ABSTRACT
This chapter’s focus is a very specific dark side of consumer-brand relationships – the relationship between violent extremist organisations (VEOs) and their sympathisers and supporters. The authors conducted research exploring these organisations’ use of accepted branding and customer relationship management (CRM) techniques that further their causes, engage potential followers and enhance their reputations among supporters. This situation is unique in that the organisations in question are not trying to minimise the aspects of their practices that most would consider to be dark sided, but instead choose to highlight those aspects as selling points. VEOs are not typically the subject of business research, though many compar-
isons to traditional firms can easily be made. Similar to firms whose primary function is to maximise profit, VEOs profit from increased brand recognition through greater exposure to their target market, share in the benefits of co-branding with other highly visible VEO brands, and see their images enhanced when they release high-profile ‘products’ (i.e. terror and destruction). Just as more traditional businesses must organise and manage their relationships with their constituencies, VEOs must employ CRM strategies designed to maximise the relationships they have with their constituents. Through effective implementation of these strategies, VEOs shape their followers’ decision-making processes, create strong brand advocates, ensure long-term continuation of the relationship and receive actionable feedback. This chapter explores various brand-building and relationship-management
techniques currently employed by VEOs – primarily via social media, where recent estimates suggest that nearly 90% of VEO Internet activity takes place (Weimann,
2012). Just like the traditional business organisations that populate most of the examples in this book, VEOs employ specialised techniques to manage relationships with their followers. Whereas most traditional organisations can openly advertise and promote messages designed to reach and impact their target audiences, VEOs must utilise strategies that allow them to communicate with their customers more surreptitiously. For that reason, social media platforms provide an excellent vehicle for VEO CRM. Comparisons to the same practices as applied by traditional business firms will emphasise the value to the traditional business organisation of efficient implementation. CRM techniques such as treating customers as partners, soliciting customer input, communicating proactively with customers and recognising the importance of service take on additional significance when the customer in question is potentially being asked to sacrifice more than financial resources and the product being promoted is terrorism. The customer of a VEO may actually be asked to give his/her own life to advance the cause; the product of the VEO is often destruction and terror; and the more attention that destruction receives, the more terror produced and the more profitable that product is for the VEO. The authors find that even the most unlikely types of organisations employ
CRM techniques and, when effectively implemented, these techniques produce desirable outcomes for the organisation. Whether the desired effect is a vocal cohort of brand advocates and a strong bottom line or a willing band of supporters prepared to conduct violent acts and increasing donations from like-minded sympathisers, impactful CRM is a common thread. So, the question becomes, if VEOs have adopted techniques utilised by successful businesses, can traditional businesses benefit from studying the implementation of those same techniques by dark side organisations? This chapter explores the various social media tactics employed by VEOs to build and maintain a strong brand image, as well as the CRM strategies that allow them to customise these communications, ensuring a strong customerbrand relationship with their constituents. The unique nature of these strategies allows the authors to recommend some novel techniques that can be employed by more traditional organisations.
