ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a case study of how the Nottingham-based independent business ‘Dukki’ uses Facebook to establish a brand identity that is firmly rooted in the local community and manifest in the appropriation of the Nottinghamshire dialect. Social media encapsulate the connectivity and creativity of the contemporary Web, facilitating user-generated content and realising the associated features of ‘Web 2.0’. Businesses engaging with social media face the challenge of distinguishing themselves through a clear and coherent brand identity. The chapter offers a study of an independent business in Nottingham, whose trade is predicated on a celebration of the local history and dialect. The prominent use of stylised forms that reflect dialect features shows it to be a core part of the brand identity, but also a way of engaging with customers. Dukki also uses strategies associated with advertising discourse more widely as well as functions associated with social media platforms e.g. posting and sharing images, hashtags.
