have contributed to development of the WSC beer pong community. We use the
simplified ..... Applebaum, B. and, Disorbo D., (2009), The Book of Beer Pong.
Facilitating consumer-consumer-brand relationships and a brand network orbit: Two sides of the brand community development coin “The most stable thing to do is push a standard product to a standard audience and succeed with discounts or distribution. But for tribes, average can mean mediocre. Not worth seeking out. Boring.” (Godin 2008) The close-to-the-consumer-philosophy of brand community marketing ensures that consumers drive the process; consumer involvement ensures an experience beyond mediocrity and the mundane (Fournier et al. 2001). While consumer involvement at marketer-facilitated events provides a foundation for the development of consumerconsumer-brand relationships and contributes to transcendent customer experiences (TCEs) (Schouten et al. 2007), there remains another side to brand community development that has previously been over looked by brand community researchers (the authors of this paper included) – that is the impact of business-to-business relationships on brand community development and expansion. Therefore, we investigate both the consumer-focused and non-consumer focused approaches that have contributed to development of the WSC beer pong community. We use the simplified analogy of a coin to show how both the consumer-focused approach and the business-to-business-focused approach are both essential for brand community growth, however, despite being positioned as opposites of the same entity, we found that the two pronged approach of both developing consumer and business relationships, to be inherently iteratively. Consumer focused brand community development Consumers typically initiate brand communities; marketers may also successfully develop/foster brand communities provided their approaches are free from excessive corporate intent (Muniz and O’Guinn 2001, McAlexander et al. 2002, Mandelli 2004, Cova and Pace 2006). Consumers seek out products and services that primarily inspire relationships with other consumers (Cova 1997) and tend to display resistance towards brands that adopt an over zealous commercial approach to consumer relationships (Patterson & O’Malley 2006, Hollenbeck & Zinkhan 2006). Hence, consumption communities tend to form more easily around underdog brands, with little to no marketing clout (Pabst Blue Ribbon example, in Cova et al. 2007), as these brands posses a de-commodified, genuine, appeal (O’Sullivan et al. 2011). Brands or services that possess natural ‘linking value’ (Cova 1997), provide a platform from which consumers can develop consumer-consumer relationships in an atmosphere perceived as authentic, idiosyncratic, and liberatory (Cova and Cova 2002, Leigh et al 2006, O’Sullivan & Richardson 2011). De Burgh-Woodman & Brace-Govan (2007) suggest that brand communities may emerge from a wider subcultural activity; where by comunitas (Belk et al. 1989), or transcendence experienced within the subculture comes to be associated with a specific brand (Schouten et al. 2007, O’Sullivan et al. 2011). The process of a brand becoming the locus of a subcultural of consumption, to some degree, is the foundation of tribal marketing approach (Cova and Cova 2002). The tribal marketing approach requires an in-depth understanding of the rituals practiced by a tribe, followed by providing opportunities for co-creation of products and experiences with the tribe, and finally, the brand enacting a committed tribe member role, sharing fully the values and ethos of the tribe, and acting as a facilitator for tribal practices (Cova and Cova
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2002). Thus, a brand becomes the totem of the consumer tribe. While Cova and Cova (2002) argue that tribal marketing differs from building a brand community, and that building a brand community is a Promethan dream, previous research by the authors suggest that brand community development can be achieved by adopting a tribal marketing approach (O’Sullivan & Richardson 2011). Brand community integration requires the brand to have a primary focus on the co-creation of transcendent customer experiences (Schouten et al. 2007, McAlexander et al. 2002). By providing consumers with an opportunity to co-create brand value and experience, they exercise a form of bespoke consumer sovereignty (Holt 2002), which reinforces the customercustomer-brand relationship (O’Sullivan et al. 2011). While the facilitation of customer-customer-brand relationships is the essence of brand community building (Muniz & O’Guinn 2001) and tribal marketing, another relational dimension that has been over looked in previous brand community research is the impact of brand value co-creation (BVCC) (Merz and Vargo 2009), specifically how business-to-business relationships with other brands can impact positively on brand community development. Introducing the BVCC model A more service-dominant (S-D) approach to marketing points towards an integrated branding framework that focuses on the concept of BVCC (Merz& Vargo 2009). Brand value is not just created through a triadic relationship between the firm and its community of consumers but “that it is a multifarious construct that is affected by, or the sum of, a gamut of relationships” (Jones 2005, in Merz and Vargo 2009). The BVCC model highlights the importance of the development of brand network relationships with an array of brands. Brand partnerships have a greater potential for success when the brands involved share similar/complimentary core values; often the core values of one brand in the partnership may over shadow the negative or weak values the other brand posses. The S-D logic approach suggests a move to a multibrand community approach where by the locus brand may be supported by other similar brands. We found that a brand network orbit (BNO) surrounding the locus brand (WSC Beer Pong) provided greater opportunities for the WSC brand to facilitate transcendence experiences for its community. We also found that collaboration between the locus brand and the brand network, provided opportunities for the WSC brand community to expand. We believe that brand community development should be a two-pronged approach. That firstly, brand management must adopt a consumer focused approach (Fig 1.) by providing opportunities for consumers-consumers relationships to develop in a brand setting (Cova & Cova 2002, McAlexander 2002, O’Sullivan & Richardson 2011); and secondly, by adopting a brand value co-creation (BVCC) model; which requires brand management to engage in co-creation and co-branding with a network of brands. We now outline how the two-pronged approach aided WSC in their application of brand community marketing. The Current Study This paper outlines the lead author’s experiences in attempting to apply the brand community concept in establishing a market for beer pong in Ireland via the WSC Beer Pong brand (previously named BPONG Ireland). The lead author, (also coowner of WSC) has implemented an ethnomarketing (Cova & Cova 2002) approach 2
to business growth. In terms of methodology the study is therefore being implemented via an ongoing participant ethnography (Stewart 1998). The study also includes a virtual aspect with the application of ‘netnography’ (Kozinets 2002). The lead author’s advantageous position has ensured presence at all WSC beer pong events, business-to-business meetings, and conference calls, which has allowed for participant and non-participant observation, photography, videography, longinterviews (McCracken 1988), and informal conversations with a diverse amount of stakeholders. We believe this has strengthened the research greatly. Data was analysed using the guidelines suggest by Spiggle (1994). Given the lead authors proximity to the WSC brand it was deemed particularly necessary to engage in periodic reflection of the data, and utilise triangulation of researchers (Wallendorf & Belk 1989, Stewart 1998). Introduction to the sport of Beer Pong Beer pong involves two players per team, an 8ft long table, and ping-pong balls that are thrown into a triangle formation of 10 cups slightly filled with beer on the opposite side of the table. When a ball is sunk in one of your opponent’s cups, that cup is taken away. Victory is achieved when all your opponent’s cups are taken away. Beer pong combines the intensity of a boxing match, the self-congratulation of a football touchdown, and the pressure of a game-winning free throw (Applebaum and Disorbo 2009) (See appendix video 1.). Heads: The consumer-focused approach to brand community development Beer pong in Ireland is a relatively unheard of activity. The WSC brand began in May 2010 with the goal of being Ireland’s premier beer pong tournament organiser and merchandiser. The initial approach involved designing tournaments that could facilitate TCEs and enhance consumer-consumer relationships. The initial aim was to create an atmosphere in which consumer could experience conversion (Belk et al. 1989) to firstly beer pong, and then subsequently, the WSC brand. “We (WSC) were very slack with orders, rules, and we left lots of things (rules) go, in order that first of all people had a good time, the first night was not about raising standards, it was about having a good time… (we)... achieved this for most people who were playing... “ - Field notes, WSC, 05/05/2010 Facilitating TCEs in a manner in which consumer’s co-created the experience appeared to be successful. However, the extent to which consumers experienced conversion towards beer pong/WSC appears to be a gradual transition, rather than an initial epiphany like realisation as expected by brand management. In the context of an activity-based brand there remains a need to continuously create an atmosphere that facilitates TCEs as ‘newbies’ join, while safeguarding against habituation (Belk et al. 1989) for maven players. As the community began to expand immersed community members took on a brand ambassador role, co-creating the experience and enhancing the customer-customer-brand relationships with ‘newbies’ in an apprentice style, free from encouragement from brand management. “We didn’t do a demo tonight, other players already were explaining to the new friends they brought how to play... the newbies were unaware of some of the lingo, one of the lads shouted ‘Reform!’ he then said 3,2,1 and made (a)
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triangle shape with his hands and showed them.” – Field notes, WSC, 16/06/2010 Newly immersed community members began to display additional forms of ownership of the WSC experience, ensuring further that the consumer-consumer relationships developed were foundational to the WSC experience: “Teams got their own jerseys made up, displaying our logo and theirs, a considerable expense, it was great to see players do this all off their own back to make the day special for them – we didn’t encourage any of this – it was like a mini WS” – Field notes, WSC Irish Beer Pong Championship, 27/11/2010 While total conversion to the WSC brand is difficult to quantify, community members display a strong degree of brand loyalty to the WSC brand when faced with other purchase options. “People began asking us when are selling t-shirts, that they’d definitely buy one, also we then announced that we are considering selling WSC tables, people immediately said they would put off buying them from eBay and wait for ours to be on sale.” – Field notes, WSC, 10/11/2010 Facilitating experiences that community members can share with each other in a brand setting is foundational to brand community approach as shown in appendix (Fig. 1). To facilitate its members relational and entertainment needs, and in an effort to expand the community, it was deemed essential by WSC management to develop numerous business-to-business relationships. While we model the process of moving back and forth between facilitating consumers and business-to-business (B-to-B) relationships in a heads or tails fashion, in application this process was more tandem and iterative. Tails: Developing business-to-business community development
relationships
to
facilitate
brand
WSC’s foremost goal was to develop symbiotic relationships consumers; this was to be the foundation. However, WSC realised that strategic B-to-B relationships were also needed in order to make the new venture financially viable. WSC faced difficulties in relation to the costs of facilitating consumer’s needs; substantial volumes of beer would be required in order to run events to consumer expectation and if WSC were to meet the necessary cost, entry charge to tournaments would not attract the targeted subculture – the student market. This problem was addressed through the development of relationships with larger established beer brands, which in turn, allowed WSC to facilitate its consumer’s needs. While informal sponsorships were developed with the Coors Light and Carlsberg brands, these relationships were not longitudinal, mainly due to the brands in question failing to support the WSC brand outside of covert beer supply. This form of support did not allow the transfer of the larger brands values to the WSC brand. While covertly supplying beer helped facilitate consumer needs, WSC management required greater support to legitimize beer pong, in order to expand the community, which the Bavaria Ireland brand offered to provide. The partnership with Bavaria provided opportunities for co-creation of beer pong events (see photograph 1&2) throughout Ireland and provided for the transfer of brand values:
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“(Bavaria) are willing to work with us and help bring beer pong tournaments to new locations throughout Ireland, spreading the WSC brand. They also expressed interest in co-branding merchandise and anything else they can help with… at the moment they are designing in-bar experiential promotions with beer pong as the foundation, using our co-designed products (see appendix Image 1).” – D___ (WSC), Interview, 31/08/2011 Both Bavaria and WSC share common core values of entertainment and fun, both brands are also positioned to the serve student market. Besides the Bavaria partnership, WSC also developed an on-going relationship with bookmaking chain Paddy Power, another large brand within the student subculture. WSC and Paddy Power co-created a beer pong tournament as a side event at the Paddy Power Poker Irish Winter Festival (see Image 2, Photograph 3, and Video 2). Paddy Power and WSC have agreed to run a similar event at the Irish Open (Poker) such was the mutual success of the initial co-created event. The WSC brand has been exposed to new markets and many of these consumers have since become WSC community members. “We (WSC) have had interest in a documentary, table sales, people asking to buy t-shirts, and lots of Facebook likes and comments since the IWF. From a community building point, and a business point we couldn’t have asked for more from the Paddy Power partnership.” – Field notes, IWF, 31/10/2011 The relative success of WSC’s brand community approach can be credited to firstly; the facilitation of TCEs and supporting the development of consumer-consumerbrand relationships, and secondly, via the on-going development of B-to-B relationships, that allow for transfer of brand values from larger corporate brands, the introduction of the WSC brand to new consumers within the same subculture and the legitimization of beer pong as an activity. Discussion and conclusion We theorize that BVCC has a greater impact on brand community development when the brands involved in the network are actors within the same subcultural sphere. Fig. 2 illustrates how the process of how the brand network orbit (BNO) operates. The WSC brand community is orbited by partner brands within the student subculture, allowing the sharing of brand values, and co-creation events – and evidently, supporting the WSC brand, which in turn allows WSC to facilitate its community’s needs. While the BNO may be most beneficial for the smaller brand (WSC) it remains a mutually beneficial process; each brand within the BNO benefits from the partnerships developed. Participative knowledge from ongoing ethnomarketing (Cova and Cova 2002) will investigate the extent to which the BVCC model approach to brand community development may be applied to other brands, and also how the business-to-business relationships developed by WSC will impact on further community expansion. Further research will also address how this simplified twopronged model could be expanded to incorporate the various other relational complexities of brand community marketing (McAlexander et al. 2002).
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Appendix
Figure 1. Simple Brand Community Relationship Model (based on triadic model of Muniz & O’Guinn 2001)
Figure 2. Brand Network Orbit Model Approach to Brand Community Development
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Image 1. Bavaria/WSC beer pong tables used at Bavaria promotional campaigns
Image 2. Paddy Power/WSC beer pong tournament event poster for Irish Winter Festival
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Photograph 1. Co-creation of Beer Pong event (Bavaria/ WSC/Consumers)
Photograph 2. Bavaria/WSC in experiential marketing promotion
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Photograph 3. Co-creation of Beer Pong (Paddy Power/WSC/Consumers)
Video 1. Youtube search “WSOBP VI-final 4. Whos going to the finals???” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xR8PgTVrUo) Video 2. Youtube search: “paddypowerpoker.com IWF Day 2. Beer Pong” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpdosZO-V0g&feature=relmfu)
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