Brand communities refer to group of consumers coming together to share their love for a brand. This is the ultimate representation of the involvement of consumers with the brands. However, it is not easy for marketers to build and sustain brand communities. The article focuses on the importance of brand communities and offers guidelines to build and sustain successful brand communities.

Brand community is defined as a specialized non-geographically bound community based on a structured set of social relationships among admirers of a brand. In a path-breaking study, Thomas O Guinn and Albert Muniz identified three core components that characterize brand communities. These core components characterize communities, irrespective of whether it is a social community or a brand community.

There are different levels of involvement between a consumer and a brand. The interaction starts with the first use of the product. At the basic level of interaction, the consumer is just a brand user. The interaction between the consumer and the brand happens at the functional level-limited by the purchase and use of the product.

The next level of involvement is when the consumer becomes a brand loyalist. The movement of consumer to this level of involvement will depend greatly on his satisfaction in using the brand. Marketers use the term `brand loyal' to denote these set of consumers. When the consumer likes the brand and when the brand satisfies his expectations, there is a chance that the consumer becomes a regular user of the brand. To create brand loyalists, brands must stay relevant to the consumer's life.

Advertising Express Magazine, Brand Tribes, Brand Communities, Social Networking, Moral Responsibility, Global Brands, Indian Marketers, Iconic Brand, Consumer Involvement, Brand Loyalists, Brand Advocates, Brand Evangelists, Brand Resonance, Product Ideas, Brand Manager.