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This research commentary argues that, despite the frequent citing of Michel Maffesoli's book The Time of the Tribes (1996 [1988]) in the consumer literature, the theoretical link between his work on neo-tribes and the literature on consumer tribes is rather weak. Maffesoli's central neo-tribal ideas of the affectual nebula, undirected being-together, the religious model, elective sociality and the law of secrecy are not taken up in consumer tribal discourse. Accounts of Maffesoli's ideas within this discourse are either mainly descriptive or primarily concerned with the notion of 'ephemeral gatherings'. Maffesoli's own (2007) chapter in the edited collection Consumer Tribes (Cova et al., 2007) makes no reference to consumer tribes, nor does he take that opportunity to develop his earlier ideas on neo-tribes. The author, therefore, calls for attention to be paid to the neglected aspects of Maffesoli's seminal book in the context of work on brand communities and consumer tribes, and for further development of the consumer tribal metaphor.

PurposeThis paper aims to answer the following question: How can a discursive approach to how music fans construct loyalty in a digital context contribute to a theoretical understanding of brand loyalty?Design/methodology/approachDrawing on insights from theories of brand loyalty and fandom, this interpretive inquiry makes use of data from an online forum dedicated to the rock music band, U2, and interviews with forum members. A combination of online ethnography and discourse analysis are used.FindingsThe analysis shows that music fans mobilise particular discursive resources in constructing loyalty in the digital context, specifically length of time spent as a fan, obsession and the opposition of obligation and choice. These discursive resources reflect a grounded account of an experientially rooted brand loyalty that extends beyond attitudinal and behavioural loyalty and which is particularly salient in music consumption.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a single case study, but as a rich and vibrant online community, it provides fruitful insights into the discursive construction of loyalty. The processes of negotiation, accommodation and conflict, engaged in through online discourse, are important in laying bare the preferences, value systems and meanings that frame the experiences of loyal consumers.Practical implicationsThis socially constructed view of loyalty facilitates a more sensitive and nuanced application of brand loyalty, with implications for segmentation and targeting activities. It provides a possible basis through which precise insights can be gained into the meanings and practices of loyal fans and consumers.Originality/valueExamining loyalty through the lens of online music fandom enables a discursive understanding of consumers' experience of brand loyalty. It shows how online engagement with other consumers of a brand facilitates a deep engagement with the notion of loyalty.

AbstractThis study delineates the process of brand longevity: the achievement of social salience and ongoing consumer engagement over a sustained period. Our study contributes to branding theory by proposing a multilevel approach to understanding brand longevity through application of an assemblage perspective to answer the question: how do serial brands attain longevity within evolving sociocultural contexts? By applying assemblage theory, we scrutinize the enduring success of a serial media brand over the past 55 years. To address this question, a wide range of archival brand-related data were collected and analyzed, including: analysis of films, books, marketing materials, press commentaries, and reviews, as well as broader contextual data regarding the sociocultural contexts within which the brand assemblage has developed. Our findings empirically support the study of brand longevity in and of itself, and conceptualize brand longevity as relying on an evolutionary approach to assembling the brand, which looks outward from the brand in order to consider the potential of brand elements to prevail in contemporary contexts and to ensure both continuity and change.