In the area of moral responsibility, Muniz and O’Guinn find that there is “a sense of duty to the community as a whole, and to individual members of the community.” This includes recruiting new people into the community (assuming they fit the established norms for the community, addressed later in this article) as well as helping other members who may be having problems. Saab owners, for example, will pull over to help another Saab owner in distress, something Muniz experienced first-hand when he owned a Saab several years ago.

While Saab would like all its owners to upgrade to new vehicles eventually, Janisse says the company recognizes the value in someone driving, for example, a 1974 Saab that still looks and runs like new. He says that new customers will see the value in a car that can last for a few decades and will be more willing to investigate the brand.

Muniz and O’Guinn write, however, that older Saab drivers tend to view new owners as “yuppies -- or ‘snaabs’ -- who want the car for the wrong reason: trendiness” (and thus falling outside the bounds of established community norms). Janisse admits there’s some of that in the Saab brand community but dismisses it, saying that, “Naysayers happen to any brand. Some people just want to complain.”

But handling a brand community is tricky. Saab encountered a potential problem when GM purchased the company three years ago. However, Janisse acknowledges that, “If it wasn’t for GM, Saab wouldn’t be here.” He adds that GM was able to help Saab lower production costs by bringing its buying power to the table. Perhaps more importantly, the parent company left Saab alone to operate independently, so even though Saab continues to incorporate new innovations into its designs, it still finds ways to appeal to older customers and its peculiar brand community. (Some still insist, however, on driving “pre-GM” Saabs)

Muniz writes: “Every new thing [Saab does] for new customers, they throw in a wink or a nod to the hardcore users, such as keeping the ignition on the floor, between the seats.”

Saab certainly serves as a role model for companies that want thriving brand communities, but Schau notes that “the tightrope [any] company walks is between nurturing and smothering. A brand community needs to have a true, authentic consumer voice that isn’t censored. It also needs resources to be successful and a commercial entity can provide those without scripting the consumer discourse.”

Companies can also fail to develop brand communities by forcing them to happen. Muniz says that “all brand communities are unique in the way they manifest, and how each one functions day-to-day differs, so they work best if they form on their own. Creating [a community] where one doesn’t exist is tough.”

So where does that leave a company that longs for its own brand community to nurture and grow? The best bet seems to be in monitoring public discourse -- especially in such obvious places as Internet chat groups -- and watching for the early stages of brand community growth. Then the company can step in and offer resources while being careful not to censor community activities and discussions. A hands-off approach, coupled with consistent communication, seems to be the best way to create this unique but fragile form of communal spirit.    

[26-May-2003]