Titl eTh e Lev e r s of E n g a g e m e n t: An Ex plo r a tio n of Gov e r n a n c e in a n O nlin e B r a n d Co m m u ni ty Typ e Articl e U RL h t t p s:// u al r e s e a r c h o nli n e. a r t s . a c. u k/id/ e p ri n t/ 1 4 6 3 4/ D a t e 2 0 1 9Cit a tio n Coo p er, Tony a n d S t a v r o s, Co n s t a n ti n o a n d Do b el e, Ang el a (2 0 1 9) T h e Lev e r s of E n g a g e m e n t: An Ex plo r a tio n of Gov e r n a n c e in a n O nli n e Br a n d Co m m u ni ty. Jou r n al of B r a n d M a n a g e m e n t , 2 6 (3). p p . 2 4 0-2 5 4. IS S N 1 3 5 0-2 3 1XC r e a t o r s Coo p er, Tony a n d S t a v r o s, Co n s t a n ti n o a n d Do b el e, Ang el a U s a g e G u i d e l i n e s Pl e a s e r ef e r t o u s a g e g ui d eli n e s a t h t t p:// u al r e s e a r c h o nlin e. a r t s. a c. u k/ p olici e s. h t ml o r al t e r n a tiv ely c o n t a c t u al r e s e a r c h o nli n e@ a r t s. a c. u k . Lic e n s e: C r e a tiv e Co m m o n s Att ri b u tio n N o n-c o m m e r ci al N o D e riv a tiv e s U nl e s s o t h e r wi s e s t a t e d, c o py ri g h t o w n e d by t h e a u t h o r Abstract Online brand communities represent an increasingly important touch-point for establishing effective consumer-brand relationships. Growing consumer empowerment and an absence of empirical research on the subject, however, have left many firms struggling to balance the often-contradictory goals of community propagation for corporate gain with the autonomy demanded by such groups. This exploratory study investigates the management of this tension between control and engagement in a single Facebook brand community tounderstand how a firm can balance community goals with corporate needs. Our analysis of more than 13,000 Facebook comments and 2988 company posts reveals that online brand community governance can be conceptualised as a continuum. We identify three critical levers that the case study firm manipulated to establish equilibrium between commercial and community imperatives. The levers represent appealing, consulting and affiliating actions and are manifest in a range of social media marketing tactics exhibited by the company which we examine in the context of engagement theory.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the manner in which companies mitigate negative sentiment in social media and to map the forces that may lead to pre-emptive strategies. Design/methodology/approach Case studies were drawn from the retail fashion industry using data collected from semi-structured, in-depth interviews with practitioners and a netnographic examination of company artefacts and social media conversations. Findings The findings identify five principal domains of influence upon which the firms based their approach to social media negativity. The authors suggest that these domains can be fundamentally categorised as either relational domains built on human exchanges or transformational domains rooted in less tangible elements of corporate culture and operational practices that can have a significant impact upon a brand’s socially mediated exchanges. Practical implications The research provides guidance based on empirical observation of effective strategies utilised by firms, emphasising robust systems integration, a holistic management ethos, and leveraging of third-party alliances. Originality/value Bringing together disparate cross-disciplinary elements, the research contributes to knowledge by highlighting opportunities for the development of a proactive rather than reactive approach to online brand negativity and deepens the understanding of applied brand management techniques adopted to address negative social media encounters. The authors provide a series of contemporary and empirically grounded recommendations for practitioners that offer substantive insights.

Purpose – Social media has transformed conventional marketing methods. This medium offers a unique blend of asynchronous communication, opportunities to co-create and customer empowerment far removed from traditional firm-to-consumer, push-vs-pull marketing messages. The purpose of this paper is to examine how a company developed long-term effective relationships and sales growth by using their blog to generate and enhance viral word-of-mouth message diffusion. Design/methodology/approach – The exploration of the blog includes analysis of both content and metrics for a real technology firm with an assumed name. Content and the ripples from blog posts were analysed to determine diffusion and use of messages. Findings – Seven critical success factors for utilising blog marketing to maximum effect are presented to firms considering a similar strategy. Suggestions for managerial implications are also presented. Research limitations/implications – There are two limitations, the focus on a single company which restricts generalisability. The advantage of the case study approach to research does afford depth into this topic. Second, the research questions addresses a small part of the whole social media and corporate marketing sphere, however, this focus allows for depth and richness of data. Originality/value – The paper’s focus provides a unique opportunity to explore the effect of a company who manages points of connection, blogs and viral marketing, on customer relationships. Further, the study responds to the need for practical guidance for managers in relation to the management of blog marketing to facilitate customer relationships and enhance the viral impact of blogs.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the tension in brand management created through the rapid transformation of social media, mapping the maintenance of increasingly complex B2B relationship dynamics with key intermediaries. Design/methodology/approach In-depth interviews with 17 social media practitioners from leading fashion brands, agencies and platforms in the UK and Australia informed this study. Analysis used grounded theory, and results were interpreted through the lens of network and stakeholder theories. Findings Social media platforms have evolved into critical brand stakeholders, serving as gatekeepers in an increasingly unbalanced system between provider and marketer. The perpetuation of a hierarchical power dynamic affects the development of both practitioner and firm capabilities with negative implications and consequences for organisational control of branded social media communications. Three theoretical propositions are offered relating to the nature of platform hegemony, the notion of social media democratisation and the limiting impact of rapid change on the formation of relational ties. Originality/value This study extends the conceptualisation of communal custody of brands in social media settings to incorporate a growing number of commercial stakeholders, challenging the traditional dyadic consumer-brand relational paradigm. This study sheds new light on the impact of digital transformation on power distributions in social media communities not hitherto addressed.

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