Brand communities: Loyal to the community or to the brand?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the relative emphasis accorded by members of a brand community to identification with that community and identification with the brand-owner, and thereby close a gap in the literature to date. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a review of the literature relating to identification, loyalty, and potentially mediating brand-related constructs, a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was carried out at a brandfest organised by a major European motorcycle manufacturer. Data collected from 256 respondents were analysed by structural equation modelling, testing seven hypothesised causal links. Findings – Brand loyalty is primarily influenced by identification with the brand community, through the mediating role of brand affect. Research limitations/implications – The findings require confirmation in other settings and industry sectors before they can be generalised with confidence, but point to several fruitful research directions. Practical implications – Brand strategists have new evidence to guide allocation of effort and resources to the effective cultivation and maintenance of brand loyalty. Originality/value – The study makes an original contribution, in a real-world setting, to the understanding of how members of a brand community relate to the brand, and of how their brand loyalty is activated.