Collecting the Collectives Refining and Extending Brand Community
Collecting the Collectives: Refining and Extending Brand Community ALBERT M. MUÑIZ, JR. DEPAUL UNIVERSITY YUN MI ANTORINI AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, UNIVERSITY OF AARHUS ACR OCTOBER, 2011
Conceptual context After ten+ years of research, what the @#$%! do we know? Lots of interesting work • Broderick, Maclaran & Ma, 2003; Mc. Alexander, Kim & Roberts, 2003; Algesheimer, Dholakia & Herrmann, 2005; Muñiz & Schau, 2005; Cova & Pace, 2006; Carlson, Suter & Brown 2007; Ouwersloot & Odekerken-Schröder, 2007; Fournier & Lee, 2009; Schau, Muñiz & Arnould, 2009 Still a need for conceptual clarity 1) Over-use of the term 2) politics of competing terms and constructs 3) competing terms too often presented as an all or nothing sort of thing.
Conceptual context In search of a multidimensional typology that includes ideal types of community, tribes and subcultures. Advantages (Lesage & Wechlter, 2007): helps researchers identify the studies related to their question of research. helps formalize the fields of research passed and future directions We contribute to the typology by proposing a preliminary classification for different types of brand community.
The method to our madness The Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOL) brand community In 1998 the LEGO Group launched the LEGO Mindstorms RIS
The method to our madness The Adult Fans of Lego (AFOL) brand community In 1998 the LEGO Group launched the LEGO Mindstorms RIS Sales data showed that many adult males (not the target market) bought and used the product. They were also innovating the product, frequently quite significantly.
The method to our madness Kekoa Proudfoot (1998), who was among the first to hack the RCX: “While the RCX is certainly a fun and useful product out-of -box, it is even more exciting under the hood. ”
A robot that writes (with a pen/pencil) on common paper tapes made for printing calculators or cash registers. By Mario Ferrari
Easter egg painter. Creator unknown
Plant sprikler, indirect fluid pump. By Mario Ferrari
The RCX turned into a musical instrument capable of playing 36 different notes, while using just a single RCX input port. By D. Sculley
A robot solving the 3 x 3 x 3 Rubik's Cube®. By JB Brown
The method to our madness The Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOL) brand community Mostly men. But more women are entering the scene. Typically in their 20 -40 s. Many have a technical/software related background. TLG estimates that there are over 70. 000 active AFOLs in the world. Self-declared LEGO purists. Take strong interest in the user developed creation (the MOC).
The method to our madness The Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOL) brand community Between 2003 and 2011, we engaged in multi-site, ethnographic research.
Method Participant Observation Conventions and local user groups/events Online forums and Online sites membership profiles Interviews Member to member interviews Face to Face/phone interviews E-mail interviews Amount/ duration 82 hours Purposively 2 hours of video sampled online 454 photos conversation Artifact file (Belk et threads (16 in al. , 1989) that total) that included physical addressed materials produced community by AFOLs like for membership, example event consumption programs, posters, activities related to streamers, the LEGO hobby, nametags, and T- style of innovation, shirts used at and information conventions and exchange among events. the experienced and less experienced builders. At the time of data collection all of the threads were accessible for the public. Purposively sampled member profiles (24 in total) displayed on AFOL websites. 24 informants had a membership profile either on Lugnet. com or Byggepladen. dk. These public accessible profiles provided background information of the informants. Purposively 19 interviews* sampled member 46 hours to member The interviews (10 in interviews total) with high addressed status AFOLs. community Collected on a memberpopular and widely ship, conread AFOL blog. sumption The interviews activities were carried out by related to the AFOLs who write LEGO hobby, for the blog. They and provided insights understandin about the style of gs of the innovation among MOC and “great builders”. innovative work in general. Pages of text (db. spaced text, Times New Roman) 170 24 151 992 554 118
Toward a typology Our study underscores the following: A dynamic and evolutionary perspective allows us to study different forms of community. To drive comprehensiveness and depth, emic/etic issues should be taken into account. The social and cultural context needs to be taken into account, too.
An evolutionary perspective Founding stage First growth stage Midlife stage Second growth stage 90 s - Late 90 s - Around 2005 - Around 2008 - The term AFOL was first used in Large online, regional community LEGO specific interests drive 1995 (on RTL, Usenet group). sites are established, feature expansion of the community. forums that are centered on specialized interests. Dramatic worldwide growth. ~70. 000 active AFOLs. The community consists of a small number of computer literate AFOLs who interacts via Usenet newsgroups. Many new LEGO user groups are formed. These activities contribute to driving many AFOLs out of their “dark age”. Absence of community structures and organizing principles. Few, very active, AFOLs drive the Several, very active AFOLs many new community initiatives drive new community and developments. initiatives and developments. Loose, if any, coordination between the initiatives. User group structures are copied and existing online resources link the community together through shared practice. Large online, global community sites established. Lots of offline events. Both gather people from all aspects of the hobby. Specialization continues to drive growth. Wide use of digital platforms. A multitude of different and loosely coupled initiatives and developments. User group structures and the use of shared resources continue to link members. Awareness of other members become increasingly imagined. Many specialized subcommunities and blogs + photo sharing platforms see the light of the day.
An evolutionary perspective Founding stage First growth stage Midlife stage Second growth stage 90 s - Late 90 s - Around 2005 - Around 2008 - “A small, cozy and personal area . The people in there, mostly intellectuals, often quite nerdy, were very happy to find ANYONE who liked LEGO. ”” “The intimacy is gone, although it was nice, the growth is wonderful because new people brings fresh eye and new ideas. ” “As the community grows, groups split off and become isolated from the whole. Groups become more focused (positive), but creates a “us vs. them” point-of-view” “There used to be 50 home sites, now they need to be counted by the 100. 000…there are so many impressions, you see so many things that I can’t tell who or what or where I have seen a thing. ” “LEGO is a common language to all AFOLs. Imagine if you were in a foreign country where you couldn’t understand the language. Suddenly you walk around a street corner and find a tavern flying the Danish flag. You walk in, and everyone is speaking Danish. You’d instantly feel “at home”, and would probably feel comfortable walking up to everybody and starting a conversation. ” “As to the splitting of the community, this is a topic that has been covered many times in the past. I truly believe that a growth of sites has led to a growth in the number of people involved in the hobby. Yes, it is harder now to know everything that’s happening in the community, but it’s a much larger community. ” “At Brickworld 2009, the fragmentation of the AFOL online community was the subject of several discussions. This fact seems to be wellknown to AFOLs at this point. Even the LEGO Community Team knew about this. ”
An etic perspective RTFM Are three markers present?
An emic perspective In members’ words… Terry: Every fan of LEGO Joe : My thoughts are that Shacklton (on Eurobrick, Steve (on Lugnet 2007): It who wants to be part of there are many aspects of 2009): I am 36 and I am seems to me that our this community is. No the LEGO community… an AFOL (sounds like we community is more like need to post on a website, And the common thread of are in a support group). I comic book or sci-fi to have a folder on all of these groups that am proud of my LEGO fanzine _publishers_ than Brickshelf or be member make an overall obsession. We all should readers. We actively of Brick. Link, a LUG or the community is that each be. We get to build and create something, which FLL. . . Everyone, even the uses the brick, or many of create with one of the requires a lot more effort ones stil ignoring about them as the case may be, most versatile "toys" ever. than consuming the this community are part of to communicate in a Our community is made of creative work of others. it if they love the product common language…. Lego all ages and walks of life and build with it. is a medium. across the globe. I don't ever hesitate to tell people about my LEGO collection.
A context perspective Founding stage First growth stage Midlife stage Second growth stage Technological barriers to enter and participate in Usenet groups are very high. LEGO products are hard to come by, especially in the US. Technological barriers to enter online sites lowers. Few technological barriers left. Very few technological barriers left. Online distribution of LEGO products and the establishment of online marketplaces improves accessibility. Distribution and accessibility continues to improve. Mass customization options, AFOL created products, crowdingsourcing, special deals for. LEGO user groups, etc. Minimal interaction with the LEGO Group. The LEGO brand is perceived as a child’s brand. AFOLs feel they have to hide in “the closet” as non. LEGO people typically don’t understand how adults can have LEGO as a hobby. Smaller joint projects with the LEGO Group. AFOL online stores accounts for app. 25% of the sale. Formalized relationships and larger development projects with the LEGO Group. The LEGO Group considers AFOLs a legitimate market segment. Through the use of media AFOLs actively engages in changing the perception of the LEGO brand as a child’s brand. Direct involvement of AFOLs in NPD projects. Official media contributes to widening the idea of the LEGO brand as a cultural material beyond the child toy positioning.
A context perspective Magnus (2008 on Lugnet): “It’s become a lot easier for me to be accepted as a LEGO builder now than when I was a teen or in my early 20 s. Partly that’s because my peers are older and aren't all that concerned about being cool and doing the fashionable thing as they were. But partly, I think it's also that LEGO itself has become a little more accepted than it was before. ”
A context perspective Dave (on Euro. Brick 2009): “My wife and I are 29 and are both AFOL's. …If co-workers or friends ask about our hobbies or what we're into, LEGO is always the first thing that gets brought up. I don't think anyone has ever said anything negative about us being into LEGO. When I tell people at work, they are always intrigued. ”
A typology of brand community types The Integrated Brand Community Strong sense of “we’ness”. Clarity about what people share and what they disagree about. Disagreements exist, but generally there is consensus throughout and one key goal is assimilation and sense of unity. The Differentiated Brand Community Awareness of fellow members but sense of “we’ness” is experienced primarily through sub-interest groups. Like the integrated community there is clarity about what people share /don’t. However, there is no community-wide consensus, the community is clusters of subinterest groups centered on a multitude of different experiences. The relations between these subinterest groups can be both enhancing, conflicting and independent. The Fragmented Brand Community An ad-hoc and situational sense of “we’ness”. Ambiguity, not clarity is the hallmark of this brand community form. Issue specific attention to things with no consensus, no central unit, fluctuating. Multiple, often times contradictory meanings that are simultaneously true and false, paradoxes and ironies thrive.
Exemplifying the typology The integrated brand community Low High The AFOL community during its founding stage The Bronco and Saab communities (Muniz & O’Guinn, 2001) The Apple Newton community (Muniz & Schau, 2005) The Star Trek fan community (Kozinets, 2001) The Macintosh community (Belk & Tumbat, 2005) The differentiated brand community Low High Low The AFOL community during its first growth stage The AFOL community during its second growth stage The AFOL community during its midlife stage The Mini community (Broderick et al. , 2003) Schouten & Mc. Alexander (1998) The fragmented brand community High
Thanks Albert Muñiz: amuniz@depaul. edu Yun Mi Antorini: yma@asb. dk Photo by Simpson Brothers Photography
Some additional conceptual context Fournier and Lee (2009) offer interesting ideas on different forms of brand community, but their conceptualizations present some difficulties. a) Their categories are neither exhaustive or exclusive. Apple could be said to exhibit characteristics of both pools (shared goals and values) and hubs (admiration for an individual via the centrality of Steve Jobs). b) It is clear whether or not all three of their forms possess the three key markers c) Still the notion of the source of the unity for the collective is valuable and should be included in any such typology.
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