• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.51-89
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• 2007

INTRODUCTION Due to the high broadband internet penetration rate and its group-oriented culture, various types of online communities operate in Korea. This study use 'Uses and Gratification Approach, and argue that members' usage-needs satisfaction with brand community is an important factor for promoting community commitment. Based on previous studies identifying the effect of brand image on consumers' responses to various marketing stimuli, this study hypothesizes that brand image can be a moderate variable affecting the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction with brand community and members' commitment to brand community. This study analyzes the influence of usage-needs satisfaction on brand community commitment and how apparel brand image affects the relationships between usage-needs satisfactions and community commitments. The hypotheses of this study are proposed as follows. H1-3: The usage-needs satisfaction of apparel brand community (interest, transaction, relationship needs) influences emotional (H1), continuous (H2), and normative (H3) commitments to apparel brand communities. H4-6: Apparel brand image has a moderating effect on the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and emotional (H4), continuous (H5), and normative (H6) commitments to apparel brand communities. METHODS Brand communities founded by non-company affiliates were excluded and emphasis was placed instead on communities created by apparel brand companies. Among casual apparel brands registered in 6 Korean portal sites in August 2003, a total of 9 casual apparel brand online communities were chosen, depending on the level of community activity and apparel brand image. Data from 317 community members were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis, moderated regression analysis, ANOVA, and scheffe test. Among 317 respondents answered an online html-type questionnaire, 80.5% were between 16 to 25 years old. There were a total of 150 respondents from apparel brand communities(n=3) recording higher-than-average brand image scores (Mean > 3.75) and a total of 162 respondents from apparel brand communities(n=6) recording lower-than-average brand image scores(Mean < 3.75). In this study, brand community commitment was measured by a 5-point Likert scale: emotional, continuous and normative commitment. The degree of usage-needs satisfaction (interest, transaction, relationship needs) was measured on a 5-point Likert scale. The level of brand image was measured by a 5-point Likert scale: strength, favorability, and uniqueness of brand associations. RESULTS In the results of exploratory factor analysis, the three usage-needs satisfactions with brand community were classified as interest, transaction, and relationship needs. Brand community commitment was also divided into the multi-dimensional factors: emotional, continuous, and normative commitments. The regression analysis (using a stepwise method) was used to test the influence of 3 independent variables (interest-needs satisfaction, transaction-needs, and relationship-needs satisfactions) on the 3 dependent variables (emotional, continuous and normative commitments). The three types of usage-needs satisfactions are positively associated with the three types of commitments to apparel brand communities. Therefore, hypothesis 1, 2, and 3 were significantly supported. Moderating effects of apparel brand image on the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and brand community commitments were tested by moderated regression analysis. The statistics result showed that the influence of transaction-needs on emotional commitment was significantly moderated by apparel brand image. In addition, apparel brand image had moderating effects on the relationship between relationship-needs satisfaction and emotional, continuous and normative commitments to apparel brand communities. However, there were not significant moderate effects of apparel brand image on the relationships between interest-needs satisfaction and 3 types of commitments (emotional, continuous and normative commitments) to apparel brand communities. In addition, the influences of transaction-needs satisfaction on 2 types of commitments (continuous and normative commitments) were not significantly moderated by apparel brand image. Therefore, hypothesis 4, 5 and 6 were partially supported. To explain the moderating effects of apparel brand image, four cross-tabulated groups were made by averages of usage-needs satisfaction (interest-needs satisfaction avg. M=3.09, transaction-needs satisfaction avg. M=3.46, relationship-needs satisfaction M=1.62) and the average apparel brand image (M=3.75). The average scores of commitments in each classified group are presented in Tables and Figures. There were significant differences among four groups. As can be seen from the results of scheffe test on the tables, emotional commitment in community group with high brand image was higher than one in community group with low brand image when transaction-needs satisfaction was high. However, when transaction-needs satisfaction was low, there was not any difference between the community group with high brand image and community group with low brand image regarding emotional commitment to apparel brand communities. It means that emotional commitment didn't increase significantly without high satisfaction of transaction-needs, despite the high apparel brand image. In addition, when apparel brand image was low, increase in transaction-needs did not lead to the increase in emotional commitment. Therefore, the significant relationship between transaction-needs satisfaction and emotional commitment was found in only brand communities with high apparel brand image, and the moderating effect of apparel brand image on this relationship between two variables was found in the communities with high satisfaction of transaction-needs only. Statistics results showed that the level of emotional commitment is related to the satisfaction level of transaction-needs, while overall response is related to the level of apparel brand image. We also found that the role of apparel brand image as a moderating factor was limited by the level of transaction-needs satisfaction. In addition, relationship-needs satisfaction brought significant increase in emotional commitment in both community groups (high and low levels of brand image), and the effect of apparel brand image on emotional commitment was significant in both community groups (high and low levels of relationship-needs satisfaction). Especially, the effect of brand image was greater when the level of relationship-needs satisfaction was high. in contrast, increase in emotional commitment responding to increase in relationship-needs satisfaction was greater when apparel brand image is high. The significant influences of relationship-needs satisfaction on community commitments (continuous and normative commitments) were found regardless of apparel brand image(in both community groups with low and high brand image). However, the effects of apparel brand image on continuous and normative commitments were found in only community group with high satisfaction level of relationship-needs. In the case of communities with low satisfaction levels of relationship needs, apparel brand image marginally increases continuous and normative commitments. Therefore, we could not find the moderating effect of apparel brand image on the relationship between relationship-needs satisfaction and continuous and normative commitments in community groups with low satisfaction levels of relationship needs, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS From the results of this study, we draw several conclusions; First, the increases in usage-needs satisfactions through apparel brand communities result in the increases in commitments to apparel brand communities, wheres the degrees of such relationship depends on the level of apparel brand image. That is, apparel brand image is a moderating factor strengthening the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and commitment to apparel brand communities. In addition, the effect of apparel brand image differs, depending on the level and types of community usage-needs satisfactions. Therefore, marketers of apparel brand companies must determine the appropriate usage-needs, depending on the type of commitment they wish to increase and the level of their apparel brand image, to promote member's commitments to apparel brand communities. Especially, relationship-needs satisfaction was very important factor for increasing emotional, continuous and normative commitments to communities. However the level of relationship-needs satisfaction was lower than interest-needs and transaction-needs. satisfaction. According to previous study on apparel brand communities, relationship-need satisfaction was strongly related to member's intention of participation in their communities. Therefore, marketers need to develope various strategies in order to increase the relationship- needs as well as interest and transaction needs. In addition, despite continuous commitment was higher than emotional and normative commitments, all types of commitments to apparel brand communities had scores lower than 3.0 that was mid point in 5-point scale. A Korean study reported that the level of members' commitment to apparel brand community influenced customers' identification with a brand and brand purchasing behavior. Therefore, marketers should try to increase members' usage-needs satisfaction and apparel brand image as the necessary conditions for bringing about community commitments. Second, marketers should understand that they should keep in mind that increasing the level of community usage needs (transaction and relationship) is most effective in raising commitment when the level of apparel brand image is high, and that increasing usage needs (transaction needs) satisfaction in communities with low brand image might not be as effective as anticipated. Therefore, apparel companies with desirable brand image such as luxury designer goods firms need to create formal online brand communities (as opposed to informal communities with rudimentary online contents) to satisfy transaction and relationship needs systematically. It will create brand equity through consumers' increased emotional, continuous and normative commitments. Even though apparel brand is very famous, emotional commitment to apparel brand communities cannot be easily increased without transaction-needs satisfaction. Therefore famous fashion brand companies should focus on developing various marketing strategies to increase transaction-needs satisfaction.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.24-44
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• 2011

Many companies are increasingly using social network service(SNS) as an online marketing tool, and its marketing activation has been in the limelight as a differentiation strategy most recently. The purpose of this study is to analyze online marketing cases utilizing SNS and to apply it in Franchise Enterprise in order to activate its marketing activities. This study is more concerned with the cases of facebook, twitter, and blog among social network services and suggests some ways of utilizing them in Franchise Enterprise as follows: Based on the examples of facebook, firstly, we set up the role as a homepage in individul, Franchise Enterprise, and other organizations. Secondly, we also set up the role as an organizing tool in communities, and thirdly, setting up the role as a location map tool. Regarding some applications in marketing tool of Franchise Enterprise, we suggest the role as a public relation tool of the company and brand, and also propose the role of brand planning and development. Finally, we suggest a way of overcoming the limitation in offline operations.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.885-894
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• 2023

This study investigates and analyzes various marketing models that can overcome the economic challenges and resource scarcity faced by solo entrepreneurs. Previous research primarily focused on the integrated marketing communication (IMC) model, resulting in a lack of comprehensive discussion. In this study, we emphasized the IT content marketing communication model, considering a holistic analysis and the changing roles over time. As a result, we were able to propose a new strategic approach by integrating the ICM community model into a convergent value chain, improving the IMC model and promoting brand growth and online presence enhancement. This has laid the foundation for effectively increasing brand awareness and provided specific guidelines to support the sustained growth of solo entrepreneurship.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.67-101
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• 2014

The use of new technology greatly shapes the marketing strategies used by companies to engage their consumers. Among these new technologies, social media is used to reach out to the organization's audience online. One of the most popular social media channels to date is the microblogging platform Twitter. With 500 million tweets sent on average daily, the microblogging platform is definitely a rich source of data for researchers, and a lucrative marketing medium for companies. Nonetheless, one of the challenges for companies in developing an effective Twitter campaign is the limited theoretical and empirical evidence on the proper organizational usage of Twitter despite its potential advantages for a firm's external communications. The current study aims to provide empirical evidence on how firms can utilize Twitter effectively in their marketing communications using the association between brand personality and brand engagement that several branding researchers propose. The study extends Aaker's previous empirical work on brand personality by applying the Brand Personality Scale to explore whether Twitter brand communities convey distinctive brand personalities online and its influence on the communities' level or intensity of consumer engagement and sentiment quality. Moreover, the moderating effect of the product involvement construct in consumer engagement is also measured. By collecting data for a period of eight weeks using the publicly available Twitter application programming interface (API) from 23 accounts of Twitter-verified business-to-consumer (B2C) brands, we analyze the validity of the paper's hypothesis by using computerized content analysis and opinion mining. The study is the first to compare Twitter marketing across organizations using the brand personality concept. It demonstrates a potential basis for Twitter strategies and discusses the benefits of these strategies, thus providing a framework of analysis for Twitter practice and strategic direction for companies developing their use of Twitter to communicate with their followers on this social media platform. This study has four specific research objectives. The first objective is to examine the applicability of brand personality dimensions used in marketing research to online brand communities on Twitter. The second is to establish a connection between the congruence of offline and online brand personalities in building a successful social media brand community. Third, we test the moderating effect of product involvement in the effect of brand personality on brand community engagement. Lastly, we investigate the sentiment quality of consumer messages to the firms that succeed in communicating their brands' personalities on Twitter.

• Proceedings of the Costume Culture Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.104-106
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• 2003

현대사회는 정보의 디지털화와 컴퓨터의 급속한 보급으로 인한 네트워크 환경의 발전으로 사이버 사회로의 전환과정을 거치고 있다. 인터넷이라는 새로운 매체의 등장은 단순히 객체간에 시공을 초월한 정보전달뿐 아니라 비즈니스의 방식에도 매우 큰 변화를 가져오고 있다. 이미 인터넷을 통한 무점포 판매방식은 기존의 리테일링 개념에 혁명적인 변화를 가져오고 있고 인터넷을 통한 정보교류는 고객과의 접촉방법, 고객에 대한 정보수집 등의 과정에서 저렴한 비용으로 효과적인 마케팅을 수행할 수 있게 하고 있다. (중략)

• Proceedings of the Korean Association for Survey Research Conference
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• 2005.12a
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• pp.187-220
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to analyze supporters' community formation motives/ Process/consumption experiences and community characteristics. For this purpose, this study collected the data using ethnographic interview. participant observation, documents and media reports. The results of this study show that supporters communities' formation and diffusion process were influenced by individual characteristics(e.g., personality, hobby and etc.), community characteristics(e.g.,team performance, star player, facilities and etc.) and external factors(ex: media movement etc.) and supporters have experienced various emotions such as intimacy. cohesion, pride and so on through various activities at on-line and off-line site. Community characteristics were classified into we-ness, rituals/traditions, moral responsibility. We found that we-ness influenced emotional dimensions such as joy, pleasure, fun and excitement. rituals and traditions made members feel passion. hope. love and vitality. and moral responsibility provided satisfaction. enthusiasm anxiety. regret and so on. Also, emotional attachment and brand loyalty were increased by these experiential aspects of community consumption.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.1-26
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• 2011

As brand is increasingly important as a competitive source and information and communication technology based on Internet is rapidly advanced, many companies have paid attention to online brand community that is expected to help strengthen the customer's awareness on their products and services. This study suggests four factors-interaction, purpose, playfulness, reward-that facilitate online brand community commitment, and examines the effect of online brand community commitment on brand loyalty from the perspective of social identity theory. For this purpose, 243 sample data were collected from three online brand community sites and the proposed research model was empirically tested using LISREL 8.7 based on structural equation model. In conclusion, this study proposed theoretical and practical implications along with its limitations and future studies.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.183-200
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• 2014

Online brand communities have become a major component of marketing strategy given that these communities encourage participation and share the culture of Web 2.0 core concepts to Internet users. This study investigated the effects of social capital and knowledge quality on the success of online brand communities. A research model suggests that trust among members and the identification derived from social capital theory and knowledge quality influence individual community participation; knowledge quality also influences brand trust. In turn, community participation and brand trust develop brand loyalty. The model was empirically analyzed using structural equation modeling with data from online brand community members in Korea. The results indicate that identification and knowledge quality significantly affects brand trust and brand loyalty through community participation. This study provides a basis for developing a success model for online brand communities. Also, this study identifies a new role of knowledge quality in an online brand community context.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.21
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• pp.209-237
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• 2007

This research intends to check what value and convenience the on-line brand community members pursue and how such value and convenience affects brand affection. Researching on-line brand community members of ipod, it was found that their value and convenience is composed of 3 types, namely, functional value, emotional value and self-expression value and the concept of brand affection is composed of 3 subsidiary factors, namely, 'love', 'interest' and 'immersion.' Checking how the functional, emotional and self-expression convenience of on-line brand community members affected brand affection, the following result was found. First, functional value and convenience has significant influence on the love affection only at the level of brand affection and has no influence on the relational and immersion affection. Second, self-expression value and convenience has significant influence only on the love affection of brand like functional value and convenience. Third, it was found that emotional value has significant influence on the 3 dimensions of brand affection, namely, love affection, interest affection and immersion affection.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1432-1443
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship among the sub-dimensions of interaction and the relationship between interactions and needs satisfactions in the apparel brand online communities. Subjects of 317 members for 9 selected apparel communities responded the questionnaire in the home-page or in the attached file. The results were as follows: The suggested structural equation model which showed the relationship between the interactions and needs satisfaction in communities were accepted($\chi^2=63.80/df.=48/p=0.06$, GFI=0.97, AGFI=0.95, RMR=0.045, NFI=0.93, AIC=123.80). The interaction of company-consumer hads a positive influence on the interaction of consumers-consumers(H1) and the interaction of consumers-consumers had a positive influence on the interaction of consumers-company(H2). The interaction among community members had a positive influence on the satisfaction of interest needs(H3), transaction needs(H4) and relationship needs(H5) in the community. The relationship needs satisfaction had a positive influence on the interaction of members to the company(H6). Therefore, marketers in apparel company should be fully aware of reciprocal influence among types of interaction when planning marketing programs to promote each type of interaction. Furthermore, they also have to plan marketing activities to manage effective interaction.