Includes bibliographical references at the end of each chapters and index

1: Introduction: Crowdsourcing Brand Equity; Introduction: Celebrate the Brand Fanatic; Sport Means Winning; Work in Symbols; Meet the Greats; Find the Lessons; Conclusion: Move from Emotion to Engagement; References; 2: Pitch Partners: Customers as Players and Collaborators; Introduction: Move Closer; Step Up to the Plate; Clarify the Brand Image; Focus on Value Co-creation; Make the Customer Part of the Brand Team; Design Compelling Value Propositions; Extend Brand Reach; Facilitate Brand Fan Communities; Leverage the Value Network; Conclusion: Entangle Customers; References; 3: Unlimited Users: The Rise of Consumer-Generated Content; Introduction: Unleashing the Consumer; Encourage Customer Contributions to the Brand Experience; Recruit and Reward ; Provide a Space; Create and Curate; Share Brand Stories; Entrust Brand Fans; Leverage the Fan Voice; Conclusion: Co-creation to Co-branding; References; 4: Connected Communities: Icons and Tribalism; Introduction: Cradle to Grave; Build Resilient Brands; Use New Communities and Old Thinking (or Old Communities and New Thinking); Turn Advocacy into Action; Cede Control; Untangle the Gridlock; Make Everyone a Winner; Create Tribal Teamwork; Make Tribes Louder; Conclusion: Find the New Disneyland; References; 5: Passionate Partisans: Lifelong Loyalty; Introduction: Get Ahead of the Curve; Make Passionate Partisans; Ride the Bumps with Grin; Do Not Hide; Segment for Growth; Make Everyone a VIP; Multiply Media and Saturate Sponsors; Locate the Connection, Influence, and Persuasion Trinity; Conclusion: Give and You Shall Be Given; References; 6: Dynamic Data: Branding the Digital Drive; Introduction: Start with New Normal; Embrace the Digital Dynamic; Transform Consumers into Directors; Make Content Experiential; Use Superdata to Find the Digital Consumer; Measure and Escalate Relevance; Accept Real-Time Branding; Package the Virtual for Real (Branding); Practice Failing Forward; Locate the Brand Fan; Work on Who They Think They Are; Make Old Fans Part of New Media; Conclusion: Make the Brand a Digital Destination; References; 7: Enhanced Experiences: Enlisting the Fanatic; Introduction: Engage and Enhance; Convert Loyalty into Fanaticism; Augment Experiences; Modularise Branding; Access the Mobile Mind; Pull, Do Not Push; Find a Platform; Create a Social Network; Make Strategic Social Choices; Leverage the Links; Find a Social Media Identity; Engage the Social Conscience; Conclusion: The Augmented Brand Fan; References; 8: Conclusion: Future Brand Fans; Introduction: The Sporting Touch; Virtual Brand Fans; Branding in a Cloudy Future: The Digital Mesh; Wearable and Comparable; Contingent Consumption Experiences; Advanced AI and Autonomous Behaviour; Lessons in Anticipating Sport's Branding Future; Conclusion: Brand Fan's Future; References; Index

Available to OhioLINK libraries

Combining the latest branding research with a diverse range of powerful case examples, this book reveals the cutting edge techniques of value co-creation, personalisation and customer engagement employed by sport's leading brands. Based on the transferable lessons that emanate from these practices, Brand Fans explores and illuminates how firms can cultivate connected fans and lifelong advocates, while building brand equity exponentially in the process. This is a book that will appeal to scholars and practitioners alike, as well as anyone fascinated by modern marketing, consumer relationships and branding