In a groundbreaking study that upends conventional marketing wisdom, Dr. Naser Pourazad, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Flinders University, alongside colleagues Dr. Ehsan Abedin and Dr. Jacqueline Burgess, has unveiled profound insights into how online communities of video game enthusiasts express brand loyalty. Their research, recently published in the Journal of Product & Brand Management, leverages cutting-edge artificial intelligence to dissect vast social media datasets — revealing that brand advocacy among gamers is far more complex and nuanced than traditional marketing strategies assume.
The team employed advanced Large Language Models (LLMs), sophisticated AI tools capable of interpreting immense quantities of textual data, to examine over 23,000 Reddit comments drawn from fans of two titans of the video game world: Call of Duty and Battlefield. This approach diverges sharply from classical marketing research methodologies, which rely heavily on surveys or controlled lab environments. Instead, by analyzing raw, unfiltered, slang-rich discourse, the study captures authentic, organic fan interactions and sentiments in real-time community ecosystems.
What emerged was a remarkable dichotomy in how these two massive fanbases manifest loyalty. Call of Duty supporters predominantly convey their allegiance through vivid emotional storytelling and shared nostalgia, weaving together personal and collective memories that cultivate a sense of identity and belonging. Conversely, Battlefield fans exhibit advocacy grounded in technical sophistication and mechanical precision, often engaging in detailed, jargon-laden discussions about game mechanics and strategy, which reinforces their status as expert consumers.
These distinct communicative modes illustrate that there is no universal blueprint for fostering passionate consumer communities. Instead, brand loyalty flourishes through diverse forms of engagement, reflecting the unique values and cultures of different consumer segments. Dr. Pourazad stresses that genuine advocacy is a lived experience, emerging naturally from users’ deep involvement with the product rather than from top-down promotional messaging or corporate interventions.
Significantly, the study challenges prevailing marketing assumptions about the role of complaints. Traditionally considered detrimental, consumer criticism within these vibrant gaming communities turns out to be a signal of profound loyalty. The researchers identify two pivotal dimensions that coexist: Brand Appraisal, which involves critical, often harsh evaluations of a game’s flaws, and Brand Defence, where fans rapidly mobilize to protect the brand against detractors or external attacks. Far from viewing critiques as rejection, passionate gamers use this dialectic to actively participate in the brand’s evolution.
This dynamic contradicts the standard marketing impulse to silence or minimize negative feedback. Instead, the research suggests that suppression of player critique can erode emotional bonds and ultimately weaken loyalty. Especially in digitally native communities, openness to constructive dissent is integral to sustaining trust and engagement.
Further undermining conventional marketing norms, the analysis reveals a marked absence of commercial or polished corporate language in authentic brand advocacy. The peer-to-peer interactions that generate true passion are characterized by informal, unscripted, and sometimes raw discourse. Attempts by brands to insert overtly promotional or “corporate speak” into these arenas often lead to rejection or alienation by core fans.
The implications for branding strategies are profound and expansive. As consumers grow increasingly resistant to traditional advertising and overt messaging, fostering authentic, grassroots communities becomes paramount. Brands must shift from broadcasting polished marketing narratives to facilitating environments where consumers can freely exchange, critique, and celebrate shared experiences and expertise.
Beyond gaming, these findings resonate across cultural and consumer landscapes, highlighting the necessity for brands to embrace complexity and diversity in their audience engagement. The six identified dimensions of brand advocacy — Brand Positivity, Brand Defence, Virtual Positive Expression, Brand Zest, Brand Knowledge, and Brand Appraisal — form an intricate ecosystem underpinning customer loyalty in digital age markets.
Crucially, the study underscores the evolving role of AI in marketing research. Leveraging Large Language Models to parse thousands of organic conversations represents a methodological leap, enabling scholars and practitioners to penetrate the authentic textures of consumer communities at an unprecedented scale and granularity. This opens new horizons for measuring, understanding, and nurturing brand advocacy in real-world contexts.
Dr. Pourazad advocates that brands discard outdated marketing paradigms and adopt more genuine, dialogic approaches. Instead of striving to control narratives, companies should listen attentively to passionate consumer voices and allow communities the autonomy to shape brand meaning collaboratively. This shift not only aligns with evolving consumer expectations but strategically positions brands to cultivate durable, emotionally charged loyalties conducive to long-term success.
In an era dominated by social media and peer influence, this research signals a paradigm shift in how brand loyalty is cultivated. The raw, unfiltered, and dynamic nature of digital communities refutes one-size-fits-all marketing doctrines, compelling brands to acknowledge and harness the rich diversity of consumer identities and motivations. For industries beyond gaming—where authentic engagement increasingly dictates success—the lessons drawn here are both timely and indispensable.
As the study highlights, the future of brand advocacy lies less in curated promotion and more in fostering authentic community interactions, valuing critical voices as much as celebratory ones, and embracing AI’s transformative potential in decoding the complex language of consumer culture. Dr. Pourazad and his team’s pioneering work thus charts a forward-thinking pathway for marketing scholarship and practice in the digital era.
Subject of Research:
Not applicable
Article Title:
Online brand advocacy and video game consumers
News Publication Date:
7-May-2026
Web References:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-03-2025-5866
References:
Pourazad, N., Abedin, E., & Burgess, J. (2026). Online brand advocacy and video game consumers. Journal of Product & Brand Management. DOI: 10.1108/JPBM-03-2025-5866
Keywords:
Brand advocacy, consumer engagement, video game communities, Call of Duty, Battlefield, Large Language Models, AI in marketing, consumer loyalty, peer-to-peer marketing, brand criticism, digital communities, emotional storytelling, technical mastery
