Rituals and Traditions
Rituals and traditions are also evident in our brand communities. Rituals and traditions represent vital social processes by which the meaning of the community is reproduced and transmitted within and beyond the community. Some of these are widespread and understood by all members of the community, while others are more localized in their origins and applications. These rituals and traditions typically center on shared consumption experiences with the brand. All the brand communities encountered in this project have some form of ritual or tradition. These brand community rituals and traditions function to maintain the culture of the community. Here, for example, two members of the Saab brand community discuss a very common Saab greeting ritual:
George: If you drove a Saab, whenever you passed someone else driving a Saab on the road, you beeped or flashed your lights.
Mark: Or you’d wave at each other. I did it today, I was driving around downtown Kenosha, and it was a four‐door, nothing special, but that’s OK, Hey, how you doing? Yeah I still flash my headlights at people.
These greeting rituals involve public recognition of other brand users and include a knowing nod, honking, waving, and asking them about their brand model. Such rituals may at first appear insignificant, but they function to perpetuate consciousness of kind. Every time such a greeting ritual is initiated or returned, members are validated in their understanding of the community. Community members appear to enjoy these greetings and conversations, although upon forced reflection they say they find it a little strange. Still, they feel that they are good things “you just do,” and should continue. By constantly interacting with other brand users in these scripted interactions, community and the meaning of the brand are reproduced. In the Saab community, it may be relatively prominent due to the desired exclusivity of the brand, the gendered nature of car communities, or the very public nature of product use.