How to Build a Brand Community Using Consumer Psychology
Key points for using consumer psychology to build a brand community:
Communities form when people are brought together for shared activities and experiences which center around the brand
Brand language can play a large role in galvanizing the brand community, serving as a unique set of vocabulary for community members
Ultimately, enabling brand community is about taking a step back, creating connections amongst people, and playing a role in a broader social group
Every team needs a mascot. Stanford has "The Tree." Michigan State has "The Spartan." For the Harley Davidson racing team of the 1920s? Johnny The Pig.
Shortly after WW1, Johnny, an actual full-grown pig, was adopted as the official mascot of the motorcycle racing team. He quickly became a popular figure within the club, and a tradition soon began of sitting the pig on the bike for a victory lap after each win.
When journalists caught onto this, they donned the team "The Harley Hogs," and the rest is history. "Hog" became the nickname for their motorbikes. In addition, the company embraced the name, and used "HOG" to describe itself (officially, Harley Owners Group), which also became its stock ticker.
Today, most people still associate "Hog" with Harley Davidson, but only a select few are familiar with this unique bit of the brand's history. For the inner circle of Harley enthusiasts, though, it's not just about the history; it's about the unique brand community. For "hogs", riding goes beyond a simple hobby, and instead has become an essential element of social identity.
A committed community is a significant brand asset. It's a set of strong close ties which centers around your brand identity. So how can brands foster these communities? Building a brand community is a complex task, but two elements are crucial: 1) consumer psychology, and 2), as we've seen with "hogs," the unique way the brand uses language.
Let's dive in.
The Consumer Psychology of Shared Brand Experiences
When you think of building a brand community, the first thing that likely comes to mind is a group on social media or a fervent online forum. These are no doubt great to have, but they are often much more the result of an existing community than the key driver that creates it.
So how can this be done? It's no accident that brands that excel often do so by bringing people together through a shared activity.
People aren't likely to go online and talk about the brand just because. Consumer psychology is much more complex. Instead, they need to have a shared set of shared brand experiences to draw from and to talk about. The brand can become central to these conversations by enabling a shared activity.
When you're looking for strong communities in the consumer world, you can do better than Harley Davidson. However, another American motor brand is quickly rising the ranks: Jeep. The American brand is famous for its strong group of followers, particularly for its offroad vehicles, such as the Rubicon.
People even have Jeep-themed weddings! But when you chat with the mega-fans of Jeep, it's not just about the vehicles - it's about the entire experience of the brand.
Each year, there are events like Jeep Safari, where owners camp out and barbecue in places such as Moab, Utah, to check out the newest Jeep innovations. It's worth noting that none of these events are officially sponsored by the brand itself, but rather emerge organically, just like the Jeep wedding: organized by real Jeep enthusiasts.
You can see a similar level of community regarding fitness-based brands such as Equinox or SoulCycle, or lifestyle brands like Lululemon. In this way, the love for the brand creates a bond among strangers.
How Brand Language Fosters Community
Communities are strengthened through their shared language and communication styles.
This leads us to the second key element: brand language. One thing that brings people together is the unique way in which community members know how to speak. When one truly goes in-depth in this shared, brand activity, this unique slang and vocabulary deepens the connection and sense of identity for community members. This also facilitates neural synchrony and successful communication.
SoulCycle enthusiasts, for example, know what a "tap back" maneuver is, or what to do when the instructor yells to "clip in". Community-based brands have a great way of tapping into the additional camaraderie from this exclusive terminology. It's a way of knowing you're "in the club."
A unique vocabulary also enables complex signaling: When you use it, and someone nods along knowingly, it says something about their identity. And in this way, you quickly understand who else shares that same social identity.
Brand vocabulary can be tricky. While the brand can undoubtedly play a role in introducing specific terminologies, language is an organic process. Ultimately, it comes down to closely listening to consumers to witness the unique language already being utilized.
Whether it's "Luluheads" (self-proclaimed Lululemon fanatics) or Swifties (Taylor Swift superfans), some of the best terminologies develop organically from the community itself.
In doing so, the beauty of brands like Jeep and Lululemon is that they provide the tools to go beyond the people in one's immediate community - they provide the means to connect to the larger brand community.
And often, this comes down to simple symbolism. For Jeep, for example, the "Jeep wave" takes place when two strangers pass each other while driving Jeeps. Small things like this help broaden this feeling of community and camaraderie.
Final Thoughts on The Psychology of Brand Community
Creating a brand community means taking a step back. It's about fostering social ties by providing time, space, and shared passions. Ultimately, people will find the community much more important than the brand itself. And they should - we're social creatures, and connection with our fellow humans is a fundamental drive.
As a brand, it's about being the space for these human connections to form, and to play a role in bringing people together.
Great branding should strive to create not just a bond between brand and consumer - but to provide the means for consumers to bond with themselves. When done right, this fosters a strong community of which the brand becomes a key part. Ultimately, it's about playing a role and being part of the team.
Just like Johnny The Pig.
Photo by Justin Peralta on Unsplash
About the author
Matt Johnson, PhD is a researcher, writer, and consumer neuroscientist focusing on the application of psychology to branding. He is the author of the best-selling consumer psychology book Blindsight, and Branding That Means Business (Economist Books, Fall 2022). Contact Matt for speaking engagements, opportunities to collaborate, or just to say hello
References for Applying Consumer Psychology and Brand Language to Create Community
Griskevicius, V., Tybur, J. M., & Van den Bergh, B. (2010). Going green to be seen: status, reputation, and conspicuous conservation. Journal of personality and social psychology, 98(3), 392.
Johnson, M., & Misiaszek, T. (2022). Branding that Means Business: Economist Edge: books that give you the edge (Vol. 1). Profile Books.
Panhead, J. (April, 2017) How Harleys Became Known as 'Hogs', Ride Apart
