Cultural Differences in Online Community Motivations: Exploring Korean Automobile Online Brand Communities (KAOBCs) and American Automobile Online Brand Communities (AAOBCs)

To gain a better understanding of online brand communities, this study has examined why people joined in online brand communities and whether there were some differences in the motivations of Internet users based on different cultures. Open-ended questions were asked to the community members from both South Korean Automobile Online Brand Communities (KAOBC) and American Automobile Online Brand Communities (AAOBC) in the first stage and then generated and utilized an online survey for the study. The study found that KAOBC members tended to have a stronger social network, business, and communication motivations than AAOBC members. As a primary motivation, information seeking is the strongest motivation for members of both KAOBC and AAOBC. They had a similar level of information motivation.     

Typology of Online Brand Communities: An Examination of South Korean Automobile Online Brand Communities

The study explores how brand communities are structured and operate in the context of Korean Automobile Online Brand Communities (KAOBCs). The content analysis method was used to examine the characteristics of KAOBCs and identify the typology of the communities. The most popular search engine of South Korea, naver.com, was used to select sample KAOBCs. Our research finds that the socially-oriented community type is the most popular of the KAOBCs, followed by communication, information and business oriented communities in order. The number of community members, number of community staff, and duration of the community are the main determinants of KAOBCs.     

Consumer Attitudes toward Online Advertising: The Moderating Role of Personality

This study investigates how consumer attitudes toward advertising in general affect their attitudes toward online advertising. It also investigates the moderating role of the personality traits of introversion and extroversion in explaining this relationship. An online survey is used to collect data from a convenience sample of 244 respondents living in Canada. Results show that attitude toward advertising in general has a positive and significant impact on attitude toward online advertising. Introversion is found to have no moderating impact on the relationship between both attitudes. However, extroversion moderates this relationship.     

网络负面谣言与品牌崇拜：品牌口碑与沟通技巧的作用

文章对网络负面谣言与消费者品牌崇拜的关系,以及品牌口碑与沟通技巧在以上关系中所起的中介与调节作用进行了实证研究。研究以广州地区211家品牌服饰企业的品牌管理者为实证研究对象,通过对问卷调查数据进行层级回归分析发现：(1)网络负面谣言不但会直接负向影响消费者对企业的品牌崇拜,而且还会通过负向影响企业的品牌口碑,继而对消费者品牌崇拜产生负面影响,品牌口碑在网络负面谣言与消费者品牌崇拜关系中起部分中介作用;(2)沟通技巧程度强的企业品牌更能抵制网络负面谣言的影响,相对于低沟通技巧的企业,高沟通技巧企业的消费者较少因为网络负面谣言而降低其对原有消费品牌的崇拜。     

品牌个性、消费者真实自我与品牌态度

基于FCB Grid模型视角,运用实证分析的方法研究品牌个性与消费者真实自我对品牌态度的影响。研究发现,高涉入度/认知型和高涉入度/情感型品牌的品牌个性与真实自我概念一致的群体比不一致的群体具有更高的品牌态度,在此类品牌的塑造上考虑注入品牌个性的五个维度中的"智"和"雅"的个性特征,低涉入度/认知品牌未显示出显著的品牌个性,低涉入度/情感型品牌的一致群体与不一致群体均显示出显著的品牌个性。     

人格特征对在线品牌社群信息分享意愿的影响研究——规范激励和结构保障的调节作用

以往关于尽责性和神经质人格特征对人们分享意愿影响的研究并未达成一致的结论。文章通过两个实验探讨尽责性和神经质对在线品牌社群信息分享意愿产生的影响,并且引入两个社群技术因素（规范激励与结构保障）,进一步探讨它们对上述影响的调节作用。结果发现尽责性正向影响信息分享意愿,而神经质负向影响信息分享意愿。此外,在线品牌社群提供规范激励时,相较于低尽责性,高尽责性成员的信息分享意愿会显著提高。而在线品牌社群提供结构保障时,相较于低神经质,高神经质成员的信息分享意愿会显著提高。研究结论能够帮助企业管理者更好地了解消费者在线品牌社群信息分享意愿的差异,以便针对性地对社群进行设计,促进社群成员有更多的信息分享行为。     

Creating Meaningful Brands: The Relationship Between Brand Name and Brand Mark

Marketing theorists espouse that the long-term success of a brand is contingent upon the proper selection and operationalization of brand meaning prior to market entry. Nevertheless, prior research has not addressed how to design multiple branding elements that together can convey consistent brand meaning. Results of the first study support a relationship between structural characteristics of the brand name (e.g., front vs. back vowels) and the brand mark's size, shape, and color. The second study found that brands with marks that are consistent in design with the brand name better communicate intended brand meaning. An important implication is that a properly operationalized brand may require fewer marketing expenditures to create brand image.     

品牌体验对品牌忠诚的影响:品牌社区的中介作用

文章以"动感地带"为测试品牌,在构建品牌体验、品牌社区和品牌忠诚三者之间概念模型的基础上,应用多元回归分析,实证研究了品牌体验、品牌社区对品牌忠诚的影响.研究发现:品牌体验对品牌社区具有显著的正向效应;品牌体验和品牌社区对品牌忠诚均具有明显的正向影响;品牌社区是品牌体验作用于品牌忠诚的中介变量,品牌体验更多的是通过品牌社影响品牌忠诚.这些研究结论为品牌忠诚影响因素的进一步研究提供了理论基础,对于企业创新品牌忠诚培育模式和策略也具有指导意义.     

Leveraging Online Communities to Support the Brand and Develop the Community

While numerous organizations and consumers utilize interactive online marketing activities (e.g., creating discussion forums, having brainstorming sessions, and running surveys) to interact with the brand and fellow brand users, there is little research that addresses how important it is to offer community members activities based on their motivations to participate in the community. This research is an important first step at examining the degree to which marketers need to match marketing activities in online communities with community member motivations to affect brand and community outcomes. Using a longitudinal study of 256 members from 9 marketing research online communities in 3 different industries, this research finds that online communities can be used to positively influence a broad range of brand assessments, brand-supportive behaviors, and community-supportive behaviors. Furthermore, leveraging marketing activities in online communities is more complex than previously thought.     

在线品牌社群社会资本对消费者品牌幸福感的影响机制研究

文章从社会资本的视角,探讨在线品牌社群对消费者品牌幸福感的影响机制。基于680份有效问卷,运用偏最小二乘法对假设进行检验。研究结果表明：在线品牌社群社会资本会通过促进社群幸福感（社群主观幸福感、社群心理幸福感和社群社会幸福感）进而促进品牌幸福感;在社群幸福感内部,社群社会幸福感会促进社群心理幸福感,而二者都会促进社群主观幸福感;在线品牌社群访问频率在社群主观幸福感与品牌幸福感之间起到正向调节作用。研究结论丰富了在线品牌社群和品牌幸福感理论,且对品牌建设实践具有指导价值。     

乡村旅游地品牌个性特征研究——以西安长安区“农家乐”为例

借助国际上品牌个性特征测度的经典量表,并结合国内相关学者的已有研究成果,选取"农家乐"这一旅游休闲活动为研究对象进行实证研究,研究结果显示:"农家乐"旅游休闲品牌的个性维度和以往研究的"大五"维度有所不同,其品牌个性特征表现为实惠、喜悦、闲适、交互、健康和逃逸6大特征;该6项测度结果较好地解释了"农家乐"旅游休闲活动产品的品牌特性和"农家乐"旅游休闲活动的参与特点和呈现方式。     

Brand Personality Usage in Crisis Communication in Facebook

This study examines the role of brand personality in organizational crisis communication within the context of social media. Content analysis methods are employed to analyze brands' official Facebook posts pre- and post-crisis for a period of 7 months. Relationship maintenance strategies are examined through the lens of two sincere brands (Chick-fil-A and Susan G. Komen for the Cure) and two exciting brands (Netflix and Facebook). Findings demonstrate that organizations communicate with the public about a crisis differently depending on their products' brand personalities, both pre- and post-crisis. Findings indicated that sincere brands were more active in the management of crises by increasing networking strategy and decreasing positivity strategy. In contrast, exciting brands were relatively passive in crisis response communications, sustaining instead such pre-crisis strategies as openness. At the conclusion of this study, implications and future research are discussed.     

Impact of Advertising Variability on Building Customer-Based Brand Personality in a Competitive Environment: Empirical Analysis with Reference to Mexico

ABSTRACT

Brand equity is built around brand personality as one of its core dimensions. The psychographic variables, such as emotions, associated with a brand's image constitute the brand's personality. Although consumers' experiences with the brand cultivate such a personality, advertising plays a dominant role in its creation. This paper attempts to explore the mechanism that builds brand personality through means of communication, such as advertising and word of mouth. The discussions in the paper integrate advertising variability concepts with brand personality and present viable propositions as managerial implications for building a brand's personality while taking the variables of marketing communication into consideration. The hypotheses set within the integrated framework lead to the construct of an advertising model that is cohesive to brand personality measures. In building this framework, analyses of the concepts of brand equity and advertising, communication, personality and loyalty have been critically examined and tested based on two separate studies conducted in Mexico.

RESUMEN. El valor de una marca se construye utilizando su propia personalidad como una de sus dimensiones intrínsecas. Las variables psicográficas, tales como las emociones asociadas a la imagen de la marca, son las que constituyen su personalidad. A pesar del hecho de que son justamente las experiencias que los clientes tienen con la marca las que crean dicha personalidad, la publicidad también desempeña un papel importante. Este documento trata de explorar el mecanismo utilizado para construir la personalidad de la marca a través de medios de comunicación tales como la publicidad, y los datos transmitidos verbalmente por las personas. Los argumentos utilizados en este documento integran los conceptos de la variabilidad publicitaria a la personalidad de la marca, y presentan propuestas viables como implicancias gerenciales para construir dicha personalidad al mismo tiempo que toman en consideración las variables del mercadeo comunicacional. La hipótesis trazada dentro del marco integrado nos llevó a construir un modelo publicitario coherente con las medidas de la personalidad de la marca. Al construir este marco, hemos analizado los conceptos inherentes al valor de la marca y su publicidad, comunicación, y lealtad críticamente, poniéndolos a prueba en dos estudios separados realizados en México.

RESUMO. O valor da marca-brand equity-é construído ao redor da personalidade da marca como uma de suas dimensões principais. As variáveis psicográficas, tais como emoções, associadas à imagem de uma marca constituem a personalidade da marca. Embora experiências dos consumidores com a marca cultivem tal personalidade, a propaganda desempenha papel dominante em sua criação. Este artigo busca explorar o mecanismo que constrói a personalidade da marca através dos meios de comunicação, tais como propaganda e boca a boca. As discussões apresentadas no artigo integram conceitos de variabilidade da propaganda com personalidade de marca e apresentam proposições viáveis de implicações gerenciais para a construção da personalidade de uma marca, ao mesmo tempo em que levam em consideração as variáveis da comunicação de marketing. As hipóteses levantadas no âmbito do arcabouço integrado levam à construção de um modelo de propaganda que é coerente com as mensurações de personalidade de marca. Construindo este arcabouço, análises dos conceitos de valor da marca-brand equity-e propaganda, comunicação, personalidade e lealdade, foram examinados criticamente, e testados baseados em dois estudos independentes conduzidos no México.     

Impact of Online Reviews on Consumer’s Hotel Booking Intentions: Does Brand Image Mediate?

Abstract

The recent trend suggests that people are more inclined to online hotel reviews to take online hotel booking decisions. The present study argues that when consumers are exposed to online hotel reviews, it draws an impression of the hotel brand in the mind of consumers, resulting in influence their hotel booking intentions. The current study determines the mediation effects of brand image between credible online hotel reviews and consumers’ hotel booking intentions. To ascertain the uni-dimensionality of the scales, the present study executes exploratory factor analysis. The ensure the internal consistency of the variable scales, the study determines Cronbach’s alpha. To measure the mediation effects, the present study performs structural equation modeling bootstrapping method. Data analysis reveals that marketers should look at hedonic brand image, which ultimately influences consumers’ hotel booking intentions. This is a unique study that ascertains the type of brand image that actually mediates between the impact of online hotel reviews and consumers’ hotel booking intentions. In addition, the paper furnishes theoretical background on how people interpret online hotel reviews and its effects.     

在线品牌社群成员参与程度对其社群认同的影响——产品类型和品牌熟悉度的调节

文章根据互动和非互动划分社群成员参与程度的高低，通过两个实验探究了在不同产品类型和品牌熟悉度的情境下，在线品牌社群成员参与程度对其社群认同的影响差异。研究发现：对于搜索品，社群参与程度较低时，其社群认同更强；对于体验品，社群参与程度较高时，其社群认同更强。另外，对于低熟悉度品牌，产品类型的调节作用仍然存在。但对于高熟悉度品牌，无论是搜索品还是体验品，社群参与程度较高时，其社群认同更强。最后，文章为企业在线品牌社群管理提出了营销建议。     

消费者自我概念结构维度对品牌个性的相对影响力研究

文章实证调查了消费者自我概念结构维度对品牌个性的相对影响力。问卷调查数据分析显示,在三个被研究的自我概念维度中,实际的自我概念对品牌个性具有最显著的积极影响;社会的自我概念对品牌个性也具有显著的积极影响。而理想的自我概念对品牌个性的影响未获统计学意义上的支持。另外,文章也获得品牌个性显著影响消费者品牌购买和品牌口传意图的实验证据,这些研究结果能够为实施基于消费者自我概念的品牌个性战略提供启示。     

电商化转型零售商的品牌权益提升机制与路径研究——基于双渠道品牌形象驱动的视角

网络零售强烈冲击下的国内传统零售业面临行业生存危机,电商化转型已经成为行业的必然发展趋势。文章通过界定电商化转型零售商及其品牌形象、品牌权益的概念,提出其“实体-网络”双渠道品牌形象结构的概念模型,并进一步构建其“双渠道品牌形象——品牌权益”驱动机制模型,以结构方程结合信度分析、效度分析等方法进行了实证分析。研究发现：电商化转型零售商的实体品牌形象各维度变量对网络品牌形象的对应维度变量都具有非常强的直接积极影响（即支撑效应）,价值维度、价格维度、供应维度的支撑效应由强至弱;实体品牌形象各维度变量对品牌权益产生明显的总积极影响（即提升效应）,价格维度、价值维度、供应维度的提升效应由强至弱,但供应维度无直接影响;网络性品牌形象各维度变量对品牌权益产生明显的直接积极影响（即提升效应）,供应维度、价格维度、价值维度的提升效应由强至弱。     

企业与消费者品牌互动认知差异探析

企业与消费者之间的互动是品牌建设的重要方式,但调查数据显示了目前企业与消费者在品牌互动态度、内容、行为及评价认知等方面存在着显著差异,严重影响了企业品牌建设的效果。本文认为,要缩小企业与消费者品牌互动认知的差异,需要企业和消费者双方都能对自身的角色和行为进行合理和有效的定位。     

浙商创牌思维与品牌管理之道

本文全面总结了浙商“从无到有，从贴到创”的创牌之路，并剖析了浙商在创区域品牌、国内优秀品牌和国际品牌过程中所展现出来的独特创牌思维与品牌管理之道。