Investigating the customer belonging to the brand community, with reflecting on Customer Brand Value Co-Creation precedents in Online Brand Communities

Zarei, Azim; Taheri, Ghazale

doi:10.22051/bmr.2020.28778.1875

Investigating the customer belonging to the brand community, with reflecting on Customer Brand Value Co-Creation precedents in Online Brand Communities

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Azim Zarei ¹
ghazale taheri ²

¹ 1. (Corresponding Author) Associate Prof. Department of Business Management, Faculty of Economics, Management and Administrative Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan

² 2. Ph.D. Student in Marketing Management, Department of Business Management, Faculty of Economics, Management and Administrative Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

10.22051/bmr.2020.28778.1875

Abstract

The increasing development of advertising that is shared across a large number of users via social networks has provided new opportunities for brands to better connect with their customers. Expanding customer relationships and interactions with the brand has led him/her to become a member of the brand community and it playes a significant role in determining the customer's identity and his/her belonging and attachment to the brand. Concerning the importance of the role of social networks advertising on effective customer relationship with the brand, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the customer belonging to the brand community, with reflecting on Customer Brand Value Co-Creation precedents in Online Brand Communities that has been specifically explored among customers of Digi-Kala online store brand. The research is applied in terms of purpose and in terms of research methodology, it is quantitative. The method of data collection is descriptive – survey. The data has been collected during a period of five months from April to August of 2019. The statistical population of the study consists of 257 customers who have purchased from Digi- Kala social media websites. They were selected using Cochran Unlimited community sampling formula and convenient sampling method. Data analysis was done by structural equation modelling using partial least squares method and Smart PLS3 software. The results show that the value of social networks advertising has a positive and significant effect on social support and brand relationship quality. Also, the moderator variable "the motivation of participating in social networks" moderates the effect of social networkes advertising value on two variables above. The variables of social support and brand communication quality have a significant effect on brand value co- creation and brand value co-creation has a significant and positive effect on customer belonging to the brand community.

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