Showing papers on "Brand equity published in 2013"

Customer-Based Brand Equity for a Destination

Abstract: The paper introduces the concept of customer-based brand equity and applies it to a tourism destination brand. The theoretically proposed and empirically verified model complements previous research findings on a tourism destination’s evaluation from the customer’s perspective. In addition to numerous studies which have stressed the important role of a destination’s image, the results of our study imply that a destination’s image plays a vital role in a tourist’s destination evaluation but it is not the only brand dimension that should be considered. For a more complete evaluation, the dimensions of tourism destination awareness, quality and loyalty should also be taken into consideration.

Managing brands and customer engagement in online brand communities

Abstract: Purpose – Given the dramatic technology‐led changes that continue to take place in the marketplace, researchers and practitioners alike are keen to understand the emergence and implications of online brand communities (OBCs). The purpose of this paper is to explore OBCs from both consumer and company perspectives.Design/methodology/approach – The study provides a synthesis of the extant OBC literature to further our understanding of OBCs, and also puts forth future priorities for OBC research.Findings – A conceptual framework is provided that extends our understanding of OBCs and consumer engagement. Four key OBC dimensions (brand orientation, internet‐use, funding and governance) are identified and three antecedents (brand‐related, social and functional) are proposed of consumer‐OBC engagement.Originality/value – This study is the first to explore key dimensions of OBCs, and the differing but related perspectives of the consumers and organizations involved.

The role of brand love in consumer‐brand relationships

Abstract: Research into consumer brand relationships has proposed and tested various relational concepts, including brand trust (Hess, 1995), brand commitment (Fullerton, 2005) and brand identification (Escalas and Bettman, 2003). The brand relationship paradigm has been successful because of its relevance for understanding brand loyalty, conceptualized as long-lasting relationships with the brand that rely on deep, underlying feelings toward it (Fournier, 1998). More recent studies also demonstrate that consumers can experience a feeling of love for their brand (Albert et al., 2008a; Batra et al., 2012). Drawing on seminal work by Shimp and Madden (1988) and Ahuvia (1993), studies of brand love tend to focus on its conceptualization (Ahuvia, 1993) and measurement (Carroll and Ahuvia, 2006). But even as brand love has emerged as an important consumer brand relationship construct, we still know little about what generates a love relationship (e.g., trust) and what its behavioral consequences may be (e.g., repeat purchase). For example, brand love may be influenced by product or brand characteristics (e.g., hedonic product, brand quality) and may influence loyalty toward the brand (Batra et al., 2012; Carroll and Ahuvia, 2006). Yet few studies have conceptualized or explored how established constructs from the consumer brand relationship paradigm explain brand love (e.g., commitment, trust, identification). Because love is essentially a relational construct, it logically should be linked to other relational constructs. We therefore investigate how brand love might be explained by other consumer brand relationship (CBR) constructs and its position in a nomological framework.

My city – my brand: the different roles of residents in place branding

Abstract: Purpose – This paper deals with the importance of residents within place branding. The aim of this paper is to examine the different roles that residents play in the formation and communication of place brands and explores the implications for place brand management.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on theoretical insights drawn from the combination of the distinct literatures on place branding, general marketing, tourism, human geography, and collaborative governance. To support its arguments, the paper discusses the participation of citizens in governance processes as highlighted in the urban governance literature as well as the debate among marketing scholars over participatory marketing and branding.Findings – The paper arrive at three different roles played by the residents: as an integral part of the place brand through their characteristics and behavior; as ambassadors for their place brand who grant credibility to any communicated message; and as citizens and voters who are vital fo...

The Effects of Positive and Negative Online Customer Reviews: Do Brand Strength and Category Maturity Matter?

Abstract: Research has shown brand equity to moderate the relationship between online customer reviews (OCRs) and sales in both the emerging Blu-ray and mature DVD player categories. Positive (negative) OCRs increase (decrease) the sales of models of weak brands (i.e., brands without significant positive brand equity). In contrast, OCRs have no significant impact on the sales of the models of strong brands, although these models do receive a significant sales boost from their greater brand equity. Higher sales lead to a larger number of positive OCRs, and increased positive OCRs aid a brand's transition from weak to strong. This creates a positive feedback loop between sales and positive OCRs for models of weak brands that not only helps their sales but also increases overall brand equity, benefiting all models of the brand. In contrast to the view that brands matter less in the presence of OCRs, we find that OCRs matter less in the presence of strong brands. Positive OCRs function differently than marketing commun...

Strategic brand management : building, measuring, and managing brand equity 4th global ed.

Abstract: Part I: Opening Perspectives Chapter 1 Brands and Brand Management Part II: Identifying and Establishing Brand Positioning and Values Chapter 2 Customer-Based Brand Equity Chapter 3 Brand Positioning Part III: Planning and Implementing Brand Marketing Programs Chapter 4 Choosing Brand Elements to Build Brand Equity Chapter 5 Designing Marketing Programs to Build Brand Equity Chapter 6 Integrating Marketing Communications to Build Brand Equity Chapter 7 Leveraging Secondary Brand Associations to Build Brand Equity Part IV: Measuring and Interpreting Brand Performance Chapter 8 Developing a Brand Equity Measurement and Management System Chapter 9 Measuring Sources of Brand Equity: Capturing Customer Mind-Set Chapter 10 Measuring Outcomes of Brand Equity: Capturing Market Performance Part V: Growing and Sustaining Brand Equity Chapter 11 Designing and Implementing Branding Strategies Chapter 12 Introducing and Naming New Products and Brand Extensions Chapter 13 Managing Brands over Time Chapter 14 Managing Brands over Geographic Boundaries and Market Segments Part VI: Closing Perspectives Chapter 15 Closing Observations

The influence of brand equity on consumer responses

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a model to better understand brand equity. It seeks to investigate the effects of this construct on consumers' responses using data from two European countries. Design/methodology/approach: Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Measurement invariance and stability of the model across the two national samples was assessed using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Findings: Results indicate that brand equity dimensions inter-relate. Brand awareness positively impacts perceived quality and brand associations. Brand loyalty is mainly influenced by brand associations. Finally, perceived quality, brand associations and brand loyalty are the main drivers of overall brand equity. Findings also corroborate the positive impact of brand equity on consumers' responses. In addition, the general framework proposed is found to be empirically robust across the studied countries. Only a few differences are observed. Research limitations/implications: A limited set of product categories, brands and countries were used. Practical implications: Findings provide useful guidelines for brand equity management. Managers can complement financial metrics with consumer-based brand equity measures to track brand performance over time and to benchmark against other brands. Building brand equity generates more value for corporations since a more favourable consumer response results from positive brand equity. Originality/value: This study contributes to the scarce international brand equity literature by testing the proposed model using data from a sample of consumers in two European countries. It also enriches the brand equity literature by empirically examining the relationships among consumer-based brand equity dimensions and its effects on consumers' responses.

Branded Service Encounters: Strategically Aligning Employee Behavior with the Brand Positioning

Abstract: This research examines how branded service encounters, in which frontline service employee behavior is aligned with a firm's brand positioning, may positively affect customer responses to brands. Across two brand personality contexts, Study 1 demonstrates that employee–brand alignment increases overall brand evaluations and customer-based brand equity, with more pronounced results for unfamiliar brands. Study 2 shows that conceptual fluency underlies the effect of employee–brand alignment on overall brand evaluations for unfamiliar brands. Study 3 reveals that employee authenticity enhances the effectiveness of employee–brand alignment. Finally, a critical incident study (Study 4) extends the generalizability of these findings to a wider variety of service contexts. This research is the first to demonstrate how firms can leverage employee behavior as a brand-building advantage, particularly for new or unfamiliar brands as they establish their positioning with customers.

Brand experiences in service organizations: Exploring the individual effects of brand experience dimensions

Abstract: Brand experience has been conceptualized as a multidimensional construct that explains customer loyalty. The authors present a study with the purpose of testing a recently published brand experience scale in a service brand context. In addition to validating the established dimensions of the measurement scale, the study tests an additional dimension, relational experience, which is proposed as particularly relevant for service brands. The study also reports results of a test of the relationship between each of the experience dimensions and other brand-related constructs. The results reveal significant influences of dimensions of brand experience on brand personality, brand satisfaction and brand loyalty

Rising from the Ashes: How Brands and Categories Can Overcome Product-Harm Crises

Abstract: Product-harm crises are omnipresent in today's marketplace. Such crises can cause major revenue and market-share losses, lead to costly product recalls, and destroy carefully nurtured brand equity. Moreover, some of these effects may spill over to nonaffected competitors in the category when they are perceived to be guilty by association. The extant literature lacks generalizable knowledge on the effectiveness of different marketing adjustments that managers often consider to mitigate the consequences of such events. To fill this gap, the authors use large household-scanner panels to analyze 60 fast-moving consumer good product crises that occurred in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands and resulted in the full recall of an entire variety. The authors assess the effects of postcrisis advertising and price adjustments on the change in consumers' brand share and category purchases. In addition, they consider the extent to which the effects are moderated by two key crisis characteristics: the ext...

The influence of brand trust and brand identification on brand evangelism

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine how the nature of consumers' relationship with a brand influences brand evangelism, which represents an intense form of brand support behavior. Specifically, the study investigates the influence of two consumer-brand relational constructs, brand trust and brand identification, on brand evangelism. Brand evangelism, conceptualized as an amalgam of adoption and advocacy behaviors, is operationalized in terms of three supportive behaviors: purchase intentions, positive referrals, and oppositional brand referrals. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing from prior research on consumer-brand relationships, a framework of brand relationships and brand evangelism is developed. To provide a more robust test of theory, consumers' extraversion, gender, and brand experience are included as control variables. Structural equation modeling is used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings – The findings reveal that consumer-brand relationships influence brand evangelism, ...

The impact of storytelling on the consumer brand experience: The case of a firm-originated story

Abstract: Stories fascinate people and are often more easily remembered than facts Much has been written about the power of stories in branding, but very little empirical evidence exists of their effects on consumer responses In the present study, we investigate how a firm-originated story influences consumers’ brand experience, by comparing the brand experiences of two groups of consumers One group was exposed to the story and one group was not An existing brand was used in the study, which had not been launched in the focal country In-depth interviews were conducted with individuals in the two experimental conditions The comparison revealed remarkable differences between the two groups Consumers who were exposed to the story described the brand in much more positive terms and were willing to pay more for the product The study contributes to brand management research and practice by demonstrating the power of storytelling on consumer experiences The results are also important from a managerial point of view They demonstrate how brand stories can be used to create and reinforce positive brand associations A review of past research in combination with the findings demonstrates that more research is needed on the effect of stories on consumer brand responses

The Mediating Effects of Brand Association, Brand Loyalty, Brand Image and Perceived Quality on Brand Equity

Abstract: According to Marketing Science Institute (2002), one of the major objectives of marketing research is to assess the strength of brand equity. It is imperative to acknowledge that brand equity is an inseparable part of marketing and essential to the companies to create core-competencies and build strong brand experience that will impact the consumer decision making process (Norjaya Mohd. Yasin & Abdul Rahman Zahari, 2011). The aim of this study is to find out the indirect relationship amongst the brand equity dimensions on brand equity. For the purpose of this study, brand equity dimensions include brand association, brand awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality and brand image. In this study, a sum of 300 usable questionnaires were gathered. The result indicates a mediating relationship amongst the dimensions of brand equity on brand equity.

The organic view of the brand: A brand value co-creation model

Abstract: Brand management has evolved from its original focus on product differentiation (for example, Aaker, 1996) to new perspectives that include service brands (for example, Berry, 2000) and corporate brands (for example, Balmer, 1995). This represents the emergence of a new approach that understands brands as social processes that involve multiple stakeholders. This also creates the need to better understand how brand value is co-created together with other stakeholders (Brodie et al, 2009; Hatch and Schultz, 2010; Frow and Payne, 2011). In this respect, there is an opportunity to build an integrated brand value co-creation model (BVCC) (Merz et al, 2009) that can be used in different business settings (Wallstrom et al, 2008; Payne et al, 2009; Pillai, 2012).