BRAND COMMUNITY FORMATION: A CRITICAL REVIEW

Valentina-Daniela Constantin, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
Otilia-Elena Platon, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
Gheorghe Orzan, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania

ABSTRACT: Brand communities have the potential to increase the loyalty of those consumers who
are members, to generate oppositional loyalty towards the brands of competitors and also to
influence new product adoption behaviour. Moreover, this concept contributes to a better
understanding of the relationships between consumers and a specific brand and thus presents an
interest not only for marketing researchers, but also for brand managers. Starting with the 21st
century, brand communities have been conceptualized and studied many times in the marketing
literature, which has explored both the positive and negative consequences of these consumption
communities. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the most important findings related to this
marketing topic. Therefore, the article begins with the review of the most relevant definitions given
to brand communities which are then analysed. Secondly, there is a section dedicated to the
characteristics and particularities associated with these consumer communities, which were
identified by previous research. Subsequently, another section focuses upon the emergence process
of such communities, the way they are constructed by customers and also upon the factors and
steps that allow the formation and organization of brand communities. Finally, some implications
for brand management are offered, as well as some directions for future research.

Keywords: brand community, collective consumption, community behaviour, brand loyalty.

JEL Codes: M31