Online brand advocacy and video game consumers

Naser Pourazad; Ehsan Abedin; Jacqueline Burgess

doi:10.1108/JPBM-03-2025-5866

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Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Online brand advocacy and video game consumers

Naser Pourazad, Ehsan Abedin and Jacqueline Burgess

Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol.Advanced access

07-May-2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-03-2025-5866

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Abstract

Marketing

Graphics, augmented reality and games

Marketing

Animation, video games and computer generated imagery services

Video games

Brand advocacy

Brand attachment

Brand communities

Natural language processing

Purpose This study aims to examine how video game brand communities express online brand advocacy, revealing distinct patterns of consumer engagement that challenge traditional marketing approaches. By drawing on social identity theory, authentic brand advocacy behaviours in Call of Duty and Battlefield video game brand communities were explored to understand how consumers support their preferred brands. Design/methodology/approach Over 23,000 Call of Duty and Battlefield brand community discussions from Reddit were analysed using advanced computational methods to discover how brand advocacy naturally emerges from consumer discourse. Rather than relying on traditional surveys, this approach captures real advocacy behaviours as they occur in video game communities to reveal authentic language and expressions consumers use to support their favourite brands. Findings Six distinct dimensions of brand advocacy emerged: Brand Positivity, Brand Defence, Virtual Positive Expression, Brand Zest, Brand Knowledge and Brand Appraisal. The analysis revealed two distinct advocacy orientations: Call of Duty communities focus on narrative experiences and storytelling, while Battlefield communities emphasise technical expertise and mechanical complexity, yet both generate equally intense brand advocacy through different emotional pathways. Originality/value This research contributes to the research of authentic online brand advocacy in consumer communities by demonstrating that genuine advocacy emerges from consumer experiences, rather than promotional activities. This research examines video game brand communities as a context for understanding modern brand relationships, showing how narrative immersion and technical expertise create different forms of consumer advocacy with important implications for brand management.

Details

Title: Online brand advocacy and video game consumers
Authors: Naser Pourazad (Corresponding Author) - Flinders University
Ehsan Abedin - Flinders University
Jacqueline Burgess - University of the Sunshine Coast
Publication details: Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol.Advanced access
Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
DOI: 10.1108/JPBM-03-2025-5866
ISSN: 2054-1643
Copyright note: © 2026 Naser Pourazad, Ehsan Abedin and Jacqueline Burgess. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at Link to the terms of the CC BY 4.0 licenceLink to the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.
Organisation Unit: School of Business and Creative Industries; Engage Research Lab
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991227330402621
Output Type: Journal article

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