The dynamic process of brand negotiation in virtual brand communities in the airline industry - a case study of a full-service carrier, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Abstract

The increasing application of digitalisation and the popular use of social media affect the way brands communicate with their customers. The growing significance of virtual brand communities (VBCs) such as Facebook brand fan pages has led to a change in how brands and consumers interact, thus urging researchers and marketers to look for new perspectives of management within this area. In this study, we explored the dynamic process of brand negotiation and how it is conducted within the airline industry from an Actor-Network perspective. A netnographic study was conducted for this exploration through a case study of the Facebook VBC of a full-service carrier, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines from 2019 to Mar 2021, covering periods before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results showed that the process of brand negotiation is an on-going and ever-changing procedure when taking into account both human and non-human actors. Furthermore, we found that trust and commitment are no longer determined by brand and customers but could also be affected by nonhuman actors. Our study provided new perspectives in understanding the dynamics of brand negotiation in a VBC. Recommendations are given to marketers on how to implement effective online communication strategies.