ABSTRACT
As digital, social and mobile media platforms become more common, customer engagement is becoming increasingly important. Consumers are no longer limited to a passive role in their relationships with firms. They can easily create their own brand-relevant, user-generated content (UGC) and distribute it to large audiences. The possibility of this type of engagement is changing the way that firms interact with their customers (e.g. Malthouse et al., 2013). While most firms now react to UGC, especially when it is negative (e.g. Van Noort and Willemsen, 2012), companies increasingly have the opportunity to engage proactively with consumers.
