ABSTRACT
Brand-community cultures pose a new phenomenon that calls for a shift in the way brands market to consumers. Traditional marketing and even cross-cultural marketing strategies may not be appropriate as racial, national, and generational markers are no longer what characterize consumers’ lifestyles and predict consumption behaviors. Thus, “Cultural Marketing” manifests itself when resonating themes foster identification, techno-social spaces nurture connectivity, and behavioral templates motivate active engagement among consumers. Through Cultural Marketing, brands use the insight provided by community members to outline their strategies, which can ultimately allow brands to meet consumers’ compelling but as yet unarticulated needs. Through active engagement, Stephenie Meyer inspired a loyal fan base to partake in the creation of a female-driven brand community, which is currently unrepresented in brand community research. Cultural marketing provides brands with invaluable insight into what consumers want and are willing to purchase. Another major advantage is the opportunity to create new offerings that have a built-in market.
