Sense of community and social identity effect on brand love: Based on the online communities of a luxury fashion brands

This study investigates the impacts of sense of community and social identity on brand love then its affect on brand advocacy on luxury online brand communities (OBC). It follows the stimulus-organism-response or the S-O-R framework wherein sense of community and social identity represent the stimuli element, while the brand love stands for the organism and lastly the response element is the brand advocacy. Mediating role of the sense of community between social identity and brand love has been also explored. Statistical results of structural equation modelling (SEM) through using AMOS indicate that both sense of community and social identity positively influence the brand love of the customers on OBCs'. Then with the help of these stimuli, the brand love has significant affect on the brand advocacy of the consumers. Mediating effect of the sense of community has been verified and results suggest both theoretical and managerial implications. Exploring the potential influence of the sense of community and social identity is in its infancy and denoting a vital contribution on literature and this paper offers relevant insights that managers could use to strengthen their marketing strategies on the OBCs' setting.