Excellent HBR article on Brand Communities

I always find the HBR hit or miss for its pronouncements on social media. This month, though, has a surprisingly excellent article on high level strategy on brand communities (read: communities to the rest of us) which is especially good advice for those that have spun off into echo-chamber land. Great examples from brands like Harley, Pepperidge Farm and others. Tis great. Pg. 106, April 2009 edition if you’re interested (link above is to buy the article direct from website).

1. Myth #1: A brand community is a marketing strategy
   Reality: A brand community is a business strategy
2. Myth #2: A brand community exists to serve the business
   Reality: A brand community exists to serve the community in it.
3. Myth #3: Build the brand and the community will follow
   Reality: Engineer the community and the brand will be strong
4. Myth #4: Brand communities should be love-fests for faithful brand advocates
   Reality: Smart companies embrace the conflicts that make communities thrive
5. Myth #5: Opinion leaders build strong communities
   Reality: Communities are strongest when everyone plays a role
6. Myth #6: Online social networks are the key to a community strategy
   Reality: Online networks are just one tool. not a community strategy
7. Myth #7: Successful brand communities are tightly managed and controlled.
   Reality: Of and by the people, communities defy managerial control.

I can’t tell you the number of organizations and companies I currently see blowing this at the moment. Particularly big problems seem to be #2, #3, £6, and #7 at least amongst groups I’m intimately associated with.

Anyhow, definitely worth the read if you’re in the online space as well as the highlights on community affiliation, roles and scripts.