Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Conference Track
Social Media/ Internet/ Mobile/ Direct Marketing
Publication Date
2013
Abstract
This study extends the concept of brand communities. The netnography approach has been applied to two online brand communities, both central to Apple iPhone consumers. This study reveals two cultural manifestations with their own passions and communal norms not detected by previous research. This study, thus, enriches the conceptual understanding of brand communities. It also offers contribution toward understanding consumers of high technology brands, an area where few studies have been conducted to date.
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
Digital Commons@Georgia Southern License
Recommended Citation
Aung, May; Wu, Keija; Rohani, Laila; and Rohani, Khalil, "Understanding Online Brand Communities: Netnographic Study of Apple iPhone Consumers" (2013). Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013. 26.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/amtp-proceedings_2013/26
About the Authors
May Aung (PhD) is an Associate Professor in the College of Management and Economics at the University of Guelph. She has supervised graduate students in the area of consumer culture and qualitative research methods. She has published extensively in academic journals and participated in both national and international conferences.
Kejia Wu is currently working in the market research industry as a Research Manager. During her graduate studies (M.Sc. in Marketing and Consumer Studies, University of Guelph), she has developed research interests in Social Media and dedicated her master thesis to understand iPhone users’ online behaviour using Netnographic approach. She continues to apply both Qualitative and Quantitative methods in consumer research.
Laila Rohani is an Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Ted Rogers School of Business Management at Ryerson University. Her research interests are in the areas of social media marketing, virtual community, netnography, consumer culture theory, consumer behaviour, and videography. She has participated in both national and international conferences.
Khalil Rohani is a PhD candidate in Marketing in the Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies at the University of Guelph. His personal research interests are in the areas of online marketing, promotions, social media marketing strategy, high technology marketing, and consumer culture theory. He has participated in many national and international conferences. He is the reviewer for the International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration since 2004 and served as a reviewer for marketing division of ASAC 2011, and 2012.