A proposal to examine the nature of brandimaging and its impact on E-business and the role of cultural and socio-economic factors on brandimaging and performance.
Abstract Creating and managing brandimage is a critical part of any retail business's overall marketing plan. Yet research is lacking that demonstrates clear correlational links between cultural and socio-economic factors and brandingimaging and performance in global markets, with particular regard for Internet-based businesses. The paper proposes a study to examine and identify the assorted cultural and socio-economic dimensional characteristics of foreign markets that are theorized to affect brandimaging and performance. The study proposes to obtain and analyze data from a multinational sample of internet business managers, representing 10 countries and 25 regions within these countries, in order to collect data related to the proposed study variables. The ramifications of the study findings for businesses that market brands globally over the internet and suggestions for further research are discussed. Chapter One includes an introduction and background of the problem and a theoretical framework for the study. This section is followed by a rational for this study, the research hypotheses and definitions of key concepts. Chapter Two presents an extensive literature review of the research topic and variables involved; this includes the concepts of brandimage development, imagebranding strategies, cultural and socioeconomic market factors and product performance in the global market. Chapter Three presents information on the study's methodology, including research design, sample, survey questionnaire, procedures and data analysis. Results are presented in Chapter Four. Chapter Five includes a discussion of the managerial and theoretical implications of the findings and suggestions for further research.
From the Paper "With so many new companies appearing daily on the Internet, the effective manager must develop a marketing plan that presents products to the largest possible audience of customers. This is where brand image formation comes into play, as products and brands are frequently used to express cultural principles and determine cultural categories. Since brands and products that cross cultural boundaries can lead to customer confusion (certain goods may not be valued for the same reasons across cultures), effective marketers must ensure that the values communicated by their products and brands are meaningful to customers in their target audience (Steinberg & Klein, 1998). Identifying the pertinent cultural and socio-environmental characteristics that satisfy consumer needs should help marketers choose brand image strategies that have the greatest potential."
Abstract This paper discusses the importance of the brandimage in general, and then the process that Georgia-Pacific used to change their brand icon of the Brawny Man for its paper towels. It looks at the identification of brand name and image with the product and the emotional pull of a brand icon on consumers. The paper looks at the focus of group feedback and the importance of keeping an image current to help market share.
From the Paper "Companies can invest millions of dollars in their brands and brand icons and most companies are reluctant to change their icon without good reason. Over the years the image of Betty Crocker has received..."
Tags: marketing, brandimage, Brawny paper towels Icon
Abstract This paper considers the Samsung case - the problem of redefining the brandimage in Canada. The paper answers several specific questions on this topic.
From the Paper "Part I. A big box and superstore are virtually interchangeable names. Big They derive their profits from high-volume sales rather than from price mark up. To sell a profitable volume they must occupy a large space and typically range in size in square feet. They are usually located near a freeway exit and use a windowless box-type building style with single-layer layout and large areas for parking."
Abstract This paper examines the effects of advertising and marketing of certain brands on the consumer audience. Trademarks are designed to identify a product and are an important factor for a product's brandimage. This brand name in terms of sign, symbol or design or a combination of these is used to identify the goods and services of a particular product. Brand switching takes place in instances when the consumers are educated and well read. The more educated the public the more likely the chance of brand switching. The writer of this paper focuses on the Indian market, which is aware of the many branded products that are universally available. The potential of rural demand in India today is tremendous and requires to be tapped. This paper delves into the workings of the Indian economy which was opened to foreign multinationals in 1992. This paper discusses the impact of the Indian government lowering the duty tax on various imported goods to ensure that they compete well alongside goods produced by Indian companies. This paper also examines the use of operation resource groups, whose duty is to determine the demands for products of each category and present it to various companies so that they can make a proper decision with respect to the national demand for their product.
Table of Contents:
What is a BrandImage?
How Does Brand Switching Take Place?
From the Paper "Recently, the penetration of Audio, Video visuals and the print media has penetrated well into the rural market in India. Moreover the general level of education of the public has improved making them exposed to these print and visual medias. The constant reverse flow of Industries from cities to the towns and villages in some cases has made the rural youths more aware and rich financially. In fact this has created a rural demand for many fancy products in India. The potential of rural demand today is tremendous and requires to be tapped. The Indian Economy was opened to the foreign multinationals in the year 1992 and finding the rural demand potential the foreign companies clamored to come to India in a big way. The penetration of Information Technology into the Indian rural market as well as the city youth have also generated a market which is in a constant state of flux as regards brands."
Abstract This paper explores the importance of branding in the automobile industry by using the Audi brand and company to illustrate many of the central aspects relating to the strategies and implications of branding within the industry. This study shows conclusively that a product or service brand is an essential aspect of commercial success in a very competitive age. The examples of the way that Audi has overcome various problems, discussed in the paper, show how important a brand is as a pivotal aspect of a company's success or failure. The writer notes that what is particularly noteworthy about the Audi brand is the innovative and creative way that the company has achieved its particular brand status.
Introduction
Research Methodology and Sources
The Importance of Branding Branding in the Automotive Industry
The Function and Significance of Branding Audi: A Case Study
Audi and Branding: Brief History
Discussion: The Example and Importance of Audi Branding Statistics and Figures
General Discussion
The Importance of Innovative Brand Marketing
Integrated Branding and Customer Relationships
Consolidating the Brand: Organization Structure and Staff Training
The Relationship between CRM and Branding Social Involvement and Alternate Reality Branding Overcoming Image Problems through Branding Conclusion
Works Cited
Appendix
From the Paper "Another aspect that relates to the importance of branding in a general sense is the increased global competition and "... increasing product homogeneity", which has brought fierce rivalry to the international markets and made it more difficult to maintain strong and durable brands. This factor has increased the importance and significance of branding, in that. "... it is likely that brands with strong consumer emotional ties will continue to grow in importance and significance.
Integrated branding is a concept and praxis that continually comes to the fore in discussions about contemporary branding practices. The concept of integrated branding is one which comes closer to the meaning that branding has for modern companies and particularly for the automotive industry. In essence this concept means that the entire strategy, in terms of organization and marketing of a product, is encapsulated in the creation and maintenance of a given brand. In other words, the brand becomes the measure of the relationship that is developed between the customer and the product or company."
This paper discusses branding and its application in two Israeli companies, including the use of urban space for advertising via the method of advertising on buildings and on billboards.
7,405 words (approx. 29.6 pages), 14 sources, 2002, $ 163.95
Abstract This paper compares the background and marketing programs of two companies operating in Israel: the Neviot mineral water company, an Israeli company, which is an aggressive marketer; and the Buiron homeopathy company, a Belgian company, which is a more traditional marketer. The author points out that Neviot was one of the first companies to adopt the advertising-on-building media by showing a huge bottle of mineral water painted on the wall of a thirty-six-story tower building located next to a freeway. This paper states that advertising on buildings is a form of urban decoration.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Branding and Space - Theoretical Background
The Meaning of Branding Branding and its Ramifications
Consumer's Perspective
The Firm's Perspective
Branding Approaches
Individual Product Brand Family or Blanket Brand Company Brand Distributor Brand Licensing
BrandImage and Perception
Marketing
Penetration
Market Development
Product Development
Diversification
The Art of Brand Construction
The Myth of Brand Loyalty
The "Neviot" Company
The "Boiron" Company
Background
Main Groups
The Products ? Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Weaknesses
The End Consumer
The Market Characteristics
The Development of the Market and Estimate of the Market Size
Marketing Strategy
General Strategy
Entering the Market ? General
Activity When Entering the Market
Survey
The Salesmen Force
Sales Promotion
Medical Reliability
Professional Advertisement
Summary and Conclusions
From the Paper "A brand is a name, concept, sign, symbol, example, decoration or combination of the aforementioned designed to identify the goods, products or services of an individual seller or a group of sellers, and to differentiate between these products and those of the competition. Brands shape the image and "personality" of the product, lending it features perceived as having overall quality by the consumer when they evaluate it against another product. Coca Cola is the name brand of a soft drink. There are several parameters used to assess soft drinks (taste, color, texture) but the manufacturer brands the name Coca Cola so that consumers can classify the drink in a certain category that provides it with perceived features beyond the regular ones. When consumers purchase Reebok sneakers, they are not only purchasing shoes but shoes along with the added value derived from the name. As a result, consumers are prepared to pay much more for Reeboks than for regular shoes."
Abstract This paper analyzes cause-related marketing (CRM) from a business perspective in order to determine what exactly cause-related marketing is and what relationship exists, if any, between cause-related marketing and brandimaging. The paper explores whether CRM is a successful tool for enhancing brandimage and thus public opinion of a corporation's products and/or services.
From the Paper "To understand how cause related marketing is related to brand marketing one must first understand what exactly cause related marketing entails. Brown, Olsen & Pracejus (2003) define cause related marketing as a technique whereby "the contribution of the advertiser to a cause is linked to the customers' engaging in revenue producing transactions with the firm" (19; from Varadarajan & Menon, 1988: 60). Cause related marketing is increasingly a popular trend in marketing, resulting in more than seven hundred million dollars per year in promotion expenditures in the United States alone (Brown, Olsen & Pracejus, 2003; IEG, 2001). Kelley & Kowalczyk (2003) define the practice of cause related marketing as a process of "formulating and implementing marketing activities that are characterized by contributed a specific amount to a designated effort that causes customers to engage in revenue providing exchanges" (p. 15). Cause related marketing strategies serve corporations in a number of ways, allowing them to justify donations, utilize fewer resources, differentiate products and services among other things (Keeley & Kowalcyzk, 2003:15)."
Abstract In this paper, the writer writes of the top five business ideas acquired during a business seminar for managers: leadership, cross cultural communication, business ethics, brandimage and business negotiations.
The paper explains that good leadership is the single most important factor contributing to the success of an organization. The paper discusses how successful cross cultural communication is becoming more important than ever before and how the results of unethical business practices can prove catastrophic to organizations. The writer relates that it is extremely difficult to change the brandimage after it well established and knowing how to negotiate successfully will improve our interactions with customers and co-workers.
From the Paper "Good leadership is the single most important factor contributing to the success of an organization. However, most businesses focus primarily on financial results. In doing so, they miss the important fact that their financial results are actually the outcome of the work produced by the employees. The more energized and motivated the employees, the greater the chances of success for the organization.
Good leaders have always motivated their people. Martin Luther King, Winston Churchill, Gandhi and our own Silicon Valley icons such as Andy Grove and Steve Jobs have successfully motivated their followers and employees to produce their very best work. Indeed, as Twyla Dell so accurately stated of motivation, "The heart of motivation is to give people what they really want most from work. The more you are able to provide what they want, the more you should expect what you really want, namely: productivity, quality and service."
Abstract Discusses the image as a crucial part of a firm's marketing program. Describes the characteristics of e-commerce and the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of foreign markets that affect brandimage and performance.
From the Paper "The new and fast growing world of E-commerce is changing the way in which the world shops, with more than 1.6 million highly competitive commercial sites doing business on the World Wide Web in the early 2001's. Given the ever-increasing..."
Abstract The paper shows how the brandimage of McDonald's has gone through a number of reincarnations, from stressing the fact that fast food was hot, cheap and relatively inexpensive to stressing its status as a value-based company that offers tasty food. The paper shows how McDonald's tried but could not totally reconfigure their brand. The paper explains that McDonald's could just reconfigure the core elements of the product that made it so popular in the first place and could eliminate the more objectionable elements like marketing to kids.
From the Paper "The name McDonald's is virtually synonymous with the idea of 'branding.' The idea of McDonaldization seems to imply the standardization and Americanization of both culture and food. However, the brand image of McDonald's has in fact gone through a number of reincarnations, over the company's long history. One of the most notable shifts occurred when the company shifted from its slogan of "You deserve a break today," or "It's a good time for the great taste," to "Mmm...I'm lovin' it." "
An analysis of the elements that create successful advertising, as discussed in Dan Padgett and Douglas Allen's article, "Communicating Experiences: A Narrative Approach to Creating Service BrandImage".
Abstract This paper focuses on an article called "Communicating Experiences: A Narrative Approach to Creating Service BrandImage", written by Dan Padgett and Douglas Allen which discusses the topic of advertising effectiveness and the elements that are necessary and critical to achieve success in winning customers' trust and confidence. The paper discusses the authors' suggestion that many different factors and methods can affect communication and advertising to consumers.
Table of Contents:
Brief Discussion of the Article and its Concepts
The Company's Strategy
The Market that the Article Addresses and the General Marketing Theories
Customer Needs Fulfilled by the Company
Competitive Offerings and How They Affect Organizations
What Makes this Article "Great"?
Recommendations for Improvement / Information Learned
From the Paper "From the information shared by the article, a lot of consumer needs and benefits can be the possible results. First is the goal of giving importance to consumers' perceptions whereby the services provided must meet the needs and wants of the consumers. Second is the goal of satisfying the consumers' experience of the services. The use of effective advertising methodologies can also result to narrative communication of one's experience from a service. Through different strategies and techniques, the advertisers can address the consumers' needs in their advertising methodologies, thus benefiting the consumers."
Abstract This paper discusses how Pfizer has developed a very integrated manufacturing and distribution network that has allowed it to capitalize on its brandimage as a leading pharmaceutical company. The paper labels Pfizer's sales and marketing division as one of the best in the industry. The paper concludes that because of Pfizer's success with Lipitor, which it markets worldwide, the company should continue to capitalize on this product by creating a generic Lipitor line extension.
Outline:
Overview
Strategy Development
Ansoff's Growth Matrix
Synthesis of Objectives
Growth Strategies
Conclusion
From the Paper "For the pharmaceutical industry, the intensity of the competitive forces at play is extremely high because the risks at stake are considerable. These large stakes are due to the nature of the industry where huge sums of money must be spent to simply discover new products, while additional huge sums then must be committed to develop them, seek regulatory approval, and then actively market them (Miller, 2003, para.3). With such huge sums of investment dollars required for almost every product brought to market, the competitive forces surrounding the industry are extreme."
Abstract The paper examines corporate image-building and focuses on companies that have been particularly successful in developing an image, such as IBM, Coca-Cola and the Knight-McDowell Labs' successful image for their Airborne product. The paper then points out that maintaining a good corporate image is important not just for customers but for potential employees too.
From the Paper "Building a corporate image can be difficult. The process involves creating an image that is in keeping with the type of business in which the corporation is engaged. It may also involve seeking to appeal to potential customers. Building a corporate image is part of the process of branding. Such branding usually takes place for the company as a whole but might also involve differing images for specific products or services offered by the corporation. Employees at all levels are expected to be part of the corporate image and to promote it in word and deed. A good image is sustaining, while a bad image can be damaging even if the product is desirable, the company beneficial, and the service required."
Abstract This paper presents a case study of Yum Brands, Inc., and explains that the study is structured around a number of topics such as the U.S. fast-food industry, multi-branding and franchising strategies, Yum Brands' international strategy and issues of risk assessment. The paper uses audit style analysis to make recommendations to continue to grow the Yum Brands business. In addition, the paper recommends coadaptation based upon multi-branding strategies, which offer consumers a larger menu base in a smaller area and are highly functional for brand recognition and franchise sales.
Table of Contents:
Executive Summary
Introduction
Assumptions
Situation Analysis/Internal Analysis
Business Goals
Current Strategy
SWOT Analysis
Stakeholder Expectations
Market/Industry Analysis
Macro-Environmental forces
Main Industry Forces
3 Main Competitors
Key Factors for Success
Options
Options to Reject
Options to Adopt
Recommendations
Action/Implementation Plan
Conclusion
From the Paper "Though healthy trends are not necessarily at the center of concerns in the international markets, what is of concern is the need to tailor offerings to culture, as acceptance of fast-food delivery and food offerings are often specific to culture. Some examples of this can be found in the Yum Brand Case Study as market expansion in certain areas, despite their overall ideal conditions might not do as well if the overall culture does not accept the delivery methods of fast food. For this reason it is essential that full country and market analysis be done on each and every potential market."
Abstract This paper discusses at length the challenges faced by the retail fashion industry. After a thorough overview of current issues, the paper launches into a case study of Perry Ellis, Inc., a major fashion retailer, which owns thirteen brands, including Perry Ellis, Penguin Sport and Southpoint. Perry Ellis, Inc. also licenses an additional five brands, including Nike and Tommy Hilfiger. The author explains how Perry Ellis has leveraged the brand-name familiarity to become a lucrative company. The paper also provides a case study of the Levi Strauss company, and shows its distinct branding style.
From the Paper "In the past few decades, issues surrounding branding in the retail industry have emerged as a significant concern for retailers, consumers, and the fashion industry alike. Organizations are using branding as a strategy tool in today's business environment with increasing regularity. Although brands and branding are not new ideas, retailers are applying them to more diverse settings where the role of branding is becoming increasingly important (Wentz & Suchard, 1993). The traditional role for brands has recently reemerged as a topic of interest, as retailers are increasingly turning toward the internationalization of brands to survive in the highly competitive industry. With the growing realization that brands are one of a retailer's most valuable intangible assets, branding has emerged as a top management priority in the last decade. As a result of its highly competitive nature, branding carries a significant effect in the retailing industry as one of the main drivers influencing customer perceptions, store choice and loyalty. Thus, as an attempt to offer more to the consumer than just low prices, retailers are developing marketing strategies that build store equity and differentiate their brand."
