Marketing Strategy and Plan Grey Stratton and Jeremy Northcote

Question: Discuss about theMarketing Strategy and Planfor Grey Stratton and Jeremy Northcote. Answer: Introduction The present analysis formed in a brief essay is going to evaluate a particular article on the concept of brand communities by Grey Stratton and Jeremy Northcote. Hence, the analytical essay hereby will strive to catch the implication of the considered essay for the brand managers and simultaneously will attempt to develop alternative strategic decisions. It is to say; in this respect, that the concept of brand community is indicative of an individual community whose chief goal is to share systems and aspects of value, culture and standards as well as to identify the membership links (Zaglia, 2013). However, this distinct approach has been neglected for a long time in the world of business as company message boards and specifically social media channels efficiently snatched the accountability of brand communities. It is fortunate to note that in the recent era the whole concept of brand communities is enjoying a fruitful rejuvenation from 2015 (Zhou et al., 2012). The considered article impressively inaugurates with establishing a critical and argumentative discussion on different concept regarding aspect of brand communities. The combined effort of the authors has brought some of the most authentic and relevant conceptual ground works of brand communities. As per the information interpreted in the defining section, most of the sound conceptualizations regarding brand communities have been derived from recent postmodern approaches (Stratton Northcote, 2014). However, in the words of Wirtz et al. (2013), the concept of brand communities is predominantly related with links between customers. On the other hand, as stated by Wang et al. (2015), the idea of forming a brand community is a strategic tactic that helps to grow business goals. Nevertheless, it should be considered that a brand community is a group of customers, who are self-employed not just to drive sales but also to build emotional support, to discussion about mutual interest and for status acquisition. The initial segment after the introduction of the concerned article has briefly added these ideas and has given relatively more focus on showing the basic differences between consumer tribes and brand community. As per Stratton and Northcote (2014), there is a huge confusion about the fact that whether consumer tribes are the brand communities or not. Fortunately, the defining section of the article has concentrated on to clear up this very confusion by stating that consumer tribes have concerns with the activity of consumption, whereas brand communities are united for similar affiliation to a brand. It can be said therefore, that in order to set potential implication in front of the eyes of the brand managers, the authors have started with the fundamental points. Therefore, it has to be said that with the help of secondary resources, the article has able to provide a fruitful presentation about the nature of brand communities by cumulating all the major kinds of differentiation among brand communities, consumer tribe, brand followers and any social group (Gruner et al. 2014). It could be learnt from the section that any individual consuming a particular brand on frequent basis does not beco me a part of brand community unless he becomes a brand enthusiast. Nevertheless, it is to say in this respect that while the authors have been attempting to cover every kind of conceptual definitions regarding brand communities with handful of relevant evidences, it should have given a more clear thought regarding the inevitable relation between brand symbol and brand community. In the following sections like defining fundamental features and dynamics of brand communities, the authors have cumulated various company evidences (Stratton Northcote, 2014). However, the authors could have taken resources from other honorary authors instead of Mun iz and OGuinn as it seems that in most the time of evaluation; the article has summoned these names. However, regarding the section that illustrates the rudimentary features of brand community, it can be denoted at first that a brand community can work with the same amount of efficiency like the social media in for making fruitful promotion of a brand (Gruner et al., 2014). According to the articles approach re garding the characteristic features of brand community, mainstream ideology is the predominant attribute of brand communities that distinguish it from the sub-cultural group of mere enthusiasts. The authors in this section has critically differentiated different approach regarding brand and brand community between the brand of Apple and the brand of IBM. On the other hand, it has been discussed in this part that brand communities are dependent upon rituals and traditions. Therefore, it is understandable that preference for a particular brand is related with individual tradition and culture. Hence, it makes a contradiction regarding the fact, which opines that brand communities are not limited geographically. However, one of the accomplishments of the article is that the article itself works as a critical analysis of the exiting concepts and empirical studies and has finally come up with most applicable yet current practices and ideas regarding brand communities. On the other side, probably the most relevant section of the entire article is that part, which gives analysis regarding the dynamic of brand community. This section gives strong implication about the possible benefits of brand communities (Stratton Northcote, 2014). It is a fact that brand communities are one of the most suitable medium for making healthy communication with the consumers. The same has been implied with profound approach in this section. For example, the indicated fact that a brand enterprise and its customers can share a symbiotic relationship through brand communities has been underpinned with thorough giving evident of Apple. Therefore, from the overall assessment, the following can be recommended - Recommendation Advantages A brand community is a group of loyal customers who should be nourished with utmost priority by the companies. It will open doors for more mutual dependence between a company and its target market. Brand communities should not be confused with fan clubs or active enthusiast. Brand companies should give importance on the fact that activity enthusiast, brand enthusiast are part of brand community (Brodie et al., 2013). Therefore, brand managers are required to satisfy brand and activity enthusiast. It would help to maintain a large number of brand communities. Culture and ethnicity are two dominant factors for brand community, therefore brand managers should increase brand awareness considering these two facets. It would help to satisfy brand communities by addressing their preference Table 1: Recommendations (Source: As created by the author) References Brodie, R. J., Ilic, A., Juric, B., Hollebeek, L. (2013). Consumer engagement in a virtual brand community: An exploratory analysis.Journal of Business Research,66(1), 105-114. Gruner, R. L., Homburg, C., Lukas, B. A. (2014). Firm-hosted online brand communities and new product success.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,42(1), 29-48. Mousavi, S., Bruce, M., Keeling, K. (2015). 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