Like is a verb: exploring tie strength and casual brand use effects on brand attitudes and consumer online goal achievement

Purpose - This paper aims to offer fresh insight into attitudes towards casually used brands and the role of tie strength in the building of online non-brand-related network relationships amongst young consumers. Design/methodology/approach - Thirteen consumers aged between 18 and 24 years took part in in-depth interviews. The interviewees were matched on gender, age, occupation, residency and social media usage. Findings - Tie strength effects are evident in changes to brand attitudes, choice of social media platforms and in the casual use of brands to further consumer relationship building and identity creation goals. Research limitations/implications - This paper answers calls for greater understanding of the way in which network structure influences consumers' online motivations and attitudes towards the brand. Practical implications - This paper explores the importance of managers viewing brands as embedded in broader social contexts and tailoring social media communications to those broader contexts. Originality/value - This paper is the first to combine tie strength with casual brand use to examine non-brand-related network effects on brand attitudes, growing and maintaining consumer relationships and building online identity.