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Consumer tribes
Consumer tribes: membership,
consumption and building loyalty
Cleo Mitchell
Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand, and 39
Brian C. Imrie
Department of Marketing, Taylor’s Business School, Received 24 June 2009
Revised 5 August 2010
Taylor’s University, Selangor, Malaysia Accepted 6 August 2010

Abstract
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to extend the emergent consumer tribe literature to facilitate a
more complete understanding of the antecedents and roles implicit within consumer tribal membership.
Principally a conceptual paper, this study focuses upon how a more complete understanding of
consumer roles can be leveraged to create sustainable loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach – This study comprised an examination of the tribe’s social
behaviour, membership roles and influence on individual consumption. The research was approached
interpretively with a case study design investigating a tribe of vinyl record collectors in a New Zealand
context.
Findings – Key findings include the confirmation of Kozinets’ antecedents of tribal membership and
the four roles of tribal members previously conceptualised by Cova and Cova. The tribe was found to
have a core set of values that moderated any individual differences. A hierarchy, managed through the
distribution of “cultural capital”, was found to exist amongst the group. In an extension of Cova’s
modelling a fifth role of “Chief” was identified, whereby the Chief was found to act as an opinion leader
and organiser amongst the group.
Research limitations/implications – Owing to constraints of both time and research funding,
only one tribe was examined in this case study, hence the results are very specific to the group studied.
Future research should apply the managerial implications from this study to other case contexts to test
and expand understanding of consumer tribe dynamics and the creation of consumer loyalty.
Originality/value – This paper creates a link between extant consumer behaviour, loyalty and
consumer culture theory. The presented results have implications for the marketing manager through
advancement towards creation of a model of tools a firm can use to connect with and build sustainable
loyalty with consumer tribes.
Keywords Marketing strategy, Customer loyalty, Influence, Leadership, Consumer behaviour
Paper type Research paper

Introduction
A conventional perspective of marketing places individual consumers into market
segments, to enable efficient and effective use of marketing resources. Common
segmentation processes, however, have little appreciation of the presence of social
connections and their potential influence upon consumption. Fortunately, post-modern
research approaches offer a means to broaden our perspective of consumers (Gronroos,
2006) and examine their consumption within a social context. Tribal marketing is one Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and
such alternative perspective, whereby, consumers are found in some instances to initiate, Logistics
Vol. 23 No. 1, 2011
build and maintain consumption-focussed groups (Cova and Salle, 2008; Kozinets, 1999). pp. 39-56
Consumer tribes, a group of people emotionally connected by similar consumption q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1355-5855
values and usage, use the social “linking value” (Cova, 1997, p. 297) of products DOI 10.1108/13555851111099989
 APJML and services to create a community and express identity. Theoretical developments in
23,1 tribal marketing utilise Bagozzi’s (2000) concept of intentional social action, to link social
context with consumption to understand “real” consumers. This approach proposes that
social associations are the most important influence on an individual’s consumption
decisions. Cova and Cova (2002) build upon this theoretical work to present tribes as an
expression of both self and social identity. Earlier work by Maffesoli (1996) establishes,
40 however, that consumer social identities and consumption choices shift according to
situational and lifestyle factors. In this view, the consumer tribe can be understood and
accessed through their shared beliefs, ideas and consumption. These findings would
seem to indicate that an individual may belong to multiple tribes at the same time to
express different aspects of their identity.
A tribal approach to consumer behaviour answers marketers’ calls to look beyond
conventional marketing theory and avoid pigeonholing consumers (Addis and Podesta,
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2005) through providing a means to segment groups of consumers based on meaningful

shared characteristics. The affective attachment that tribal members possess for their tribe
(Cova, 1997) provides an opportunity for marketers to foster meaningful and “symbiotic”
relationships with groups of consumers. These relationships extend beyond a focus upon
the level of repeat purchasing behaviour, to those based on affective bonds of loyalty, with
the potential of “collective action” and advocacy from the tribe (Cova and Salle, 2008, p. 7).
This study extends earlier research by exploring the link between consumer tribes
and loyalty. Firms supporting consumer-consumer relationships, such as consumer
tribes, are proposed to create long-term loyalty through establishing both an emotional
connection as well as a rational reason for commitment (Cova and Cova, 2002). A priori
research indicates that the key to understanding and reaching the tribe as a collective
is through their consumption. Consumption is seen to act as a tool for individuals to
create and communicate self-identity (Belk, 1988; Grubb and Grathwohl, 1967;
McIntosh and Schmeichel, 2004; Sirgy, 1982; Solomon, 1983).
This study examines the tribal phenomena among a group of vinyl record collectors.
They were selected for their shared passion in collecting music in this format and their
strong association with other vinyl collectors in an informal consumer tribe. The tribe was
studied through a series of iterative in-depth interviews, providing insights into the group’s
dynamics, tribal roles, consumption practices, values and related consumption loyalty.
From this investigation, a discussion of tribal membership, influence on consumption
and a model for building bonded loyalty with the tribe is presented. These findings
provide direction for firms seeking to leverage the consumer-led values and preferences
of the tribe and build loyal relationships. This may empower firms to achieve a
sustainable competitive advantage, secure future revenue, while simultaneously
performing the social function of meeting consumer needs. While there are managerial
implications that can be drawn from this study, in how marketers engage with consumer
groups, the limits of the methodological design mean that it is principally a conceptual
paper. The intention is to stimulate thought and expand the body of knowledge in this
emergent area of consumer theory.

Background
Developing customer loyalty
Loyal customer-company relationships are widely accepted as an investment in
future revenue and competitive advantage (Fournier, 1998; Gomez et al., 2005;
 McAlexander et al., 2003; Srivastava et al., 1998). Loyalty, a customer commitment to Consumer tribes
repurchase, is particularly valuable as a competitive advantage due to the difficulty
other firms have in replicating this bond (Kumar and Shah, 2004). However, the concept
of loyalty as a straightforward compilation of behavioural and emotional components is
of limited value, especially in the case of post-modern consumption. The context,
product and an individual’s experiences do not produce one generic form of loyalty that
will ensure repeat purchases (East et al., 2005). An alternative approach is required that 41
considers the influence of social identity and social context on the formation of loyalty.
Emotional connections to the firm have been shown to be linked to the individual’s
social identity (Bhattacharya et al., 1995). Social identity theory is used by
Bhattacharya et al. (1995) to frame the consumer’s enduring loyalty as a form of
identification with the brand or firm. This influence from a social group is also referred to
as “bonded loyalty” (Oliver, 1999, p. 41), where people show a collective loyalty towards a
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product, brand or company. Bonded loyalty between a firm and social group is proposed
by Genzi and Pelloni (2004) as a means of reducing switching behaviours and increasing
customer perceived satisfaction. However, research on the nature of social alliances and
loyalty has focussed on the internal side of organisations (Alvesson, 2000; Berger et al.,
2006) and distribution channel contexts (Gilliland and Bello, 2002). Consumer-consumer
social alliances and their effect on loyal preferences have received limited research.

Why consumer tribes?

Socially interconnected groups have been found to act loyally as a group because
personal relationships are maintained through shared, regular consumption
(Gainer, 1995). This concurs with Oliver’s (1999) concept of bonded loyalty. However,
Gainer’s (1995) study looks at an arts audience which is diverse and bound by a shared
passion for performance. In this sense, they are like a consumer tribe. Meanwhile, studies
of consumer-consumer relationships and their influence on individual consumption
have focussed on subcultures and brand communities (Berger et al., 2006; Muniz and
O’Guinn, 2001; Schouten and McAlexander, 1995). This research expands the focus on
social relationships in the consumer behaviour area and looks into the dynamics of a
consumer tribe for marketing opportunities.
Consumer tribes are a relatively new concept in social theory and yet have made a
significant impact on marketing theory development (Cova and Cova, 2002; Cova
and Salle, 2008; Gronroos, 2006; Kozinets, 1999; Penaloza and Venkatesh, 2006;
Thompson et al., 2006). Consumer tribes differ from historical tribes by having a new
social order, wherein status within a tribe is achieved by different and specific values
(Cova and Cova, 2002). They are grouped around something emotional rather than
rational (Cova and Cova, 2002). Consumer tribes differ from subcultures in that their
connections are much narrower, with similar beliefs, values or customs setting them
apart from the dominant societal culture (Schiffman et al., 2008). The term “brand
community” is also an inadequate means of describing a tribe. A brand community is
established around supporting a particular brand or product (Brownlie et al., 2007;
Burgh-Woodman and Brace-Govan, 2007). This contrasts with consumer tribes, which
in some instances may diminish brand equity, similar to a consumer activist placing
themselves in opposition to mainstream consumers (Kozinets and Handelman, 2004).
Shared consumption is the post-modern consumer’s means of creating a social link
and building bridges between individuals (Cova and Salle, 2008; Simmons, 2008).
 APJML Therefore, consumer tribes present an opportunity to connect with elusive post-modern
23,1 consumers. These are self-formed groups that hold meaning and relevance for the
individuals within them, rather than attempting to create a homogenous segment from
arbitrary characteristics.
Bauman (1992) considers consumer tribes, or neo-tribes, as solely existing around the
use of symbolism to show allegiance to the group. This symbolic consumption is used to
42 create a social link that is expressive of self-identity (Cova, 1997). The benefit of
marketing to consumer tribes is that social influences are the most important influence
on an individual’s consumption decisions (Bagozzi, 2000). Involvement with a tribe is an
expression of self-identity, so the consumer tribe shares not only moral values or
opinions, but consumption values and preferences. This provides opportunity for
marketers to access a group of consumers, like a market segment, that actually connect
with each other and share consumption preferences.
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A criticism of Cova (1996); Cova and Cova (2002) consumer tribe definitions is that
they are vague theoretical discussions (Huq, 2006). However, it can be argued that a
flexible definition can be seen as a positive factor for marketers as it extends the amount
of consumers associated with a tribe at any point in time, expanding the possible reach of
marketing efforts.

Consumption and self-identity

The relationship between consumption and self-identity has been widely researched
(Belk, 1988; Grubb and Grathwohl, 1967; McIntosh and Schmeichel, 2004; Sirgy, 1982;
Solomon, 1983). Goods and services have a symbolic function of creating and protecting
their self-identity (Belk, 1988; Grubb and Grathwohl, 1967; Solomon, 1983). This presents
an opportunity to develop customer loyalty through communication of the expressive
elements of a firm’s offering (Leigh and Gabel, 1992). Traditional institutions, such as the
family or work place that previously defined the self have largely been replaced by
individuals’ consumption (Bagozzi, 2000; Cova, 1997; Goulding, 2003; Kozinets, 1999;
Ryan et al., 2006). Consumption is a contemporary tool for recreating communities
in post-modern society (Cova, 1997). Cova (1996) and Maffesoli (1996) discuss that the
role of products in a post-modern context is not so much in their functionality, but rather
their “linking value” between the individual and society. This implies that self-identity
is chosen by the individual through consumption, facilitating the post-modern
individual’s creation of multiple self-identities. However, these identities are not limited
to consumption practices alone. Cova et al. (2007) adopt the term consumer tribe to
encapsulate shared consumption behaviour, activities and social interaction based
around explicit shared values.
The post-modern consumption practices and values assigned to consumption of
certain products and brands by a tribe provide unique characteristics for marketers to
explore and leverage. Customer co-creation and co-production has been recognised as an
area of consumer behaviour theory that cannot be ignored in the process of gathering
marketing intelligence (Rowley et al., 2007). Researched areas such as product
development, experience environments, loyalty schemes and virtual communities have
all been identified as key points for customer involvement (Rowley et al., 2007). Tribal
marketing scrutinises how tribes consume and “co-create” products for their own uses.
This gives marketer’s another avenue for creating social interaction around their good,
service or brand.
 Building bonded loyalty with consumer tribes Consumer tribes
Tribal membership is fluid and can fluctuate according to the involvement of the
individual (Maffesoli, 2007). This poses a challenge for marketers in identifying and
building long-term loyal relationships with individuals. Understanding why people
participate in a particular tribe would provide direction in identifying when individuals
are “in” a tribe and what is important to them in terms of the individual-social links
associated with tribal membership. Kozinets (1999) found two antecedents of tribal 43
membership in an online context. The first is the centrality of tribal consumption to a
self-concept, or self-identity. This refers to how important the shared activity, passion or
belief a tribe holds is to the individual. The second is the intensity of social relationships
with other members. The strength of these antecedents will affect the degree of
participation and involvement an individual has with the tribe (Kozinets, 1999). The
tribal activities, consumption and shared belief(s) of a particular consumer tribe may
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place more, or less, importance on these antecedents, and perhaps include others related
to linking value of tribal consumption. This linking value has been conceptually and
empirically studied within tribes (Cova et al., 2007; Muniz and O’Guinn, 2001; Patterson,
1998; Ryan et al., 2006). However, there is an opportunity to further explore Cova and
Cova’s (2002) direction and examine how a tribe’s antecedents of membership (beyond
the online context) and values can be leveraged as a loyalty-building tool.
Bordieu’s (1989) concept of “cultural capital” is used by Cova et al. (2007) to explain
the knowledge, rules and hierarchy within a tribe. In the tribal context, cultural capital
“consists of a set of socially rare and distinctive tastes, skills, knowledge and practices”
(Cova et al., 2007, p. 136). With a tribal marketing approach, the company acts in a
support role to the relationships within a group (Cova and Cova, 2002), with the goal
being to build bonded loyalty. An understanding of the specific cultural capital of a
tribe, and its symbolic meaning, presents an avenue for marketers to reach tribal
members and develop a collective, bonded loyalty. Understanding the cultural capital
of a tribe could also provide insight into ways of engaging members in the co-creation
of products and, more importantly, the experiences they deliver (Rowley et al., 2007).
The social dynamics of tribes also provide insight for connecting with members on an
affective level. Cova and Cova (2002) found four different roles to exist amongst
consumer tribe members. These range from low participation (the sympathiser), to
active members, to practitioners and lastly devotees, who possess high level of
involvement and emotional attachment (Cova and Cova, 2002). The practitioner in a tribe
has a similarity with the opinion leader concept; they influence the exchange of certain
information among peers due to their own knowledge and authority in the area (King
and Summers, 1970; Robertson and Rogers, 1972). In a post-modern consumer tribal
context, it is fitting to use King and Summer’s (1970) description of opinion leaders as
people with influence over the exchange of certain information. The roles members
assume may have implications for whom, and how, marketers choose to communicate
with the tribe.

Research issues
The above critique of the literature indicates that further research is required into
consumer tribes as an antecedent to creating bonded loyalty between a firm and
specific group of consumers (Gomez et al., 2005; Oliver, 1999). While there have been
several conceptualisations in the area, no empirical studies have examined why people
 APJML participate in tribes and how this contributes to the development of loyal relationships
23,1 between the firm and group. The first issue addressed in this research investigates:
RQ1. Why people form consumer tribes and how their membership influences their
consumption of goods and services?
This question aims to investigate the role of antecedents found by Kozinets (1999) and
44 determines any other factors influencing tribal participation. Second, this question
examines the role of cultural capital and any visible purchasing or loyalty preferences
derived from socialisation in a specific consumer tribe.
The literature reviewed shows “bonded loyalty” (Oliver, 1999, p. 41) between the
firm and a group of consumers is a highly effective marketing strategy. Therefore, the
second issue addressed in this research examines:
RQ2. How can a firm effectively support and communicate with consumer tribes to
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build this loyalty?

Here the research agenda investigates how the dynamics and consumption of a
consumer tribe can be leveraged for both marketing communication and building the
affective component of bonded loyalty.
The conceptual framework (Figure 1) summarises the extant literature and identifies
areas the research questions seek to investigate. The antecedents on the left shaded in
grey are drawn from Kozinets (1999). The overlapping circles replicate Cova and Cova’s
(2002) diagram of roles within a tribe. Meanwhile, shaded arrow between of firm support
and tribal membership represent a conceptual relationship (Cova and Cova, 2002), which
is examined in the current study. The model makes a link between Oliver’s (1999) bonded
loyalty concept and Cova and Cova’s (2002) proposal that support of a tribe is an effective
way to build customer loyalty; through cognitive and affective pathways. The following
methodology section discusses how these questions were addressed in a case study.

Methodology
Research design
The research design was part theory building, part theory testing. A framework of how
tribes form and behave was applied to a specific case to contribute and expand on the
existing body of consumer research. Arnould and Thompson (2005) justify this
research purpose and position studies of neo tribes, or consumer tribes, under the
consumer culture theory framework. In this case, the social context is inextricably
linked to individuals’ perceptions and behaviour; therefore, a qualitative approach is
appropriate (Carson et al., 2005). In-depth interviews were deemed most appropriate for
the investigator’s purpose of gaining overview of the context, and insight into tribal
activity, membership and consumption practices.

Case study method

Case studies have been widely used in studies of social groups, and consumer tribes in
particular (Burgh-Woodman and Brace-Govan, 2007; Cova and Cova, 2002; Cova et al.,
2007; Dionisio et al., 2008; Huq, 2006; Kozinets, 1999). Case study research was
considered an appropriate means of examining people within a specific context
(a consumer tribe) without control or manipulation of the relevant behaviours (Perry,
1998; Yin, 2003). A single case study design was applied to this research problem to gain
 Consumer tribes
Firms support the tribe through facilitating
consumer-consumer relationships and
creating resonant communications

Antecedents The first research

issue address this 45
Sympathiser theoretical link.
Centrality of the tribe to self-
identity

Member Devotee
Intensity of relationships
with other members
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The second
Practitioner research issue
investigates
ways to create
this link.

Cognitive loyality Affective loyality

Bonded loyalty developed

Figure 1.
Conceptual framework

multiple insights on one particular tribe. The research was limited to one case study due
to time and resource constraints.

Case boundary: the tribe of record collectors

The selected case was a self-formed group of adult record collectors (i.e. people who
collect vinyl music records). These consumers formed a tribe through sharing distinct
consumption behaviours, use of targeted publications, stores and online
information/trading sites and special-interest events. Previous research has been
done in this area of collecting behaviour. Shuker (2004) found record collecting to be a
social practice that forms the core component of a dedicated individual’s social identity.
Vinyl records are a product with linking value (Cova, 1997) between individuals and a
social community. For collectors, Bordieu’s (1989) “cultural capital” is not only in the
collection itself. The non-tangible aspects of knowledge, searching and prestige
associated with the acquisition (Belk, 1995) are intrinsically linked to the collection and
collector’s status.
The sample was selected using a snowballing technique from another researcher’s
contacts and individuals suggested by informants as the research progressed. As the
study progressed further individuals were added to ensure all the roles identified in
Cova and Cova’s (2002) earlier study were replicated in this case. In total, six individuals
 APJML were chosen to gain a variety of perspectives and understanding of the levels of
23,1 involvement within the tribe, and triangulate data for reliable analysis (Yin, 2003).
Record collectors in this case study were defined with Cova and Cova’s (2002) roles
of tribal membership. Informants were purposively selected (Carson et al., 2005),
through an initial conversation, to gauge which role they were most likely to identify.
The following descriptions were modified to apply to this specific tribe:
46 .
Sympathisers. Individuals with an interest in music and the vinyl format,
however, actual consumption of records and knowledge of the practice is
relatively small.
.
Members. This role includes people who actively collect and socialise with the
tribe, in physical and virtual spaces.
.
Devotees. These members have a long-standing passion, knowledge and
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involvement with the tribe. They may not be as frequently active as members,
but consider record collecting a central part of their self-identity.
.
Practitioners. This role includes members who DJ with their collections, either
professionally or informally with friends. It may also include staff and sellers of
records; however, their personal collection is not motivated by generating profit.

Data collection
Six iterative in-depth interviews, of an hour in duration, were conducted. The iterative
nature of the interviews meant recontacting some participants to ask further questions
relating to findings of later interviews. At the conclusion of data collection, further
analysis was performed in two stages. Selective coding reassigned the initial codes to new
codes that identified the research questions, emergent themes and trends (Carson et al.,
2005). A framework of implications was then produced to summarise key findings and
managerial implications. A summary of the findings from the research is presented in the
next section.

Discussion
The tribe
The tribe’s emotional connection with each other was found to be based on a shared
passion for listening and playing music in the vinyl record format. Informants were
attracted to this particular music medium, and were consumed with collecting it,
because of an appreciation of the medium, nostalgia for the music and also the rarity of
its availability. Record acquisition was also a means of creating and establishing status,
also termed symbolic capital (Bourdieu, 1989), among collecting peers:
I mean there’s no point in grabbing this cool record and going “Wahoo I’ve got this”, well
there’s not much point unless you can show someone else (Mike).
The social use of records was also apparent in the informants’ preference for
face-to-face tribal interaction:
The radio show is like a good chance to catch up, have a few beers and play some new records and
talk about them. That stuff’s like part of the culture, like meeting up in the record store [. . .] (Matt).
In this sense, the tribe becomes very local, with a network of people connected through
different friends, work places and a willingness to connect with other collectors.
 The tribe and self-identity Consumer tribes
Searching, collecting and playing records were emphasised as important to who they
were, and was also reflected in their day-to-day lifestyles. An intense passion for collecting
records was evident, with reported sacrifices, or irrational consumption decisions, made
for feeding their addiction. Indeed, the terms “addiction” and “habit” were repeatedly used
to define their collecting behaviour:
In my younger days [. . .] I’d go without paying rent, I’d go without eating, just to get one piece 47
of vinyl [. . .] (Matt).

Tribal values
Three clear themes emerged from the informants’ definitions of collecting and sharing
records. First, a common goal of uniting people through shared music consumption
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was present among the informants:

It’s almost uniting people that still maintain vinyl and think that way [. . .] (Matt).
There’s a certain responsibility that comes with having this community. It has to be kept
alive [. . .] (David).
Second, an appreciation for high quality, art and heritage associated with the music
product was expressed explicitly and emphasised throughout the interviews:
What I do still buy is a lot of classic older records [. . .] just for that sense of history and you
know their smell [. . .] (Matt).
As far as I’m concerned, I’m presenting my taste to people [. . .] (David).
Finally, acquisition and dissemination of knowledge were regarded, as part of collecting
and participating in the tribe. This was their cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1989); the
consumption of vinyl records began with a search or “hunt”, involved discussion and
research, ending with sharing and comparing. There was a sense of purpose to collecting
and sharing among the tribe:
I have a lot of pride in having the collection, but it would be irresponsible for me not to be
sharing it with people and sharing the knowledge I get from it (David).
These three themes can be considered values of the tribe, unique to their group and
uniting the variances of personal taste in record collecting. The influence of these values,
particularly, the quality associated with the vinyl medium, transgressed into other
consumption choices. For example, fine food and beer were perceived to complement the
quality and socialisation associated with collecting vinyl records. This presents a key
reason for the firm to understand tribal consumption and appeal to what they value.
The presence of tribal values in consumption choices was evident in music retail
outlets and other consumables not related to music. Products influenced by the
involvement with the tribe included vinyl records themselves and audio equipment.
A new release on vinyl is recognised as higher quality than other music formats, as it has
a more expensive production process. Appreciation of high-quality and original pressings
expressed values art, heritage and a “higher consciousness” amongst tribal members:
I’ve always thought vinyl sounds a lot better, you get a high quality artwork in the packaging
[. . .] (Mike).
 APJML RQ1. Why do people form consumer tribes and how their does their membership
23,1 influence the consumption of goods and services?
The antecedents of tribal involvement identified by Kozinets (1999) of “centrality of the
tribe to self-identity” and “intensity of social relationships with other members” were
found to be salient in this context:
48 My music collection [. . .] it’s more to me (sic) than anything else I do [. . .] (Todd).
You’ll always find either a mutual artist or something that sort of connects you [. . .] (Matt).
The strength of these antecedents was reflected in the time, effort and a passion exhibited
for keeping the group of collectors alive. The “cultural capital” (Bourdieu, 1989) of
records and music knowledge formed a currency of trade among members, facilitating
socialisation and creating a tribal community around this particular consumption.
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Cova and Cova’s (2002) four tribal roles were confirmed to exist in this case
context; however, a new role of “Chief” was identified within the tribe. This applied
to individuals in the practitioner and member roles who held a high level of cultural
capital (Bourdieu, 1989) organisation of tribal activities and were influential on other
members (both potential and existing). The chief is essentially an opinion leader among
the group, an influencer on the exchange of information (King and Summers, 1970;
Robertson and Rogers, 1972) but also facilitator of where and how the tribe socialises.
Individuals in the role of “Chief” are important for marketers seeking to gain access and
insights into the tribe’s dynamics, its consumption and values. Chiefs and Devotees were
also found to possess status and respect in the tribe, which makes them crucial for
connecting and communicating with the tribe at large.
Figure 2 shows the relationships and tribal roles assumed by informants.
Two-directional arrows indicate an existing relationship, while one-directional arrows
show a desired relationship. Aaron assumes the role of “Chief” in this case. He is
positioned as the most central informant due to his practitioner status, influence on
others and organisation of Vinyl Club (an event). His organisation of the Vinyl Club
event is motivated by socialisation and reflects the tribe’s use of consumption to create
and maintain social relationships:

Matt Mike
practitioner member
Aaron
practitioner

Cameron
David member
practitioner/
devotee

Todd
Figure 2.
member/
Relationships and roles
practitioner
of participants
 I really wanted to start this thing called Vinyl Club [. . .] I wanted to go around to peoples’ Consumer tribes
places, bring our records around, talk about them and hopefully have a few whiskeys as well
[. . .] (Aaron).
Part of the reason [Aaron] started the Vinyl Club, so that we can get together and show our
records. Not for showing off purposes, but for like that’s really cool – a sharing thing [. . .]
(Mike).
A sense of hierarchy was recognised by the researcher. Indeed, both Aaron and David
49
considered themselves as influential on other collectors. This was confirmed in other
informants’ comments about them. Having specialised knowledge, gathered through
the length and intensity of their collecting behaviour, was expressed as valuable and a
motivation for engaging with other members:
I feel I can approach my subject matter with authority. Which as I was saying to you before,
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I feel like, accepting that there’s a lot of other people out there with authority, it’s an exchange
of information, it’s a cultural language if you like (David).
Todd indicated a desire to become involved with local collectors, as shown by an arrow
towards Aaron, as Vinyl Club was recognised as a method of increasing his participation
with the tribe.
The term “cultural language” was an interesting choice of words as it directly
expresses the social use, or Cova’s (1997) linking value, of vinyl records. The “cultural
language” is in a sense a currency within the tribe, indicating status.
Aaron and David showed noticeably higher status among the small group of
informants. Aaron’s organisation and motivation to form Vinyl Club position him as a
“Chief” among the other tribe members. Not only does he have respect and influence
through his knowledge and passion for record collecting, but acts as a gateway for
members (and potential members) to socialise and share their passion. This was found
explicitly in Todd’s willingness to attend a Vinyl Club event:
I would like to meet people and get involved [. . .] (Todd).

Membership and consumption

Tribal membership in this case was found to influence the consumption of music, vinyl
records in particular. Records held a linking value (Cova, 1997), or social use, for creating
and maintaining relationships with others in the tribe. The functional utility of records was
found to be usurped by their use as a cultural language for members wishing to express
self-identity and communicate with other members through an expression of taste. Indeed,
the consumption of records and involvement with the tribe were almost inextricable.
The “centrality of the tribe to self-identity” and “intensity of social relationships” were
found to both be antecedents of involvement and drivers of consumption choice. This is
because socialisation was identified as an essential component of vinyl record collecting
behaviour. The enjoyment of exhibition, learning and status attached to a collection cannot
happen in isolation. Therefore, the more an individual associates themselves with the tribe,
the higher the tribe’s influence on their consumption will be:
RQ2. How can a firm effectively support and communicate with consumer tribes to
build this loyalty?
Addressing the RQ2 provides specific managerial implications for firms wishing to
engage in a tribal marketing approach. Bonded loyalty (Oliver, 1999) was framed
 APJML as a central reason for firms seeking to understand and support consumer-consumer
23,1 relationships within the tribe (Cova and Cova, 2002). It was found that loyalty to the firm
can be encouraged by supporting the tribe in three key areas: antecedents of membership,
movement through roles, and maintaining tribal consumption. A model of tribal support
focussing on these areas was developed for firms wishing to create business-tribe
relationships. Marketing communications with the tribe should align with and express
50 the values they hold. In this case, the tribal values of unity, quality and knowledge
provide avenues for creating marketing messages that resonate with the tribe.
The marketer’s challenge of effectively reaching a group fluid in membership
(Maffesoli, 2007) is lessened by the strong emotional connection tribal members had in
regards to their consumption and sharing of vinyl records. The outcomes of the research
suggest that face-to-face interactions are preferred over online areas for socialising. This
concurs with Rowley et al. (2007) research direction in the need to create experiences with
Downloaded by University of Manchester At 02:23 24 October 2017 (PT)

consumers to develop loyalty. Firms can support a tribe through resources available
to them (such as a retail space or audio equipment) to facilitate socialising. This supports
the group in a manner that does not push them to purchase, rather it creates an emotional
relationship without a marketing or sales message. The event called Vinyl Club,
organised by Aaron, was a successful example of such support. Aaron exhibited an
appreciation and loyalty to the venue that housed the second Vinyl Club event. It was
preferred over their first venue as they provided a social space for collectors to talk,
trade, play records and form new relationships. Whereas the first venue was focused on
generating income through the bar and pushed the group out before they were ready.
Events such as Vinyl Club can increase an individual’s self-efficacy and reduce other
barriers of tribal participation. This in turn strengthens their association with the tribe,
and the firms supporting it.

Implications for building loyalty with the tribe

The value of a firm understanding the dynamics of tribal roles lies in supporting the
individuals’ involvement within the tribe, facilitating group activity and aligning
marketing efforts with the tribe’s values. Figure 3 shows four ways in which firms can
approach supporting a tribe to develop bonded loyalty. The left-hand side proposes
actionable tools the firm can use to support and communicate with the tribe. The impact
of these actions is in facilitating individual involvement and tribal socialisation,
allowing for feedback with the firm. The proposed results of these actions are achieving
affective loyalty and, overtime, bonded loyalty with the tribe.
Tool one. The first tool appeals to individuals wishing to make contact with the tribe,
through providing accessible social networks, both locally and globally. Access to
information about music culture, collecting culture and purchasing places could also
facilitate learning valued by the tribe, therefore, increasing involvement and respect
among tribal peers. The firm’s position in aiding individual’s ability to participate with
the tribe can build positive affective associations with the customer.
The internet is a key information medium used by the tribe; it has become a hybrid
resource of information, communication, purchasing and facilitation of tribal
membership. This facilitation occurs through allowing individuals, who are limited in
time and/or money, to connect with other collectors through online forums, locate and
purchase records without a physical visit to a record store. The internet also facilitated
exploration of new genres and artists that ultimately contribute to the specialised
 Action of the firm
Tool 1: Provide information and
social contacts the tribe will be able
to use
Tool 2: Provide social spaces for
consumption, researching,
purchasing and discussion
Tool 3: Communicate with Cheifs
and use them as a conduit for
reaching the wider tribal
community
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Effect of the Tribe Consumer tribes
Facilitate knowledge and
learning associated with the
tribe, building the ‘cultural
capital’ of individuals and the
group
Increase individual’s ability to 51
partcipate with the tribe and Bonded loyalty created
related consumption between the firm and
the tribe
Affirm the Chief’s status and
influence the tribe through an
opinion leader
Figure 3.
Building bonded loyalty

Tool 4: Provide social spaces, hold Support both tribal socialisa-

or promote tribal events and tion and create a positive through a firm’s support
facilitate online communication association with the firm of the tribe

knowledge (i.e. cultural capital) and authority of individual members. The internet can
be utilised by marketers in providing information and purchasing resources, and
reaching tribal networks in the online context.
Tool two. The second tool is directed at utilising the purchase environment. Various
stores and events, such as book fairs, wherein tribal members were found to have
ritualistic behaviours attached to visiting them. An accompanying “thrill of the chase”
was found in digging through record bins. Record collectors were found to have a
cognitive loyalty to their preferred retail suppliers through frequent visits, repeat
purchases and a willingness to recommend. Affective associations were formed by how
they perceived the physical and social feel of the store and its staff. An explicit desire for
record stores to accommodate collectors’ individual and collective needs was expressed.
Record stores were suggested as a venue for extending the social network, facilitating
tribal activities of playing and discussing music, and as a way of promoting the vinyl
medium. Declining sales of vinyl records appeared to bring the tribe closer together,
expressing the theme of unity desired among the tribe around shared values.
The tribe was found to have a declining membership and expressed a need to keep the
community “alive”. While membership is inherently dependent on the individuals
within the tribe, a commercial opportunity exists to support the group and expand the
membership. Commercial support of events such as Vinyl Club meets multiple goals of
facilitating socialisation, progressing individuals’ movement through the roles and
keeping the community active.
Tool three. This tool uses the chief of the tribe as a “gateway” for understanding
specific tribes and communicating with other members as an “opinion leader” (King and
Summers, 1970; Robertson and Rogers, 1972). Aaron, the Chief in this case, acted as a
gatekeeper to a particular local tribe and felt a degree of responsibility in connecting the
local community of collectors. Communicating with the tribe through a chief creates a
credible and personal channel between the firm and tribal community. This presents
opportunity to receive feedback on the firm’s marketplace offering and also marketing
efforts. However, Chiefs are human and a degree of caution should be taken to avoid
mixed messages or negative results.
 APJML Tool four. Here, the firm aims to communicate with the tribe through “cultural
23,1 resources”. The case found that tribal member’s opinions were more influential than
those outside the group. A firm that fosters interpersonal interactions amongst tribal
members through communication with the tribal chief has the potential to build Oliver’s
(1999) bonded loyalty. This loyal relationship holds more sustainable value as it is
generated through consumer-consumer relationships (Gainer, 1995), which holds more
52 authenticity than direct business-consumer relationships. This can be described as a
business-tribe relationship.
The tribe in the case study expressed values of unity, quality, and disseminating
knowledge. Firms and can appeal to this by expressing these values in their own brands,
marketing communications and product offering. The tribe would also value genuine
interest in facilitating and maintaining a community based on these values. For
example, a retail supplier could benefit from having social events, talks and product
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information and history for collectors in-store. Owing to the fluid nature of consumer
tribes, a method for feedback and reciprocal communication is necessary identifying and
reacting to the needs of a targeted tribe.

Conclusion
This study advances understanding of tribal membership and its influence on
consumption behaviour. The concept of consumer tribes is investigated as it presents an
alternative approach to understanding and connecting with consumers (Cova and Cova,
2002). Unlike conventional segmentation, where consumers are arbitrarily grouped by
segment characteristics, tribes are identified as consumer-driven groups that hold
meaning for constructing an individuals’ self-identity and creating new communities
based on shared beliefs, passions and ideas. The link between tribal marketing and
consumer loyalty theory is explored to generate an actionable model (Figure 3) for firms
seeking to develop bonded loyalty with a tribe (Oliver, 1999). This model details four
tools that can be utilised by marketers wishing to target and build loyal relationships
with a tribe, or tribes, that have a connection to the firm.
The results of this case study provide evidence supporting many elements of Cove
and Cova’s (2002) earlier conceptualisation of the roles inherent within consumer tribes,
while simultaneously extending theory through introducing the additional role of
“Chief”. The “Chief” role provides direction for marketers seeking to understand and
communicate with a tribe. The “Chief’s” role as an influencer and open channel of
communication has significant value for building relationships with the tribe at large.
Despite an observed hierarchy among members, the tribe was also found to possess a
sense of unity and a sharing ethos.
A specific set of “cultural capital” (Bourdieu, 1989) and defined values were found to
be associated with tribal membership. Sharing individuals’ collections were discovered
to be a key component of record consumption. Playing and discussing the music acted as
a “cultural language” that connected members from all walks of life. The cultural capital
held by members was also a source of establishing status. Therefore, consumption in
this case context has the post-modern utility of building social relationships and
constructing self-identity. This finding presents an opportunity for marketers to provide
products and tailor their brand image to facilitate tribal membership as a pathway to
developing functioning tribes that have a positive disposition towards the firm.
 Finally, tribal bonds were found to be primarily based on affective rather than on Consumer tribes
rational or commercial bases. This provided a foundation for investigating the proposed
link between building loyalty with tribes. Cova and Cova (2002) suggested affective
bonds could be created with a firm through maintenance and facilitation of the tribe. The
result of this is ultimately a bonded loyal relationship with the tribe (Oliver, 1999) which
has value for creating sustainable, long-term revenue focus (Kumar and Shah, 2004).
53
Future research directions
A case study of vinyl record collectors was used to explore the consumer tribe
phenomena. This research method provides insight into a particular tribe’s consumer
behaviour, values, loyalty and preferences that can be used by firms. This research
approach could similarly be applied to other tribes connected with different product
categories, brands and companies to identify how to influence tribal actors for the
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mutual benefit of the tribe and the firm. Future research on tribes should examine if
Kozinets (1999) antecedents apply to other consumer tribes.
The finding of a chief role also warrants further investigation into the existence and
influence of this opinion leader amongst the tribal members. The role of the internet
and social networking is also an area which cannot be ignored. How tribes use the
search, communication and exhibition facets of the internet may influence how, and
where, marketers should be focussing their attention.
Further research on business-tribe relationships is also needed to establish the
effectiveness in supporting a tribe to create a bonded loyal relationship. A longitudinal
study of specific tribal marketing efforts and its effectiveness in creating and maintaining
loyalty would be appropriate. Measures of tribal use (of supporting activities) and
behavioural outcomes (such as repeat sales) may also provide an empirical grounding for
this approach.

Limitations
The case study could be enhanced by investigating multiple tribes, including different
types of tribes. While the informants’ demographic characteristics and backgrounds
varied, the theoretical generalisations cannot be considered as generalisable to the whole
population of record collectors, or tribes in general. Rather this study contributes to a
stream of consumer culture literature (Arnould and Thompson, 2005) and consumer-led
perspectives on how supporting consumer tribes create customer loyalty (Fournier, 1998).
The link between creating bonded loyalty and support of a tribe was derived from an
integration of the informants’ motivations, consumption, behaviour and social
interactions as tribal members. This link requires future empirical research to establish
its validity (Healy and Perry, 2000). It is proposed that further studies investigate
commercial support of a tribe through multiple cases and longitudinal research designs.

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Corresponding author
Cleo Mitchell can be contacted at: cleo.s.mitchell@gmail.com

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