Background: The brand embodied a set of values and attributes which were appropriate, which stimulated consumer interest, which distinguished brand from others and created a unique piece of property for its owners. From marketing point of view, brands are the means that consumers use to distinguish products and services based on essential and non-essential attributes and they are a source of business’s differential advantage. Furthermore, brands communicate tangible and intangible advantages and are attractive to a range of feeling. In order to make decisions for brand strategy, branding plays an important role. Kotler and Keller (2006) state that a brand is needed because it identifies the product, and the responsibility of the product hence lies in the hands of the makers or producers of the product. Brands are important in both consumer and business-to-business situations, where a decision of purchase is needed. A strong brand can create sufficient higher total returns to shareholders than a weak brand. Brands are at the heart of marketing and business strategy ( Doyle,1998, p.165) and building brand equity or strong brands, is considered to be one of the key drivers of a business success ( Prasad & Dev, 2000; p.22). Problem Statement: What are the promotional strategies company’s uses to create International brand in order to pursue the potential customer in B2C marketing environment?? Purpose:The purpose of the thesis is to investigate how firm employ effective promotional tools and techniques to create and sustain international brand in the customers mind. Research design: Both Qualitative and Quantitative method is applied in this thesis. Primary data is collected from interview (E-mail and telephone) and internet survey, while secondary data is gathered from books, journals, and internet source. Conclusion: The promotional tools capabilities can help businesses to spread the messages to the mass market. It is very powerful technique to be used to increase brand awareness of the organization. We found out those promotional tools such as sales promotion, direct marketing, personal selling, publicity, advertisement, and internet marketing play vital role to create international brand.

Sammandrag: Företag strävar kontinuerligt efter att bygga ett välkänt och framgångsrikt varumärke. De strävar efter att tillfredsställa konsumenters behov för att öka varumärkets värde, brand equity. Genom att försöka avgöra konsumenters inställning till ett visst varumärke och deras förhållning till ett utökat sortiment i en ny produktkategori syftar denna uppsats till att diskutera och utforska förändringen av varumärkets brand equity. Vid denna undersökning har H&Ms varumärke och deras nya sportkollektion använts som exempel. Teorin behandlar varumärkets värde, brand equity, utifrån ett konsumentperspektiv samt utvidgning av produktutbud hos varumärken. Konsumenter styr ett varumärkes värde och då studien undersöks från ett konsumentperspektiv, var det av intresse att fokusera på Consumer Based Brand Equitys, CBBEs, fyra olika dimensioner: lojalitet, medvetenhet, upplevd kvalitet och associationer. Genom en kvantitativ enkätundersökning fick respondenterna bland annat svara på i vilken utsträckning de förknippade olika faktorer med H&Ms varumärke och därefter i vilken utsträckning de förknippade samma faktorer med den nya sportkollektionen. Några faktorer som användes var kvalitet, modeinriktat, pris, exklusivitet, känt m.fl. Med det teoretiska ramverket tolkades de empiriska resultaten för att kunna besvara uppsatsens syfte. Resultaten visade, till viss mån, en positiv förändring av värdet för varumärket på grund av den nya sportkollektionen, samt att det finns tendenser till fortsatt överensstämmelse mellan H&Ms varumärke och en sportfokuserad produktkontext.

Brand loyalty development is an important part of a company‘s marketing strategy. Empirical data on the influences of brand loyalty in the South African hospitality industry is non-existent. Moolla and Bisschoff developed an empirical tool for measuring twelve influences of brand loyalty in, originally, the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry. The model has since been validated and the reliability of the data confirmed for various industries such as agri- business, banking and pharmaceutical industries. The twelve influences the model test are; customer satisfaction, culture, brand performance, brand relevance, relationship proneness, brand affect, repeat purchase, perceived value, commitment, involvement, switching cost and brand trust. An adapted Moolla and Bisschoff model is employed in the hospitality industry, and more specifically the hotel sector, which aims to determine the role each influence plays on brand loyalty. Questionnaires were distributed to guests at various branded hotels in South Africa of which 187 patrons responded positively. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure indicated sample adequacy and suitability for factor analysis, where after the questionnaire was validated and the data found to be reliable. According to the respondents‘ perceptions, customer satisfaction is regarded as the single most very important brand loyalty influence in the hospitality industry. Brand trust, repeat purchase, involvement, perceived value, relationship proneness, brand affect, brand relevance and brand performance can also be seen as important factors. Switching cost, commitment and culture were not considered to be very important brand influences. Sub-factors were identified for the influences of perceived value and relationship proneness. A new conceptual framework for brand loyalty in the hospitality industry was therefore suggested. The results of this study concluded that the adapted Moolla and Bisschoff model is indeed a valuable tool for measuring brand loyalty influences in the hospitality industry. This study also contributed to the knowledge base regarding brand loyalty of the South African hospitality industry in South Africa. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Brand loyalty development is an important part of a company‘s marketing strategy. Empirical data on the influences of brand loyalty in the South African hospitality industry is non-existent. Moolla and Bisschoff developed an empirical tool for measuring twelve influences of brand loyalty in, originally, the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry. The model has since been validated and the reliability of the data confirmed for various industries such as agri- business, banking and pharmaceutical industries. The twelve influences the model test are; customer satisfaction, culture, brand performance, brand relevance, relationship proneness, brand affect, repeat purchase, perceived value, commitment, involvement, switching cost and brand trust. An adapted Moolla and Bisschoff model is employed in the hospitality industry, and more specifically the hotel sector, which aims to determine the role each influence plays on brand loyalty. Questionnaires were distributed to guests at various branded hotels in South Africa of which 187 patrons responded positively. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure indicated sample adequacy and suitability for factor analysis, where after the questionnaire was validated and the data found to be reliable. According to the respondents‘ perceptions, customer satisfaction is regarded as the single most very important brand loyalty influence in the hospitality industry. Brand trust, repeat purchase, involvement, perceived value, relationship proneness, brand affect, brand relevance and brand performance can also be seen as important factors. Switching cost, commitment and culture were not considered to be very important brand influences. Sub-factors were identified for the influences of perceived value and relationship proneness. A new conceptual framework for brand loyalty in the hospitality industry was therefore suggested. The results of this study concluded that the adapted Moolla and Bisschoff model is indeed a valuable tool for measuring brand loyalty influences in the hospitality industry. This study also contributed to the knowledge base regarding brand loyalty of the South African hospitality industry in South Africa. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Many studies have been conducted on the occurrence of brand image transfer, but very few of them have focused on one of the most important determinants of such transfer namely, brand fit. Brand image transfer is the transfer of brand associations, attributed to another entity, to the brand, while brand fit has been defined as a consumer learning process that seeks to match those brand associations held of the relevant brands involved. This study proposes to assess brand fit. Since a variety of brands were involved in this study, conjoint analysis was used as a method of assesing brand fit. In particular, choice-based conjoint analysis was singled out because of its capability to allow the relative advantage of brands considered jointly to be ascertained. Brands might not be able to be measured if taken one at a time. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed in order to assess brand fit using conjoint analysis, which was the main reason for this study. Rugby sponsorships were chosen to asses brand fit, as this particular game is the second most-watched sport in South Africa, with the highest monetary value attached to its sponsorships at the time of this study. The qualitative research was accomplished by using focus groups to determine which brands were typically perceived to be associated with the Springbok rugby brand. The different industries and brands used in the focus groups were selected on the grounds of their being current, previous, and potential sponsors of the Springbok rugby brand. The quantitative research was conducted by means of an online questionnaire, sent via a link in an email to a chosen database on the social networking site, ‘Facebook’. A screening question served to ensure that only rugby supporters would be eligible to complete the survey. The information was captured in ‘real time’ in the conjoint analysis software, thereby determining which brands were perceived to best fit the Springbok rugby brand. The realised sample was composed of a younger, more male-dominated group. All respondents were also Springbok supporters who possessed sufficient knowledge on the Springbok brand and sponsors. There were six brands identified to fit the Springbok rugby brand, namely, Castle, Vodacom, SASOL, Canterbury, Nike, and Adidas. These identified brands proved that the study did indeed assess brand fit using conjoint analysis. Conclusions were drawn that brand fit could be established in a variety of ways. The most dominant ways were by leveraging the sponsorship, and also by sponsoring on a continuing basis. These two ways serve to inform consumers of the sponsorship, making them aware of the brands, and building the basis of brand fit in their minds. Brand fit was also achieved based on similar brand images of the two different brands. It was found that brand fit was absolutely essential for a successful brand image transfer. Before undertaking a sponsorship, it is important to establish if a perceived brand fit between the various brands will be perceived. If not, additional leveraging of the sponsorship, by means of a marketing campaign, should be used to teach consumers the basis of the brand fit between the various brands. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Talle studies is reeds uitgevoer aangaande handelsmerk beeld oordrag, maar baie min van hierdie studies het gefokus op een van die belangrikste determinante van diesins, naamlik handelsmerk pas. Handelsmerk beeld oordrag is die oordrag van die handelsmerk assosiasies, toegeskryf aan ‘n spesifieke entiteit, na die betrokke handelsmerk, terwyl handelsmerk pas gedefinieër word as 'n verbruiker leerproses wat poog om die handelsmerk assosiasies van die betrokke handelsmerke te laat pas. Hierdie studie poog om handelsmerk pas te beoordeel. As gevolg van die verskeidenheid handelsmerke betrokke in hierdie studie is vereenigde analise gebruik as 'n metode om handelsmerk pas te beoordeel. Besluitneming-gebaseerde vereenigde analise is gekies aangesien dit die vermoë het om die relatiewe voordeel van handelsmerke wat as gesamentlik beskou word vas te stel. Handelsmerke sal nie akkuraat gemeet word op individuele basis nie. Kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsing is gedoen om handelsmerk pas te beoordeel met behulp van vereenigde analise, en dit was die hoof doelwit van hierdie studie. Rugby borgskappe is gekies om handelsmerk pas te beoordeel aangesien dit die tweede grootste kykertal in Suid-Afrika het, asook die hoogste monetêre waarde geheg aan borgskappe gedurende die tyd van hierdie studie. Kwalitatiewe navorsing is gedoen, met behulp van fokusgroepe, om te bepaal watter handelsmerke geassosieër word met die Springbok rugby handelsmerk. Die verskillende industrieë en handelsmerke gebruik in die fokus groepe is geselekteer deur die navorser op grond van huidige, vorige en potensiële borgskap van die Springbok rugby handelsmerk. Kwantitatiewe navorsing is gedoen met behulp van 'n aanlyn vraelys wat gestuur is deur 'n skakel in 'n epos aan 'n gekose databasis op die sosiale netwerk, Facebook. 'n Siftings vraag het verseker dat net rugby ondersteuners die opname voltooi. Die inligting is, soos ingesleutel deur respondente, in die vereenigde analise sagteware opgeneem. Sodoende was handelsmerke waargeneem as die wat die beste pas het met die Springbok rugby handelsmerk, bepaal. Die steekproef het bestaan uit 'n jonger, manlike dominerende groep respondente. Al die respondente was inderdaad Springbok ondersteuners met voldoende kennis oor die Springbok handelsmerk, asook Springbok borge. Ses handelsmerke is geïdentifiseer om te pas by die Springbok rugby handelsmerk, naamlik Castle, Vodacom, SASOL, Canterbury, Nike en Adidas. Hierdie geïdentifiseerde handelsmerke bewys dat die studie inderdaad handelsmerk pas beoordeel het met behulp van vereenigde analise. Gevolgtrekkings is gemaak dat handelsmerk pas op ‘n verskeidenheid maniere kan ontstaan. Die mees dominante is advertering van die borgskap asook, om ‘n borgskap te onderhou op ‘n deurlopende basis. Dit lig die verbruikers in aangaande die borgskap, maak hulle bewus van die borgskap tussen die twee handelsmerke, en vorm ‘n basis waarop handelsmek pas by verbruikers kan plaasvind. Handelsmerk pas is ook bereik onder handelsmerke met soortgelyke handelsmerk beelde. Dit is gevind dat handelsmerk pas absoluut noodsaaklik is vir 'n suksesvolle handelsmerk beeld oordrag. Voordat enige borgskap onderneem word, is dit belangrik om vas te stel of verbruikers wel ‘n passing tussen die verskillende betrokke handelsmerke, waarneem. Indien nie, sal ekstra bemarking rondom die borgskap gedoen moet word deur middel van 'n bemarkingsveldtog, om die verbruikers in te lig, op grond van wat, handelsmerk pas tussen die verskeie handelsmerke gevorm kan word.

Social media platforms, such as Instagram, has created an opportunity for companies to communicate with its stakeholders in a totally different way than before. As Instagram allows two-way communication between the company and its stakeholders, the followers has a part of how the image is related to the brand. However, we have not found any scientific studies that examines how this image is perceived by the followers. This study was aiming to investigate how the Swedish fashion company and brand Filippa K are using Instagram as a communication tool to form their followers’ idea of the brand. More specifically, it studied how Filippa K’s image was perceived by their followers. The research question “what image is perceived by Filippa K’s followers by Filippa K’s visual image communication on Instagram?” was formulated to solve the problem. The results of this study was built upon data from eight qualitative interviews with Filippa K’s followers on Instagram. The analysis leant on theoretical framework about brand identity and brand image, as well as Stuart Hall’s encoding/ decoding theory. By using these in the analysis, the result showed that the followers perceived a positive image of Filippa K. However, the followers also formed their different opinions about Filippa K as a brand as well as alternative decoding beyond the core values that the company’s identity is based upon. The essential parts of Filippa K’s identity was perceived, hence a conclusion was made that the image implicated a Swedish, in vogue brand with high qualitative products that focus on style, simplicity and sustainability. The results of this study has given an insight of the impact Instagram has on how followers perceive an image. With an understanding for the followers, a company can work with its market communication on Instagram to form the brand image towards one way or another.

Various constructs are related to predicting consumers' perceptions of brand extensions. Among these, three constructs, perceptions of perceived quality (PQ) associated with the parent brand, product category similarity (PCS) of an extension to its parent brand, and brand breadth (BB) of the parent, are central to many brand extension studies. The purpose of this study is to clarify the roles of these three constructs and to pit predictions from an alternative theoretical perspective — cognitive response theory — against predictions based on categorization theory.

This research introduces the concept of “brand addiction” as a new marketing construct. Employing conceptual development, the concept of brand addiction is defined as a psychological state that entails an obsessive relationship between the consumer and a specific brand. To examine the phenomenon of brand addiction, the present research was designed based on a partial sequential mixed methods research in which a qualitative study was followed by a quantitative study. Arguing that research on brand addiction should be built based on an understanding of how consumers experience this phenomenon in reality, the research incorporated a series of four qualitative focus group studies to uncover the possible core features, motives, and consequences of the brand addiction prototype using discursive psychological perspective. Survey data were subsequently used to generate the brand addiction measurement scale and to test the brand addiction theoretical model. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the brand addiction measurement scale employed 14 core elements. In addition to the brand addiction core features, the brand addiction prototype comprises brand trust, ideal, and actual self-image congruence and fashion interest as its antecedents. Furthermore, the brand addiction prototype includes the feeling of guilt, appearance esteem, debt attitude, and life happiness as its consequences. This research concludes with a presentation and discussion of the theoretical and managerial implications. The research findings provide an understanding of and deep insights into the brand addiction phenomenon, thereby adding to the existing body of literature.

The purpose of this diploma paper is to describe the brand building process of UniCredit Bank in the Czech Republic, analyse the brand itself and make recommendations regarding the future of the brand. The paper comprises of the theoretical and practical parts. The theoretical part explains the meaning of a brand and the process of brand building. Attention is brought to market segmentation and the marketing mix. The practical part contains the description of the brand building process of UniCredit Bank in the Czech Republic and the analysis of the brand including the comparison with its competition. The deduction of the paper features a conclusion and recommendations for the brand towards the future.

Previous research regarding the effectiveness of signalling via brand name has focused on when and how any brand-building cost incurred, will be rewarded by future profit. In contrast to this seller-incentive perspective, this study examines how the buyer interprets the signal via brand name, the effectiveness of signalling via brand name in terms of buyer value perspective, and how the buyer's reaction toward the signal impacts on the seller's decision to adopt the signalling strategy. Signalling theory and concepts from consumer-based branding research are used to suggest how to evaluate the effectiveness of signalling via brand name in the context of the consumer market, wherein information is asymmetric. Findings from online trading experiments, using the methodology of experimental economics, demonstrate that the function of brand fluctuates according to which market conditions prevail for brand and price, the extent of brand differentiation, and the magnitude of brand-building cost. This suggests an alternative way to measure the value of a brand to the buyer.