Thanks for your comment! I think that the relationship a brand has with it’s customers is important. You’re right to say that to some extent communities grow more naturally where there is a long-term relationship with a brand than where the relationship is transactional and short-lived. However some of the more forward thinking brands are recognising this - Starbucks with MyStarbucksIdea, P&G with their Tremor Panels and a number of others.

Brands can gain hugely from online communities for research but I guess the difference is how they’re pitched to the members. A Sony community might attract people just for being about Sony and for their enthusiasts. Primark might want to set up a community on a different issue - fashion, shopping on a budget, or some other thing that the community members would associate themselves with.

The end result could be the same, but you’re right to suggest it’s difficult for brands to get this. But the ones that do are really reaping the rewards…

Matt

I think it will depend on brand and focus of the need i.e. is it a short term initiative (think Primark) or longer term (think Sony). As we know, community groups of any kind can provide valuable insight but the closer you are to them the better the response; and it takes time to build that relationship. How many big brands will get this?

Peter