The Power of the Tribe

When you hear the word ‘tribe’, you might associate it with ‘primal’, ‘animalistic’, ‘caveman’ or, perhaps like me, you may recall Bruce Parry’s infamous documentary and the piercing of an oh-so-tender body part. Either way, tribes aren’t necessarily what you would associate with marketing, yet it’s the latest lingo used primarily to explain the power of brand advocates.

‘Brand Tribes’, as I like to call them, are being created all around us by a huge number of corporations. Ikea has created fashionista furniture tribes; Apple, a tribe of technology fans; Harley Davidson, a tribe of hardcore bikers; Starbucks, a tribe of culture and coffee enthusiasts, and so on.

Tribes work positively for brands because they like to spread the word, making decisions based on what their friends say, or ‘like’, or digg and so on. If you can gather an enthusiastic tribe based on your brand’s offering, you can rely on them to become brand adorers, increasing your ‘Brand Tribe’ population by the minute and thus significantly raising awareness of your services.

Tribes live within the dark corners of Facebook and other social media channels, ultimately gaining more control over how your brand is perceived than the Marketing Manager himself. That said, it’s important that once a tribe is established, brands must create a constant dialogue, interaction and value exchange with them to keep them interested and engaged. This can include interacting with them directly and instantly over Facebook, or sending them offers and discounts for their loyalty.

Making your ‘Brand Tribe’ feel special and appreciated will do wonders for your reputation, helping to grow your brand recognition organically and with little extra cost.