“Como os looks ficam em pessoas reais”: o engajamento à comunidade online de marca interpretado pela Teoria Estímulo-Organismo-Resposta

Abstract

This present study aims to analyze the dynamics of engagement to an online brand community and its impacts on consumers, as well as interpret them according to the Stimulus- Organism-Response Theory. Therefore, Renner's Female Fitting Room group was selected on Facebook as a context of observation. For this purpose, the netnography method was used to collect the interactions of community members and, then, semi-structured interviews were carried out with active members. For data analysis, the analytical coding proposed by Kozinets (2014) was used. From data analysis, we can notice that the online brand community influences purchasing decisions and consumer loyalty. Community participants express their engagement through the exchange relationship with each other and the intention to collaborate with each other with the publication of content relevant to their purchasing decisions, such as the exchange of experiences, the publication of clothing compositions, support for the reduction of insecurity and affection. These are shared practices by which participants influence and seek incentives. Thus, the participants feel represented in each other which generates trust in the community and personal satisfaction and, as a consequence, become loyal to the brand consumed by the community.