This document analyzes consumer interactions on social media sites for three brands: Dell, Starbucks, and Toyota. It finds that social media enables value co-creation between consumers and brands through knowledge sharing, communiting, and empowerment like appraising or criticizing. Ongoing dialogue deepens relationships by allowing collective consumer power and co-determination of brand values and meaning. Managers should facilitate engagement by listening to consumers on social media.

1. Brand Communities Through Online Interaction:
The Case Of Social Media
Laura S. Jones*
Durham Business School, U.K
Hazel H. Huang
Durham Business School, U.K.
19th
March 2011
Second International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships

2. Brand Community
• User/consumer generated brand community
– Offline: Harley Davidson (Schouten & McAlexander, 1995), Macintosh (Belk &
Tumbat, 2005), Saab and Ford Bronco (Muniz & O’Guinn, 2001)
– Online: Apple Newton (Muniz & Schau, 2005, 2007)
• Company sponsored brand community
– Offline: Jeep (McAlexander, Schouten & Koenig, 2002)
– Online: Nutella (Cova and Pace, 2006)
Second International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships

3. Brand Community
Second International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships
Company /
Marketer
Brand
Consumer
Consumer
Disconnect between
consumer and brand
(Product)

4. Online Brand Community
Second International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships
Brand
Consumer
Consumer
Virtual Community Space
Direct interactions
(Product)

5. Research Questions
Second International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships
Brand
Consumer
Consumer
Virtual Community Space
(Product)
• What interactions exist
1. Between consumers?
2. Between consumers and brands?

6. Method (1)
• Netnography (i.e. Muñiz & Schau, 2005; Schau et al. 2009; Brown et al.
2003; Cova & Pace, 2006; Kozinets et al. 2010)
• Brand selection criteria:
– Presence on social media
– High levels of participation and brand engagement
– Functional/symbolic and high/low involvement
• Three brands selected: Dell, Starbucks, Toyota
Second International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships

7. Method (2)
• Website selection criteria:
– Brand-sponsored venues
– Active community
• Data:
– More than 8,000 textual ‘artefacts’
– From 25 websites (including Facebook, Twitter, innovation
communities, blogs, branded communities, forums, Flickr, YouTube)
• Facebook and Twitter: April 2010 - August 2010
• Others: March 2008 – August 2010
• Analysis: iterative process (Dey 2004) using literature, textual
data and emergent interpretations
Second International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships

8. Findings
Second International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships
Interpersonal
activities
Interpersonal
activities
Knowledge-
based activities
Empowerment
activities
New members
Existing members
Brand

9. Knowledge-based practices
Consumer-consumer Consumer-brand
Information
seeking
“What is the correct way to order? ...
The store [Starbucks] I go to everyday is
currently doing some training. I was
listening and there is a specific way to
order. What is it?” (Kari Mozian, April
2010, Starbucks Facebook page,
discussion)
“I have been waiting for this phone [Dell
‘Streak’] for FOREVER! Is there any
information on pricing? At least a hint like
less than or greater than $500? Is HDMI out
only available through the docking
station?...Thanks.” (‘Kubalaml’, May 2010,
Dell Blog)
“@Starbucks is a dark cherry mocha frapp
available from starbucks? I don't wanna get
embarrassed if I try and order it but they
can't make it” (August 2010, Twitter)
Mentoring
& advising
“I would be afraid to use non Dell
compatible PSU. My past experience
with PC Power&cooling Dell PSUs are
modified for Dell MB. I’m sure that the
550 can run the single NVIDIA 260 GPU...
I was able to match the Vostro Power
supply connector pin assembly with the
PC Power&Cooling 500 Power supply
connector pin assembly.” (‘Bugout’,
December 2008, Dell Forum)
“@ Some stores might have it but it was a
spring-time only beverage. Something
similar is a Rasp Mocha Frappuccino.”
(Starbucks, August 2010, Twitter)
“Thanks for commenting. The Dell Streak
supports 512MB RAM, up to 32GB through a
microSD card slot and it also features 2GB of
memory used specifically to store
applications... As far as other questions... the
Dell Streak does also support GPS.” (Dell,
May 2010, Dell Blog)

10. Interpersonal practices
Consumer-consumer Consumer-brand
Communing “[In response to another fan’s Toyota
story] Awe!! That was bitter sweet and
powerful ... I couldn't imagine having to
part with my Yota, especially in the way
you did. Don't worry, your Yota is parked
up there in the Yota lot in the sky smiling
down on you with that unforgettable
Camry facia.” (Jim Marti, Aug 2010,
Facebook page)
“Hi Lisa - Congrats on hitting the 200K
mark! Here's to many more miles on
your Corolla.” (Toyota USA, Aug 2010,
Facebook page)
“If you were stuck in the airport for a 24
hour layover, what's the one piece of
technology you'd absolutely want with
you?” (Dell, July 2010, Facebook)
Performing “[Photograph of Toyota vehicle] I don't
mean to brag but I think I got you all beat,
bought her in '05 with 200k all original
factory parts. Third proud owner and is
the funnest car to drive ever built. I wish
they could make them like this again.”
(Mike Beardsley, Aug 2010, Facebook
page)
“I drive 50 km at 6 am just to go to
Starbucks!!! I love it !!!” (Calin Lee, July
2010, Facebook)
“Iced, grande, decaf, nonfat, marble
mocha macchiato!! (my husband says i
should be ashamed of this but... my 5
year old has been able to order this for
me since she was 2!!)“ (Tori-Lynn, July
2010, Facebook)

11. Empowerment practices (1)
Consumer-consumer Consumer-brand
Appraising “That's a cool story. You should be
their next commercial!” (Sarah
Przygoda, August 2010, Facebook)
“Starbucks ice cream sounds good, but I'd
only buy the coffee flavors because that's
what's unique about Starbucks...the
coffee. EVERYONE makes vanilla,
chocolate, and strawberry.” (Devin
Hopkins, Aug 2010, Starbucks Facebook
page – Ice Cream App)
“[In response to user’s photo of their 4
Prius’s] Wow, nice! Thank you and your
family for the support, Paul.” (Toyota,
August 2010, Facebook)
Advocating “You ever notice whenever a
company makes a new car they
ALWAYS compare it to Toyota? Its
because they're the best ... people
can say whatever they want. I know
my corolla will outlast any ford on
the road. New or old.” (Airea Sundell,
August 2010, Toyota USA Facebook
page)
__

12. Empowerment practices (2)
Consumer-consumer Consumer-brand
Criticising “I really hate Starbucks and all the
sheep that drink there. Support your
local coffee shop. You will get a better
coffee at half the price. Do the right
thing :)” (Bobby Lewis, January 2010,
Starbucks Facebook page, discussion)
“I have had an open ticket for a hard disk
replacement and they [Dell] have shipped
the wrong part twice to me. I'm told that I'm
an important customer but with service like
this I don't believe anything being said.”
(‘Shadowbozo’, January 2010, Dell Blog)
“This loyal, daily customer is not too happy
with Starbucks right now. Refusing to heat
my food because the store turned their oven
off over 1 1/2 hours before closing time is
not ok.” (Brian Barr, July 2010, Facebook)
Innovating __ “Personally I will pay more money for a PC I
can customise than a PC I'm simply offered
for a price. I would like to be able to specify
everything about my PCs major components.
I would like to choose the parts from a bare
shell all the way upto the OS and
applications software” (‘Aikiwolfie’, July
2010, Dell Ideastorm)

13. Summary
Second International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships
• Social media enables and becomes the site of value creation
and the negotiation of brand values and meaning.
– Facilitation of social intercourse results in co-creation of value
(Vargo & Lusch 2004) and consumer empowerment (Cova & Pace
2006; Wathieu et al. 2002)
• Ongoing dialogue with and between empowered consumers
encouraged deep consumer-brand relationships (Fournier
1998) through a collective power (O'Guinn and Muñiz 2009)
• Managerial implications: listening, facilitating and engaging