Related Article: Don't Base Your Brand Community on Hope: Research Matters. This makes it hard to build trust among new customers, especially those who expect exceptional digital and physical experiences. Communities are strongest when everyone plays a role. Its self-appointed role was to stay close enough to the fans to understand where they were headed and then pursue the directions that would strengthen the community. According to a recent Harley-Davidson study, in 1987 half of all Harley riders were under age 35. carrie jones, cmgr, community, community building, community management, customer experience, cxm, dxm, harley davidson, View All Events Add Your Event Events RSS. Community is a potent strategy if it is approached with the right mind-set and skills. Dove’s much-lauded “Campaign for Real Beauty” offers a vivid example of how companies can use conflict to their advantage. Just Ask Lego. Nonprofit communities are particularly good in this respect. Managers often forget that consumers are actually people, with many different needs, interests, and responsibilities. Firms can reinforce rivalries directly or engage others to fan the flames. Back in the 1980s, amidst a declining American economy and increasing competition from foreign manufacturers, Harley-Davidson Motorcycles made history. Terms of Use. These experiences tailor the brand to existing communities without alienating its other customers. Members of strong brand communities stay involved and add value by playing a wide variety of roles. All rights reserved. To build stable communities, hub connections must be bonded to the community through webs. Harley-Davidson, for instance, built a bridge to a younger audience through its association with professional skateboarder and Harley enthusiast Heath Kirchart. With its Nike+ online community, which cultivates peer-to-peer support and interaction by encouraging members to challenge and trash-talk one another, Nike has found a brand-appropriate way of creating webs to strengthen its pool and hubs. They help people find rich solutions to ambiguous problems and serendipitous connections to people and ideas. Privacy Policy. L’Oréal strikes the right balance with its methodical approach. This provides the perfect starting point for new customers while giving existing customers a space to share what they already love about Sephora’s products. The campaign brought “real women” together worldwide to stand up against industry-imposed beauty ideals. A community-based brand builds loyalty not by driving sales transactions but by helping people meet their needs. From its earliest days, Vans worked with lead users within each of its sports communities to codesign new products. Brand communities are not corporate assets, so control is an illusion. From the beginning, the company recognized its fan base of customers as the owners of its brand. product line, and if so, what philosophy and tactics to adopt in future design. Advertiser Media Kit A way to participate in new experiences while staying inside a comfort zone. That is the wrong question. Communities become stronger by highlighting, not erasing, the boundaries that define them. Smart managers know that singing around the campfire will not force warring tribes to unite. Warped Tour innovations now include air-conditioned “parental day care” lounges at tour stops to make it easier for young fans to attend, and an online community that supports year-round connections among fans and helps far-flung friends coordinate tour attendance. A semiprivate place that facilitates in-depth, meaningful connections. Decisions at all levels were grounded in the community perspective, and the company acknowledged the community as the rightful owner of the brand. Although the tactics vary, the goal of L’Oréal’s community-building strategies is always to connect with the people who make up the community in ways that reaffirm the essence of the brand. And through skateboarding clinics and demonstrations, the company added features of the Sewing Circle. Most companies prefer to avoid conflict. Harley management recognized that the brand had developed as a community-based phenomenon. Join us as a subscriber. Assorted print and digital tools help people identify options and map opportunities, so they can easily change roles or try on new ones. The company launched 70 new stores in 2017 alone. Monthly Editorial Calendar They join communities to build new relationships. Harley Owner's Group (H.O.G.) A group’s unity is strengthened when such conflicts and contrasts are brought to the fore. An effective way to accomplish tasks while socializing. People are offered many types of roles, from active to passive, in small groups and large, and can participate in person, by phone, or online. To find out, take our online “Community Readiness Audit.”. Members collaborated in order to gain access to the resources and skills they needed to accomplish their goals. Given that Harley will expand into India, other parts of Asia, and into densely populated urban areas globally, dealers cannot employ a one-size-fits-all strategy for connecting with customers. “Third place” brands such as Gold’s Gym and Starbucks tap into this by providing bricks-and-mortar venues that foster interaction. The Harley Davidson brand loyalty strategy As the Harley Davidson brand continued growing throughout the years, its personality and identity grew with it. The anonymity of web encounters often emboldens antisocial behavior, and the shallow, transient nature of many online interactions results in weak social bonds. Effective brand stewards participate as community cocreators—nurturing and facilitating communities by creating the conditions in which they can thrive.