Surfers’ consumer behaviour from a tribal branding perspective

ABSTRACT

The main objective of this paper is twofold, examine the tribal branding theory in a qualitative empirical manner addressing Spaniards surfers as consumers; and, explore the implications of these groups from a brand management viewpoint. Different qualitative research methods were employed in preparing this article: 11 in-depth interviews were conducted with the managers of the Spain’s most representative surf brands, as well as four focus groups that were held with a total of 29 participants representing relevant clusters. The results obtained indicate that the study of Spaniard surfing consumers from a consumer tribe standpoint is inadequate. The main reason for this inadequacy is that Spaniard surfers do not develop or foster an emotional bond that exposes the existence of a linking value. Certain managerial implications were also detected. For example, a lack of communication was found between brand professionals and their consumers.

Notes

¹ This is a representation of the swell averages in the Iberian Peninsula. These data are calculated on swells of a duration of more than 7 seconds. This means this is the average height of a swell that’s likely to produce ridable surf, not an average of every wave heading toward the beach in a month.

² The following websites were consulted: www.tablassurfshop.com, www.todosurf.com, www.surfmarket.org, www.mundo-surf.com, www.frussurf.com and www.surf3.es. This selection corresponds to the first 10 Google search results for “compra de material surf en España” [buying surf material in Spain], performed on 20 February 2018. The six Spaniards stores appearing in the search results were chosen, while discarding the four foreign ones: www.bluetomato.com, www.magicseaweed.com, www.wetsuitwarehouse.com and www.wetsuitoutlet.co.uk.

³ Of all those available on this platform, this class is the one that best adapts to surf products.

⁴ A Californian surf brand founded in 2001 that was subsequently bought by Billabong in 2010.

⁵ In order to indicate with precision the origin of the participants, the use of the following acronyms has been proposed: PC1, equivalent to the participant of Corunna number one and thus correlatively; PAS1 is equivalent to participant of Asturias number one and so correlatively; PB1 would be equivalent to the participant of Basque Country number one and thus correlatively; and PA1 would be equivalent to the participant of Andalusia number one and thus correlatively.