Netnography Study

Netnography Study

Hi,

My name is Simer. For my dissertation, I am conducting a netnography
study on the authenticity of Starbuck's emotional brandind strategy.
For such purposes I will be required to study some users and quote
comments on the above topic. I would like to grant permission for it.

Thanks

Simer

Re: Netnography Study


"Sim" <simerdhall@gmail . com > wrote in message
news:89653de6-5e6a-4022-90ab-983cb49ebe7a@z66g2000hsc.googlegroups . com ...
> Hi,
>
> My name is Simer. For my dissertation, I am conducting a netnography
> study on the authenticity of Starbuck's emotional brandind strategy.
> For such purposes I will be required to study some users and quote
> comments on the above topic. I would like to grant permission for it.
>
> Thanks
>
> Simer

If you're expected to come up with a dissertation, you should seriously
consider paying someone to ghost-write it for you.
Your writing skills don't seem to dissertation-level . . .

Re: Netnography Study

alan wrote:
>
> "Sim" <simerdhall@gmail . com > wrote in message
> news:89653de6-5e6a-4022-90ab-983cb49ebe7a@z66g2000hsc.googlegroups . com ...
>> Hi,
>>
>> My name is Simer. For my dissertation, I am conducting a netnography
>> study on the authenticity of Starbuck's emotional brandind strategy.
>> For such purposes I will be required to study some users and quote
>> comments on the above topic. I would like to grant permission for it.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Simer
>
> If you're expected to come up with a dissertation, you should seriously
> consider paying someone to ghost-write it for you.
> Your writing skills don't seem to dissertation-level . . .

I usually don't lower myself to comment on the typos and grammatical
errots of udder posters but Simer: what der hell are you talkin' 'bout?

Re: Netnography Study

On Jul 17, 4:58=A0pm, Moka Java <rtwatc...@fishyahoo . com > wrote:
> alan wrote:
>
> > "Sim" <simerdh...@gmail . com > wrote in message
> >news:89653de6-5e6a-4022-90ab-983cb49ebe7a@z66g2000hsc.googlegroups . com ..=
.
> >> Hi,
>
> >> My name is Simer. For my dissertation, I am conducting a netnography
> >> study on the authenticity of Starbuck's emotional branding strategy.
> >> For such purposes I will be required to study some users and quote
> >> comments on the above topic. I would like to grant permission for it.
>
> >> Thanks
>
> >> Simer
>
> > If you're expected to come up with a dissertation, you should seriously
> > consider paying someone to ghost-write it for you.
> > Your writing skills don't seem to dissertation-level . . .
>
> I usually don't lower myself to comment on the typos and grammatical
> errots of udder posters but Simer: what der hell are you talkin' 'bout?- =
Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Hi,

In case u guys didnt know, a netnography study is a new quantitative
research methodology that adapts ethnographic research techniques to
study culture and communities that are emerging through computer
mediated communications. (i.e online communities)

The purpose of my research is to study Starbuck=92s emotional-branding
strategy and based on that provide feedback on its effectiveness in
reaching out to existing as well as potential customers.

I hope this makes it rather clear now

Simer

Re: Netnography Study


> In case u guys didnt know, a netnography study is a new quantitative
> research methodology that adapts ethnographic research techniques to
> study culture and communities that are emerging through computer
> mediated communications. (i.e online communities)

For a given value of "new". Computer mediated ethnography has been
around since the first days of a commercial Internet, circa 1995 or
so.

> The purpose of my research is to study Starbuck=92s emotional-branding
> strategy and based on that provide feedback on its effectiveness in
> reaching out to existing as well as potential customers.

Good luck! ;)

Relative to Starbucks, among the online community that is alt.coffee
you're far more likely to capture the experience of brand avoiders,
and proponents of doppelg=E4nger brand images, brand parodies, and the
like. The "indie" coffee house culture is strong here, as is the DIY
factor. Unless you're specifically looking to study the negative
impact of an emotional brand strategy, or the effects of brand
backlash you may want a forum that is less disaffected with the
Starbucks monoculture.

-deCadmus

Re: Netnography Study

On Jul 17, 7:45=A0pm, Doug Cadmus <decad...@gmail . com > wrote:
> > In case u guys didnt know, a netnography study is a new quantitative
> > research methodology that adapts ethnographic research techniques to
> > study culture and communities that are emerging through computer
> > mediated communications. (i.e online communities)
>
> For a given value of "new". Computer mediated ethnography has been
> around since the first days of a commercial Internet, circa 1995 or
> so.
>
> > The purpose of my research is to study Starbuck=92s emotional-branding
> > strategy and based on that provide feedback on its effectiveness in
> > reaching out to existing as well as potential customers.
>
> Good luck! ;)
>
> Relative to Starbucks, among the online community that is alt.coffee
> you're far more likely to capture the experience of brand avoiders,
> and proponents of doppelg=E4nger brand images, brand parodies, and the
> like. The "indie" coffee house culture is strong here, as is the DIY
> factor. Unless you're specifically looking to study the negative
> impact of an emotional brand strategy, or the effects of brand
> backlash you may want a forum that is less disaffected with the
> Starbucks monoculture.
>
> -deCadmus

Thank you for your reply

Yes indeed. I am seeking to highlight some aspects of Starbuck's
doppoelganger brand image and analyse how these meanings are
incorporated into consumer preferences, lifestyles, belief systems and
identities.

Simer

Re: Netnography Study


"Sim" <simerdhall@gmail . com > wrote in message
news:e8e9f6c3-080f-43b2-b6e7-dcefa6f12950@i20g2000prf.googlegroups . com ...
On Jul 17, 7:45 pm, Doug Cadmus <decad...@gmail . com > wrote:
> > In case u guys didnt know, a netnography study is a new quantitative
> > research methodology that adapts ethnographic research techniques to
> > study culture and communities that are emerging through computer
> > mediated communications. (i.e online communities)
>
> For a given value of "new". Computer mediated ethnography has been
> around since the first days of a commercial Internet, circa 1995 or
> so.
>
> > The purpose of my research is to study Starbuck’s emotional-branding
> > strategy and based on that provide feedback on its effectiveness in
> > reaching out to existing as well as potential customers.
>
> Good luck! ;)
>
> Relative to Starbucks, among the online community that is alt.coffee
> you're far more likely to capture the experience of brand avoiders,
> and proponents of doppelgänger brand images, brand parodies, and the
> like. The "indie" coffee house culture is strong here, as is the DIY
> factor. Unless you're specifically looking to study the negative
> impact of an emotional brand strategy, or the effects of brand
> backlash you may want a forum that is less disaffected with the
> Starbucks monoculture.
>
> -deCadmus

Thank you for your reply

Yes indeed. I am seeking to highlight some aspects of Starbuck's
doppoelganger brand image and analyse how these meanings are
incorporated into consumer preferences, lifestyles, belief systems and
identities.

Simer

Not being versed in modern marketing speak, I was not quite sure what a
"doppelgänger brand image" was. This is what a little googling produced,
which may be helpful for those not up on the latest jargon:

"In brief, a doppelgänger brand image is a family of disparaging images and
stories about a brand that are circulated in popular culture by a loosely
organized and Internet-linked network of consumers, anti-brand activists,
bloggers, and members of the news and entertainment media. In recent years,
these branding challenges have confronted several well-known brands,
including Nike, McDonald’s, and Apple, among others.

We suggest that, over time, these brand-focused parodies and criticisms can
coalesce into a coherent set of opposing meanings that haunt brands that
have otherwise successfully carved out competitive positions through
emotional-branding strategies. In effect, a doppelgänger brand image
culturally competes with the emotionally resonant image that a brand’s
management attempts to instill through its marketing activities. Our
research illustrates this phenomenon by conducting a cultural analysis of
the doppelgänger brand image that is beginning to haunt a paragon of
emotional branding: Starbucks.

Based on depth interviews with 36 coffee shop patrons, we find that
uncharitable cultural constructions of Starbucks serve as an underlying
motive for a passionate form of brand avoidance. This motive appears to be
energized by perceptions that Starbucks’ marketing efforts are inauthentic
and emotionally shallow. In addition to deliberately avoiding Starbucks,
these consumers actively seek out and patronize local coffee shops that
provide a sense of authenticity that Starbucks lacks. Specifically, this
authenticity comes in two forms: (1) the sense of an authentic coffee shop
experience, (2) feelings of connection with an authentic coffee shop
owner/operator. Ironically, these two forms of authenticity are qualities
that Starbucks seeks to convey via its emotional branding strategy. Thus, it
seems that these efforts are actually working in favor of its competition
(i.e., local coffee shops)."

* w w w .acrwebsite.org/print.asp?artID=347



Now, it seems to me that "doppelganger brand images" existed before there
was such a thing as "emotional branding" or bloggers. The "emotional
branding" of say MG motorcars in the US that was promoted by the
manufacturer was "sports car that will attract chicks" , it's doppelganger
image with the public was "unreliable car with bad electrical system that
leaks a lot". Somehow, in the old days, without help from "anti-brand
activists" (what kind of job is this? - who pays them? don't they have a
life?) and without even knowing what a doppelganger was people got the
message anyway.



I'm not even sure that doppelgänger (double goer) is the right word - the
traditional meaning of that word is "supernatural harbinger of death" - just
before something really bad was about to happen to you, you would see your
spirit hustling out of town so that it wouldn't be around for the unpleasant
event ( I would hope that MY spirit is a more loyal friend and will stick
with me to the end). Out of the corner of your eye, you'd see a guy who
looked just like you, walking real fast toward the train station with his
suitcase packed and you'd think to yourself - "funny that guy looks just
like me. I wonder why he's in such a rush" and just as that thought formed
in your mind, wham, the trolley car would hit you.



I think the correct term would be "evil twin" or "mirror universe" , as
introduced in the famous Star Trek episode where Evil Spock (who is Spocks
twin, except he has a devilish goatee) exists in a parallel universe along
side the "Good Spock" that we know. In the mirror universe, "Evil
Starbucks" is not a "third place" but an overpriced McDonalds, "Evil Nike"
operates sweatshops, etc. Though the doppelgänger has become conflated with
the evil twin it is not really the proper use of the word.

Re: Netnography Study

Quoth "Jack Denver" <nunuvyer@netscape . net >:

| Now, it seems to me that "doppelganger brand images" existed before there
| was such a thing as "emotional branding" or bloggers. The "emotional
| branding" of say MG motorcars in the US that was promoted by the
| manufacturer was "sports car that will attract chicks" , it's doppelganger
| image with the public was "unreliable car with bad electrical system that
| leaks a lot". Somehow, in the old days, without help from "anti-brand
| activists" (what kind of job is this? - who pays them? don't they have a
| life?) and without even knowing what a doppelganger was people got the
| message anyway.

Anti-brand activists ... could they be talking about us? I mean, I know
there are a range of feelings here about *$, but probably a few of us
go out of our way to promote an image that contradicts their branding.

| I'm not even sure that doppelgänger (double goer) is the right word - the
| traditional meaning of that word is "supernatural harbinger of death" - just
| before something really bad was about to happen to you, you would see your
| spirit hustling out of town so that it wouldn't be around for the unpleasant
| event ( I would hope that MY spirit is a more loyal friend and will stick
| with me to the end). Out of the corner of your eye, you'd see a guy who
| looked just like you, walking real fast toward the train station with his
| suitcase packed and you'd think to yourself - "funny that guy looks just
| like me. I wonder why he's in such a rush" and just as that thought formed
| in your mind, wham, the trolley car would hit you.
|
| I think the correct term would be "evil twin" or "mirror universe" , as
| introduced in the famous Star Trek episode where Evil Spock (who is Spocks
| twin, except he has a devilish goatee) exists in a parallel universe along
| side the "Good Spock" that we know. In the mirror universe, "Evil
| Starbucks" is not a "third place" but an overpriced McDonalds, "Evil Nike"
| operates sweatshops, etc. Though the doppelgänger has become conflated with
| the evil twin it is not really the proper use of the word.

I don't know about the traditional uses of the word, but I don't think
`evil twin' really captures the meaning of doppelgaenger in current parlance.
My dictionary defines it as "a person exactly like another", no mention of
evil, and my sense of the word is that indeed your doppelgaenger would be
identical and typically innocent, both of you ordinarily being unaware of
the other. There could be something sinister about it, maybe a sense that
this being is too unnatural to be OK and therefore must be up to no good,
but not necessarily evil-natured itself. A really unnatural twin who for
sure isn't a relative. So for me it's a cool word, and it's almost apt in
this application, but for the identical-ness part of it.

I'm sure you're right, attempts to sway popular perceptions in favor of
a brand and against it could probably be found on clay tablets of ancient
Sumeria, but the struggle is bound to have evolved somewhat over the
centuries. Now that we have blogs, and I read all the time that they
evidently exercise vast influence over us, there must be some potential
for something to come of it in terms of dissemination of viewpoints that
aren't advertising or mediated by advertising revenue.

Donn

Re: Netnography Study


"Donn Cave" <donn@avvanta . com > wrote in message
news:eoidnWsppZvSfB3VnZ2dnUVZ umdnZ2d@posted.isomediainc...
>>
> Anti-brand activists ... could they be talking about us? I mean, I know
> there are a range of feelings here about *$, but probably a few of us
> go out of our way to promote an image that contradicts their branding.
>
>
I don't think we count as "anti-brand activists" - I think those are the
guys (and gals) who show up at public meetings and hold demonstrations every
time Wal-mart (another doppelgänger brand) or Starbucks wants to open a
store. As I said before, the kind of people who need to get a life.


> I don't know about the traditional uses of the word, but I don't think
> `evil twin' really captures the meaning of doppelgaenger in current
> parlance.
> My dictionary defines it as "a person exactly like another", no mention of
> evil, and my sense of the word is that indeed your doppelgaenger would be
> identical and typically innocent, both of you ordinarily being unaware of
> the other. There could be something sinister about it, maybe a sense that
> this being is too unnatural to be OK and therefore must be up to no good,
> but not necessarily evil-natured itself. A really unnatural twin who for
> sure isn't a relative. So for me it's a cool word, and it's almost apt in
> this application, but for the identical-ness part of it.

As far as I can tell, the "doppelgänger brand image" is always negative or
evil, while as you say a traditional doppelgänger is not inherently evil,
just unnatural or portentious. So "evil twin brand image" would be closer
but would have the disadvantage (from the academic POV) that the jargon
might be understood by laymen.

>
> I'm sure you're right, attempts to sway popular perceptions in favor of
> a brand and against it could probably be found on clay tablets of ancient
> Sumeria, but the struggle is bound to have evolved somewhat over the
> centuries. Now that we have blogs, and I read all the time that they
> evidently exercise vast influence over us, there must be some potential
> for something to come of it in terms of dissemination of viewpoints that
> aren't advertising or mediated by advertising revenue.

Again, there has alway seemed to have been a fairly effective "grapevine"
out there to counteract the "spin" put on products by advertisers. It
annoys me to no end when each new generation thinks that they are like no
other generation before, that they have changed the world in some
fundamental and unprecedented way, when we are all really the same clever
apes we have been for the last 50,000 years, just with better haircuts.
Remember that we have had "instant messaging" since the telegraph was
invented in the 1830s and "blogs" since Guttenberg began setting movable
type.

Re: Netnography Study

On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:34:51 -0400, "Jack Denver"
<nunuvyer@netscape . net > wrote:

>Now, it seems to me that "doppelganger brand images" existed before there
>was such a thing as "emotional branding" or bloggers. The "emotional
>branding" of say MG motorcars in the US that was promoted by the
>manufacturer was "sports car that will attract chicks" , it's doppelganger
>image with the public was "unreliable car with bad electrical system that
>leaks a lot".

The phrase used to describe the electrical issues ties in well with
the doppelganger idea: "Lucas, Prince of Darkness"

FWIW, MGs don't leak, they mark their territory. ;)


> I think the correct term would be "evil twin" or "mirror universe" , as

Evil Twin Skippy, purveyor of skunky coffee. I guess "Charbucks"
would be the clearest manifestation of Starbucks evil twin.

Re: Netnography Study


"Sim" <simerdhall@gmail . com > wrote in message
news:9ee22c63-b334-45dd-a14d-9a27ce89dda3@34g2000hsh.googlegroups . com ...
On Jul 17, 4:58 pm, Moka Java <rtwatc...@fishyahoo . com > wrote:
> alan wrote:
>
> > "Sim" <simerdh...@gmail . com > wrote in message
> >news:89653de6-5e6a-4022-90ab-983cb49ebe7a@z66g2000hsc.googlegroups . com ...
> >> Hi,
>
> >> My name is Simer. For my dissertation, I am conducting a netnography
> >> study on the authenticity of Starbuck's emotional branding strategy.
> >> For such purposes I will be required to study some users and quote
> >> comments on the above topic. I would like to grant permission for it.
>
> >> Thanks
>
> >> Simer
>
> > If you're expected to come up with a dissertation, you should seriously
> > consider paying someone to ghost-write it for you.
> > Your writing skills don't seem to dissertation-level . . .
>
> I usually don't lower myself to comment on the typos and grammatical
> errots of udder posters but Simer: what der hell are you talkin' 'bout?-
> Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Hi,

In case u guys didnt know, a netnography study is a new quantitative
research methodology that adapts ethnographic research techniques to
study culture and communities that are emerging through computer
mediated communications. (i.e online communities)

The purpose of my research is to study Starbuck’s emotional-branding
strategy and based on that provide feedback on its effectiveness in
reaching out to existing as well as potential customers.

I hope this makes it rather clear now

Simer
---------------------------------------------
I don't think anyone had trouble with "netnography" ---- as Cadmus pointed
out, the term has been around since 1995. It was when you wrote: "I would
like to grant permission for it" that it occurred to me you needed some help
expressing yourself.

--
alan

Re: Netnography Study

Alan,

Before you pinpoint at others maybe you should try working on your
ENGLISH first! Just because someone makes an error, it does not mean
that you put them down.

Maybe you should begin by analysing your own piece of work. For your
convenience it has been copied and pasted below:

From: "alan" <in flagra...@hotmail . com >
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:13:13 -0700

Local: Sun, Jun 29 2008 12:13 am

"If you've already got a "buttery smooth" 25 second extraction with
great
crema, then you're obviously doing somthing right. Maybe your
grinder's
calibration is just off -- I really wouldn't pay too much attention to
the
numbers.
Avoid unnecessary gimmickry such as "bottomles yogurt cups" and
toothpicks.
It's also a good idea to avoid the advice of those who loudly glad-
hand you
with a "Howdy!" and, just before dumping a self-serving six-link
signature
on you, also louldy exhort you to "Enjoy!"

I have spent months looking at this forum for my research and I am
really disappointed to find that some people are not willing to co-
operate and instead are being immature about it.

And as for you Jack, we're in 2008 and I can't believe racism still
exists to such an extent. I guess some people just never learn.

Good luck to both of you!
Regards,
Simer

Re: Netnography Study

On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:09:44 -0700 (PDT), Sim <simerdhall@gmail . com >
wrote:


>I have spent months looking at this forum for my research and I am
>really disappointed to find that some people are not willing to co-
>operate and instead are being immature about it.

If you're looking for cooperation and maturity on usenet, you haven't
been paying attention. Best of luck.

North Sullivan

Re: Netnography Study

On Jul 18, 9:09 am, Sim <simerdh...@gmail . com > wrote:

> And as for you Jack, we're in 2008 and I can't believe racism still
> exists to such an extent. I guess some people just never learn.
>
> Good luck to both of you!
> Regards,
> Simer

I am curious, how are Jack's comments racist?
Jack's comment was about people who are non-native English speakers
teaching at a University level.

The problem Jack describes has nothing to do with being racist. It is
about how people who learn a language in a classroom setting do not
have the same command of the language as someone who learned the
language as an infant or small child.

Jack's comments describe a difficulty in communication across
different cultures and languages.

I do not think he was being racist.

Shane

Re: Netnography Study


"shane" <shane.olson@juno . com > wrote in message
news:2be74425-67d3-4e9b-8999-30ebf7e61080@c2g2000pra.googlegroups . com ...
On Jul 18, 9:09 am, Sim <simerdh...@gmail . com > wrote:

> And as for you Jack, we're in 2008 and I can't believe racism still
> exists to such an extent. I guess some people just never learn.
>
> Good luck to both of you!
> Regards,
> Simer

I am curious, how are Jack's comments racist?
Jack's comment was about people who are non-native English speakers
teaching at a University level.

The problem Jack describes has nothing to do with being racist. It is
about how people who learn a language in a classroom setting do not
have the same command of the language as someone who learned the
language as an infant or small child.

Jack's comments describe a difficulty in communication across
different cultures and languages.

I do not think he was being racist.

Shane

Thank you Shane. There seems to be an all purpose tendency in modern
society to call everything you don't like "racist" as a way of shutting down
discussion. In the NY Times today, there was a humorous column on how the
"rubes" of Dubuque seemed to "get" the satirical intent of the recent New
Yorker cover showing Obama as a Muslim more than the "sophisticates" of New
York - the reporter said that some people nowadays don't just take umbrage,
they practically hold umbrage hostage. I don't think this is healthy for a
society - while putting certain subjects off limits for discussion may be
helpful for your "side" in the short run, shoving those subjects under the
rug doesn't really make them go away - they just fester and emerge later in
a more virulent form.

I should add that while I question the wisdom of universities allowing
people without proper spoken English proficiency to teach, I admire the
grad students who are doing this for even trying. My son has studied
Mandarin Chinese for years now and he is just reaching the level where he
could order a meal in a restaurant - I can't imagine what it would take to
reach the level of proficiency that would be needed for him to teach a
university level course in say economics or calculus in Mandarin. Nor do I
suspect that he would be allowed to teach such a course at a university in
China. As I said before, the languages are so different that it is extremely
hard for a native speaker of one to become proficient in the other.