Shared brands. The relational branding as the basis of consumers’ mobilization.

Abstract

The fact that the public has abandoned its traditional passive role concerning the media is evident in several areas, such as the focus of the present article: persuasive communication. Brands managers, who are aware of this new part played by increasing active consumers and the benefits that it implies, design communication strategies meant to encourage their participation, as well as try- ing to build long-lasting relationships, based on shared stories. The promotion actions relay on the social media and online communities as their main allies, since they function as platforms for collective collaboration and the creation of common experiences among the users of a certain product. This article briefly reviews the latest communication theories which explain the success of the participatory culture as a way of promotion, not only applied to products and services, but to other fields such as politics, tourism or television shows. Furthermore, those theories are explained through real cases that have been developed in the last years, with the aim of demonstrating their efficiency and their growing importance in brand management.