Course Title & Course ID

Marketing Management & MKT501

Section:

Individual Assignment On
Brand Community

Prepared By
Syed Raihan Monjur 152 640 22

Prepared For
Mr. Shamim E Haque
Course Instructor
BRAC University

Date of Submission
1 August 2017
The article is about how a brand community help establish as a brand. Harley-Davidson exhibited
outstanding evidence. In spite of facing extinction, he made his company turnaround and boasted a top 50
global brand by building a brand community. Being inspired by him, marketers are now building their
communities around their brand by following Harley-Davidsons footsteps. Researchers found 7
commonly myths after 30 years of research about maximizing value for a firm and also found new
approaches.
Myth#1: A brand community is considered as business strategy. Harley-Davidson showed outstanding
example of building brand community and driving its community strategy by completely reforming
competitive advantage and business model. Harley management could able to recognize that community
centric positioning might help solidify connection between employee and customers. Thus he codified it
in his operations.
Myth#2 A brand community exists to serve the people. In this myth, it has been showed by a example of
Outdoorseitrn that how the need of a community can help establish a brand. People are now participating
in communities for exploring and sharing lifestyle. By identifying their needs, marketers start producing
and marketing those needs through establishing new brand.
Myth#3: Brand gets strong by engineering the community. 3 basic form of community affiliation have
been specified that help organization reinforce effective community strategies. Pool based approach is all
about identifying and communicating a clear set of values than emotionally connect consumers but
because of having some limitation web and hub approaches are used to strengthen the community ,
because web base is on one to one connection while hub help community acquire new members. Harley
used it to create and strengthen his brand strategy.
Myth#4: Conflicts make communities strive. There are many examples which proves that smart
companies prefers to embrace the conflicts that make communities strive for establishing brand. Dove has
already provided a quintessential example to the world.
Myth#5: Community gets strongest when everyone plays a role. From the research, it has been identified
18 social and culture roles which are critical to community function, preservation and evaluation. Thus
assortment of roles into the community structure is essential for strengthening the community. It will help
members play specific role when it is needed.
Myth#6: Online network is considered as one tool rather than community strategy. Online networks may
server precious functions but smart marketers do not rely on it only. They use as supportive tool for
community needs. LOreal brand has exhibited a remarkable example of balancing with its methodological
approach. And it is the key.
Myth#7: Communities defy managerial control. Excessive control to the communities is not effective
strategy. Smart marketers manage brand community carefully and in systematic way , Vans- the famed
maker of skateboarding shoe, has proved adept at building community. Harley-Davidson with their
management showed a leading example by using the scripts to strengthen and enhance their community.
Though companies can be benefited from brand community, but execution of community is not that easy.
it requires commitment and willingness .