H5: The Brandfest and the Customer–Customer
Relationship
For customers who felt less connected to other owners, H5
was confirmed strongly; brandfest participation led to more
positive relationships with other Jeep owners. Owners who
pretested higher on this scale showed no significant difference
in their feelings toward fellow owners. The latter result
can be explained, as for previous hypotheses, in terms of
high base-level responses. These typically more experienced
owners likely have had more interaction with other owners.
Less experienced owners probably have had less cause to
form brand-related interpersonal relationships, and their
overall image of other users is more likely to suffer from
stereotypes or misconceptions before the brandfest.
For an example of how a brandfest can facilitate lasting
customer–customer relationships, consider the case of
Katie, a 22-year-old Michigan woman and first-time Jeep
Wrangler owner. She had attended her first Jamboree with
her sister-in-law Kim in Michigan the previous year. At the
Michigan event, she met two young men and their father
who also owned a Wrangler. The two parties got acquainted
during the event, and afterward they corresponded to share
home videos of the Jamboree experience. By prearrangement
they met again at the Jamboree in French Lick, Ind.,
where the friendship continued. When we encountered Katie
during the second day of activities she told us in animated
tones how the young men had just taught her how to remove
the doors from her Jeep for a more open feeling. When
asked about her intentions for the future of the relationship
she quickly stated that there were no romantic considerations
but that they all intended to keep in touch and meet at
other Jamborees.