THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE OF BRAND CONSUMPTION. FROM THE SUBCULTURE OF CONSUMPTION TO THE CONSUMER TRIBE

There are numerous consumer taxonomies that address their behavior with respect to the brand. However, there is some confusion in distinguishing and defining the characteristics of the concepts included in these classifications. The main novelty of this study lies in the synthesis of the main theoretical contributions that study the collective behavior of consumers in order to explore the specific implications that they entail for brand management. For this, the conceptual differences between the terms subculture of consumption, brand community and consumer tribe are explored in order to propose a comparative frame of reference that relates the commitment to the brand, the sense of belonging among consumers and the construction of brand meaning for them. The results indicate that, in effect, the conceptual differences between these terms have to be addressed by brand management professionals in order to effectively implement the strategies of branding.