Marketing and consumer research has traditionally conceptualized consumers as individuals- who exercise choice in the marketplace as individuals not as a class or a group. However an important new perspective is now emerging that rejects the individualistic view and focuses on the reality that human life is essentially social, and that who we are is an inherently social phenomenon. It is the tribus, the many little groups we belong to, that are fundamental to our experience of life. Tribal Marketing shows that it is not individual consumption of products that defines our lives but rather that this activity actually facilitates meaningful social relationships. The social 'links' (social relationships) are more important than the things (brands etc.)
The aim of this book is therefore to offer a systematic overview of the area that has been defined as "cultures of consumption"- consumption microcultures, brand cultures, brand tribes, and brand communities. It is though these that students of marketing and marketing practitioners can begin to genuinely understand the real drivers of consumer behaviour. It will be essential to everyone who needs to understand the new paradigm in consumer research, brand management and communications management.
* The first comprehensive text to capture the diversity of research in the area and offer an authoritative and easily digestible overview.
*Challenges accepted marketing theory such as segmentation and sets the benchmark for contemporary thinking on topical issues.
* Internationally renowned team of editors and contributors.

With this book comes a message that the authors have for management and entrepreneurship experts around the world. Beyond the myth of the ‘start-up nation’, ‘hypergrowth’, and speculation on future business value, there exists an alternative form of entrepreneurship that young entrepreneurs are embracing. They call it “entrepreneurial activism� and its philosophy is “community first, start-up second�. Guiding entrepreneurs to reap the benefits of brand and market development, the authors present a five-step approach on how to develop a community and launch a start-up within it. This guide explores how best to define a cause and create a movement, to recruit volunteers and create opportunities within a community. The collaboration between the three authors creates an enticing mix of entrepreneurship and marketing perspectives that bridges the academic and professional worlds and shares a wealth of business expertise and experience from three continents.

Marketing and consumer research has traditionally conceptualized consumers as individuals- who exercise choice in the marketplace as individuals not as a class or a group. However an important new perspective is now emerging that rejects the individualistic view and focuses on the reality that human life is essentially social, and that who we are is an inherently social phenomenon. It is the tribus, the many little groups we belong to, that are fundamental to our experience of life. Tribal Marketing shows that it is not individual consumption of products that defines our lives but rather that this activity actually facilitates meaningful social relationships. The social 'links' (social relationships) are more important than the things (brands etc.) The aim of this book is therefore to offer a systematic overview of the area that has been defined as "cultures of consumption"- consumption microcultures, brand cultures, brand tribes, and brand communities. It is though these that students of marketing and marketing practitioners can begin to genuinely understand the real drivers of consumer behaviour. It will be essential to everyone who needs to understand the new paradigm in consumer research, brand management and communications management.

This book position itself within Experiential Marketing. It differs from its competitors by the way it examines the phenomenon of consumer experience. US competitors consider any consumption experience as necessarily dependent on the acquisition of products and services from the market, this book acknowledges that everyday life is largely comprised of experiences based on elements acquired in other ways (the family, friends, the state). Where its US competitors suggest to companies that they have to build a long series of strong emotions and unforgettable and extraordinary experiences for the consumers, this book highlights the need of letting the consumers construct their experience themselves, instead of pre-planning extraordinary experience for them. This book is less of a 'how to do' text and more comprehensive that its competitors. Experiential marketing is a topic that encapsulates several previous lectures or courses such as 'Store Design', 'Brand Management' (see the notion of Brand Experience) and 'E-marketing' (see the notion of Virtual Experience). We expect this topic to become on a par with Relationship Marketing. Already, CEM (Customer Experience Management) is challenging CRM (Customer Relationship Management). Thus, the number of Experiential Marketing courses could increase in the near future especially as one of the Advanced Marketing Courses. Comprehensive and accessibly written, this text takes an international, although predominantly European approach. Its unique contribution to this emerging subject will be invaluable to all students engaged with customer experience management, relationship marketing and brand management.

This book position itself within Experiential Marketing. It differs from its competitors by the way it examines the phenomenon of consumer experience. US competitors consider any consumption experience as necessarily dependent on the acquisition of products and services from the market, this book acknowledges that everyday life is largely comprised of experiences based on elements acquired in other ways (the family, friends, the state). Where its US competitors suggest to companies that they have to build a long series of strong emotions and unforgettable and extraordinary experiences for the consumers, this book highlights the need of letting the consumers construct their experience themselves, instead of pre-planning extraordinary experience for them. This book is less of a 'how to do' text and more comprehensive that its competitors. Experiential marketing is a topic that encapsulates several previous lectures or courses such as 'Store Design', 'Brand Management' (see the notion of Brand Experience) and 'E-marketing' (see the notion of Virtual Experience). We expect this topic to become on a par with Relationship Marketing. Already, CEM (Customer Experience Management) is challenging CRM (Customer Relationship Management). Thus, the number of Experiential Marketing courses could increase in the near future especially as one of the Advanced Marketing Courses. Comprehensive and accessibly written, this text takes an international, although predominantly European approach. Its unique contribution to this emerging subject will be invaluable to all students engaged with customer experience management, relationship marketing and brand management.