94 THE POWER OF VISUAL STORYTELLING product can enable, as well as shots of life at American Express HQ (http:// instagram.com/americanexpress). The company has a vibrant community of over 27,000 followers, despite its being far from the typical Instagram 103 brand user. Some of the most popular brands on Instagram are the ones who appeal to a younger demographic, such as Victoria’s Secret, Starbucks, Forever 21, and MTV. Marketers have been working for years to connect with this key millennial age bracket, and visual marketing on Instagram can be a core plank to a successful marketing strategy. With more than 2.2 million followers, Nike is an example of a brand that got behind what Instagram is all about, and it is using it to its fullest (http://instagram.com/nike). You may think that there are only so many pictures of sneakers and apparel you could post, but Nike uses the platform to tell a lifestyle story filled with everyday and extraordinary athletic feats. From running to playing soccer, tennis, snowboarding, and more, Nike mixes in iconic images of professional athletes with inspirational photos, prompting its community members to share their stories of athleticism and pride in living an active lifestyle. Nike also celebrates its community by hosting fan-generated images on Instagram. To do this, Nike encour- ages fans to use hashtags such as #makeitcount or #justdoit for a chance to have their photos shared with the larger community. Nike also looks for opportunities to commemorate on Instagram its own milestones with its community. For example, when Nike hit 6 million uses of the hashtag #nike on Instagram, the company spent 24 hours sharing images from the community that prompted them to “push harder.” At the end of the 24-hour celebration, Nike ended by calling out the very first photo and fan who tagged #nike on Instagram, acknowledging that it takes both inspirational imagery and a passionate community to #makeitcount on the platform. Instagram works well when it is mixed in with a brand’s wider con- versation with its fans. Clothing company Free People uses customers as models by asking them to use Instagram to post photos of themselves wearing their favorite Free People fashion. Those photos are then added to