Counter-brand and alter-brand communities: the impact of Web 2.0 on tribal marketing approaches

This paper deals with the phenomenon of tribal marketing, which is increasingly fuelled by the development of online groupings utilising Web 2.0 technologies. After having addressed the key concepts of brand community and co-creation of value, the paper analyses new trends in online community behaviour, taking an in-depth look at two specific cases through an ethnographic/netnographic approach: the Warhammer tabletop wargame community and the CouchSurfing travel and accommodation community. It appears that such communities may constitute a significant risk for companies who have thus far based their offering on a 'market with' approach. The case study clearly shows that groupings of consumers are capable of developing potentially dangerous opposition and/or competitive offerings with little or no assistance from companies. These online groupings generate alter brands and counter brands that present opportunities and threats for existing brand managers.