Exploring the effect of self-image congruence and brand preference on satisfaction: the role of expertise

Prior research has reported that self-image congruence can influence brand preference, brand satisfaction and purchase intentions. With the help of an empirical research, the paper argues that while self-image congruence may be related to satisfaction in general in the automobile market, it may not necessarily affect satisfaction judgements when customers have higher levels of expertise. The paper discusses implications for brand managers and argues to take into account customer characteristics such as customer expertise while developing positioning strategies.     

Winning Hearts and Minds: Business-to-Business Branding and the Role of the Salesperson

Many business-to-business firms recognise that strong brands can be a valuable resource in today's competitive business environment. To realise the potential of B2B brands, effective communication of brand values is essential. In most B2B markets, the primary form of brand communication is through the sales force and their ability to adapt sales strategies and messages to accommodate customer interactions. There are gaps in the literature regarding the brand value communication process in the customer-salesperson dyad. We argue that successful B2B brand communication requires sales strategies that incorporate brand values appealing to the emotional and the rational concerns of organisational buyers. This paper examines the brand communication process in the salesperson-customer dyad and the extent to which adaptive selling based on a brand platform of rational and emotional brand values could better respond to buying centre members.     

Trust,Brand Equity and Brand Reality in Internet Business Relationships: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Trust and the concept of the brand are increasingly of interest in the study of business relationships on the Internet. Synthesising studies of trust from other disciplines such as accounting, sociology, psychology and biology can provide useful insights into the application of trust both specifically and generally, to Internet business relationships. While there is a plethora of models, those with potential application for Internet business relationship theory are described and analysed. The argument is extended to discuss the concept of the brand as a surrogate for trust, and hence as a reliable identifier of a certain cluster of values.     

An investigation of B-to-B brand value: evidence from manufacturing SMEs in Taiwan

Purpose: The importance of brand value has been increasingly recognized in business-to-business (B-to-B) marketing settings. Leek and Christodoulides (2012) proposed a comprehensive B-to-B brand value framework based on qualitative examination, which has yet to be quantitatively examined. As such, the objectives of this study are twofold: first, to quantitatively investigate Leek and Christodoulides’ (2012) B-to-B brand value framework and reveal the relative importance of the various attributes/elements; second, to explore whether the attribute/element priority in Leek and Christodoulides’ (2012) value framework differs for various types of buyers with respect to supplier characteristics, environmental factors, and situational factors. The research context is small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan. For industrial marketers, a better understanding of attribute/element priority pertaining to brand value is helpful in terms of marketing efficiency and success probability.

Methodology/Approach: Based on data from 22 SME buyers in Taiwan, a cluster analysis was performed to classify SME buyers into different buyer groups based on supplier characteristics, environmental factors, and situational factors, while an analytic hierarchy process was used to indicate the preference structure under different buyer groups.

Findings: The results reveal that the functional value items outperformed emotional value ones; further, quality, technology, and after-sales service were the top three elements of brand value. However, the attribute/element priority varied across different buyer groups. In general, the importance of functional value items was greater than that of emotional value items for most SME types. Top attributes/elements that exceeded 10% importance weight were almost all function-related, aside from emotion-related credibility—the primary concern (20.3%) of forced SMEs that held pessimistic perceptions regarding the economic environment, and procured within a highly concentrated market structure.

Originality/Value: This research study contributes by indicating the relative importance of brand value attributes/elements in the SME context and examining whether the attribute/element priority varies for distinct types of buyers. Based on the results, a target marketing strategy is provided for B-to-B marketers to effectively design marketing offerings and create brand value for their business buyers.     

The effect of knowledge complexity on the performance of franchise systems in the service industries: an empirical study

The literature of knowledge transfer studies complexity as a knowledge characteristic which influences organisations’ performance since it hinders this process. However, complex knowledge is richer and more complete and its influence on performance may be positive. So, the purpose of this study is to analyse the influence of knowledge complexity on the performance of franchise systems in the service industries. With this aim, a linear regression analysis is conducted on a sample of franchisee of different franchise chains of the several service industries operating in Spain. The findings seem to indicate that complexity has a positive impact on the performance of franchise systems.     

Measuring and Managing Employer Brand Image in the Service Industry

In competitive labour markets, the challenge for service-based organisations is to differentiate themselves in order to successfully attract and retain talented staff. Recently, the notion of branding the firm to potential and existing employees has been evoked in the marketing literature. In an empirical study, we measure aspects of this 'employer brand' image among potential recruits and recruiters during the recruitment process. The managerial implications of developing a more consistent employer brand image in the recruitment market are discussed. We conclude the paper by highlighting the contribution of our research, its limitations and areas for further research     

The Role of Brand Detachment on the Dissolution of the Relationship Between the Consumer and the Brand

Given the growing role of affective factors in consumer behaviour and particularly on brand loyalty, the deterioration of these factors can provide an additional explanation of the dissolution of the relationship between the brand and the consumer. A new concept, brand detachment, was developed in marketing research to enhance understanding of the dissolution process of the relationship between brands and consumers. Brand detachment results from the dissolution of the affective bond existing between a brand and a consumer and can be seen as an attitudinal aspect of the dissolution process of certain relationships. After conceptualizing brand detachment, the results of a quantitative study (N=434, use of regression analysis) allow this concept to be used as an indicator of the consumer's propensity to end the relationship with the brand. Thus brand detachment has a negative influence on the consideration of the brand and the consumer's subsequent buying behaviour in relation to it.     

Effects of store image and store brand price-image on store brand purchase intention: Application to an emerging market

Several factors have been underlined to explain store brands' (SBs) purchase behavior. This research investigates jointly the effect of store image perceptions, SB price-image and perceived risk toward SBs on SB purchase intention in the context of an emerging market (Brazil). Data were collected from a consumer survey with 379 respondents randomly selected. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Our results show that store image perceptions and SB price-image influence significantly SB purchase intention directly or indirectly via the effect of perceived risk toward SBs. These findings are discussed and their theoretical and managerial implications are provided.     

Determinants of brand equity in cultural organizations: the case of an art exhibition

The purpose of this research is two-fold. First, to explore the factors that help to create brand equity in cultural organizations from the visitor viewpoint and second, to examine the impact of cultural brand equity on visitor satisfaction as well as on future intentions. A model of the relationships is developed and empirically tested using data collected from visitors attending The Ages of Mankind cultural exhibition in Castilla and León, Spain. In the present study, evidence is found to support the propositions that brand equity is closely linked to the particular image it conveys, to the event's recognition, the quality of the exhibitions and the cultural values it transmits. Brand equity also impacts visitor perception of the most recent exhibition, as well as future intentions to attend or even pay an admission fee.     

It's no longer mine: the role of brand ownership and advertising in cross-border brand acquisitions

Although cross-border brand acquisitions are increasingly common in the global marketplace, research on how consumers respond to them is limited. Building on social identity and psychological ownership theories, we introduce the concept of brand ownership to the advertising literature, and show its negative effects on consumer reactions to a brand acquisition. Furthermore, we demonstrate that consumers’ disidentification (i.e., an oppositional motivation) with an acquiring country moderates the negative effect of consumers’ brand ownership on consumer attitudes after a brand acquisition. The results reveal that consumers with high levels of brand ownership develop more negative post-acquisition brand attitudes when a brand is acquired by a country with which consumers strongly disidentify (i.e. dissociative vs. out-group). Furthermore, our research introduces the concept of a brand ownership appeal in advertising, and demonstrates that it is an effective advertising strategy in enhancing post-acquisition brand attitudes for consumers with high levels of brand ownership. Important theoretical and managerial advertising implications conclude this research.     

International franchise expansion of service chains: insights from the Spanish market

This paper attempts to identify the effects of several variables on the international expansion pursued by Spanish service franchise chains. These include: management and franchising experience, brand awareness, the international franchise ratio, and a franchisor's size. Specifically, the study looks at 125 franchisors doing business in 44 foreign countries in late 2009. Findings allow us to conclude that management and franchising experience, together with brand awareness, the international franchise ratio and company size are significantly associated with (i) the number of countries where the chain has a presence; (ii) the number of operational outlets the franchisor has abroad, and (iii) the number of years the chain has been operating overseas.     

The effect of advertising on brand awareness and perceived quality: An empirical investigation using panel data

We use a panel data set that combines annual brand-level advertising expenditures for over three hundred brands with measures of brand awareness and perceived quality from a large-scale consumer survey to study the effect of advertising. Advertising is modeled as a dynamic investment in a brand’s stocks of awareness and perceived quality and we ask how such an investment changes brand awareness and quality perceptions. Our panel data allow us to control for unobserved heterogeneity across brands and to identify the effect of advertising from the time-series variation within brands. They also allow us to account for the endogeneity of advertising through recently developed dynamic panel data estimation techniques. We find that advertising has consistently a significant positive effect on brand awareness but no significant effect on perceived quality.

Understanding brand and dealer retention in the new car market: The moderating role of brand tier

Dealers may contribute to brand retention through their sales and service efforts. In this study we investigate the degree to which dealers contribute to brand retention and how this contribution is moderated by brand tier. To this end we distinguish between economy, volume and prestige brands. We also investigate how the effectiveness of dealer instruments to increase dealer retention differs across these brand tiers. We collected data on brand retention and dealer retention among consumers who recently purchased a new car. Our findings show that dealers selling volume brands are able to improve brand retention rates. In contrast, dealers of prestige and economy brands are unable to affect brand retention. In line with the notion of brand-dealer fit we also find that the effects of dealer extrinsic service quality and dealer payment equity on dealer retention differ between prestige, volume, and economy brands. Extrinsic dealer service quality has the smallest effect for dealers selling economy brands, while dealer payment equity is the most important determinant of dealer retention for these dealers.     

Motivators and enablers of SCOURing: A study of online piracy in the US and UK

Sharing Copyrighted or Unauthorized Replications (SCOURing) is a common activity among some 80 million online file-swappers. Unfortunately, SCOURing is also an illegal activity. A better understanding of SCOURing could help to mitigate its practice. To that end, results from an empirical study of US and UK consumers suggest SCOURing is explained by motivations (justification, believed pervasiveness by peers, believed risklessness, and experiential reasons) and ability (tech-savviness). If true, then companies' efforts to reduce SCOURing by legal action or trying to educate consumers about the victims of SCOURing may be ineffective.     

Exploring the post-termination stage of consumer–brand relationships: An empirical investigation of the premium car market

This research extends customer lifecycle models to include a post-termination stage that bridges the dissolution stage of a consumer–brand relationship with a potential recovery stage. Drawing from 43 depth interviews with former customers of a car brand, this study relies on grounded theory and triangulation to explore consumer responses in the post-termination stage and finds evidence for both negative and positive customer responses after dissolution. The authors combine qualitative techniques with categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) to explore the dimensionality of post-termination responses and extract relationship-related and termination-related response dimensions. They use these dimensions to identify four distinct post-termination customer clusters, which differ systematically with the customer's termination reasons, as demonstrated through a series of exact logistic regressions. In addition to providing evidence of a post-termination stage, this study offers implications for customer relationship management.     

Why negative brand extension evaluations do not always negatively affect the brand: The role of central and peripheral brand associations

This research introduces the concept of brand association centrality and distinguishes central brand associations (CBAs) and peripheral brand associations (PBAs). Study 1 shows that the consistency with CBAs and PBAs influences perceived brand extension fit. However, the brand extension consistency with CBAs positively affects consumer–brand extension evaluations, while the brand extension consistency with PBAs does not have a significant effect. Study 2 demonstrates the mediating role of perceived fit between brand extension consistency with CBAs and brand extension evaluations. The study shows that the more inconsistent the product extension is with CBAs, the more the brand's image is altered and the faster brand evaluations deteriorate. In contrast, the brand extension inconsistency with PBAs does not affect brand evaluations.     

Brand crises: The roles of brand familiarity and crisis relevance in determining the impact on brand evaluations

Brand crises, defined as well-publicized claims of unsubstantiated or false brand propositions can do severe damage to brands. Yet, the damaging effects of brand crises may not always be uniform. In other words, the effects of crises may be subject to moderators such as the relevance of the crisis to the brand and brand familiarity. We propose a framework that helps us understand the effects of brand crises on consumers' brand evaluations. We test the hypotheses that crisis relevance interacts with familiarity in its effect on brand evaluations, and that this effect is mediated by perceptions of the seriousness of the crisis. Results from two experiments support these predictions.     

The short- and long-term impact of brand placement in an advertiser-funded TV program on viewers' attitudes toward the sponsor brand and its main competitor

The present research investigates how viewers' liking of an advertiser-funded television program (AFP) influences viewers' attitude toward the brand that sponsors the program and its main competitor through a field study at two points in time (N_wave1 = 529 and N_wave2 = 256). An AFP is a television program which is fully sponsored by and built around a sponsoring brand. We test how the perceived program-sponsor brand fit moderates the effect of program liking one week and one month after the program finale. Program liking positively impacts brand attitude for the sponsor, and this effect becomes weaker over time. Program-sponsor brand fit reinforces the positive effect of program liking on brand attitude, especially in the longer term. In the longer term, program liking of an AFP also positively impacts viewers' attitude toward the main competitor of the sponsor.     

论品牌关系生命周期中消费者品牌信任与心理契约的建立

企业之间的竞争,集中体现为品牌统治权的争夺,实质是对消费者的争夺。只有与消费者建立长期持久的关系,才能取得竞争的先机。而信任是长期关系的基础,是关系营销取得成功的关键,与心理契约存在正相关关系。系统梳理、借鉴有关品牌信任和心理契约研究成果,并从理论上论证了品牌关系生命周期中消费者品牌信任与心理契约建立的横向动态关系与纵向互动关系同时存在,它们共同形成了消费者品牌信任与心理契约建立的动态整合模型。     

Building brand knowledge structures: Elaboration and interference effects on the processing of sequentially advertised brand benefit claims

Two experiments are reported that examine the effects of an ad campaign designed to link two different benefit claims to a brand. The findings indicated that recall for a subsequently advertised claim depended on the strength of existing brand–benefit links in memory. If prior advertising strongly established a benefit claim in memory, then proactive interference effects inhibited the recall of subsequently advertised benefit claims unrelated in meaning. Additional analyses suggested that these interference effects appeared to be a result of difficulties with encoding the newly advertised claims. If the original benefit claim was not as strongly established in memory, however, then unaided recall of the subsequently advertised benefit claims was actually higher than if there had been no prior advertising at all. In fact, less accessible and memorable claims, whether they preceded or followed more accessible and memorable claims, enhanced recall of the stronger claims. Additional analyses suggest that these elaboration effects occurred because prior or subsequent advertising improved brand awareness and thus later brand claim recall as a result.