Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Braund'

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The nervous system, unlike other body, is divided into parts that have unique anatomical and functional characteristics. Therefore, locating a lesion within the different areas of this system can be a challenge for the clinician. However, this task is simplified by applying the method of neurological syndromes. Using this method, aimed at evaluating the results of the implementation and effectiveness of the location of the lesions and the etiologic diagnosis of diseases of the nervous system of dogs and cats presenting neurological symptoms. Furthermore, we aimed at verifying the occurrence of such syndromes as well as generate a database of epidemiological period of performance of this work This work was conducted at the Veterinary Hospital of UFRPE, between March and October 2008, where 405 were selected cases (dogs and cats), at the time of consultation showed the chief complaint or clinical findings of neurological disease. It was noted the great demand for neurological care in the HVUFRPE and a high incidence of the syndromes in animals breed (SRD), where theyconstituted about 45% of animals treated. Thoracolumbar syndrome was more frequent in dogs, followed by multifocal and cats lumbosacral syndrome followed by thoracolumbar. The large number of cases in multifocal syndrome is associated with lack of vaccination, socio-geographic location (low education) and low-income population served. Over 90% of the animals were treated medically and there was little improvement, it took the fact that the animals arrive with chronic injuries and in an advanced state and not return for reassessment. There were 40 deaths, but only autopsy was performed in seven animals and of these only two concluded the diagnosis. Finally we have that 100% of animals where it was applied the method of neurological syndromes, it was possible the location of nerve injury, however, only 288 animals, 254 dogs (71.14%) and 34 cats (70.83%) it was the final diagnosis of the disease. The data obtained showed the effectiveness of the method in the anatomical location of lesions ofthe nervous system and that was difficult to achieve for diagnosis of disease.
O sistema nervoso, diferente de outros do corpo, é dividido em partes que possuem características anatômicas e funcionais únicas. Portanto, localizar uma lesão dentro das diferentes áreas deste sistema pode ser um desafio para o clínico. Porém, esta tarefa é simplificada aplicando-se o método das síndromes neurológicas. Utilizando-se este método, objetivou-se avaliar os resultados da aplicação e eficácia do mesmo na localização das lesões e no diagnóstico etiológico das enfermidades do sistema nervoso de cães e gatos apresentando sintomatologia neurológica. Além disso, objetivou-se verificar a ocorrência de cada síndrome, bem como gerar um banco de dados epidemiológicos do período de atuação deste trabalho Este trabalho foi realizado no Hospital Veterinário da UFRPE, no período entre março e outubro de 2008, onde foram selecionados 405 casos (cães e gatos), que no momento da consulta apresentaram queixa principal ou achados clínicos de doença neurológica. Constatou-se a grande demanda de atendimento neurológico no HV-UFRPE e uma alta incidência das síndromes em animais sem raça definida (SRD), onde estes constituíram cerca de 45% dos animais atendidos. A síndrome toracolombar, foi a mais freqüente nos cães, seguida da multifocal e nos gatos a síndrome lombossacral seguida da toracolombar. O grande número de casos da síndrome multifocal está associado à falta de vacinação, localização sociogeográfica (baixo nível de instrução) e baixa renda da população atendida. Mais de 90% dos animais foram tratados clinicamente e em poucos verificou-se melhora; isto se deu ao fato dos animais chegarem com lesões crônicas e em estado avançado e ao não retorno para reavaliação. Houve 40 óbitos, porém só foi realizada necropsia em sete animais e destes apenas em dois concluiu-se o diagnóstico. Finalmente temos que em 100% dos animais onde foi aplicado o método das síndromes neurológicas, foi possívela localização da lesão nervosa, porém, só em 288 animais, sendo 254 cães (71,14%) e 34 gatos (70,83%), foi possível o diagnóstico final da enfermidade. Os dados obtidos evidenciaram a eficácia do método na localização anatômica das lesões do sistema nervoso e que houve dificuldades para se atingir o diagnóstico causal das doenças.

This research extends the theory of mimicry from the discipline of biological and natural sciences to the luxury brand context. Three brand mimicry scales namely Wicklerian-Eisnerian, Vavilovian and Pouyannian mimicry were developed and validated. A conceptual model is developed to test the influences of the three types of brand mimicry across four categories of luxury products. The findings provide academics, practitioners and policy makers with valuable insights into mimicry in the luxury brand industry.

The empirical data that lies behind this survey comes from field work between 1992 and 1995. This field work represents work I made myself as a sales-man for the company, Malmberg Original Water. The task was to implement the Malmberg mineral water brand on the restaurant market of the South-Swedish area. Our aim was to reach the upper-scale, premium market of restaurants. The mission was successfully completed, and at 1996 we had completed the position as the most exclusively positioned mineral water brand in Skåne (Southernmost Sweden). How could we fulfill this mission so fast, and with a very limited marketing budget (=0)?The secret key was that we managed to work and be in line with the values of our targeted customer group. We lived close to the customers and developed what was in line with their needs. This follows the research of Porter (1980) and Philipson (2011), serving the customer groups´ needs. Despite lack of money and budget from PR and promotion we made a large effort of serving and doing service towards our targeted customers.The thesis also focuses the target group´s importance for the construction of the brand identity. Strategic brand management-literature normally considers the target group taken-for-granted. Consumer research-literature, on the other hand, considers it as something vague and undefined. By applying a perspective of cultural values between the company, the brand and the target group it is possible to qualify the target group more than just refer to it as consumers or customers. The thesis also point to the conclusion not to consider brand identity as an independent entity, but dependent on the customers and the consumers. The consumers give birth to the brand. Finally since the target group is a group that is constantly set in motion, the brand also should reflect and represent change.

Purpose: The purpose is to explain what factors affect brand equity for SBOs. Hypotheses: These hypotheses were derived from a literature review. H1 - Perceived Quality has a positive effect on SBO brand equity H2 - Brand Association has a positive effect on SBO brand equity H3 - Brand Awareness has a positive effect on SBO brand equity Method: The researcher conducted an quantitative research where the empirical data was collected through a questionnaire. Conclusion: This research show that perceived quality, brand association and brand awareness positively affects SBO brand equity.

The purpose of this study was to conduct brand analyses on global brands in comparison to local retailers in India taking into account the regional differences and Indian consumers’ affinity towards global brands. The study has derived its conceptual framework from previous work done by Lee, Knight, and Kim (2008) and Bhardwaj, Kumar and Youn-Kyung (2010) with some added attributes. Quantitative data included a sample of 194 subjects where the sampling was conducted randomly as well as the involvement of convenient method to analyze the brands in real-world scenario. The survey involved the questionnaire which was utilized in previous researches and analyzed under the light of statistical treatment. The results confirm the importance of global brands (influence of European brand over American brand) over local brand in the Indian apparel consumer market.

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This doctoral thesis is about global brands under several perspectives, starting this study with and overview on the matter, followed by a 'step ahead' in the conceptualization of brand equity and brand value. As the global marketplace dynamically increases, there are theoretical and empirical challenges concerning the global brands that ask for more branding researches, trying to tune and to contextualize meanings and attributes. Thereafter, the thesis intends to provide a discussion about the industry and country-of-origin effects (and their interactions) on the brand value and the firm market value. Finally, the thesis offers an interesting comparison about the practitioners’ perspectives on the dimensions of global brands, the brand equity and the brand value, branding and marketing, including highlights on the brand internationalization process. The thesis offers a general approach on the extant literature in the first chapter, and a specific literature review for each other chapter.

The purpose of the study was to find out how well companies succeed in trying to convey the identity of their trademarks to the consumers. The study was quantitative with a survey design. A sample of 109 respondents participated. Brand identity and brand image was the focus of the study and was measured in three companies; Odd Molly, Filippa K and Björn Borg. These three were selected partly because of their different profiles. One survey was sent to the companies and one survey was distributed to the consumers. The majority of the questions in the surveys were based on a model designed to measure brand identity and brand image and gap in between them. The study presents three central theories; Profile, Image and Identity, Brand Equity and The Corporate Personality Scale. The first two gives a background to the concept of the words. The Corporate Personality Scale was created and designed to assess image and identity and the gaps in between them. The results showed that there were gaps in between the brand identity and the brand image in all three of the selected companies. However there were also signs of coherence between them. The companies succeeded in some part, in their trying to convey the identity of their trademarks to the consumers. There were both clear gaps and clear coherence between Brand Identity and Brand Image. In some cases the image was graded higher than the identity and vice versa.

Varumärken är viktiga för företags vara eller icke vara. Ett företag vars varumärke är dåligt eller döende kan gå samma öde till mötes som varumärket. Därför är det förvånande att, enligt en undersökning gjord av en varumärkesbyrå publicerad i en branschtidning, marknads- och informationschefer i Stockholm har dålig koll på sitt varumärke. I vår studie undersöks vilka problem som kundföretag oftast har när de söker hjälp av en varumärkesbyrå. Vi försöker sedan att identifiera varför, och möjliga lösningar för att lösa eller förminska dessa problem. För att kunna göra detta har vi genomfört fyra intervjuer med varumärkesbyråer i Stockholm, varav vissa är erkänt bland de bästa i Sverige. Resultatet är att de vanligaste problemen som varumärkesbyråerna identifierat egentligen inte har med varumärkena i sig att göra, utan mest är av organisatorisk och kunskapsmässig art. Exempelvis gör företag för många undersökningar utan att veta vad dessa ska leda till, varumärkets och företagets värderingar är relativt okända inom företaget, företaget har ett kortsiktigt synsätt, och marknadsföringsavdelningar har för bristfälligt samarbete med ledning samt lite makt att kunna styra nödvändiga förändringar. Vi menar att dessa problem kan lösas genom högre utbildning av dem som har hand om varumärket, brand managers, en generell kunskapshöjning inom marknadsföringsavdelningen vad gäller marknadsföring, och en mer integrerad marknadsföringsavdelning som tar plats med ledning för ökat samspel.

The foremost argument of this research is that self concept is of fundamental influence in the choices consumers make when purchasing luxury clothing brands. The objective of this research was to determine the relationships between self concept and the experience, attachment and loyalty that consumers have towards brands. The research further sought to confirm the role that identity theory plays in brand consumption. Sixty-nine respondents were surveyed via an electronic tool to understand how they view the role that self concept plays in the experiences they encounter with clothing brands. Experts were also interviewed to gain deeper insights into brands and the importance that communication and branding strategies play in developing brands for consumption. Ttests and bivariate regression was performed in order to determine relationships amongst the constructs. The findings show that consumers place a relatively high importance on the brand experience and self concept constructs. Marketing and advertising companies have an enormous responsibility to ensure that the right messages are communicated to consumers in order to give consumer a positive brand experience. A robust brand strategy and Communications strategy plays a pivotal role in successful delivery of the essence and image of luxury brands. Identity and self concept theory are central to understanding consumer behaviour and consumption decisions. Copyright
Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010.
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
unrestricted

Esta tesis doctoral tiene como objetivo dar respuesta a tres preguntas principales de investigación: RQ (1) ¿Cuáles son los antecedentes que aumentan la probabilidad de compra de marca local en mercados emergentes (EMS), existen factores específicos para las marcas de alimentos y las marcas de prendas de vestir? RQ (2) ¿Cómo se pueden clasificar las marcas presentes en el mercado en Global, Local y Glocal con base en las percepciones del consumidor, son los resultados de estas categorizaciones basadas en el consumidor similares a las categorizaciones que están basadas en criterios objetivos? RQ (3) ¿Es la relación entre los antecedentes previamente identificados y la probabilidad de compra de marca similar para las marcas globales, locales y glocales que compiten en la misma categoría, o son diferentes para cada tipo de marca? Se ha identificado que existe un vacío en la literatura con respecto a estas preguntas y este trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo aportar conocimientos sobre estas relaciones. El primer ensayo examina los antecedentes en relación con la probabilidad de compra de marca para las marcas locales. El segundo ensayo examina cómo la categorización de marcas basada en las percepciones de los consumidores difiere de las categorizaciones estándar que se encuentran en la literatura, y el tercer ensayo examina cómo estos antecedentes influyen positivamente en la probabilidad de compra de la marca, en los diferentes tipos de marcas, y si hay un factor con el rol de moderador en estas relaciones. Los resultados de estos tres ensayos sugieren: en el estudio 1 del primer ensayo, que tres factores influyen positivamente la probabilidad de compra de las marcas locales de alimentos y también muestran que para los consumidores más jóvenes, existe un factor adicional. En el estudio 2 del primer ensayo, cinco factores están positivamente relacionados con probabilidad de compra de las marcas de ropa locales. El ensayo 2, ofrece una categorización de algunas marcas líderes que se venden en el mercado mexicano, en global, local y glocal, basadas en la perspectiva del consumidor. Los hallazgos sugieren que existen diferencias relevantes entre los resultados de la categorización de marcas basada en la percepción del consumidor y la categorización de marcas basada en enfoques objetivos tradicionales encontrados en la literatura. En el ensayo 3, algunos antecedentes se relacionan positivamente con la probabilidad de compra de la marca, y son relevantes para todas las categorías de marcas. Nuestros resultados sugieren que el tipo de marca modera algunas de estas relaciones. Todos estos estudios se llevaron a cabo entre consumidores mexicanos y los datos fueron analizados con pruebas estadísticas y ecuaciones estructurales. Esta investigación contribuye al conocimiento académico actual poniendo en relieve las siguientes áreas: 1, desarrolla y prueba un modelo integral de los antecedentes de la probabilidad de compra de marca que combina varias teorías y corrientes de investigación. 2, desarrolla una tipología para medir cuatro tipos de marcas, ampliando la teoría de Steenkamp de De Jong al contexto del estudio de marcas. 3, desarrolla y prueba hipótesis del papel moderador del tipo de marca y sus efectos en la relación de estos antecedentes y la probabilidad de compra de la marca. Todo lo anterior se llevó a cabo dentro de un contexto de mercados emergentes. Además, nuestro trabajo de investigación contribuye al ámbito de la gestión, proporcionando conocimientos adicionales para la gerencia de marca en los mercados emergentes, que les permiten desarrollar estrategias de marca y de comercialización sostenibles, buscando tener éxito en un entorno globalmente competitivo.
This doctoral dissertation aims to address three main Research Questions: RQ (1) What are the antecedents that enhance local brand purchase likelihood in emerging markets (EMs), and are there specific factors for food and clothing brands? RQ (2) How can brands present in the market be classified into Global, Local and Glocal based on consumer perceptions, and are the results of these consumer-based categorisations similar to the categorisations based on objective criteria? RQ (3) Is the relationship between previously-identified brand antecedents and brand-purchase likelihood similar for global, local and glocal brands competing in the same category, or different for each type of brand? A gap in the literature has been identified regarding these questions and this research work aims to provide insights into these relationships. The first essay examines the antecedents of the brand purchase likelihood for local brands. The second essay examines how consumer perceptions of brand categorisation differ from the standard categorisations found in the literature, and the third essay examines how these antecedents positively influence the brand purchase likelihood of the different types of brands, and if there is a moderating role in these relationships. The findings of these three essays suggest the following: in study 1 of essay 1, three factors positively influence local food-brand purchase likelihood and also show that, for younger consumers, an additional factor is present. In study 2 of essay 1, five factors are positively related with local clothing-brand purchase likelihood. Essay 2 provides a categorisation of some leading brands sold in the Mexican market into global, local and glocal, based on consumer perspective. The findings suggest that there are relevant differences in the results of this categorisation of brands vs. the traditional objective approaches found in the literature. In essay 3 some antecedents are positively related with brand purchase likelihood, and, in addition, relevant to all brand categories. Our results suggest that the type of brand moderates some of these relationships. All these surveys were conducted among Mexican consumers and data analysed with statistical tests and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Our research work contributes to the current academic body of knowledge by highlighting the following areas:1, by combining theories from different streams to develop and test a comprehensive model of drivers of brand purchase likelihood. 2, by developing a typology to measure four types of brands by extending Steenkamp and De Jong’s theory to the branding context. 3, by hypothesising and testing the moderating role of brand type on the effects of these theoretically-grounded drivers of purchase likelihood. All of the above takes place within an emerging-market context. In addition, our research work contributes to the field of management by providing additional insight for brand-managers in emerging markets in the development of sustainable branding and marketing strategies, in order to help them succeed in a globally competitive environment.

The power of brands like Coke, Levi's and Nike defies conventional understanding. How do such strong brands get created? What are the sources of their phenomenal strength? The traditional thinking reflected in the brand literature traces the sources of brand strength to the consumer's cognitive knowledge of brand's functional and image attributes, and other associations linked to the brand. I draw upon past research in marketing and social psychology to propose a user-centered view of brand strength. I suggest that loyal consumers actively create 'brandspaces' based on personal, social and cultural factors. These brand knowledge structures may be more insular since they are self generated and anchored in the personal and social self of the user. In Essay 1 of this dissertation, I take the user-centered approach to propose a method for mapping and measuring consumer-based brand equity. I developed a structural model for the sneakers product category with five consumer-based sources of brand equity ('functional attributes','brand image','appeal', 'self-brand relationship', and 'perceived popularity') as independent variables, and study their impact on a four indicator measure of brand equity. In Essay 2, I investigate the role of self-brand relationship schema in promoting insularity of strong brands. I hypothesize that strong brand users, who have high self-brand relationship, suppress or discount negative brand information, as compared to strong users who have low self-brand relationship. Experimental results confirm this central hypothesis. This study clearly shows the centrality of self-brand relationship in promoting brand insularity and brand strength.

During the past two decades research has shown that brands are among a company’s most valuable assets. However, in today’s competitive landscape, it is not enough to just create strong brands. The focus lies rather in managing a range of brand lever-age strategies within complex brand portfolios. Moreover, the majority of today’s established brand concepts do not represent the reality of contemporary brand man-agement. Instead, they tend to be based on dichotomies and simplifications. In addi-tion, there is a lack of criticism towards many of the established brand concepts resulting in the reduction of brand management to a number of static categories and stagnated definitions – thereby missing out on the analysis of important intersec-tional issues between the various categories. This book explores the somewhat for-gotten area of intersection, investigating the territory in-between brands.

The methods used consist of a literature review covering some of the most influ-ential brand models within the area of brand portfolio and brand leverage as well as an empirical case study including the following seven brands: Adidas, Bang & Oluf-sen, Electrolux, H&M, Microsoft, Peak Performance and W. L. Gore & Associates.

The findings show that conventional brand management models and terminology do not fully explain common marketplace strategies and practice. As a result, this research introduces a more realistic viewpoint and dynamic framework that is based on convergence and that allows migration and iteration rather than today’s static approach. The framework, named the brand leverage palette, introduces various nuances between different leverage strategies, both adding clarity and offering guid-ance by explaining different migration movements among today’s brand portfolios.

Brands, and the process of branding, are of considerable importance in both marketing academia and practice. Although most research has focussed on the positive attitudes and behaviours that consumers have toward brands, there is a growing interest in anti-consumption. This thesis contributes to anti-consumption research by exploring the phenomenon of brand avoidance. Earlier studies investigating the avoidance of brands have been one-dimensional, failing to account for the wide range of reasons underlying brand avoidance. Therefore, this thesis addresses the limitations of existing models by providing an integrative and comprehensive approach to understanding brand avoidance. As an anti-consumption phenomenon, brand avoidance concerns the negative interaction between consumers, as social actors, and brands, as meaningful objects, within a social and historical context. Therefore, this thesis adopts an interpretive approach, a social constructionist epistemology, and historical realist ontology. Since research in the immediate area of brand avoidance is limited, this thesis employs a grounded theory methodology to analyse, code, and generate theory from the qualitative data gathered through 23 in-depth interviews. Four main types of brand avoidance (experiential, identity, deficit-value, and moral) and the circumstances in which brand avoidance may be restricted or alleviated (avoidance antidotes) emerge from the data. Existing literatures are used to further inform these findings and an original negative brand promises framework is developed to help increase understanding of the brand avoidance phenomenon. The main components of this research are then integrated into an emergent theoretical model of brand avoidance. This model offers a synopsis of how the various brand avoidance constructs may relate to one another and to other pertinent branding concepts within a consumption system. Combined, the findings of this thesis provide a comprehensive appreciation of why consumers avoid certain brands in addition to potential insights that may be used in the management of brand avoidance. Overall, this thesis contributes knowledge to the growing field of anti-consumption research by providing an innovative overview and an integrative understanding of an under-explored domain, brand avoidance.
Foundation for Research Science and Technology (Project number UOWX0227). The University of Auckland Graduate Research Fund. The Business School Post Graduate Research Grant.

During the past two decades something fundamental has happened to the relationship between manufacturers and distributor organisations in many European countries. Within a number of product markets, distributors have launched their own products, forcing manufacturing companies to compete with shelf space owners in addition to the "traditional" competition with other manufacturers. Theoretical and empirical findings regarding Distributor Own Brands (DOB’S) offer us a number of explanations of the differences between national markets and product categories in terms of DOB penetration. However, much of this literature is deterministic in its approach: DOB penetration is often seen as a direct consequence of different market conditions, rather than as the result of strategy processes involving a number of decision-makers and their perceptions of market-related and organisational factors.This study investigates how an array of organisational and market related factors are perceived by distributor organisations, and how this is expressed in the organisations’ own brand strategies. To investigate this research problem, a theoretical framework that explicitly takes distributor own brand strategy into consideration when examining proposed determinants of DOB penetration is presented. The empirical study is mainly based on interviews with decision-makers within the central organisations of the two largest distributors within Swedish fmcg distribution: the ICA federation and the consumer co-operation KF.
Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk.

Background Keller (2009) states that brand equity and the crucial intangiblevalue a brand brings to organizations is perhaps one of the most important marketing topics discussed in recent years. As the competitive market and branding environment for companies are fierce, the sport industry has gradually become more competitive and professional in many aspects of their operations as well. Researchers have gone to the extent of claiming that a brand is the most important asset of a sports team and that the brand provides direction and meaning for sports associations as well as for their followers. Still, market studies have indicated that sport associations often lack appropriate branding strategies and particularly for teams below the professional level, research have been limited in these areas. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to examine what strategies and actions lower level Swedish ice hockey teams use in order to create and strengthen their brand. Method A hermeneutic view and inductive approach have been applied for this thesis. The purpose and research questions of this thesis have been answered with the help of seven qualitative, semistructured in-depth interviews with lower level sport club managers. Frame of reference Theory is based on two approaches to how teams can build and leverage their brand. While a model by Richelieu (2003) illustrates a strategic construction of the sports brand, the Spectatorbased brand equity model by Ross (2006) is more concerned with how controllable and uncontrollable factors contributes to the two main components of spectator based brand equity, namely brand awareness and brand associations. Conclusions The conclusion withholds the answer to the four research questions and purpose designed for this thesis. The findings indicate that teams are starting to realize the importance of a strong brand, particular to meet increased customer expectations for the game experience are considered important to create positive brand associations. An important finding have been the lack of communication and interaction teams seem to have with their customers in order to establish a clear brand identity and position in the market. The findings also indicate some characteristics particular to the lower level setting e.g. the dependence on volunteer workers and how the lack of long-term financial responsibility have impacted the management and development of a strong brand.

Background: In the XX Winter Olympics 2006 in Torino the Swedish Olympic Team succeeded by winning 14 medals. The best result that Sweden has ever made during a Winter Olympics. The happiness was shortly after mixed with disputes between the Swedish Olympic Committee and Swedish companies. There were companies who wrongly had used the trademark ‘OS’ in their marketing campaigns. The disputes happened because the use of the protected trademarks concerning the Olympic Games are reserved only to the Swedish Olympic Committee’s sponsors.

Title: Seeking Opinions Concerning… - the Swedish Olympic Committee and its Trademarks.

Problem: What attitudes do people hold towards the Swedish Olympic Committee after the XX Winter Olympics 2006?

Purpose: The study aims to get an understanding about if people’s attitudes towards the SOC and its trademarks have changed after what has been written and said in media after the XX Winter Games 2006. In order to reach this understanding I will look at people’s knowledge about the SOC’s trademark, their prior knowledge and thoughts and finally their prior knowledge about the ‘Olympic pizza’.

Theory: By going from an initial description of the factors that make up a good brand and the different meanings to the word ‘brand’, the reader is taken through different steps to finally in the end see how attitudes are created.

Method: The study was done with a quantitative method through questionnaires, looking at the problem from the perspective of the Committee who are the ones affected by the results of the study. The collection of data was done through a non-random convenience selection in the community of Storuman with a total number of 76 respondents. Further, the study has a positivistic view and a deductive approach.

Result: The results were that the respondents’ first thought about the Swedish Olympic Committee was mostly indifferent, it seems like they did not have an opinion. Digging deeper it seems like after what has happened in the media the respondents’ attitudes have changed. There was not a big difference however in the number of people who had had an attitude change after the ‘Olympic pizza’ story compared to those who had not. The ones who had experienced attitude changes had had them towards the negative side.

Brands are an important feature in today’s society. A brand can consist of anything; a product, an organisation, a university, a person or even a city. They are not constricted to products or companies, but are important constituents of culture. Having a cup of coffee at Starbucks is not only about the coffee, it’s also about the brand; its values and motivations, and what it represents for the customers and fans. Brands are interweaving themselves further into society than ever before. Social media is growing and taking up a large part of people’s time. We discuss everything, including brands, on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Thus it is imperative for brands to actively partake in the discussion to not submerge and lose control over their brand image. They shape their brand identity, but the image is what is perceived by the people. If they let others shape the perception of the brand then there is a great risk that the image construct will not correspond to their intended identity. Social media provides a gateway for fans and brands to interact. This thesis investigates the primary uses of Facebook and Twitter for product and people brands respectively. Also, it looks at what components of the brand identity are displayed on the aforementioned platforms for both product and people brands and whether there are any differences between the brand types. The investigation takes the shape of a content analysis of twenty brands’ Facebook and Twitter pages – 10 each for product and people brands. Variables pertaining to the four identity perspectives proposed by David Aaker – (1) brand as product, (2) brand as organisation, (3) brand as person, and (4) brand as symbol – were used to see whether there is a dominant perspective that brands adopt when interacting with fans in social media. Also, the uses of social media were investigated and matched with authors’ suggestions for ideal uses of social media for brands. It was found that, in line with several authors’ recommendations of ideal usage of social media; brands adopt an identity approach consistent with Aaker’s Brand as Person perspective – regardless of brand type. The Brand as Person perspective was dominant for people brands on both Facebook and Twitter, however, slightly more enhanced on the latter. While still being the main perspective for product brands, the other identity perspective are given more attention so the prevalence of the Brand as Person perspective is not quite as distinguished. Also, the main uses of Twitter and Facebook were found to differ; Facebook is to a further extent used to engage fans whereas Twitter is predominately used to inform. The results provide a basis for which future research on brand identity and uses for brands in social media can build upon, starting with these general findings to dig deeper into more specialised areas of brands in social media.

This study offers an in-depth account of how, when and why consumers engage with films as brands, using 38 exploratory, semi-structured consumer interviews and 1030 consumer survey responses. Extant film branding literature is scarce, dominated by filmmakers' and marketers' perspectives of films as brands and is confined to exploring points of parity associations films have as brands, rather than ways films may differentiate themselves as brands. Taking on a consumer centric view, our findings show although filmmakers, production houses and marketers may jointly develop and market films with the vision of becoming brands, this doesn't necessarily guarantee consumers' engagement with such films as brands. Instead, consumers initially evaluate the coherency of a film's identity and subsequently go on to engage with films as brands, a process which is fully mediated by the emotional bonding a consumer may develop for a film and partially mediated by a film's popularity and sequels. Films' marketing/franchising efforts, iconic status and sense of timelessness moderate consumer-film brand engagement, resulting in positive word of mouth and purchase intention. Our sequential, consolidated and specified film brand engagement framework guides filmmakers and marketers on how to tactically engage consumers with their films as brands, in order to differentiate themselves within this risky and competitive market.

The purpose of this research was to explore if there is a role that consumer brands play in shaping the attractiveness of an employer brand. This qualitative study was conducted using the exploratory approach, because the prior insights of the proposed relationship were modest and inconclusive. The population constituted of all registered Masters of Business Administration students at the Gordon Institute of Business Science. The sampling frame constituted second year (2013/14) and full time (2014/15) students. The reason for this choice was that these individuals are knowledgeable on brand concepts, are mostly likely thinking about employment prospects, and have had the opportunity to evaluate employer attractiveness. A sample size of 15 was drawn; this number was chosen based on the likelihood that data saturation would be reached at that point because of the homogeneous nature of the population. The outcome of this study revealed that consumer brands play a role in shaping employer brand attractiveness, with the main role being that consumer brands project employer brands. Potential employers utilise brands’ dimensions such as quality, innovativeness, longevity and public perception, amongst others, as an indication of employer brand attractiveness. Also uncovered by the study was that the extent of consumer brand influence on an employer brand varies with profession, industry and maturity. Moreover, consumers play a role in attracting potential employees towards investigating employment prospects in a certain organisation, but contribute very little to retaining employees if employment expectations are not met.
Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2015.
lmgibs2015
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
Unrestricted

This study concerns retail brands in the food retail industry and focuses on premium products. The research is investigating how ICA can best use premium products to increase their profitability. The study is thus based on their brand ICA Selection and investigates three sub purposes concerning the customers’ perception of the products, their purchase behavior and their willingness to pay a price premium.

 

To investigate, theory concerning brand resources was utilized, involving both brand equity and brand management. To measure brand equity, the authors adapted a customer mind set and utilized Aaker’s framework and the specific industry developments made by Anselmsson, Johansson and Persson. Accordingly, this theory is based on five brand equity attributes: perceived quality, brand associations, loyalty, awareness and uniqueness. These attributes were thereafter developed to explain food premium products. The brand management theory used was Kapferer’s brand management strategies, in order to assess ICA’s strategic advantages and disadvantages.

 

The research was quantitative and the authors utilized a visit self completion questionnaire, in order to describe and investigate the purpose. The questionnaire was handed out according to a systematic sampling method, to customers at the 4 different concept ICA stores in Umeå.

 

Based on the findings, the authors concluded that in order to increase the profitability of ICAs food premium products, the following strategies should be considered. First, the customer awareness of ICA Selection must be increased and the customers must be educated about the benefits of the product. Moreover, the premium brand should aim to provide value for money, high intrinsic product quality (i.e. taste, ingredients etc) and an improved store image. These factors will help defend the price premium.  Furthermore, to attract buyers, the brand has to have a high enough brand status and a sufficiently attractive and functional packaging. This research has therefore concluded how to efficiently allocate the resources and obtain an increased customer satisfaction. This may in turn increase the profitability of ICA Selection. However, it is of course important to also take into account the external environment, such as the recession and competition, when deciding on the brand strategy.

Marketers often make changes to brands to make the brand seem current or exciting. Some updates are successful while others are spectacular failures. This dissertation establishes a connection between consumer acceptance or rejection of updated brands and the consumer's reported brand nostalgia. In this dissertation, I refine the current marketing definitions of nostalgia to develop a more specific construct of brand nostalgia, develop a scale to measure the construct of brand nostalgia, examine the differences between schemas for nostalgic brands and non-nostalgic brands, and show that consumers' affective and attitudinal responses to changes in a brand are moderated by brand nostalgia.

Nostalgia has been defined as "a positively toned evocation of a lived past" (Davis 1979), and "a fondness for possessions and activities associated with days of yore" (Holbrook 1993). Consumers have been observed to engage in nostalgic behaviors, from re-watching favorite old movies (Holbrook, 1993) to reminiscing about favorite cars from their youth (Brown, Kozinets and Sherry 2003) to consuming specific foods as a way to reconnect with the past (Loveland, Smeesters and Mandel, 2010). Consumers have also reported nostalgic feelings for particular brands or items (Holbrook and Schindler 2003).

When individuals recall nostalgic memories, they recall affect and brand information stored in their schema for the target brand (Collins and Loftus 1975). Nostalgia is "not a true recreation of the past but rather a combination of many different memories, all integrated together and in the process, all negative emotions filtered out" (Hirsch 1992). Thus, the individual's memory trace is biased, leading the individual to recall the brand as being better than it actually was. Further, when an individual forms a relationship with a brand, the individual incorporates affective and attitudinal information into the schema, leading to a more complex, more robust schema (Fournier 1998; Smit, Bronner and Tolboom 2006). Once the individual experiences the updated brand, he compares the new experience to his biased memory and attempts to assimilate the new stimuli into his or her existing schema. The individual's ability to assimilate the new experience into their schema built on the biased memory will depend on the degree of change to the brand as well as the individual's level of nostalgia towards the brand.

When a highly nostalgic individual processes a changed brand, his more complex and affect-based schema will lead to a smaller latitude of acceptance for the change (Hart and Diehl 1993). If the change falls outside the latitude of acceptance, the individual will reject the updated brand (Atkins, Deaux & Bieri 1967). Conversely, less nostalgic individuals are likely to have less complex, less affect-laden, less positively biased memories of the brand, making them more likely to assimilate the change (Meyers-Levy and Sternthal 1993; Martin 1986; Martin, Seta and Crelia 1990).

This dissertation combines literature from marketing, psychology and sociology to identify the ways in which the cognitive structures nostalgic individuals access when exposed to a brand towards which they are nostalgic differ from the cognitive structures non-nostalgic individuals access. This dissertation further provides a framework for both practitioners and academics to better predict consumer responses to changes in brands with nostalgic cache.

Background: The concept of countries as brands has been increasingly accredited once the postmodern global world became an every day experience. A strong country brand can provide corporate brands with a unique set of values, which supports their positioning on the international market. Simultaneously, once corporate brands achieve worldwide success, they contribute actively to developing new features of the country brand.

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to design a model with regard to the value- transfer from country brands to corporate brands. The model is evaluated in accordance with the relationship between Sweden and Scania, respectively Oriflame, chosen as frames of research. The researchers assess whether the process occurrence is conscious or not, be it from inside (on the corporate level) or outside (from the audiences’ perspective), as well as its consistency (the values involved in the transfer).

Results: According to the research results, Scania displays a spontaneous value- transfer with Sweden the brand, whereasOriflame actively capitalises on the national set of common values. Either unconsciously present at the corporate level of Scania, or consciously exploited by Oriflame, these Swedish values repeat for both studied companies.

Med globaliseringen ökar antalet multinationella företag vilket medför att många varumärken byter nationalitet när fusioner och förvärv genomförs. Många varumärken marknadsförs i sin tur med sitt ursprung vilket skapar ett potentiellt problem kring tvetydighet. Studier visar att ett varumärkes ursprung kan påverka konsumenter i deras köpbeslutsprocess då bland annat stereotyper om länder spelar in. Uppsatsens problemformulering är: Vilken betydelse har brand origin för globala varumärken som ägs av multinationella företag? Huvudsyftet är att undersöka varumärkens brand origin avseende hur konsumenterna uppfattar dem samt hur företagen marknadsför dem. Metoderna som använts är enkätundersökning, fokusgrupper, intervju och innehållsanalys. Slutsatsen är att konsumenter är medvetna om varumärkens ursprung och detycker att ursprunget bidrar med något positivt. De lägger inte så stor vikt vid, eller så är de inte så medvetna om att det är multinationella företag som är ägare av varumärkena. Brandorigin kan i vissa fall påverka konsumenternas köpbeslut och det är i de fall då de väljer mellan olika varumärken som förutom brand origin har liknande egenskaper och pris. Då är det troligt att konsumenterna väljer det varumärke som har ett brand origin som har positiva associationer för produkttypen eller som motsvarar konsumentens egen nationalitet. Inga direkta slutsatser kan dras från företagsperspektivet om vilken betydelse brand origin har för globala varumärken som ägs av multinationella företag.

Globalization means that the number of multinational companies increases and that a lot of brands changes nationality after mergers and acquisitions. As many brands are marketed using their origin this creates a potential problem of confusion. Studies also shows that a brands origin can affect consumers in their decision making process because consumers can be influenced by stereotypes towards a country. The problem formulation is: Which impact has brand origin to global brands that are owned by multinational companies? The main purpose is to examine how the consumers perceive brand origin and how the companies use brand origin in their marketing. The methods that have been used are a survey, focus groups, an interview and a content analysis. The conclusion is that consumers are aware of a brands origin and they think that the origin contributes to something positive. They do not really take in to consideration (or maybe they are not aware of it) that there are multinational companies who are the owners of the brands. Brand origin can sometimes affect consumers' purchasing decisions and that is when they choose between different brands that has similar features and cost. In these cases it is likely that consumers choose the brand that has a brand origin which gives positive associations for the product type or is equal to the consumers' own nationality. No direct conclusions can be drawn from the business perspective on the importance of brand origin for the global brands owned by multinational companies.

This qualitative study contributed to the growing body of research in luxury brand management by constructing a framework that can be utilized by luxury companies and conglomerates to develop their business strategies. The purpose was to examine: (a) how the chosen luxury firm is addressing the changing business environment of the luxury goods industry and the changing consumer environment targeted by that industry, (b) how the firm is managing growth trade-offs, and (c) how the firm is adapting its marketing orientations to become consumer-centric and experiential. Six research questions guided the study, and data collection and analysis took place in two parts. Methods for this study included and in-depth review of literature, an exploration of the business environment, and a case study. The study concluded with the formation of a strategic management framework specific to the luxury goods industry. Data analysis included an in-depth exploration of the evolution of the business environment of the luxury goods industry from the mid-1800s to the first decade of the 2000s, and a case study of the sample luxury goods company, Louis Vuitton. A historical review was conducted beginning with the company's inception in 1854 and continuing through the formation of the LVMH conglomerate in 1987. Exploration brand management successes and failures helped identify information relevant to variables in selected business categories (business environment, corporate environment, marketing strategy). Analysis of the case study resulted in the refinement of the four brand management variables: corporate, brand management, trade-off, and strategic planning. Environmental determinism and the zeitgeist were evidenced to be important factors that shaped the business strategies of LVMH and its brands. Strategic planning and strategic management response were identified as ongoing strategies that helped LVMH and its brands to effectively address and respond to environmental changes. Both environmental determinism and the zeitgeist and the use of strategic management response were incorporated into the luxury brand management framework as overarching themes for explaining the influences and responses for the four management indicators.
Ph. D.

Date: 2021/06/03 Level: Master Thesis in Business Administration, 15 cr Institution: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University Authors: Shadi Botros, Yacoub Said (87/07/24) (95/01/01) Title: LUXURIOUS BRAND AND SOCIAL MEDIA Tutor: Edward Gillmore Keywords: Luxury brands, Social media marketing activities, Brand perceptions, Brand awareness, Purchase intention. Research questions: What are the outcomes of social media marketing used by luxury brands, brand awareness and brand perception, on purchase attention? Purpose: The purpose of this research is to study if social media marketing can have an effect on luxuries brands perception in consumers mind and if social media can influence consumers purchase intention. Method: This study is following a quantitative approach by using statistical methods to test the hypothesis. Conclusion: Luxury brands are considered as exclusive and expensive brands. Social media is a mass communication tool that is usually used to reach a broad segment of consumers. The authors found out through the gathered data that consumers are aware about the brand and they perceive the brand as a luxury brand. However, consumers were not only relying on the official home page of the brand to obtain information.

The present study represents a content analysis of the efforts of real-world brands to facilitate parasocial interaction with their followers. The researcher examined these social media exchanges through the scope of parasocial interaction theory, uncertainty reduction theory, and social response theory. The researcher examined posts in mid to late August 2017 and utilized a code sheet to find confirmed parasocial interaction triggers by brands, and examples of parasocial interaction in the posts of those brands’ followers. The researcher looked to see if the utilization of previous research in controlled environments could provide the framework for studying the non-controlled conditions of a real social media page. He hypothesized that the brands he studied that properly utilized methods and triggers to facilitate parasocial interaction would in fact see higher rates of parasocial interaction. The data, while mostly not statistically significant does provide information that deserves further investigation.

Destinations must project a strong and differentiated brand image to position themselves in a competitive market. To this end, official websites have become a key instrument in the portrayal of the desired image and as the place where tourists expect to find everything about the destination. In this study, the official websites of the 12 most popular urban destinations in Europe are analyzed with a two-fold purpose: to describe their projected image, and to explore the relationship between brand image and brand personality in their discourse. The results highlight cultural activities, tourist packages, and food and drink associations as the three core components of the European cities’ offer. Similarly, while all destinations project highly exciting personalities, the traits related to the other personality dimensions are those that differentiate the destinations in the competitive context. Finally, the study shows that some product-related associations are more likely to transmit specific personality traits.
Les destinacions han de projectar una imatge de marca robusta i diferenciada en un mercat competitiu. Així, els webs oficials s’han convertit en un instrument clau per transmetre la imatge desitjada, i en el lloc on els turistes esperen trobar tota la informació sobre la destinació. L’estudi analitza el lloc web oficial de les 12 destinacions urbanes més populars d’Europa amb un doble objectiu: descriure la imatge que projecten, i explorar la relació entre imatge i personalitat de marca en el discurs. Els resultats destaquen les activitats culturals, els paquets turístics i la gastronomia com els principals components de la oferta de les ciutats. També demostren que totes les destinacions projecten una personalitat forta en emoció, però són les altres dimensions de la personalitat aquelles que contribueixen a la diferenciació. Finalment, l’estudi identifica la propensió de determinades associacions relacionades amb el producte a transmetre trets de personalitat de marca específics.
Los destinos deben proyectar una imagen de marca robusta y diferenciada en un mercado competitivo. Así, los sitios web oficiales se han convertido en un instrumento clave para transmitir la imagen deseada, i en el sitio donde los turistas esperan encontrar toda la información sobre el destino. Este estudio analiza el sitio web oficial de los 12 destinos urbanos más populares de Europa con un doble objetivo: describir la imagen que proyectan, y explorar la relación entre imagen y personalidad de marca en el discurso. Los resultados destacan las actividades culturales, los paquetes turísticos y la gastronomía como los principales componentes de la oferta de las ciudades. También demuestran que todos los destinos proyectan una personalidad fuerte en emoción, pero son las otras dimensiones de personalidad aquellas que contribuyen a la diferenciación. Finalmente, el estudio identifica la propensión de determinadas asociaciones relacionadas con el producto a transmitir rasgos de personalidad de marca específicos.

Syfte: Denna studies syfte är att öka förståelsen för vilka personlighetsdrag konsumenter tillskriver varumärken beroende på logotypens färg. Metod: Eftersom studiens syfte har varit att öka förståelsen för ämnet har en kvalitativ metod använts och färgerna blå, grön, gul, röd och svart har legat till grund för undersökningen. För att samla in empiriskt material har semistrukturerade intervjuer utförts med tolv deltagare. Materialet har analyserats med hjälp av Aakers (1997) Brand Personality Scale samt tematisering. Resultat & slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att den blå logotypen associeras med kompetens, den gröna med uppriktighet och den gula med spänning. Den röda logotypen har även den associerats med kompetens och den svarta med robusthet, i Aakers (1997) Brand Personality Scale. Reaktionerna för den blå och den gröna logotypen har visat sig vara enklast för deltagarna att placera samt visat sig överensstämma med tidigare forskningsresultat. Den gula, röda och svarta logotypen har upplevts svårare och resultaten har avvikit mer från tidigare forskning. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Våra förslag för framtida forskning är att istället för att studera färger, studera vilken påverkan logotypens utformning har på varumärkets personlighet. Vidare kan framtidens forskning studera flerfärgade logotyper. Vår studie studerar endast en speciell subgrupp och framtida forskning kan därför studera en annan subgrupp för jämförelse. Uppsatsens bidrag: Som bidrag till framtida forskning ser vi att denna studie beskriver samband mellan färgerna blå, grön, gul, röd och svart och dimensionerna som återfinns i Aakers (1997) Brand Personality Scale. Detta tillägg ser vi skulle fungera som ett utvecklande ramverk och därför bidra till det teoretiska perspektivet i framtida studier utförda i Sverige. Som rekommendation kan företag rent praktiskt använda sig av dessa resultat när de ska välja färg för sin logotyp.
Aim: In this study we aim to increase understanding of the personality traits consumers ascribe to brands depending on the color of the logo. Method: Due to the aim of the study, which was to increase understanding of the topic, a qualitative method has been used. To collect empirical data semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve participants. The material was analyzed using Aaker’s (1997) Brand Personality Scale and thematisation. Result & Conclusions: Results show that the blue logo is associated with competence, green with sincerity and yellow with excitement. The red logo has also been associated with competence and the black with ruggedness, in Aaker’s (1997) Brand Personality Scale. The reactions of the blue and green logo has proven to be the easiest for the participants to place and shown to be consistent with previous research. The yellow, red and black logo has been perceived more difficult and the results have deviated more from previous research. Suggestions for future research: Our suggestions for future research is that instead of examining colors, examine the impact of the logo design in brand personality. Furthermore, future research could investigate multi-color logos. Our study examines only a specific subgroup and future research can explore a different subgroup for comparison. Contribution of the thesis: As a contribution to future research, this study describes the relationship between the colors blue, green, yellow, red and black and the dimensions found in Aakers (1997) Brand Personality Scale. This addition would serve as a developed framework and thus contribute to the theoretical perspective in future studies carried out in Sweden. As a recommendation, companies can practically use these results when they are designing their logo.

Foy many years China was flagged as the world’s premier factory neglecting significant aspects such as brand equity. This study explores the antecedents of brand equity of Chinese brands. The main purpose of this study is to examine the evolution of Chinese brand equity and the impact of selective marketing mix elements and the Country of Origin as attributes preceding the creation of Chinese brand equity. A qualitative approach has been adopted in order to acquire an understanding of Chinese path to building brands. A case-study methodology was applied, with the unit of the analysis being two Chinese automotive brands: GEELY and BYD. The researcher proposes a conceptual framework in which brand differentiators composed of selective marketing mix elements and the COO (Antecedents) are related to the dimensions of brand equity; brand awareness, perceived quality, and brand associations. Throughout the course of study, five questions were explored. The results of the research confirmed that some of the Chinese companies are moving towards building strong brand equity with their steady steps in product quality, joint ventures and co-branding. The researcher also confirmed that Chinese Country of Origin is no longer an obstacle to building strong brand equity. Two research questions - geographical presence and perceived value - were not supported by the cases of GEELY and BYD and were not accepted as positively affecting the brand equity of Chinese brands during the course of the study. While some literature supports this direction, the two cases understudy failed to support them. The research affirmed that certain Chinese brands are on the rise and that the strategic focus of Chinese companies recognizes the fact that brand building is the path to sustainable competitive advantage. For the purpose of triangulation and control for reliability, the accepted questions were further investigated by an external researcher. Discussion, conclusion, recommendations, and future work will then be explored.

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics
In this thesis it is shown a comparison between two of the top thirty European Business School 2013 Ranking of the Financial Times: Nova School of Business and Economics and Bocconi University. The analysis is carried out focusing on the brands and the stakeholders perceptions by analyzing the findings of twenty-four in-depth interviews. These interviews were conducted to students and alumni from both universities in order to show the gaps in brand image. Findings indicate different impacts of two different realities stemming from their history, value and culture. The aim of this work is to show some tools business school can use to better manage and capture stakeholder’s value.

With the rising power of Internet and especially social media which includes different communities, blogs, portals(1) , etc., nowadays brand value, - its creation and control, is not in the hands of the companies anymore, but is shifted to the consumers. One aim of this paper is to investigate and try to prove the existence of social media influence on brand value. Another goal is to introduce a different vision of brand value in connection with Internet and the rise of social media's influence on consumer's minds. For the purpose of this research the terms brand value and brand equity would bear equal meanings. My theory, which I would like to introduce, was borrowed from biology and physics, namely from I.P. Pavlov's studies and his conditioned reflex theory(2) and the physics part is based on the dispersion of light theory which was first introduced, as we know, by Isaak Newton(3). I dare to say, that nowadays creation of brand value in consumer minds works the same way. When someone, man or woman, hears a brand name, a picture and a feeling, either positive or negative is immediately formed in the person's mind from personal experience with this brand. If not, then the brand is an unfamiliar one, thus we have to rely on a provided opinion, which was previously usually conveyed to us by family, relatives and close friends while recently, also by our growing virtual community. At the beginning of the thesis, I will present the theoretical background and data on World Wide Web and social media, followed by a concise description of some of the existing brand equity models, afterwards introducing my own vision on significant brand value components, elaborating on this theory with the help of relevant case studies and researches. Brand equity has generally been defined as "a brand's power derived from the goodwill and name recognition that it has earned over time, which translates into higher sales volume and higher profit margins against competing brands"(4). Further on in the second chapter I will bring together more definitions on brand equity/value to be able to propose a modified one, components of which will be discussed thoroughly in the same chapter. The main goal of my Master Thesis is to analyze the existence of a dependency between social media and brand value. A second goal is to assess whether the impact is a positive or a negative one or is a mixture of both.

Much previous research has studied high brand equity acquiring high brand equity or high brand equity acquiring low brand equity. However, very little research has been conducted to understand how that low brand equity acquiring high brand equity changes the low brand equity especially in China. This paper is on the case of Geely Group acquiring Volvo Car which was a typical acquisition of a high brand equity company by a low brand equity company. The aim of the paper is to verify whether this type of acquisition could increase the acquirer’s brand equity evaluated by consumers. This paper selects two brand strategies, ‘the house of brands strategy’ and ‘the endorsed brand strategy’, as the study objects of post-acquisition brand integration, and attempts to find the differences on consumers’ expectations and what is better suited for the new joint company. Therefore, a survey research strategy was used in this paper. A conceptual framework which included brand loyalty and perceived quality was developed from a review of the existing literature. Samples of data collected from Chinese consumers have been analyzed for the changes of consumers’ evaluation on the brand equity of Geely after its successful acquisition. Our research result proved that, a low brand equity company could enhance its brand value through acquiring an internationally known brand. After the acquisition, no matter what brand strategy applied, consumers had a more positive attitude towards the brand. The conclusion reached was that firms should be careful to choose an acquisition strategy by considering its strengths. But when faced with a decision of acquisition, the most important thing is to focus on the final success of the acquisition, while the brand integration strategy might be adjusted flexibly.

The new phenomena of brand activism can be used as a communication strategy to reach consumers. The demand for brand activism has increased with the generation of millennials. This research uses a qualitative method to get a greater understanding of how companies use brand activism as a communication strategy to reach millennials. The authors have chosen to study corporate brands since they have a structure within the business where everything that is communicated from the brand will be a lifelong message.  This study is based on a content analysis to get a greater understanding for how brand activism is used and how companies with the help from activism content reach millennials. The companies that have been studied are Nike, Ben & Jerry’s and The Body Shop, which all use brand activism and have millennials as a part of their target audience.  Millennials are an important target audience since they stand for 30% of the population. Therefore it is important to grow and understand their new demands for more ethical and moral brands. This generation wants to contribute to the world and make a change.  The results of this study shows that brand activism engages millennials and has a positive effect on their purchase intentions. Which is important for companies to take into consideration in their corporate branding. The results also show whether or not the companies are bold or not when they chose a subject to take a stand in.

With the purpose of expanding the understanding of the main causes that make creating and maintaining successful, strong brands a challenging issue for companies, a qualitative research is conducted in this thesis. It is based on an integrated model of Doyle’ and Stern’s along with Aaker’s approaches discussing building successful/strong brands with the following Doyle’ and Stern’s model discussing sustaining successful/strong brands; thereby selecting a single case study of Carlsberg Polska belonging to brewing potentates on the Polish beer market and two of its major brands – Carlsberg and Harnaś.

The findings show that, in terms of building successful brands, introducing a quality product along with superior perceived quality, creating a basic brand along with brand awareness, augmenting a brand along with building brand loyalty as well as establishing a potential brand along with brand associations are the most crucial actions that had to be taken by Carlsberg Polska in order to win out a number 3 market-leader position. Concerning sustaining strong brands, on the other hand, the investigated firm needs to monitor competition and constantly revitalize and reposition its products in order to be the fastest growing beer producer on the Polish market.

Branding is an influential aspect a company can have to gain the attention of their customers. It is often said that, “Your brand is your promise to your customer”, because the brand is a confirmation that the product or service you are selling matches the expectations of the customer and their wants or needs (Grosdidier, 2012). From a consumer perspective, branding helps direct customers in choosing what they want to buy (Tarnovskaya and Bertilsson, 2017). This way, they spend less time focusing on the type of product and its qualities, because they can instead look at the products they are already familiar with instantly and purchase with little processing time (ibid). Not all companies are successful with branding and even successful companies run into issues. Customers usually determine if they like or dislike a brand, which means a brands main purpose should be to make their customers happy. It is important for businesses to give their customers a promising message and stay consistent to their brand.  Facebook and Instagram are both influential brand names to the face of consumers in the area of social networking. Both companies have over a billion site visits per day and their consumer usage has rapidly grown since Facebook’s first opening in 2004 and the grand opening of Instagram in 2010. In 2012, Kevin Systrom sold Instagram to Facebook for $1 billion dollars. Since the sales, both companies now average around the same market share and took place for the largest social media sites with the highest number of users, now above competitors Snapchat and Twitter (Barr, 2018). The purpose of this research is to identify and describe key factors that has made Facebook and Instagram successful in the perspective of university students. In addition, the findings will aim to discover key factors of success in branding that continually influence them to use social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram daily.  Conclusions of the study were that Facebook and Instagram both have success factors that are the same and some factors that are different. Facebook and Instagram’s success factors based on the research include an easy to use platform and the ability to connect with friends and family. Instagram had a few other strong success factors including its visual display of pictures instead of word content and their smoothly designed mobile app. Facebook lacked in both of these areas that Instagram excelled in. This made Facebook the weaker social media site when compared with Instagram.

This thesis is an investigation of brand rivalry between two competing brands. The number of Smartphone users in Canada is rising and is not expected to slow anytime soon. Two major Smartphone brands have emerged as competing brands in this product category: Samsung and Apple. When two strong companies emerge brand rivalry can manifest. Brand rivalry seems to be under studied in the consumer behaviour literature, yet is common amongst consumers. Current literature pertaining to brand rivalry focuses primarily on the ‘dark’ side of this concept, manly oppositional brand loyalty and brand rivalry. Utilizing focus groups, this study gains a more holistic view of the interaction between opposite brand community members. The findings extend the existing literature by offering evidence of the ‘lighter’ side to brand rivalry.

碩士
國立臺北大學
企業管理學系
91
With the increase of competition in market, brand management is increasingly demanded by enterprises. Once the brand is properly managed, obviously the brand benefits are obtained. Proper brand management can cost much lower than creating a new brand and bring continued competence. The thesis tries to build an integrated brand management framework, and based upon the investigation of seven famous yogurt-related brands. The brand framework contains five steps; The first is collecting market information, which is comprised of direct data and indirect data; the second is implementing brand market analysis, which is comprised of customer behavior and competition analysis; the third, we start to carry out brand monitor analysis of brand awareness, brand royalty, brand association, brand perception, brand compatibility, brand position and brand personality, and finally, according to the results of brand monitor analysis, we can count brand equity. At last, brand strategy planning consist of brand extension, brand spokesman, brand positioning, brand competition, brand advertising, brand channel and brand equity strategy. With strategic suggestion for seven famous yogurt-related brands, they can improve their brand equity and through continuous practicing the brand framework they can achieve the objective of brand eternally operation.

碩士
國立中山大學
企業管理學系研究所
98
Taiwan development started from agriculture and gradually moves to manufacturing to finally transform the economy into a high-tech industry. The economic miracle was based on Taiwanese diligence, perseverance, and dependability; but the process does not finish there. Since we have come to a knowledge economy era, lots of enterprises in Taiwan have developed from OEM, ODM to OBM to speed up internationalization and upgrade competitive advantages. The best answer from companies is to response quickly and become more creative, vivid and diversified enhancing clients’ involvement. Consequently, the “Storytelling” era has begun. Enterprises nowadays use “Brand Story” to draw customers’ attention. Based on this perspective, the study examines how brand stories affect the brand image and brand personality. By using qualitative research, the managers of these four interviewed companies shared experiences of developing brand stories, allowing us to understand the brand spirit and brand position through the use of touching true stories that express the unique image and personality of the brand. The study shows how brand stories influence consumers, employees and other stakeholders bringing the benefits and increasing recognitions, brand image and word-of-mouth. The influencing power of brand stories is truly beyond imagination.

碩士
國立交通大學
經營管理研究所
98
People like to be connected through group activities. Participation in sport activities sponsored by the brand company or join the brand related user group. This study explores the relationship among brandfests, product involvement, and brand loyalty in sports brands. The brand loyalty behavior can be further investigated by dividing consumers to two groups, recommend others to buy and repurchase intention. Through the survey studying, the demographic analysis shows that most people joined brandfests are male university students. Their ages are between 21 and 30. This research also shows people have positive significant effect of commend after joining brandfests. Besides, the level of involvement also has significant positive effect to positive repurchase intention. Moreover, through a variance analysis, the result shows (1) people who attended NIKE running club are male students (2) people who joined ASICS competition are almost technology engineers.

Dissertação de mestrado em Marketing, apresentada à Faculdade de Economia da Universidade de Coimbra, sob a orientação de Arnaldo Matos Coelho.
In a world of global competition that we are living nowadays, brands are each time more used by companies as a strategy to create value and differentiation and this way to be one step ahead of their rivals. A "brand" is the result of the recognition and the personal attachment that forms in the hearts and minds of the customers through their accumulated experience with that “brand”. These experiences contribute to increased consumer trust and loyalty and allow building strong relationships with the “brand”. By this way, “brands” promote the increase of shareholder value and establish a long-term advantage in the marketplace for organisations. Companies recognise that strong brands are and have been historically associated with accelerated revenue growth and improved returns to shareholders. That is why, each time more organisations focus their strategies on building powerful brands as they represent competitive advantage and they are a key success factor in creating value to the customer and at the same time value to the company. In this regard, this study intends to show how effective brand strategy and brand communication contribute to build brand equity and consequently create a strong brand. For this purpose, the case study of Navigator was chosen, being a good example to show how the brand has been managed to become a powerful brand in the premium office paper segment. Key words: Branding, Strong Brands, Brand Strategy, Brand Communication, Brand Equity, Navigator

碩士
銘傳大學
企業管理學系
104
This study had as its core to investigate the Effects of Brand Rarity and Stability on Brand-Engagement: Investigating of Online Brands. It could be highlighted that by analyzing such determinants and factors many companies can boost up gains in the business field. A quantitative approach was conducted to investigate the effects of specific areas on brands. An online questionnaire was applied to collect data and analyzed to obtain the outcomes. This allowed the participation of global perspectives which could assist to demonstrate the views of various individuals in the global market. Celebrity authenticity served as benchmarks to determine the factors affecting new brands in the global market. Results showed that brand attitude and brand engagement on celebrity authenticity were major dominant factors that affect brand engagement. It was also brought to light that specific areas related to talent played a significant role and had influential meaning on brands. Most of the outcomes indicated dominant areas that people had impact on celebrity’s talent and morality .Whereas stability and rarity were uncovered which was confirmed in this investigation. This research advances our understanding and assisted to have a deeper perspective at brands and how this is affected by other interesting components. This certainly served as a good determinant and possibilities in the business and marketing world. In addition, this investigation certainly proved beneficial results to major companies and other businesses specially when marketing new brands in the global domain. A data was collected and a total of 444 respondents were included, after we set up a questionnaire. We conducted data analysis with SPSS 18 and, for a better analyzing we separated our liker scale with our nominal scale factors.

Este estudo destaca o impacto da frescura da marca no engajamento da marca nas redes sociais das marcas MOCHE-Yorn-WTF (operadoras de telecomunicações para jovens). Analisando a literatura, notamos que há muitas contribuições sobre o engajamento da marca nas redes sociais, enquanto poucas pesquisas são focadas na frescura da marca. Assim, optou-se por aprofundar a análise do impacto supramencionado, tendo o amor / satisfação com a marca como mediadores. No universo digital, as redes sociais oferecem aos seus utilizadores uma variedade de novas formas de comunicarem e é exatamente esse potencial que oferece uma oportunidade significativa para as empresas e suas marcas restabelecerem as comunicações. Os resultados de um questionário com 399 participantes ajudam-nos a discutir a análise e a tirar conclusões. Portanto, foi possível verificar que a frescura da marca está positivamente relacionada com o amor / satisfação com a marca, que o engajamento da marca nas redes sociais está positivamente relacionado com o amor / satisfação com a marca e que, consequentemente, a frescura da marca está positivamente relacionada com o engajamento da marca nas redes sociais. Mas é importante mencionar que nem todas as dimensões da frescura da marca têm impacto nos restantes constructos. Resumindo, apenas as dimensões "útil", "popular", "subcultural" e "icónica" estão positivamente relacionadas com o amor à marca. Apenas as dimensões "útil", "original", "autêntico" e "popular" estão positivamente relacionadas à satisfação com a marca. E apenas as dimensões "rebelde", "status elevado", "subcultural" e "icónica" estão positivamente relacionadas com o engajamento da marca nas redes sociais.
This study highlights the impact of brand coolness on social media brand engagement of brands MOCHE, Yorn and WTF (telecommunications operators for the young target). Analyzing the literature, we note that there are many contributions on social media brand engagement, while little research is focused on brand coolness. Thus, it was decided to deepen the analysis of the impact mentioned above with brand love and brand satisfaction as mediators of this impact. On digital universe, social media offers its users a variety of new ways to communicate with each other and it is precisely this potential that offers a significant opportunity for companies and their brands to re-establish their communications. Results of a survey with 399 participants help us to discuss the analysis and to get some conclusions. Therefore, it was possible to verify that brand coolness is positively related with brand love and brand satisfaction, that social media brand engagement is positively related with brand love and brand satisfaction, and that consequently brand coolness is positively related with social media brand engagement. But it is important to mention that not all dimensions of brand coolness have an impact on other constructs. Summing up, only "useful", "popular", "subcultural" and "iconic" dimensions are positively related with brand love. Only the dimensions "useful", "original", "authentic" and "popular" are positively related with brand satisfaction. And only "rebellious", "high status", "subcultural" and "iconic" dimensions are positively related with social media brand engagement.

碩士
國立清華大學
科技管理研究所
104
Internet and related technologies have dramatically changed the landscape of the global branding. New corporate brands (online brands) such as Amazon.com, Yahoo!, Google, eBay, Facebook have arisen in the new digital age and command immense brand equity, putting them at the top of many traditional offline companies. Online brands emerge as the result of advancements in information and communication technologies. This study examined the congruence between self-concept and brand personality and its effect on emotional brand attachment in the online branding environment. The five brand personalities (sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication, and ruggedness) adopted from prior research were used as moderating variables. The self-congruence for consumers’ emotional brand attachment can be different by brands’ different brand personalities. The results show that brands with “sincerity”, “excitement”, or “competence” traits may have the stronger impact of actual self-congruence on emotional brand attachment than of ideal self-congruence on emotional brand attachment. On the contrary, brands with “sophistication” and “ruggedness” traits may have the impact of ideal self-congruence on emotional brand attachment be slightly weaker than the impact of actual self-congruence on emotional brand attachment.