Digital consumerism in the development of virtual communities
Abstract
The article examines the transformation of consumer communication in the digital age and the role of social media in shaping qualitatively new types of communities around brands. The relevance of the study is determined by fundamental changes in social ties and identity under digitalisation when traditional institutions lose their monopoly on community formation, and brands increasingly assume functions of creating meanings, values, and rituals, which is particularly significant in the context of post-secular society. The research hypothesis is that brand communication strategies on social media evolve from instrumental to sacred, borrowing elements of religious discourse to form a deep emotional connection with the audience, leading to brand communities as a new form of sociality. The methodology is based on discourse analysis of social media content (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook), content analysis of marketing communications of leading brands (Nike, Apple, Starbucks, Glossier), and secondary analysis of sociological data on consumer behaviour in the digital environment. The results show that modern brands use communication strategies (storytelling, gamification, unique symbolism, co-creation) aimed at ritualising consumption and forming emotional attachment. It was revealed that brand communities function similarly to traditional communities: they have hierarchy, value system, rituals, symbolism, and moral responsibility. It is proved that marketing communications increasingly borrow religious rhetoric, reflecting a trend towards the sacralization of consumption in post-secular society, where consumption becomes a key tool for constructing identity, and brand choice becomes a way of self-presentation and finding like-minded people. Scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive analysis of digital consumerism as a socio-cultural practice, identification of mechanisms of borrowing religious rhetoric in marketing, and characterisation of brand communities as a new form of sociality in the digital age