The results of this study also reconfirm a core foundation of online brand communities. Both the brand-sponsored and consumer-generated online brand communities featured shared positive bonds: enthusiasm and passion for the team/game/player, and these results corroborate with Muniz and O’Guinn’s (2001) definition of online brand community, which is based on shared consciousness of kind. Regardless of whether the All Blacks online communities were created by the brand owner or by consumers, both communities were united through their shared theme of enthusiasm and passion for the All Blacks, players and rugby games. This supports Muniz and O’Guinn’s (2001) definition that shared consciousness of kind is fundamental to all online brand communities. However, Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) suggest consciousness of kind is characterised by a degree of legitimacy in an online community. While findings support a shared consciousness of kind between the brand-sponsored and consumer-generated online brand communities, results from this research suggest there is possibility that the degree of legitimacy between the brand- sponsored and consumer-generated online communities varies.
Findings from interviews with marketing experts suggest consumer-generated online brand communities are likely to have greater legitimacy than brand-sponsored online brand communities because there is no corporate agenda or corporate policy to control these communities. Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) suggest the degree of legitimacy can also be established by differentiating between those who are true believers and those who are merely opportunistic. It is possible, that members in the brand-sponsored online community could be more opportunistic as they may be participating in the online community merely to consume official information. It is possible that the presence of a brand owner in the brand-sponsored online community is decreasing the degree of legitimacy by presenting an official corporate agenda to encourage members to participate in the community through consumption of official information. In comparison, members in the consumer-generated online community are united through their passion beyond events and shared beliefs in supremacy and nationality. Members in the consumer-generated online community may therefore be more legitimate members because they are participating in the community due to their passion for the All Blacks, beliefs that they can win and for their pride in New Zealand. These findings corroborates with Leigh, Peters and Shelton’s (2006) research, which suggests the lack of marketer’s involvement in a community may strengthen member’s commitment to the brand and community and communities may therefore be more legitimate. Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) further suggest a key feature of an online brand community is shared rituals and traditions and one way this is represented is through community members celebrating the history of the brand. According to Muniz and O’Guinn (2001), appreciation for history of the brand is a key indicator differentiating those who are true supporters and those who are merely opportunists. Applying Muniz and O’Guinn’s (2001) theory, results from this study further suggest members in the consumer-generated online community may be more legitimate as they are celebrating the history of the brand and they are united in their shared beliefs in supremacy and nationality. Members in the consumer-generated online community consume national symbols and display mana or pride in the team and nation. This suggests these members are appreciating and celebrating the history of the All Blacks brand by acknowledging and identifying with New Zealand origins. In comparison this theme is not evident in the brand-sponsored online community and celebrating the history of the brand does not unite brand-sponsored community members. Therefore, celebrating the history of the brand is weaker in the brand-sponsored online community. Interestingly, these findings challenge Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) assumption that the brand owner and marketers assist in driving a brand’s shared history through appropriate marketing communications. In this case, it appears the presence of a brand owner may have hindered the appreciation for the brands history. Practically this has implications for brand owners. There is opportunity for brand owners to further enhance the legitimacy and sincerity of a
brand-sponsored online brand community by purposively encouraging interaction that celebrates the history of the brand.
Findings from this study imply the consumer-generated online community may be more legitimate compared with the brand-sponsored online community. This may be attributable to a consumer- generated online community having no corporate agenda, members being less opportunistic and more sincere, and members displaying stronger appreciation for the history of the brand. By applying Muniz and O’Guinn’s (2001) assumptions, the consumer-generated online brand community may therefore show stronger community foundations. The suggestion that a consumer-generated online brand community has greater legitimacy than a brand-sponsored online community also supports research by Leigh, Peters and Shelton (2006) who state, marketers should consider the power of consumers as co-creators of brand legitimacy. These results make a positive contribution to research by suggesting a consumer-generated online brand community may be more legitimate than a brand-sponsored online brand community and this difference could be attributable to the presence of the brand owner. Consumer-generated online band communities are therefore powerful tools encouraging sincere and legitimate interaction between brands and consumers.
These findings also help to explain insights from interviews with marketing experts. As consumer- generated online brand communities are more legitimate and authentic than brand-sponsored online brand communities this helps to explain insights from marketing experts who suggest corporate online brand strategy is strongly influenced by activity in consumer-generated online brand communities. It is possible marketing experts are aware of the differences in legitimacy and acknowledge how corporate online brand strategy is often guided by activity on a consumer- generated online brand community. Perhaps marketing experts have already recognised a consumer-generated online brand community is more legitimate and are using consumer- generated online brand communities to guide their corporate online brand strategy in hope to make brand-sponsored online brand communities more legitimate, authentic, personal and in hope to foster stronger relationships between consumers and brands. The idea that brand- sponsored online brand communities have lower legitimacy and authenticity than consumer- generated online brand communities also explains a predicted trend of online brand communities outlined by marketing experts in interviews. Experts envisage a future trend of online brand communities is that brand owners in online brand communities will need to shift away from controlling conversations to creating positive, open and trusting experiences. By doing so, marketing experts suggest brand-sponsored online brand communities may become more authentic and legitimate and they may form stronger relationships with consumers.
Extending these findings even further, it may be worthwhile to consider how differences in legitimacy between brand-sponsored and consumer-generated online brand communities influence brand equity. Applying Fournier’s (1998) theory we could assume consumer-generated online brand communities have higher brand equity than brand-sponsored online brand communities. Fournier (1998) suggests the legitimacy of consumer-brand relationships is an indication of brand equity. These results show consumer-generated online brand communities may have a stronger, deeper, more legitimate, and authentic relationship between the brand and consumers, compared with brand-sponsored online brand communities. If the finding that consumer-generated online brand communities have stronger brand equity than brand-sponsored online brand communities, the impact for marketers may be vast. Investigating differences in brand equity between brand-sponsored and consumer-generated online brand communities is an opportunity for future research.