Page 147 - HBR's 10 Must Reads on Strategic Marketing
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GETTING BRAND COMMUNITIES RIGHT
              Idea in Practice


              Additional truths about brand   haven. Discern these needs, then
              communities:                 help community members fulfill
              Brand community is a business—   them.
              not a marketing—strategy.      Example: “Third Place” brands
                                             like Gold’s Gym and Starbucks
              Don’t isolate your community-   tap into the need for social links
              building efforts within your   by providing venues that foster
              marketing function. Instead,   personal interaction.
              ensure these efforts support
              businesswide goals by integrating   Strong brands arise from the
              them into your company’s overall   right community structure—not
              strategy.                    vice versa.
                 Example:  Harley-Davidson  re-   The strongest, most stable struc-
                 formulated its competitive strat-   ture for a brand community is a
                 egy around brand community.   “web” whose affiliations are based
                 For  instance,  all  community-   on close one-to-one connections.
                 outreach events are staffed by   To cultivate webs, provide oppor-
                 employees, not freelance con-   tunities for members to forge
                 tractors.  Many  employees  be-   many interpersonal links.
                 come riders; many riders join the   Example: The Harley-Davidson
                 company.                  Museum fosters personal connec-
              Brand communities exist to   tions through programs like the
              serve their member’s needs—not   Rivet Wall, where people order cus-
              your business.               tom-engraved rivets that are in-
                                           stalled on decorative walls around
              Members have many community-   the museum campus. Visitors
              related needs—including cul-   viewing their own and others’ riv-
              tivating interests, expanding   ets start chatting, often forging
              networks, and relaxing in a safe   friendships.



            Myth #2

            A brand community exists to serve the business.
            The Reality

            A brand community exists to serve the people in it.
              Managers often forget that consumers are actually people,
            with many different needs, interests, and responsibilities.  A


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