Punks, Satanists, Mods and Rockers, Bikers, Snowboarders… All are considered and known to be reference groups. Classically, we call them like that because of the conformity which reigns inside those groups: from external points of view, all the members behave similarly, dress and speak the same, respect some rules and norms. And for some time, group membership has been recognized as a determinant of behaviour by social scientists, thus this has been scientifically studied and proved. The fact that people act in accordance with a frame of reference produced by the groups to which they belong is a long-accepted and sound premise (Merton and Rossi, 1949) . Marketers have generally accepted the reference group construct as important in at least some types of consumer decision making, thus they adapt their communication strategy in function of the previous attempts and behaviours.
But what is exactly and precisely a reference group? A reference group is an actual or imaginary individual or group conceived of having significant relevance upon an individual's evaluations, aspirations, or behaviour'. For instance, Kelley (1947) distinguished between reference groups used as standards of comparison for self-appraisal (comparative) and those used as a source of personal norms, attitudes, and values (normative). Consequently, we can separate formal versus informal groups, membership versus aspirational reference groups, and identificational reference groups. Above them, there are three types of reference group influences: informational, utilitarian and value-expressive.
The informational influence is not to consider in reference group: the individual seeks information about various brands from associations of professional or experts, from an external point of view.
Therefore, utilitarian influence is useful in the study: the individual's decision to purchase a particular brand is influenced by the preferences of people with whom he or she has social interaction. That is to say that members of a group are influenced to buy and consume similarly. Also, value-expressive influence is important too: the individuals feels that the purchase or use of a particular brand will enhance the image others have of him or her; he feels that those who purchase or use a particular brand possess the characteristics that he or she would like to have; the individual feels that the people who purchase a particular brand are admired or respected by others; the individual feels that the purchase of a particular brand would help show others what he or she is or would like to be . It enters then in a seek of identity and/or a confirmation of belonging to a group.
[...] Consequently, the more a product helps creation, development and conservation of links inside a group, the more it brings value to members. For a brand, creating a tribe from a product is quite difficult. Consequently, the first step consists in identifying existing tribes which can be interesting to the brand. Then two approaches are possible: the first one is to propose products or services to directly integrate the group itself and its rituals: clothes, accessories and objects linked to practical, cult places, tribe symbols The other approach is to use some of the tribe signs and integrate them in their communication (advertisements, sponsoring ) or through the development of products (through packaging, special series This second approach is obviously more distant to groups, directing itself to sympathisants (those who only share the same imaginary and vibrations when talking about the tribe, but do not participate actively to rites) more than to adherents. [...]
[...] In the snowboarders' community, equipment purchases are directly initiated by comments, advices and suggestions from friends and other members of the group. Information obtained from those we know or talk to directly tends to be more reliable and trustworthy than that received through more formal channels or superficial advertisings. As for this kind of transmission of information, marketers do not have a real action or impact, they only beneficiate from the consequences of it. The actions marketers can really launch are brand community and tribal marketing. [...]
[...] Merton & Rossi (1949), “Social Theory and Social Structure”, New York: The Free Press. Adapted from C.Whan Park and V.Parker Lessig (September 19977), “Students and Housewives: Differences in susceptibility to reference group influence”, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol pp.102-110. George Kelly (1955), “Psychology of personal constructs”. Robert E. Witt and Grady D. Bruce (November 1972), “Group influence and Brand Choice Congruence”, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol N°4. Denis Darpy & Pierre Volle, Dunod, (2003), Comportements du Consommateur : concepts et outils Cova B. (1995), Au-delà du marché. [...]
[...] And for some time, group membership has been recognized as a determinant of behaviour by social scientists, thus this has been scientifically studied and proved. The fact that people act in accordance with a frame of reference produced by the groups to which they belong is a long-accepted and sound premise (Merton and Rossi, 1949)[1]. Marketers have generally accepted the reference group construct as important in at least some types of consumer decision making, thus they adapt their communication strategy in function of the previous attempts and behaviours. But what is exactly and precisely a reference group? [...]
[...] Also, sometimes, individuals need protection from other groups or more powerful individuals. Finally, the question of status is really important: in some inner-city neighbourhoods, membership in a particular youth gang may confer status (perceived) on members of that gang. Similarly, membership in some service clubs or a political body may be seen to confer status on people. What roles do products play within reference groups? Reference groups may sometimes be compared to communities, because of the hardness of the rules imposed: difficult cooptation to integrate the group and peculiar and proper characteristics, such as language, code, places to meet, turn of mind and obviously products, such as clothes, magazines, make up, jewels, hobbies, games, videos, readings All those elements, which constitute the superficiality part of those reference groups, are that important because they show the belonging to the group, they distinguish from the others. [...]
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