AUTHENTICITY AS BRAND MANAGEMENT TOOL IN SOCIAL MEDIA

The aim of this article is to define how marketing practitioners understand, design and apply an authenticity strategy in brand communications on social media Design/methodology/approach: The study is exploratory and qualitative in nature and was based on conducting 15 individual in-depth interviews (IDI) with communication and marketing managers representing various industries.The data was subjected to thematic analysis using an inductive approach.Findings: The survey results indicate that authenticity is perceived as a strategically constructed narrative, the implementation of which is subject to institutional constraints.Respondents point to the need to adapt forms of authenticity to the characteristics of platforms (e.g., TikTok vs. LinkedIn) and to the presence of tensions between the need for sincerity and image control.Research limitations/implications: The study is exploratory and qualitative in nature and is based on qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with a limited, purposively selected sample of 15 respondents, so the results cannot be generalized.Furthermore, the dynamic nature of social media means that the results must be interpreted in relation to a specific moment in time -changing platform trends or cultural expectations may influence the redefinition of authenticity practices in the coming years.Practical Social implications: The results of the study provide a number of practical tips for those responsible for communication strategy and brand management in the digital environment.Authenticity requires planning and competence, not improvisation -effective authenticity management is not about spontaneity, but about skillfully constructing a message that meets cultural and platform norms while maintaining credibility.Originality/value: This article brings a new perspective to authenticity research by focusing on the perceptions of practitioners responsible for social media communication.The research identifies how they understand and implement the authenticity strategy and what practical tensions between strategic communication and the perception of authenticity they manage in this area.