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Brand communities are groups of people who share an interest in a particular product or brand, created independently or by a company. Companies build online communities or organize events to strengthen brand interest and create lifetime preferences. Members of a brand community can become word-of-mouth advertisers, and building a brand community is up to the company. Most brand communities are established online, but many companies also have events. Some argue that community loyalty becomes more important than brand loyalty.
A brand community is a community created independently or by a company to express shared interest in a particular product or ‘brand’. This is literally anything that piques interest, such as a specific car type, computer manufacturer, portable device, or cookware. The community location may be online or there may be real-world events where brand enthusiasts can gather. Company-sponsored events feature activities or engagements that fans of the brand can enjoy.
Throughout history, private individuals have formed groups of enthusiasts focused on activities or products. In recent years, companies have shown increasing interest in developing brand communities. Many companies do significant research to determine what interests people with a brand loyalty share, and then may build online communities or organize events for brand loyalists in order to strengthen brand interest. This can create a lifetime preference for the brand.
People who are loyal enough to a brand that they can participate in a brand community can become a legion of word-of-mouth advertisers. They may passionately advocate that friends or family should drive a specific car or use a certain computer, as well as buy the brand whenever they need to be replaced. The more members of the branding community feel they are cared for by the company and other users of the brand, the more likely they are to try to get others to use the brand as well.
Building a brand community is up to the company, and brand community building isn’t just for passionate adults. Company X Cereal could create an interactive website to promote Chocolate Oats, aimed at children. It could provide access to some of the interests children share, such as a variety of small and easy-to-play games. To promote brand loyalty with parents, there may be links to nutritional information, parenting advice, etc., so that a whole family will hopefully become part of the community. The success of the X Cereal company depends on the quality of the website and on the accuracy with which the company has measured the interests of its loyalists.
Most types of brand communities are established online as part of a corporate website, but many companies also have events. Apple Expo brings together brand loyalists with many product demonstrations or presentations of new ones which can be very interesting for those interested in the brand. On the other hand, it tends to be easier and cheaper to use websites and these can be considered Web 2.0 or interactive.
Some argue that the brand community isn’t really about branding; it concerns the underlying interests. Some people suggest that when people no longer own the brand, they often become involved in a community because of their connection to others or because the community speaks to the underlying interests. This argument argues that community loyalty becomes more important than brand loyalty, and if so, the creation of community by companies does not necessarily translate into the creation of customers for life.
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