Rise and fall of interactions with brand communities
Marketing Intelligence & Planning
ISSN: 0263-4503
Article publication date: 27 May 2022
Issue publication date: 15 August 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates the impact of consumer relationships with brand communities on behavioral interactions on Instagram. The objective is to identify different types and stages of relationships between consumers and brand communities on Instagram using social penetration theory and explain the behavioral interactions of consumers resulting from these relationships across different stages.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed method strategy was employed combining a qualitative multi-case study and an online survey. Eight individuals following restaurant and apparel brands on Instagram participated in the first study and 202 samples participated in the online survey.
Findings
Fifteen different types of relationships were identified between consumers and brand communities on Instagram and were classified into five stages ranging from orientation to de-penetration. The results reveal that behavioral interactions (i.e. consuming and participating) rise across the first four stages of brand community relationship development and fall down at the fifth stage.
Originality/value
This paper introduces new relationship types and stages and brings together different pieces of extant literature to explain the rising and falling of behavioral interactions resulting from consumer relationships with brand communities on Instagram.
Keywords
Citation
Arablooye Moghaddam, S. and Esfidani, M.R. (2022), "Rise and fall of interactions with brand communities", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 40 No. 6, pp. 772-786. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-01-2022-0005
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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