Effects of social media interactions on brand associations : A comparative study of soccer fan clubs

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of social media in brand associations, particularly in regard to soccer fan clubs. Design/methodology/approach The study used a professional English Premier League soccer team to investigate the effects that social media interaction had on brand associations of the team’s fan clubs in two national contexts – England and Greece. Findings In total, 207 online questionnaires from six fan clubs were collected and analyzed using descriptive and inferential ( t -tests and χ 2 tests) statistics. Originality/value The results revealed similarities on Facebook in terms of positive receptions of brand attributes and resonance of perceived brand benefits, while significant differences were observed on Twitter, particularly in terms of brand benefits.