Look What They've Done to My Brand: Clashes of Brand Tribes

The notion of “postmodern tribe” connotes micro-groups where individuals interact and pursue strong emotional links and shared passions. Rituals of (re)construction or (re)possession help tribes maintain cohesive identity. Yet recent research emphasizes the co-existence of multiple interpretive sub-tribes within the same tribal phenomenon. In the so-called inline skating tribe, factions find expression through internal rivalries. Fitness and stunt skaters belong to antagonizingly different worlds, and ascribe different meanings to the same cult-brand. Our investigation reveals how shades of meaning exist within the same brand tribe, and how these meanings take shape through the subversion and diversion of the product, logo, and other brand-related phenomena

Citation:

Eileen Fischer, Pauline Maclaran, and Cele Otnes (2005) ,"Look What They've Done to My Brand: Clashes of Brand Tribes", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 7, eds. Karin M. Ekstrom and Helene Brembeck, Goteborg, Sweden : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 83-83.