Page 148 - HBR's 10 Must Reads on Strategic Marketing

FOURNIER AND LEE

Brand communities thrive on To cultivate an enduring commu-
conflict and contrast—not love. nity, ensure that members can
adopt new roles or switch roles as
Communities are inherently politi- their lives change.
cal: “In-groups” need “out-groups”
against which to define them- Example: Saddleback Church in
selves. To strengthen group unity, Orange County, California, con-
create a sense of contrast, con- stantly monitors members’
flict, and boundaries. needs and creates new sub-
groups (such as personal finan-
Example: Dove’s Campaign for
Real Beauty brought “real cial planning) to keep people
women” (less-than-pretty, engaged.
older, large, skinny) together Online social networks are only
worldwide to fight industry- a tool—not your community
imposed beauty ideals. The strategy.
women formed in camaraderie
around this mission. Many online interactions are shal-
low and transient, diluting the
Communities are strongest when community overall. So use online
all members—not just opinion tools selectively to support your
leaders—have roles. brand community’s needs.

In strong communities, everyone Example: L’Oréal uses online
plays a value-adding role. Roles tools (such as blogs) only
include the Mentor (shares expert- with certain brands, such as
ise with other members), Greeter mainstream Garnier, whose
(welcomes new members), and brand-community members
Storyteller (disseminates the com- value social interaction and
munity’s history throughout the view themselves as fighting for
group). a better world.

community-based brand builds loyalty not by driving sales
transactions but by helping people meet their needs. Contrary to
marketers’ assumptions, however, the needs that brand communi-
ties can satisfy are not just about gaining status or trying on a new
identity through brand affiliation. People participate in communi-
ties for a wide variety of reasons—to find emotional support
and encouragement, to explore ways to contribute to the greater
good, and to cultivate interests and skills, to name a few. For

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