Brand Communities

Brand communities are networks of consumers united by a desire to share their interest in, knowledge of, or enthusiasm for a particular brand. Brand communities can be based in particular geographic locations, or they can exist purely online through social media sites. In some cases, members of brand communities come together for special events like festivals or trade shows. Because brand communities are made up of people communicating about a brand, they have the potential to affect the brand’s reputation both inside and outside the brand community. Corporations often try to encourage or influence brand communities in the hope of generating positive word of mouth for their brand. This entry gives examples of brand communities and discusses why consumers participate in them. It also explains ...