"Si fa presto a dire brand community": un'analisi nel comparto delle bibite gasate

Online brand communities are considered important unconventional communication tools capable of sustaining the development of postmodern consumers’ engagement. However, although many studies have been conducted across countries in order to assess conditions that make brand communities successful, less attention has been paid to consumer engagement dimensions and determinants. Furthermore, previous researches have focused only on the study of brand community structural characteristics or on its participants’ experiences, whereas less attention has been paid to the comparison between managerial logics and visions driving the community development and the actual experiences and evaluations of consumers that take part in the community. On the basis of these premises, this study focuses on the case of a brand community in the soft beverage sector in order to: explore the brand community role in eliciting consumers’ engagement towards the brand; study the level of fine-tuning between managers’ views and consumers’ experiences relevant to the community. In order to cover these knowledge objectives we conducted a qualitative study based on two approaches: motivational in depth interviews to managerial key informants; narrative interviews to consumers participating in the community. Results of the study show an interesting interplay between managerial perspectives and consumer experiences and the role of this interplay in shaping consumers’ engagement towards the brand. Evidences from the study are discussed both from an academic and a managerial perspective.