Exploring the motivations to participate in an online brand community: a study of 7–11-year-old children

Purpose The purpose of this research is to understand what motivates 7–11-year-old children participate in online brand communities (OBCs). Prior has concentrated on prescriptive product categories (games and gaming), predominantly adolescent groups the social aspects community engagement actual behaviour within communities, rather than motivations with OBC. This ultimately limited been gleaned, both theoretically managerially, from important segment. Design/methodology/approach An interpretive, longitudinal position adopted, using a sample 261 (113 male 148 female) across UK, event-based diaries over 12-month period, generating 2,224 entries. Findings Data indicate that are motivated for four reasons: support ameliorate pre-purchase anxieties, resolve interpersonal conflicts, exact dominance terms ownership perceptions knowledge actively engage digitalised pester power. study also reveals certain motivational such as conflict resolution exacting dominance, gender-specific. Research limitations/implications Knowledge children’s motivation OBCs marketers managers alike data reveal markedly different stimuli when compared known adult behaviours field. Given nature study, scope exists significant future research. Practical implications will assist further understanding complex untraditional relationships have brands OBCs. Originality/value makes novel examination hitherto little-explored segment consumers. In doing so, it uncovers theoretical practical characteristics child consumers contemporary, adult-focussed literature does not recognise. paper an additional contribution theory by positing new behavioural relating – dependers, defusers, demanders dominators factors which fundamentally taxonomies hegemony, parental persuasion, dilemma solving resolution.