Subject Globalization and evolution of the Internet shape the behavioral patterns of global consumer. Under these conditions, brand positioning requires more flexible and personalized forms of marketing communication. The article considers the network interactions of transnational companies that represent global brands. Network forms of interaction are understood in a wide sense, including inter-firm communication, organizational structure, and relationships between the producer and the consumer. Objectives The objective is to show network interactions as a form of conflict resolution of market actors in the process of forming a unified global consumer and individualization of consumer preferences. Methods The article presents the analysis from two perspectives: the economic theory, within which we identify market linkages between the producer and the consumer in the global space, and the marketing, within which we compare the identified regularities with the forms of marketing communications applied by companies. Results We reveal the advantages of network forms of business organization under conditions of global consumer formation. The network, being a coordinating mechanism, performs a special integrating function and links the production and consumption through the development of consumer loyalty programs. Conclusions and Relevance Developing the network forms of interaction, both flexible and extensive, enables to solve the contradiction between the trend towards the individualization of needs and the formation of the global consumer.
Keywords: network environment, branding, consumption, marketing, global consumer
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