When I think of market and non-market co-creation, I think of Harley Davidson HOG events. Putting it simply, if you think about it there are three kinds of co-creative interaction going on here:
(1) Harley Davidson (HD) execs dialogue with Bikers - where HD is engaging the biker to find out what they want / what isnt working to sell them more HD gear / products / better experiences. This is a market-based form of innovation where there is a value on the exchange of ideas, which HD is willing to invest in.
(2) Biker to Biker exchange - where bikers are buying and selling components or swapping gear based on a market-defined price or bartered value of ownership. This is also a market.
(3) Biker to Biker dialogue - exchanging tips, ideas, experiences, providing best advice to each other, arranging other events and discovering ways to adjust HD's bikes to get better performance or add parts.. This is a non-market form of co-creation. There is high reciprocity and a social interaction for no motive other than to feel part of an active community.
The common theme is that they are all engaged in some form of learning, but some of these interactions are underpinned by a market or profit motive, others by a participation motive and a sense of belonging. OK, this is an oversimplification and not entirely original but the premise is that by stimulating type (3) co-creation, then firms have a better chance of growing their brand equity.
all 3 look like a standard mix for cementing customer relations in any enthusiast category (single malt whisky producers do the same). Harley probably suffer less brand promiscuity than drinks brands where many want to try out what is a lower ticket item - but Harley must be amongst the top ten true cult brands in existence
Posted by: James Thomson | July 11, 2006 at 08:49 PM