Some antecedents and effects of participation in Spanish virtual brand communities

The Internet has come out as a new medium for social activities (Kim et al., 2004) that favours the connection among individuals and organizations (Pitta et al., 2005). Indeed, individuals are increasingly turning to computer-mediated communication in order to get information on which to base their decisions. For instance, many consumers are using several online formats to share ideas, build communities and contact other consumers who are seen as more objective information sources (Kozinets, 2002). These social groups have been traditionally called virtual communities (Rheingold, 1993) and have become the best way to exploit capabilities of internet interaction (Velez et al., 2006).