Valuation of brand equity and retailer growth strategies using real options

In marketing, significant attention has been devoted to the study of drivers and outcomes of strategic flexibility drawing on real options theory. However, research that quantifies the specific value of flexibility reflected in a bundle of strategic real options is lacking. To remedy this gap, we develop a real options-based framework that takes account of brand expansion and extension options to value brand equity and retailer growth strategies. We show how to value the bundle of strategic real options associated with a flexible marketing strategic vision and how to assess the growth strategies related to the corporate brand of an international retailer. We apply our method to estimating the brand equity of Starbucks both under growth and adversity conditions. The results reveal that our method can more reliably incorporate the growth potential of the brand under uncertainty conditions. Comparisons with other brand valuation approaches are discussed. Our study helps clarify the links among management’s strategic plans, brand-based marketing strategies and share price, and allows to better monitor the impact of retailer strategic choices on long-term brand equity value.     

Promotional Strategies Utilized by the Film Industry

Abstract

With the average cost of a feature motion picture rapidly approaching the $100 million mark, major production studios are turning to greater use of promotions to help guarantee the success of their films. As an entertainment commodity, motion pictures offer unique challenges in terms of promotions. This article briefly reviews some of the major traditional promotional techniques as well as techniques more commonly used in the entertainment industry. The research presented in the second half of the article uses secondary data on critical reviews, awards and box office returns to determine the relationship between critical opinion and motion picture success. The results suggest that there appears to be little or no correlation between the opinion of critics and the success of a motion picture.     

How retailer money-back guarantees influence consumer preferences for retailer versus national brands

Retailers often use money-back guarantees to reduce consumer perceived risk about brand quality and to increase their market share. The effect of such guarantees on perceived product quality and ultimately preference and product choice depends on their perceived value and credibility, related to other extrinsic clues, such as price and brand. An analysis of an experimental design with a national sample of consumers shows that compared with a simple money-back guarantee, a double money-back guarantee does not further increase the relative preference for a retailer brand over a national brand. Furthermore, the size of the effect of a money-back guarantee is small, moderated by the effects of other information on product quality, such as the size of the price differential between retailer and national brands. Finally, the effect of a money-back guarantee differs, depending on the customer–retailer relationship: A retailer with high credibility can influence regular customers less by guarantees.     

Brand personality appeal in retailing: Comparing fashion- and grocery retailing

In a mature retail market, branding can offer retailers opportunities for setting themselves apart. This study examines the construct ‘brand personality appeal’ (BPA; Freling et al., 2011) in retailing. Two consumer surveys are administered, on fashion retailing (n = 104) and grocery retailing (n = 101), focusing on (1) store personality, (2) BPA, and (3) retailer brand equity. A SmartPLS estimation shows that ‘enthusiasm’ is a personality trait that appeals to consumers regardless of the retail context, whereas ‘sophistication’ matters more in fashion retailing and ‘unpleasantness’ in grocery retailing. BPA is a significant driver of retail brand equity, regardless of the retail context.     

The effect of customer service on retailers’ shareholder wealth: The role of availability and reputation cues

Retailer customer service has been shown to lead to increases in consumer attraction and retention, but what is less apparent is whether shareholders are fully rewarded for retailers’ customer service efforts. Results from an event study on 48 retailer announcements of customer service strategies indicate that customer service increases retailer market values by 1.09 percent on average. The magnitude of this abnormal return suggests that customer service is one of the more effective ways for firms to create shareholder wealth. Further, analysis of the abnormal returns suggests that the shareholder value created by the retailer's customer service is affected by the heuristics and cues used to judge the likelihood of service delivery. Consistent with the availability heuristic, we find that services that are difficult to bring to mind and non-vivid services create significantly less shareholder value. Results further show that the retailer's reputation can also significantly inhibit the customer service's shareholder wealth creation.     

从国外实践看零售国际化对东道国的影响及应对策略

本文从供应链效力、水平竞争、消费者文化意识、东道国公共政策及社会文化价值等几方面,建立起零售国际化对东道国影响的分析框架,并且结合许多发展中国家与新兴市场的实例,对东道国政府与本土零售商的应对策略进行了分析.研究表明,政府的策略重点在于通过有效的政策设计适度保护民族零售商业,本土零售商则应通过塑造独特的竞争优势、重新定义市场区域、改变所有权结构等方式,积极应对外资的挑战.     

How retailer and competitor decisions drive the long-term effectiveness of manufacturer promotions for fast moving consumer goods

While both retailer and competitor decisions contribute to long-term promotional effectiveness, their separate impact has yet to be evaluated. For 75 brands in 25 categories, the author finds that the long-term retailer pass-through of promotions is 65 percent, yielding a long-run wholesale promotional elasticity of 1.78 before competitive response. However, competitors partially match the wholesale price reduction by 15 percent, which decreases promotional elasticity by 10 percent. The range of retailer and competitor response across the analyzed cases is very wide, and is affected by category and brand characteristics. As to the former, large categories yield stronger retailer response, while concentrated categories yield stronger competitor response. As to the latter, smaller brands face a fourfold disadvantage compared to leading brands: they obtain lower retail pass-through, lower retail support, and lower benefits from competing brand's promotions, while their promotions generate higher benefits to competitors. Interestingly, the mid-1990s move from off-invoice allowances towards scan-back deals only partially improves their promotional effectiveness compared to that of leading brands.     

Consumer evaluations of different promotion types and price presentations: the moderating role of promotional benefit level

The effects of promotion type (i.e., price discounts and bonus packs) and price presentation (i.e., dollars and percentages) across promotional benefit levels were investigated in three experimental studies. The results suggest, for the products considered, that price discounts and bonus packs were valued similarly for both low and moderate promotional benefit levels, while price discounts were preferred when high promotional benefit levels were employed. Additionally, promotions presented in percentage terms were preferred when the benefit level was high. The implications of these results for retailers and manufacturers are that percentage price presentations should be used when large discounts are being offered. Furthermore, it appears that bonus packs are a viable alternative to price discounts when promotion levels are small or moderate since they have less of a deleterious effect on the brand.     

Supply chain management and the evolution of the “Big Middle”

The authors define the “Big Middle” as the marketspace in which the bulk of retailers compete for the majority of customers and the preponderance of expenditures occur. Therefore, it is the space in which retailers aspire to exist in their quest for increased revenues, scale economies, and profits. An enduring concept, the Big Middle appears in any economy in which large-scale retailing has developed. In general merchandise retailing in the U.S., there have been three Big Middle subperiods, each defined by a distinct branch of the general merchandising tree; driven by geographic, technological, and socioeconomic changes; and dominated by preeminent retail chains. During the variety store subperiod, the F.W. Woolworth chain dominated. In the national-chain department store subperiod, Sears Roebuck and JCPenney were the primary retailers, and in the modern discounter subperiod, Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Target have emerged as leaders. The authors argue that the development of these subperiods and the success of their major retailers have depended on the efficient and effective flow of merchandise from suppliers to customers. Optimizing this flow always has entailed harnessing current technology, given the geographic and socioeconomic realities of the time. Currently, technology facilitates a comprehensive application of supply chain management, whereas previous technology only permitted a simplified version.     

Contemporary Sports Marketing

Abstract

The term ?sports marketing“ developed in the United States as a way to analyze and implement strategies in which innovative as well as tried and true marketing techniques are used to financially support amateur and professional sports. With costs increasing, purveyors of ports must look for additional revenue beyond ticket sales and television fees. Corporations are searching for ways to increase the effective use of the advertising dollar. The partnership of the two parties has never been stronger than today, in the U.S. and abroad. In fact, sports collectively currently make up the 11th largest industry in the country. This article reviews the various aspects of the sports marketing mix including sponsorships, partnerships, the athlete, as well as the upcoming role of the web. The implications to corporations, the rising female athlete, and future challenges and opportunities are discussed