Investigating Perceived Connectedness to Brand Users: Brand Communities Versus Brand Collectivities

This study provides insight into an important aspect of brand-oriented groups: perceived connectedness to brand users (PCBU). Based on theory and prior research, a new type of brand-oriented group, the brand collectivity, is introduced in this monograph. Brand collectivities consist of individuals who feel a connection with the consumers of a brand, yet who are not engaged in recurrent brand-oriented social interaction. Ten new marketing related construct measures are developed and a model of PCBU is empirically tested, with significant implications provided for the marketing literature as well as practitioners of marketing. Key differences between brand communities and brand collectivites are identified, in addition to how these differences relate to consumers¿ attitudes toward brands. Overall, PCBU and significant discrepancies between brand communities and brand collectivities have been shown to affect consumer behavior.