Comments on: The Dirty Little Secret of Consumer Tribes http://kozinets.net/archives/8 Robert Kozinets on Marketing, Media, and Technoculture Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:18:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: rasputin7 http://kozinets.net/archives/8#comment-4 rasputin7 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 01:36:54 +0000 http://kozinets.net/archives/8#comment-4 So academic publishing is that much closer to the utopian vision! It's leaving behind filthy lucre and keeping you focused on what really matters--the ideas! I suppose the publisher get no compensation either, right? Right. The question about the proper reaction to the Borg-like constellation of co-conspirators to the brand is an intriguing one. I suppose one way companies could go about that is through good old-fashioned litigation--SUE 'EM! Oh, you're talking about the good ones. The ones who add brand value, not detract from it. Them. OK, well, I don't imagine the firm will feel pressed to compensate them at all unless this marketplace of ideas is subject to something like the supply/demand forces familiar in The Market elsewhere. I mean, if people are willingly contributing their insights and energy to, say, Coca-Cola--that is, pursuing the endeavor for the sheer love of making the contribution or exercising their creativity, as in academic publishing, I suppose--I see little market pressure applied to the company to do anything for these people, other than continue providing the forum for their interactions/further contributions. SHOULD the company compensate these people? That's a question independent of whether they will...and perhaps for consideration AFTER dinner. How are we defining compensation, by the way? Just money? Probably not, since Internet fame/notoriety seems to drive a lot of this interaction, meaning plenty of people will gladly contribute for the mere chance to send a link to friends and family illustrating their role in enhancing the brand (e.g. say, for instance, if a contributor's DIY video promoting the product is posted on a company's Web site). Dinner! So academic publishing is that much closer to the utopian vision! It’s leaving behind filthy lucre and keeping you focused on what really matters–the ideas! I suppose the publisher get no compensation either, right?

Right.

The question about the proper reaction to the Borg-like constellation of co-conspirators to the brand is an intriguing one. I suppose one way companies could go about that is through good old-fashioned litigation–SUE ‘EM!

Oh, you’re talking about the good ones. The ones who add brand value, not detract from it.

Them.

OK, well, I don’t imagine the firm will feel pressed to compensate them at all unless this marketplace of ideas is subject to something like the supply/demand forces familiar in The Market elsewhere. I mean, if people are willingly contributing their insights and energy to, say, Coca-Cola–that is, pursuing the endeavor for the sheer love of making the contribution or exercising their creativity, as in academic publishing, I suppose–I see little market pressure applied to the company to do anything for these people, other than continue providing the forum for their interactions/further contributions.

SHOULD the company compensate these people? That’s a question independent of whether they will…and perhaps for consideration AFTER dinner.

How are we defining compensation, by the way? Just money? Probably not, since Internet fame/notoriety seems to drive a lot of this interaction, meaning plenty of people will gladly contribute for the mere chance to send a link to friends and family illustrating their role in enhancing the brand (e.g. say, for instance, if a contributor’s DIY video promoting the product is posted on a company’s Web site).

Dinner!

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