Does user-generated content influence value co-creation in the context of luxury fashion brand communities? Matching inclusivity and exclusivity

Given the rise of digital technologies, brands must retain complete control and accountability for user content creation and diffusion. This paper investigates the influence of user-generated content on multiple luxury consumers’ value perceptions that arise within brand communities. A type of non-participatory netnography is performed on three fashion brand communities to analyze the content published by community members non-intrusively. Findings show that brand-related content allows users to share their perceived experiential benefits with their networks, ultimately reinforcing the brand’s experiential and symbolic dimensions. Moreover, user content influences one’s perception of value and attitude. However, if the sense of social homophily and membership is evident, diminishing a brand’s perceived value through brand dilution is unlikely. While previous studies revising the outcomes of online exposure for luxury firms have primarily focused on firm-controlled messages, this investigation acknowledges the importance of brand communities in creating and spreading brand-related content and their effect on luxury appeals. This study appears timely as the digital era empowers consumers to be proactive in Value Co-Creation dynamics and freely define the meaning of inclusivity in exclusive luxury.