Showing papers in "Journal of Brand Management in 2014"

Examining the drivers and brand performance implications of customer engagement with brands in the social media environment

Abstract: A key issue for marketers resulting from the dramatic rise of social media is how brand pages can be leveraged to engage customers and enhance relationships with brands. The article examines the role of gratifications consumers derive from brand pages together with customer-brand relationship characteristics influencing customer engagement (CE) with Facebook brand pages. Data was gathered via a survey of 404 consumers of brand pages and analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings show that co-creation value, social value, usage intensity and brand strength influence CE with brand pages. CE was also found to influence brand performance outcomes of CE behaviours directed at the brand page and brand loyalty. The findings are of value to brand managers of social media sites and focus on how managing critical user gratifications together with customer-brand relationship variables acts as a mechanism for unlocking CE with brand pages. In addition, the study examines CE effects on both behaviours central to the brand page and brand loyalty outcomes in the research framework.

Connecting the dots between brand experience and brand loyalty: The mediating role of brand personality and brand relationships

Abstract: This article critically examines consumer–brand relationships from the perspective of interpersonal relationship theory. Specifically, the authors investigate the relationship between brand experience and the two components of brand loyalty, namely purchase brand loyalty and attitudinal brand loyalty. The study also examines the link between brand experience and brand relationship variables, brand trust, brand attachment and brand commitment. In addition, the mediating role of brand personality and brand commitment in the relationship between brand experience and brand loyalty is investigated. Drawing on the results of an empirical cross-brand study from three product categories, the authors demonstrate that brand experience, brand personality and brand relationship variables (brand attachment and brand commitment) all affect the degree to which a consumer is loyal to a brand. On the basis of the findings, the authors offer guidelines to managers on how to build and sustain purchase and attitudinal brand loyalty by enhancing brand experience. The theoretical and managerial significance of the findings together with directions for future research are discussed.

You’re so lovable: Anthropomorphism and brand love

Abstract: Brand love has been found to predict brand loyalty measures better than conventional attitude models that rely on the brand’s perceived quality. Hence, marketers are interested in factors that lead to brand love. This study investigates the influence of anthropomorphism on brand love in the context of defensive marketing. We identified five possible theoretical mechanisms through which anthropomorphism may influence brand love: category-level evaluation, cognitive fluency, cognitive consistency, self-extension and self-congruence. The results reveal that the level of quality and anthropomorphism that a consumer perceives the brand has are important antecedents of brand love. Moreover, anthropomorphism’s predictive power differs between evaluative and relationship-specific dimensions of brand love.

Is luxury compatible with sustainability? Luxury consumers’ viewpoint

Abstract: The luxury sector thus far has received scant attention from sustainable development activists and watchgroups. Yet, this focus is changing. Even if other sectors may be more relevant to the cause of sustainability, luxury brands that have gained intact reputations for sustainability must take care to maintain it. Therefore, the present research investigates the level of sensitivity of actual luxury buyers to the cause of sustainable development, insofar as it concerns the luxury sector, luxury brands and their purchases. Do consumers’ attitudes towards sustainability spill over to their opinions about the sustainability of luxury itself, or is luxury a world apart? The findings show that luxury buyers have ambivalent attitudes, such that they consider luxury and sustainability somewhat contradictory, especially with regard to the social and economic harmony facet of sustainable development.

Country-of-origin marketing: A list of typical strategies with examples

Abstract: Many companies communicate their company’s country-of-origin (COO) or the COO of its products to customers because they hope to benefit from the patriotism of domestic customers or from positive stereotypes that foreign customers have about products from that country. Depending on the product category and the target market, a strong COO can translate into a competitive advantage for companies and can help them to win new markets. The COO of products is typically communicated through the phrase ‘Made in …’ or by using origin labels. Nevertheless, companies use a number of other explicit and implicit strategies to make the origin of their products known. This article outlines and describes eight different COO strategies, which are often used in combination with each other. In addition, practical examples are provided for each strategy.

Construing loyalty through brand experience: The mediating role of brand relationship quality

Abstract: The article proposes a model that extends the Brand Relationship Quality literature by bridging a gap concerning the mediating effect of this construct on Brand experience – Brand loyalty linkage. A survey-based quantitative approach of 306 respondents at consumers of perfume and bath soap is used to test the hypothesis. The analysis emphasizes that, when considering Brand Relationship Quality in the model, there is no direct impact between brand experience and brand loyalty for either category, with a full mediation effect. Moreover, we highlight in our sample that developing brand experience can influence Brand Relationship Quality. Brands need to invest in relationship quality to transform experience into loyalty. We also find that these results are invariant for both product categories.

The future of luxury: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract: Luxury branding has changed significantly over recent years and many say that it will never be what it once was: a discreet and tiny economic sector aimed at the rich The rapid growth of emerging countries, led by China, has created new context for luxury growth that changes its essence and behaviour The industry also faces challenges from technological advances and the increasing shift towards digitalization The purpose of this article is to highlight the main areas of concern for the future of the luxury industry and how changes within it are affecting the notion of luxury itself We hope to offer insight into the directions brand management can take to address this while proposing new areas for academic research to focus on

The current state and future of brand experience

Abstract: The authors discuss the current state and future scenarios of brand experience – a new concept that they contributed to the brand management literature. Specifically, they present three research and practical trends, and marketing challenges: (i) the proliferation of settings and media that evoke brand experiences; (ii) the role of brands in consumption experiences; and (iii) the need of brand experiences to reach positive psychological outcomes.

Consumer brand relationships: A research landscape

Abstract: This article sheds light on the current state of research on consumer brand relationships (CBR) and presents two distinct taxonomies, respectively, theoretical frameworks that help to classify CBR research. First, the ‘brand connection matrix’ that classifies brand relationships into functional-based (low versus high) and emotional-based (low versus high) connections to brands. This framework leads us with a 2 × 2 matrix consisting of four quadrants, each of which are discussed. Second, the ‘brand feeling matrix’ classifies consumer’s relationships with brands by grouping them into the strengths of relationships (weak versus strong) and the consumers’ feeling toward the brand (positive versus negative). The latter taxonomy leads to another 2 × 2 matrix where each of the four quadrants is discussed. Finally, this article discusses the papers in this special issue and applies the two frameworks by grouping the papers into the corresponding quadrants.

What do best employer surveys reveal about employer branding and intention to apply

Abstract: Employer branding is an effective marketing tool that helps organisations in projecting their distinct image in the minds of potential applicants and positioning them as an employer of choice. Recently, organisations are increasingly participating in various best employer surveys (BES) to project themselves as great places of employment and subsequently attracting larger and better talent from the labour market. The literature confirms a positive relationship between employer attractiveness (or other similar measures) and prospective employees’ intentions to apply to that organisation. In this article, we examine this relationship through the lens of BES in the Indian context. We measure the prospective applicant’s intention to apply in a sample of 12 firms that appeared either consistently or once in BES during 2007–2011. Findings suggest that firms with a consistent or recent listing in BES receive a significantly higher intention to apply than firms present only in one or an older BES. Furthermore, organisation familiarity is one of the major predictors of intention to apply. We suggest consistent efforts in building and sustaining employer brand by combining the efforts of marketing and HR managers in the design and execution of relevant activities and their communication to the target audience in emerging economies.

Investigating consumer–brand relational authenticity

Abstract: This research furthers our understanding of brand authenticity by conceptualising and measuring relational authenticity as brands being true in their relationships with consumers. We develop a scale through two purification stages and then assess the scale’s predictive validity for various product and service brands. Sections of the Authenticity Inventory from psychology are adapted and subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the dimensionality of relational authenticity. Discriminant and convergent validity tests confirm the four-item unidimensional construct is distinct from brand attachment. Next, we demonstrate the predictive validity of relational authenticity by identifying it as a stronger predictor of brand attitudes and purchase intentions than brand attachment. Relational authenticity increases brand attitudes and purchase intentions for those consumers with weak brand attachment. Finally, the predictive power of relational authenticity is further examined relative to two relationship quality measures of trust and commitment. Relational authenticity is a stronger predictor of brand attitudes than commitment to the brand and a stronger predictor of purchase intentions than trust in the brand. Marketers and brand managers can use relational authenticity as a basis for positioning or developing brands.

From endorsement to celebrity co-branding: Personality transfer

Abstract: A brand’s personality is rooted in different sources, including its spokespersons, who can express individual values and visions of the self, in association with a certain type of personality. This study seeks to measure the extent to which a celebrity spokesperson’s personality transfers to the brand, as well as how this transfer influences consumers, using a co-branding framework. An empirical study of two ready-to-wear fashion brands specifies the conditions of a successful endorsement: The influence of personality transfers on consumer behavior varies with the brand’s reputation and the celebrity’s profile. Accordingly, the authors propose a new approach for selecting brand ambassadors on the basis of their personality and in the context of a form of co-branding.

Towards the formation of consensus in the domain of co-branding: Current findings and future priorities

Abstract: Co-branding has emerged as an attractive management option in the past three decades because of the growing realisation that it can exploit companies’ existing brand equities. Despite extensive research into branding, existing knowledge about co-branding remains relatively limited. This article summarises the findings in the literature with regard to how co-branding strategies may benefit (or harm) both managers and end users, the mechanisms by which brands share their associations, and the conditions in which consumers might evaluate a co-branded product favourably (or unfavourably). To further our understanding of the factors that lead to successful co-branding arrangements, this article explores examples of successful and unsuccessful co-branding initiatives and introduces a value exchange framework to demonstrate how value is created within these co-branding arrangements. This research also defines the scope of co-branding by identifying the areas of agreement, disagreement and boundary conditions within this domain. Finally, an agenda for further research is set forth based on priorities found in the existing literature.

Five areas to advance branding theory and practice

Abstract: The article presents an overview of areas that advance branding theory and practice based on the authors’ recent work in brand management. These include branding in higher education, branding in Asia Pacific, brand ambidexterity, brand innovation on social media and brand likeability. Examples of implications are given and potential areas for further research are discussed.

Attachment, identification, and loyalty: Examining mediating mechanisms across brand and brand community contexts

Abstract: Emotional attachment and identification with a brand are essential parts of a consumer’s long-term relationship with a company. Through cultivating brand communities, firms can provide an effective platform for developing brand loyalty. Prior research has found that the fulfillment of individuals’ inner needs and motivations are antecedents to brand community attachment, but the process of how these antecedents are translated into affective ties with the brand and brand community remains unexplored. Therefore, the author draws from concepts within the brand self-congruence and authentic self-expression literatures in order to examine how brand attachment and brand community identification are central to consumer–brand and member–community relationship dynamics. The author proposes that there are two mediating mechanisms that explain internalization and socialization dynamics: need fulfillment with brand attachment, and supporting values with community identification, respectively. Moreover, drawing from the similarity-attraction and affective self-affinity perspectives, the author proposes the existence of a transforming mediator that activates community identification through brand attachment. Finally, the author examines how these dynamics, in turn, influence consumers’ loyalty behaviors. The author adopts a multi-phase research design with a sample of 280 paired responses drawn from the membership of nine different car clubs. Current research results show that brand self-congruence and authentic self-expression mediate brand attachment and community identification processes. Furthermore, similarity of perceptions among brand, community, and other members (fully) mediates the relationship between brand attachment and community identification. These findings deepen the branding literature in regard to individuals’ socialization processes in brand community settings, internalization processes in brand consumption contexts, and the transforming process that catalyzes personal brand admiration into collective group identification across brand and community domains.

Celebrity endorser attractiveness, visual attention, and implications for ad attitudes and brand evaluations: A replication and extension

Abstract: Previous research on celebrity endorsement demonstrates that attractive celebrity endorsers can lead to better attitudes toward the ad and brand evaluations. However, this study suggests that an analysis of celebrity endorsement remains incomplete without considering an important initial stage of information processing, visual attention directed toward the endorser. Measurements from eye-tracking technology combined with a survey show that consumers’ visual attention (viewing time) of the endorser is positively related to the endorser’s attractiveness and attitude toward the ad. Further, mediation analysis and partial least square-based structural equation modeling shows that attitude toward the ad fully mediates the relationship between endorser attractiveness and brand attitudes. Being the first study in investigating how visual attention is related to perceptions of celebrity endorser attractiveness, attitude toward the ad and brand evaluations, this article adds to the existing body of knowledge on endorser attractiveness and suggests implications for marketing academics and practitioners that may be used to guide future research.

Designing and implementing brand architecture strategies

Abstract: Given the importance of brands as intangible assets for organizations, the ability to strategically manage those brands is critical. A well-designed and well-implemented brand architecture strategy can provide a product roadmap to the future for a brand, clarifying where it can go and how it can get there. The brand architecture strategy of a firm determines which brand elements a firm should apply across new and existing products and services. It is virtually impossible to manage and maximize the value and equity of a brand without a clear, compelling brand architecture strategy, whether explicitly written down or not. Toward that goal, we outline a three-step process by which a firm can design and implement their brand architecture strategy. Throughout our discussion, we introduce key concepts, provide insights and guidelines, and offer illustrative examples.

How company responses and trusting relationships protect brand equity in times of crises

Abstract: Brands are susceptible to various forms of crises, regardless of whether a brand’s conscious deviation from socially acceptable practices or forces and activities beyond the brand’s control prompted a crisis. Undeniably, crises can have negative ramifications for the brand’s consumer relationships and financial assets. An experimental study with 187 residents of the Netherlands was conducted to determine whether or not crisis response strategies influence post-crisis brand equity. In addition, the research also investigated the influence of pre-crisis brand trust on the relationship between crisis response and post-crisis brand equity. Results show that the ways in which brands react to a crisis have an influence on brand equity. Non-response leads to the depreciation of brand equity. Furthermore, pre-crisis brand trust can serve as a buffer for a brand during a crisis and even after it.

The impact of a celebrity endorser’s credibility on consumer self-brand connection and brand evaluation

Abstract: Celebrity endorsements are a popular marketing communication’s strategy globally. Yet, there is limited understanding of how celebrity endorsements influence consumers’ self-brand connections as well as brand evaluation of an endorsed brand. Emergent research reveals support for an indirect mechanism by which endorser credibility facilitates consumer outcomes. The present research has two objectives. The first is to assess the impact of endorser credibility on consumers’ self-brand connection, an emergent concept that captures the consumer tendency to integrate a brand into their self-concept. Celebrities represent aspirational reference groups for consumers, and an investigation of how celebrities shape consumers’ self-brand connections and subsequent brand evaluations adds novelty to the branding literature. The second objective is to examine a possible mediating role of self-brand connection towards generating endorsed brand evaluation. We develop a conceptual model and estimate it using data generated from consumers of telecom brands. The model achieves acceptable fit to the data, supporting most of the hypotheses. Self-brand connection is offered as an outcome of endorser credibility as well as a mediator of the influence of endorser credibility on brand evaluation. The findings have useful implications for brand managers contemplating the use of celebrity endorsements.

Love for logos: Evaluating the congruency between brand symbols and typefaces and their relation to emotional words

Abstract: Simple line segments and shapes convey emotional meaning, with rounder shapes being linked with positive emotions and generally preferred over more angular shapes. We assessed the hypothesis that brand components – specifically typeface and logo symbol – with similar scores on visual analogue scales (anchored by sound/shape symbolic stimuli) would be associated with a higher frequency of positive emotions. We also evaluated whether roundness or angularity were correlated with positively valenced emotions. Nine different brand logos were tested; each was separated into its logo symbol and typeface. Half of the 80 participants rated the logotype while the other half rated the logo symbol using a variety of shape symbolism scales. The participants were also asked to choose the emotions that they associated with each of the brands from a list of 20 emotions. Brand components that presented (dis-) similar scores in terms of the shape symbolism scales were coded as (in-) congruent. Those brands with more congruent scores also presented more positive as compared with negative emotions. These results support the view that more congruent design elements in brand logos can give rise to higher emotional engagement. They also help to explain the way in which consumers perceive brands.

‘Branding’ explained: Defining and measuring brand awareness and brand attitude

Abstract: Writing in the very first issue of this journal, the present author proposed a comprehensive model of ‘branding’, a managerial process that requires the marketer to establish, in the consumer’s mind, two essential communication effects: brand awareness and then brand attitude. In the present article, he expands this model from two to now three types of brand awareness (brand recognition, category-cued brand-name recall and brand recall-boosted recognition) and from three to now five levels of brand attitude (reject, unaware, acceptable if on special, one of my several preferred brands and my single preferred brand). Also, he shows how to most efficiently measure these two necessary components of branding.

A case for brands as assets: Acquired and internally developed

Abstract: An unacceptable dichotomy hides important information from investors and masks the full contribution brands make to enterprise wealth. Under conditions of merger and acquisition brands are mandated as assets, but when they are internally created they are forbidden to be described as such. The sources of this contradiction are the global accounting standard setting bodies: the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), and the accounting standards developed to deal with how intangibles are dealt with under different conditions (IASB: IFRS 3 Business combinations and IAS 38 Intangible Assets. FASB: SFAS 141 Business Combinations and FSAS 142 Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets). In this article we explain the nature of this contradiction and show that the authorities are aware of it. Since 2001 there have been several attempts to update the standards that created it. However, these have never been seen as a priority and have been aborted before completion. We show that the conflict is caused by a technical anomaly and demonstrate that, by the accountants’ own evaluative criteria, the conflict should be resolved. We admit that if this happens there is, at present time, no single acceptable method of valuating brands but we suggest that the foundation is firmly laid for such an approach to be developed. Finally, we make the suggestion that if this financial distortion is resolved it might require the standard setters to acknowledge that asset accretion ranks in importance with impairment. Our argument is mostly based on an unintended conflict: the change accountants made some time ago from an historical cost perspective to a forward looking current cost and, in this case, fair value measurement approach, is at the heart of the contradiction. The business combination standards feature the new approach; the intangible assets standards feature the old approach. Until this conflict is rectified the investment community will continue to miss out on a major source of enterprise value. This extends to boards of directors and their marketing departments being deprived of a key financial metric; one that measures the mediating source of much of the company’s revenue and one of the most valuable assets, or sets of assets, any company owns. We intend to show that this situation is easily rectified and that an increase in important financial information instantly justifies the resources needed to bring about this change.

Sport club brand personality scale (SCBPS): A new brand personality scale for sport clubs

Abstract: The concept of brand personality has become a popular topic in relation to professional sport clubs. The aim of the article is to develop and validate a new brand personality scale for professional sport clubs (sport club brand personality scale, SCBPS). The study includes a five-phase process, with three data collections. The SCBPS is developed and validated using an established, approved process. Consequently, the SCBPS reveals greater reliability and validity than former scales. Furthermore, the scale covers the different dimensions of former brand personality scales for professional sport clubs, and additionally contains further dimensions (‘Rebellious’) that can help sport clubs to build strong brand images. The proposed measure contains only personality traits and, therefore, applies a strict definition of brand personality. This article offers a framework for theoretical discussion and provides sport club managers with a tool to build strong brands.

Analysis of consumers’ response to brand community integration and brand identification

Abstract: Brands play an increasingly important role in consumers’ purchasing decisions. The integration of consumers into brand communities may manifest the ultimate degree of connectedness between a consumer and a brand. This article proposes and tests an empirical framework of brand community members’ integration and their distinctive behaviors. The specific aim of this study is to analyze the influence of brand community integration on brand identification and to show how brand identification influences satisfaction, loyalty and word-of-mouth communications. The sample consisted of 450 subjects from three different brand communities (Iphone, Thermomix and Nespresso). The results confirm the influence of brand community integration on brand identification and consumer satisfaction. We additionally discovered that brand identification has an effect on consumer loyalty and word-of-mouth communications. The findings contribute to consumer and brand literature and may have implications for brand community management.

How participation is changing the practice of managing brands

Abstract: This article argues that branding is changing away from an organization-centric approach to one that is highly participative. The implication of this is that managers need to build networks of participation both internally with employees and externally with consumers and other stakeholders. This heightened connectivity helps bring employees and stakeholders together to develop new insights, create new experiences and reduce risk. The implication of this change is that organizations need to have a clear understanding of their brands, but also a willingness to create the conditions in which others can help mould it. Using illustrative examples of LEGO, Mozilla and adidas, the article shows how some organizations are embracing this spirit of openness, but it also points out that there are challenges in managing brands that have become more fluid and complex.

The brand leadership: Scale development and validation

Abstract: The primary purpose of this empirical research was to develop and validate the brand leadership scale (BLS). In this study, brand leadership is defined as consumers’ perception about the relatively distinctive ability of a brand to continually achieve excellence through sufficient combinations of trendsetting and brand positioning within an industry segment. The BLS, comprising perceived quality, value, innovativeness and popularity, provides a unique methodological and conceptual approach for measuring products’ brand leadership in market dynamics. The measurement scale helps develop a clear understanding of competitive relationships among leading and trailing brands from a strategic perspective based on consumers’ perceptions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Brand equity for origin-bounded brands

Abstract: The article expands on the current brand equity literature by recommending new assets and liabilities unique to brands that are bounded to their origins (OBBs). These are brands that are inseparable from their origins, as is the case with most wines. A review of both the origin and branding literature is undertaken and a conceptual approach is used to propose the different ways that OBBs may build brand equity. Brand assets specific to OBBs are detailed, such as tolerance for inconsistencies, authenticity perceptions and origin loyalty. Likewise a specific liability, lack of origin recognition is also examined. Finally, consequences of origin-driven brand equity are outlined and include: encouraged hedonic and ego-political consumption values, limited purchase of counterfeit products and decreased price sensitivity. Before this article, very little conceptual and empirical literature addressed the concept of brands that are bounded to their origin. The article describes possibilities for future research pertaining to this important category of brands, present not only in the wine industry but also common to a variety of other product categories.

Trademark families: Characteristics and market values

Abstract: Research shows that financial markets value trademarks. Often, a firm’s trademarks can be decomposed into groups of related trademarks (trademark families). This study identifies different types of trademark families and analyzes their respective effects on the market values of large, publicly listed firms. The results show that financial markets value only those trademarks that develop existing brands, while they do not value the creation of new trademarks. The implications of the results for corporate intellectual property and brand management are discussed.

Extending downward is not always bad: Parent brand evaluations after brand extension to higher and lower price and quality levels

Abstract: Extending brands vertically to different price and quality levels is a popular strategy of brand managers to leverage the value of well-established brands. This strategy may increase sales but also risks diluting and cannibalizing one of the most valuable assets of a company – the parent brand. Extant research has found especially negative effects after downward extensions (to lower price and quality levels). Building on social comparison theory, this study investigates parent brand evaluations after upward and downward extensions and examines the influence of moderators (for example, extension degree, brand concept) from a price perspective. The findings reveal positive effects of the perceived value for money and intention to buy the parent brand after a downward extension.

The emergence and impact of consumer brand empowerment in online social networks: A proposed ontology

Abstract: This article presents a proposed model introducing consumer brand empowerment and discussing its antecedents and outcomes. Consumer brand empowerment reflects the perceived empowerment resulting from the consumer’s influence over the brand-related attitudes and behaviors of other consumers in an online social network. The antecedents in the proposed ontology focus on the sharing of brand information in online social networks and how it promotes a sense of consumer empowerment by enabling a consumer to influence the brand attitudes of other consumers. The online social network participation factors studied include reach and how its impact is moderated by variety, depth and frequency of brand-related information sharing in social networks. The outcomes resulting from consumer brand empowerment relate to the desired cognitive, affective and behavioral brand experiences sought by an empowered consumer. The article discusses the implications of the research relative to both marketing researchers and managers interested in understanding brand management within the emerging social network landscape.