and Espinal and the initial problem of saturated advertisements was transformed by using the selection process to find a SMI’s who used confidence, authenticity, and interactivity. In a Facebook conversion lift study of the campaign by Adore Me in 2020, the sponsored posts from August 28-October 28 generated 7% higher sales conversion rates and two times as many users, aged 18-24, were reached by the influencer posted content (Facebook Business, 2020).

The second examination of the Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory can be seen in the partnership of Warby Parker, an online eyeglasses retailer, and 7 SMI’s who had previously posted a non-sponsored, Instagram picture wearing a pair of Warby Parker glasses. The SMI’s objective was to provide natural and authentic content advocating for Warby Parker’s “Wearing Warby” campaign to highlight how they use their glasses as a tool for their careers or lifestyles. Each of the seven SMI’s were chosen through the selection process because the SMI’s were already in the attraction process with the brand. Each wore Warby Parker glasses in multiple posts prior, therefore the authenticity of supporting the brand would feel natural to their followers in comparison to a SMI who is a non-glasses wearer. Of the 7 SMI’s, all varied in age, gender, ethnicity, and follower count, ranging from 7,000-400,000 followers.

Figure 3: Warby Parker advertisement on Instagram posted by @franklinjleonard

In Figure 3, an example of 1 of the 7 will be examined. Franklin Leonard, founder and CEO of The Black List, was chosen through the selection process because he was a member of the attraction process. His attitudes of confidence, authenticity, and interactivity all aligned with that of Warby Parker’s. The post features Leonard wearing his usual glasses, mentioning he swears by them and has similar values (confidence). The glasses he uses are a pair of Warby Parker’s, which naturalizes that they are an established and reliable part of his life (authenticity). In the comments, followers expressed their love for the glasses and for Leonard’s holistic partnership approach, where he replied to comments answering his frame designs and liking their comments (interactivity). In using the ASA theory, the attraction and selection processes were used to enhance the “Wearing Warby” campaign while additionally, maximizing authenticity as the greatest portion of the 3 key SMI selection attributes. In a MediaKix study of the campaign, 18 posts in total were examined from the 7 chosen SMI’s. 844,111 combined followers were targeted, with 55,250 likes, 640 comments, and an average engagement of 3.45% (MediaKix, 2019).

Conclusion

The Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory is a model is a cycle of three parts. It assists an understanding of why and how people within organizations create the values and attributes that attract other people outside of the organization and subsequently, the recruitment and continued relationship of new employees with said organization. Public relations practitioners should be made aware of the importance of the ASA Theory in regards to selection processes of social media influencers. Specifically, SMI’s who use Instagram due to its powerful use of multiple visual and textual communication methods, as their primary platform. Key selection process can be used by a qualitative content analysis of the SMI’s confidence, authenticity, and interactivity. The Adore Me and Warby Parker campaigns revealed that in order to engage authentically, the selection of an SMI’s must align with the attitudes of the company. In Warby Parker’s case, an additional attraction to the brand prior from the SMI. The Attraction-Selection-Attrition Theory is an indispensable tool for a public relations partnership with social media influencers.

References

Abidin, C. (2017). #familygoals: Family Influencers, Calibrated Amateurism, and Justifying Young Digital Labor. Social Media + Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305117707191

Glucksman, M. (2017). The rise of social media influencer marketing on lifestyle branding: A case study of Lucie Fink. Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, 8(2), 77-87.

MediaKix. (2019, April 01). Case study: Warby Parker marketing Spots SEVEN INSTAGRAM INFLUENCERS. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://mediakix.com/blog/warby-parker-influencer-marketing-case-study-instagram/

Schneider, B., Goldstein, H. W., & Smith, D. B. (1995). The ASA framework: An update. Personnel Psychology, 48(4), 747. Retrieved from http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/scholarly-journals/asa-framework-update/docview/220136818/se-2?accountid=13158

Schneider, B. (1987). The people make the place. Personnel Psychology, 40(3), 437-453. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6570.1987.tb00609.x