Branding the Social: Leisure, Consumption, and the Corvette Community

Abstract

This study explores the social world of Corvette car clubs and theirmembership based on social ties formed through common interestscentered on consumption and leisure practice. This study contributes tothe limited literature on brand communities that provide social capital in apostindustrial economy of intensified individualism that has experienceda decline in participation in voluntary associations. I address these factorsthrough the framework of Robert Putnam’s classification of ‘bridging’social capital or weak social ties that can be good for getting ahead. Thecultural significance of the Corvette as America’s sports car is used as aunit of analysis in this ethnographic study of the brand community andits role in creating social capital for its members. The broad implicationof this research reveals how the meaning assigned to consumer objectsfacilitates strong social networks that are productive in constructingidentity and cementing relationships among fellow consumers andtheir communities. Ethnographic research methods were employed todesign this sociological research. The data for this study was taken from30 structured interviews with Corvette enthusiasts and 18 months ofparticipant observation research. This study will fill a gap in the researchon brand communities as organized leisure structures that facilitate socialcapital and renewed civic engagement in the public sphere.