I think the question is the degree to which you want the community to appear to be a separate entity from the primary offering. The examples below illustrate a range of options from completely integrated to almost completely differentiated.

Amazon completely integrates community into into its product catalog.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EZYKTS/ref=s9_al_gw_tr02/179-0449618-1343656?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=1FG9MJMZR5FS1MFW2C5A&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=488826231&pf_rd_i=507846

HP keeps the header on the landing page of communities…

http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/welcome.html#Connect

…but then uses a streamlined header once you’ve selected a community

http://www.communities.hp.com/online/

Dell uses a market segment approach to global navigation, similar to TrendMicro’s global nav. Once you go to the community piece, you see a streamlined header that makes it seem like you are on slightly more neutral territory.

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/

Best Buy has a community site that is clearly distinct from its primary e-retail site, but which does not sub-branded to the extent that Sears is.

http://www.forums.bestbuy.com/t5/Computers/bd-p/Computers_New

Pampers does the inverse of Amazon, integrating its product offering into the community piece.

http://www.pampers.com/en_US/Shop

Sears uses a completely different visual treatment for its community, giving you the impression that you are closer to the other customers and a bit removed from the commercial entity Sears.

http://www.mysears.com/

See original post:

http://www.ixda.org/discuss.php?post=45003

Written by Paul Bryan, Usography Corporation (www.usography.com)

Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/uxexperts