Instagram launched in October 2010. Originally, it was built for the OS Platform solely, but it has since expanded to Android in 2012. Also in 2012, Instagram was acquired by Facebook for 1 billion. Today, Instagram has 80 million users.
Many question whether Instagram has branding potential for third-parties. Many of Instagram's users are regular (non-business) users who use the service to share photos of cats, babies, vacations and events. Perhaps, one option to use Instagram as a branding tool could be as incorporated into a "soft" branding campaign such as a photo contest. Instagram's inherent sharability could be great for elegantly incorporated campaigns, but, like Pintrest, Instagram is not a silver bullet marketing strategy for all brands. It's very excited fan base could be a great allure for brands that find the service and options for integration appropriate to their campaign.
