H1: The Construct of Brand Community
H1 was confirmed strongly. Quantitative analysis supports
the integrity of a construct of IBC as the cumulative impact
of four types of customer-centered relationships. In addition,
although the individual relationships are depicted as
dyadic, our ethnographic data reveal that they do not function
entirely independently of each other. Rather, they
develop interdependently in ways that are mutually
reinforcing.
The following excerpt from an interview at Jeep 101
provides an example of how brand community may begin to
form in the early stages of purchase and ownership. The
informant, Susan, is a first-time Jeep owner attending Jeep
101 with her fiancé, George. Throughout the purchase
process, Susan referred to her interpersonal relationships for
assistance and input. Interaction with friends, car dealers,
and the Internet (with the assistance of her brother) all
helped her arrive at her purchase decision. Subsequently,
postpurchase communication with her dealer and from the
company further strengthened her connection to the brand: