Reconstructing Brand Meaning in a Local Community: A Study of Brand Glocalization in Sidrap Regency

Abstract

Objectives: This study examines how the global streetwear brand Volcom has been reconstructed as a marker of cross-generational, collective identity within Sidrap Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. It investigates the local meanings attached to the brand, the grassroots mechanisms driving this reconstruction, and the reasons behind its extension into non-commercial display practices. Methods: Using a qualitative case study design bounded by the phenomenon rather than a fixed location, the study draws on in-depth interviews with five purposively selected key informants across four groups (young consumers, adult consumers, community figures, and local retailers), supplemented by netnographic observation of public social media content and contextual field observation. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings reveal that Volcom's original association with Californian subculture has undergone de-subculturalization, being re-signified as a symbol of regional solidarity and kinship. This reconstruction is sustained through intergenerational transmission, the curatorial role of local retailers, and social media amplification such as the "Jambul Volcom" trend. Community members further extend the brand's logo into non-commercial spaces, including vehicles and household décor, distinguishing between commercial and cultural authenticity as they do so. Research Implications: The study extends meaning transfer, glocalization, brand community, and extended self theories by demonstrating that brand meaning reconstruction can occur as an emergent, community-driven process that is spatially concentrated rather than geographically dispersed. It offers brand managers insight into how organic, grassroots brand equity can form independently of formal marketing strategy.