The Relationship between Intrinsic Motivations and Commitment of Consumers in Brand Communities of Entertainment Media

Abstract

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) play an increasingly important role in the marketing of products and services. This study aims to explore the relationship between intrinsic motivations and the level of commitment of followers of the brand communities of the media that cover showbusiness. To address this issue, a cross-sectional methodological strategy was adopted in which a questionnaire with a Likert-type scale was administered to 313 users of Facebook fan pages. The main findings show that there are four groups of motivations: community spirit, enthusiasm for the brand, search for entertainment and prize chase. Each of these motivational categories features two variations in the level of commitment, with fans divided into enthusiasts and pragmatists. The findings may allow the establishment of ways to use commitment and motivation more efficiently with regard to marketing actions, something which will also contribute to SNS managers' strategic decisions.