Internal brand commitment,a multi-dimensional construct? Case study evidence within a collaborative independent retail network context

Commitment and other relational constructs have predominantly been examined within the organisational studies literature, and in more recent times within the relationship marketing literature, but have been largely neglected within the retail and branding literatures. There is little empirical evidence of commitment as a multi-dimensional construct within the marketing domain. Brand commitment studies have largely adopted an external consumer-based perspective, with little attention afforded to internal brand commitment, and the dimensionality of the construct. This study addresses this deficit, and aims to explore the dimensionality of the internal brand commitment construct within the business-to-business context of a collaborative independent retail network. A qualitative case study methodology is adopted based primarily on interviews with owner-managers. The study provides empirical evidence of the multi-dimensionality of the internal brand commitment construct, with both attitudinal and behavioural dimensions. Although the importance of internal branding has been acknowledged for service sector organisations, this is the first empirical evidence to document the complexity of internal brand commitment in a retail context. The study concludes that while calculative commitment builds organisational commitment, internal brand commitment requires an affective dimension, which leads to what can be interpreted as brand citizenship behaviour and/or conceptualised as the formation of a brand community.     

Consumers’ brand heritage experience: between acceptance and resistance

ABSTRACT

The literature dedicated to heritage experience and brand heritage defends the idea that it is a source of significant value creation for consumers and brands. By contrast, the aim of this article is to propose a more complete view of the consequences of the heritage strategy for brands and consumers by exploring how consumers perceive a brand heritage experience and by identifying potential resistances that may emerge during their visits. In consequence, this research examines the features of a brand heritage experience through extended case studies in two brand museums with narratives of 47 visitors. By unpacking a brand heritage experience, the study highlights its acceptance by a majority of visitors as a real heritage experience since they give scientific, authentic and aesthetic values to the industrial and commercial features of the brand. However, some visitors do not accept – partially or totally – the brand as part of the heritage corpus insofar as they exhibit scepticism or even reject the experience.     

The effect of a limited-edition offer following brand dilution on consumer attitudes toward a luxury brand

This research examines the impact of a luxury limited-edition offer in the face of core brand image dilution of a luxury brand. Through utilizing two millennial subgroups (college- vs. post-college age) as research participants in two studies, the findings suggest that in a brand dilution condition, the limited-edition product enhances consumers’ attitudes toward the luxury brand and that these effects are more pronounced for consumers with a higher self-presentation motive. We also find that college-age millennials are more strongly influenced by social influences than post-college age millennials. The implications for academic researchers and luxury brand retail managers are discussed.     

Temporary brand–retailer alliance model: the routes to purchase intentions for selective brands and mass retailers

We investigate a common but under-studied practice, the temporary alliance between a selective brand and a mass retailer, online or offline. Using a before-and-after methodology, we show how the attitude towards the new offer of a selective brand at a mass retailer plays a central mediating role. It is influenced by brand–retailer fit and product-category fit. It influences purchase intention towards the new offer, attitude changes towards the selective brand and mass retailer, and therefore purchase intention towards the brand and retailer. We also reveal a counterintuitive direct negative route from product-category fit to changes in purchase intention towards the retailer. To offer important managerial implications, we break out results for two selective brands and two types of mass retailers.     

零售商品牌资产形成机制及其理论模型

零售商品牌资产的形成机制反映了零售商品牌价值链与宏微观零售营销环境要素的作用关系。根据参与要素范围及内容结构的不同,零售商品牌资产的形成机制被分成宏观机制与微观机制,并表现为不同的理论模型。对理论模型中关键驱动要素的深入分析,有利于为零售商品牌资产建设提供有益建议。     

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.     

A longitudinal examination of the effects of retailer–manufacturer brand alliances: The role of perceived fit

Abstract

One resource that has been identified as a valuable source of competitive advantage is the equity associated with an organisation's brands. Organisations devote considerable resources to developing strategies that allow them to build and/or maintain strong brand names. This study investigates brand alliances between retailers and manufacturers. The role of perceived fit between the partnering brands is explored. In addition, the study examines the influence that retailer–manufacturer brand alliances have on: retailer equity; manufacturer brand equity; the intention of consumers to frequent the stores of the retailer involved in the brand alliance (shopping intention); and the intention of consumers to purchase products from the manufacturer involved in the brand alliance (purchase intention).     

A typology of organisational stakeholder engagement with place brand identity

ABSTRACT

This study explores how stakeholders engage with a place brand identity (PBI) in the context of country branding. This research extends beyond the importance and challenges of stakeholder brand engagement with place brand identity by exploring several typology of stakeholder engagement with PBI. A case study approach using semi-structured interviews with 39 senior-level representatives from national Australian organisations was adopted to explore how internal stakeholders in Australia are engaged with the current PBI initiative in Australia: Australia Unlimited (AU). A typology of stakeholder engagement with a PBI, including philosophical and concrete engagement was identified. Stakeholders’ philosophical engagement is reflected by their moral support, future engagement intention, as well as positive word-of-mouth (WOM) behaviour. Concrete engagement, on the other hand, is reflected by place brand partnership and internalisation of PBI in the organisations’ strategy. The research findings offer practical ways for place brand managing organisations (PBMO) to enhance stakeholder engagement with a PBI. The identification of multicomponent nature of PBI from the research findings allows PBMO to identify which PBI component lacks stakeholder support in order to make necessary improvements. Further, identification of the typology of stakeholder engagement with PBI provides alternative strategies of how stakeholder engagement can be managed.