The purpose of the paper is to create a deeper understanding of the effects a company’s CSR activities have on consumers' purchase decisions in the fast fashion industry. Additionally, how consumers' brand image changes when a company does not meet the criteria for CSR initiatives. We want to investigate if consumers prioritize and truly care about companies' sustainability work in the fast fashion industry. This considering clear statistics that the consumption of clothing increases even if companies do not meet the requirements within the various sustainability perspectives. The fast fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world. By examining the consumers’ perspective, we will potentially discover the components that make a consumer choose to shop from a fast fashion company, as well as finding what influences the consumer to refrain from supporting a company that does not fulfill its obligations within CSR. / Syftet med uppsatsen är att skapa en djupare förståelse för vilka effekter ett företags CSR-aktiviteter har på konsumenternas köpbeslut i fast fashionindustrin. Samt hur konsumenternas varumärkesimage förändras när ett företag inte uppfyller kriterierna för CSR-initiativ. Vi vill undersöka om konsumenterna prioriterar och bryr sig om företagens hållbarhetsarbete. Detta med tanke på tydlig statistik om att konsumtionen av kläder ökar även om företagen inte uppfyller kraven inom de olika hållbarhetsperspektiven. Fast fashion industrin är det näst mest förorenade industrin i världen. Genom att undersöka konsumentperspektivet kommer vi potentiellt att upptäcka vilka komponenter som gör att en konsument väljer att handla från fast fashionindustrin, samt hitta vad som påverkar konsumenten till att avstå från att stötta ett företag som inte uppfyller sina åtaganden inom CSR.

Användandet av sociala medier, som från början handlade om utbyte av information, har mynnat ut i en social närvaro. En social närvaro där man genom bilder, text och videos presenterar sig själv. Konsumenter kan numera obehindrat dela varumärkesrelaterat innehåll genom att till exempel visa nya inköp eller andra händelser av sitt liv. Idag skapar konsumenter många av sina associationer och uppfattningar om varumärken genom detta innehåll av privatpersoner på sociala medier. Det skapar en möjlighet för lyxvarumärkena att bli top-of-mind hos konsumenterna. Samtidigt blir det svårt för lyxvarumärken att kontrollera privatpersoners innehåll. Varumärken inom lyxsegmentet måste dessutom förvalta sitt arv och sin exklusivitet för att bibehålla sitt starka varumärke. Denna balansgång belyser lyxens paradox. Syftet med denna studie är att få fram eventuella effekter när lyxvarumärken inom modebranschen exponeras, både ofrivilligt och frivilligt, på sociala medier. Forskarna undersöker från ett konsumentperspektiv i syfte att ta reda på hur konsumenternas varumärkesimage och köplust ändras när lyxvarumärken exponeras på detta sätt. Detta har forskarna undersökt med hjälp av en kvalitativ studie i form av semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Respondenterna valdes ut baserat på deras intresse för mode och att de själva har konsumerat lyxprodukter inom mode. Denna studie visar att ett lyxvarumärkens image förändras när lyxvarumärken exponeras på sociala medier. Om det är en positiv eller negativt förändring är kopplat till de associationer och personer som konsumenterna kopplar varumärket till. Om konsumenterna kopplar varumärkesimagen till en person eller grupp som de vill identifiera sig med ökar deras köplust. Om de istället associerar varumärket till en grupp eller personer som de inte vill identifiera sig med, minskar istället deras köplust. Konsumenters köplust minskar dessutom när produkter, genom exponering på sociala medier upplevs mer tillgängliga och exklusiviteten i varumärket tynar bort. / The use of social media, which from the beginning was about exchange of information, has now resulted in a social presence. A social presence where you present yourself through pictures, text and videos. Consumers can now freely share brand-related content by, for example, showing new purchases or other events of their lives. Today, consumers create a lot of their associations and perceptions about brands through this content from individuals on social media. It creates an opportunity for luxury brands to become top-of-mind amongst consumers. At the same time, it becomes difficult for luxury brands to control this content from individuals. Brands in the luxury segment need to manage their heritage and exclusivity in order to maintain their strong brand. This balancing act sheds light on the paradox of luxury. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects when luxury brands in the fashion industry are exposed on social media. The researchers examine from a consumer perspective in order to find out how consumers' brand image and desire to purchase change when luxury brands are exposed in this way. The researchers investigated this with the help of a qualitative study in the form of semi-structured interviews. The respondents were selected because of their interest in fashion and that they have consumed luxury products in fashion. This study shows that consumers' brand image changes when luxury brands are exposed on social media. Whether it is a positive or negative change it is linked to the associations and persons which consumers link the brand to. If consumers associate the brand image with a person or a group that they want to be identified with, their desire to buy increases. If they instead associate the brand with a group or people they do not want to be identified with, their purchase desire decreases. Additionally, consumers' purchase desire decreases when products, through exposure on social media, are perceived as more accessible and the exclusivity in the brand fades away.

Social media is a topic that is discussed extensively and is today a platform used by a number of companies and organizations to enable individuals to communicate and create stronger relationships with their various stakeholders. Instagram, which is a social image and videoplatform, has become an easy way to market your company, organization or oneself. The purpose of this study was to map fans 'views and influence on football profiles'communication via Instagram. To answer the study's purpose, both deductive and inductive approaches have been used in the form of a questionnaire survey and a focus group interview. This with the help of theories about brand capital, brand commitment, brand relationships and brand attitudes. The conclusions drawn based on the analyzes were that fans 'views and influence on football profiles' communication via Instagram are reflected in their brand capital and the associations, attitudes and connections that fans can link to the football profile as a brand.The better these are, the more commitment is created, which further leads to a stronger relationship between fans and football profile, which in turn contributes to a more positive impact and image of the football profile.

Sammanfattning Titel: Konsumenters Respons på Etiska Skandaler: En Undersökning av Varumärkesbild och Köpavsikt. Nivå: Examensarbete på grundnivå (kandidatexamen) i ämnet företagsekonomi Författare: Busara Surapee och William von Sicard Handledare: Katarina Arbin Datum: 2024 – januari Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att belysa etiska skandalers påverkan på konsumenternas köpavsikt och varumärkesuppfattningar. Metod: I detta arbete har vi tillämpat en deduktiv metod och genomfört en kvantitativ undersökning. Informationen för studien har samlats in genom enkäter distribuerade via olika sociala plattformar. Sammanlagt inkom 102 enkätsvar, vilka kodades och analyserades med stöd av statistikprogrammet SPSS. Resultat och slutsats: I studiens resultat framkommer att allvarlighetsgraden inte hade någon signifikant påverkan vare sig på varumärkesbild eller köpavsikt. Däremot visade studien att varumärkesbild har en påtaglig effekt på köpavsikten. Detta ger insikter om betydelsen av varumärkesbild och dess koppling till konsumentens köpbeslut. Examensarbetets bidrag: Den teoretiska bidraget av studien ligger i att fördjupa förståelsen för hur etiska skandaler påverkar konsumenternas köpavsikt och varumärkesuppfattningar. Resultaten visar att endast varumärkesbilden påverkar köpavsikten, vilket kontrasterar med andra studier. På praktisk nivå ger studien insikter för varumärken om sambandet mellan varumärkesbild och konsumentens köpavsikt efter en etisk skandal. Företag kan dra nytta av att fokusera på att förbättra varumärkesbilden för att minimera påverkan på köpavsikten, oavsett allvarlighetsgrad på etiska skandaler. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: För vidare forskning föreslås att inkludera fler företag inom klädbranschen för en bredare förståelse av variablernas effekt. En jämförelse över olika branscher och kulturer skulle ge insikter om variablernas allmängiltighet. Dessutom kan framtida studier överväga att utvidga studiens modell med andra variabler för att utforska potentiella förändringar i resultaten. Nyckelord: Etiska skandaler, Konsumentbeteende, Varumärkesbild, Köpavsikt, Allvarlighetsgrad på skandalen. / Abstract Title: Consumer Response to Ethical Scandals: An Examination of Brand Image and Purchase Intention. Level: Bachelor's degree thesis in business administration Author: Busara Surapee and William von Sicard Supervisor: Katarina Arbin Date: 2024 – january Aim: The purpose of this study is to highlight the impact of ethical scandals on consumers' purchase intention and brand perceptions. Method: In this work, we have applied a deductive method and carried out a quantitative investigation. The information for the study has been collected through surveys distributed via various social platforms. A total of 102 survey responses were received, which were coded and analyzed with the support of the statistical program SPSS. Results and conclusions: In the results of the study, it appears that the degree of severity had no significant impact on either brand image or purchase intention. However, the study showed that brand image has a tangible effect on purchase intention. This provides insights into the importance of brand image and its connection to consumer purchase decisions. Contribution of the thesis: The theoretical contribution of the study lies in deepening the understanding of how ethical scandals affect consumers' purchase intention and brand perceptions. The results show that only brand image affects purchase intention, which contrasts with other studies. On a practical level, the study provides insights for brands on the relationship between brand image and consumer purchase intention following an ethical scandal. Companies can benefit from focusing on improving brand image to minimize the impact on purchase intent, regardless of the severity of ethical scandals. Suggestions for future research: For further research, it is suggested to include more companies in the clothing industry for a broader understanding of the effect of the variables. A comparison across different industries and cultures would provide insights into the general validity of the variables. Additionally, future studies may consider expanding the study's model with other variables to explore potential changes in the results. Key words: Ethical scandals, Consumer behavior, Brand image, Purchase intention, Severity of the scandal.

This study evaluates the effect of sustainable business practices on brand perception. Digital marketing is a vital tool for any business, and sustainability is a significant element in brand management and marketing. This study aims to explore how digital marketing using sustainable messaging can help the brands change their brand perception regarding issues of sustainability, ethical branding, and environmentally friendly businesses. This research provides a detailed discussion of brands' sustainability practices and digital platforms more suitable for brands to deliver their sustainability agenda and build trust with the audience. The study evaluates the relationship between sustainability, brand image, and digital marketing.  Overall, qualitative and quantitative methods have been used in this research. The primary medium of the research is the qualitative analysis of sustainability practices of fashion brands, published annual sustainability reports, newspapers, magazines, and social media campaigns. Three European fashion brands have been chosen for the study, each from the category of High-end Fashion brands, Fast Fashion Brands, and Sustainable Fashion and clothing brands. For quantitative data, the survey questionnaire method has been used. The collected data has assisted in identifying the customer's responses towards sustainability and their perceptions and expectation of the brand.  The Sustainability Performance Reports of the selected fashion brands provide information about brands' sustainability strategy, goals, programs, and performance data. The strategy of all these brands revolves around sustainable development goals 2030 where these brands claim to be leading the change, Circular & Climate Positive business, working on renewable energy, providing fair and equal opportunity of employment, without any gender discrimination and reducing inequalities.  Analysing social media platforms indicates that most of the social media material for these fashion firms is about advertising their products, services, and sales. The findings imply that, rather than using digital media just for product advertising, the firm's digital media should raise awareness about sustainability concerns in the fashion sector and promote their efforts toward sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. Efficient use of social media to promote sustainability agendas helps boost the brand image of fashion businesses in terms of sustainability. The findings indicate a positive linkage between sustainability and a positive fashion brand perception. Digital marketing of sustainability initiatives would introduce the brand as a transparent, accountable, and ethical business. The study suggests that brand should utilise multiple social media platforms to promote their sustainability initiatives when it comes to promoting sustainability initiatives. / Denna studie utvärderar effekten av hållbara affärsmetoder på varumärkesuppfattning. Digital marknadsföring är ett viktigt verktyg för alla företag, och hållbarhet är ett viktigt inslag i varumärkeshantering och marknadsföring. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur digital marknadsföring med hjälp av hållbara meddelanden kan hjälpa varumärkena att ändra sin varumärkesuppfattning om frågor om hållbarhet, etisk branding och miljövänliga företag. Denna forskning ger en detaljerad diskussion om varumärkens hållbarhetspraxis och digitala plattformar som är mer lämpade för varumärken att leverera sin hållbarhetsagenda och bygga förtroende hos publiken. Studien utvärderar sambandet mellan hållbarhet, varumärkesimage och digital marknadsföring. Sammantaget har kvalitativa och kvantitativa metoder använts i denna forskning. Det primära mediet för forskningen är den kvalitativa analysen av hållbarhetspraxis för modemärken, publicerade årliga hållbarhetsrapporter, tidningar, tidskrifter och kampanjer på sociala medier. Tre europeiska modemärken har valts ut för studien, var och en från kategorin High-end Fashion varumärken, Fast Fashion Brands och Sustainable Fashion och klädmärken. För kvantitativa data har undersökningsmetoden använts. De insamlade uppgifterna har hjälpt till att identifiera kundens svar på hållbarhet och deras uppfattningar och förväntningar på varumärket.  Hållbarhetsrapporterna för de utvalda modemärkena ger information om varumärkenas hållbarhetsstrategi, mål, program och resultatdata. Strategin för alla dessa varumärken kretsar kring hållbara utvecklingsmål 2030 där dessa varumärken påstår sig leda förändringen, Circular & Climate Positive-verksamheten, arbetar med förnybar energi, ger rättvisa och lika möjligheter till anställning, utan könsdiskriminering och minskar ojämlikheter.  Analys av sociala medieplattformar indikerar att det mesta av det sociala mediematerialet för dessa modeföretag handlar om att marknadsföra sina produkter, tjänster och försäljning. Resultaten innebär att företagets digitala medier, snarare än att använda digitala medier bara för produktreklam, bör öka medvetenheten om hållbarhetsproblem inom modesektorn och främja deras ansträngningar för hållbarhet och minskade koldioxidutsläpp. Effektiv användning av sociala medier för att främja hållbarhetsagendor bidrar till att öka modeföretagens varumärkesimage när det gäller hållbarhet. Resultaten indikerar en positiv koppling mellan hållbarhet och en positiv modevarumärkesuppfattning. Digital marknadsföring av hållbarhetsinitiativ skulle introducera varumärket som en transparent, ansvarsfull och etisk verksamhet. Studien föreslår att varumärken bör använda flera sociala medieplattformar för att marknadsföra sina hållbarhetsinitiativ när det gäller att främja hållbarhetsinitiativ.

This thesis explores how organisations communicate and perform marketing nowadays, with social media platforms at the core of their strategic plan. Due to its high relevancy in B2B, the research is focused on LinkedIn and the effect of its affordances which will help dig deeper into the possibilities of using this particular social media platform as a means to define, build and shape company image and brand identity. It is a qualitative research that was conducted using mixed methods of case study, ethnography and corporate ethnography, where I benefited from my privileged role as a researcher and an employee to gather and use restricted and confidential data and information. This gave the study a broader perspective and, therefore, a better understanding of the phenomena from different focal points. However, knowing the limitations that being professionally involved with the company might bring, I have built my research on extensive literature and framed it within theories of 1. Social Media Marketing, 2. Brand Identity, and 3. LinkedIn Affordances, finding objectivity by justifying my thoughts or personal experiences with existing literature and theories. The study was conducted by gathering all LinkedIn posts after the launch of the company’s new website, considered the greatest event regarding communications. Hence, A total of 59 posts were then analysed and coded into the six main LinkedIn affordances (1. Networking, 2. Building a Connected Identity, 3. Personal and Professional Branding, 4. Professional Knowledge and Skills, 5. Communication and Etiquette, 6. Seeking and Securing Opportunities). The presented empirical data revealed how this case study located in Finland is no exception to the high potential organisations see in social media as part of their marketing and communications strategy and manifests several behaviours and uses explained along the 3. Literature Review, and 4. Theoretical Framework sections.

Bakgrund: I Sverige har idrott länge varit en naturlig del i många människors liv och idrottsrörelsen har varit djupt rotad i det svenska samhället. För att kunna ta vara på denna gemenskap krävs det ett sätt för idrotten och fotbollen att kunna samla denna stora folkmassa, det är här evenemang spelar en avgörande roll. Sponsorerna spelar i sin tur en stor roll i möjliggörandet för att kunna anordna idrottsevenemang, genom sina olika typer av bidrag. Det kan dessutom finnas flera olika incitament för företag att sponsra ett idrottsevenemang. Utöver fördelarna för företagen har evenemang också en betydande påverkan på de städer där de äger rum. Syfte: Studien syftar till att undersöka de viktigaste incitamenten och de framtagna strategierna som företag har gällande sponsring av evenemang och huruvida incitamenten och strategierna har förändrats över tid. Vidare syftar studien till att undersöka vilka mervärden ett stort, årligt återkommande evenemang medför till arrangörsstaden. Studien kommer att fokusera på det stora, årligt återkommande idrottsevenemanget Gothia Cup i Göteborg. Design/metod: I studien används ett abduktivt synsätt, där en kvalitativ metod med fallstudiedesign och semistrukturerade intervjuer tillämpats. Urvalet gjordes utefter de olika perspektiv som studien avsåg att undersöka. I analysen har resultatet kopplats till teorier och analyserats utefter dessa. Vidare kopplas resultatet till tidigare forskning i diskussionen. Slutsats: Studien klargör att företagens incitament och strategier för sponsring av evenemang har utvecklats över tid, med en ökad betoning på positiva samhällseffekter, ömsesidiga värderingar samt att sponsring ska ge fördelar för alla parter. Genom att sponsra evenemang som Gothia Cup kan företag dra nytta av marknadsföringsmöjligheter och varumärkesexponering. De ekonomiska och sociala mervärdena ett årligt återkommande evenemang som Gothia Cup genererar till Göteborg inkluderar ekonomiska intäkter kopplat till turism och positiva samhällseffekter. Turneringen genererar dessutom en bättre bild av staden, som i förlängningen ger staden ekonomiska och sociala mervärden. Denna relation mellan företag, evenemang och stad visar på vikten av att skapa hållbara partnerskap som gynnar alla inblandade parter. Originalitet/värde: Forskning som behandlar stora idrottsevenemang med fokus på sponsring och mervärden kopplat till staden är i dagsläget begränsad. Således bidrar denna studie med fördjupad kunskap inom området. Språk: Svenska. / Background: In Sweden, sport has long been a natural part of many people's lives and the sports movement has been deeply rooted in the Swedish society. To capitalize on this community, sport and football need to find a way to bring this large crowd together, which is where events play a crucial role. Sponsors, in turn, play a significant role in facilitating the organization of sports events through their various types of contributions. Additionally, there may be several incentives for companies to sponsor a sports event. Besides the benefits for companies, events also have a significant impact on the cities where they take place. Purpose: The study aims to examine the main incentives and developed strategies that companies have regarding event sponsorship and whether these incentives and strategies have changed over time. Furthermore, the study aims to investigate the additional values that a large, annually recurring event brings to the host city. The study will focus on the large, annually recurring sports event Gothia Cup in Gothenburg. Design/methodology/approach: An abductive approach was used in the study, where a qualitative method with case study design and semi-structured interviews was applied. The selection was made based on the various perspectives that the study aimed to investigate. In the analysis, the results were linked to theories and analyzed accordingly. Furthermore, the results are connected to previous research in the discussion. Conclusion: The study clarifies that companies' incentives and strategies for sponsoring events have evolved over time, with an increased emphasis on positive societal effects, mutual values, and sponsorship providing benefits for all parties involved. By sponsoring events such as the Gothia Cup, companies can benefit from marketing opportunities and brand exposure. The economic and social values that an annually recurring event like the Gothia Cup generates for Gothenburg include economic revenues related to tourism and positive societal effects. Moreover, the tournament generates a better image of the city, which ultimately provides the city with economic and social values. This relationship between business, event and city shows the importance of creating sustainable partnerships that benefit all parties involved. Originality/value: Research addressing large sports events focusing on sponsorship and the added values linked to the city are currently limited. Therefore, this study contributes to deepened knowledge within the field. Language: Swedish.

In recent years there has been an increase in the usage of social media. This trend coincided with the increase in promotion via influencers and with overall growth in public interest in health and fitness. This has led to an opportunity for new marketing strategies, namely influencer marketing. Through empirical observations we have identified early adopters of the influencer marketing strategy growing exponentially, especially in the sports wear fashion industry where relatively young companies have taken market share from bigger companies. Literature has shown influencer marketing to be beneficial to target customer segments efficiently and cheaper compared to traditional means of marketing. Hence, the purpose of this study is to examine how companies in the sportswear fashion industry use influencer marketing, how influencer marketing affects the consumers buying process and post-purchase behavior. By analyzing various factors of influencer marketing and the customer journey we have gained valuable insights into the interaction dynamics between companies, influencer and consumers and into what constitutes a successful influencer marketing campaign. In order to conduct this study, a theoretical framework has been designed centered on theories about influencer marketing, consumers' journey and brands. The study has used a qualitative method where 8 semi-structured in-depth interviews with industry representatives have been carried out. The respondents come from four different sportswear fashion brands and are well versed in this subject. The authors have considered all ethical aspects and made sure that non-identifying information is included that can be traced or linked back to the respondents. The interviews were conducted via Zoom and over the phone and the authors chose to do a thematic analysis to answer the research question: How do brands use social media influencers to affect consumers' journey within the sportswear fashion? The results from this study indicate that brands can use social media influencers to influence consumers' journey in sportswear fashion. The biggest and foremost reason brands can influence the consumer journey is the choice of influencers. A developed model from empirical data and analysis has been created to explain this process. The model shows how brands start by choosing an influencer, what factors influence the choice, then who the influencer should be and the desired characteristics, and finally how influencers affect consumers, how consumers react and the relationship between all parties.

Bakgrund: Det finns problem kring att avgöra exakt hur effektiva reklamkampanjer är. TV-reklam är det mest inflytelserika mediet och fastän det inte finns belägg för att det direkt leder till något köp så kan det leda till att TV-reklamen förblir i vårt medvetande. Det finns därmed ett behov av att förstå vilka faktorer och strategier som anses vara effektiva i konsumentens ögon.  Syften: Studien har som ändamål att identifiera och undersöka potentiella faktorer bakom effektiv TV-reklam, samt utöka förståelsen utifrån konsumenters synsätt. Studien utforskar även konsumenters vana att undvika TV-reklam och om denna vana upplevs annorlunda när de exponeras för in-stream video ads i stället.  Teorier: Den tidigare forskningen har anknytning till fyra faktorer som ligger i grund för studien. De fyra faktorerna är Kreativitet, Moment-to-Moment (EV & IV), Brand Image och Celebrity Endorsement. Studien utgår även ifrån tidigare forskning kring konsumenters vana att undvika TV-reklam.  Metod: En kvalitativ studie där fokusgrupper har använts som forskningsmetod. En deduktiv ansats har tillämpats. Urvalet bestod av studenter från Södertörns Högskola.  Slutsats: Vissa potentiella faktorer bakom effektiv TV-reklam var mer effektiva än andra. Celebrity Endorsement och Brand Image ansågs leda till ett faktiskt köp medan de andra faktorerna endast visade sig påverka intention kring köp. Konsumenter om de får möjligheten väljer att undvika TV-reklam i stor utsträckning av anledningen att det är irriterande och stör handlingen. Reklam undveks mer på traditionell TV än på in-stream video ads av anledning att TV-reklampausen varar längre.                                          Begrepp: När begreppet konsument nämns hänvisar vi till personer som exponeras för TV-reklamen, alltså inte de som köper produkten utan de som konsumerar marknadsföringens innehåll. In-stream video ads innefattar TV-reklam som koncept överfört till internet. / Background: There are problems with determining exactly how effective advertising campaigns are. TV advertising is the most influential medium and although there is no evidence that it directly leads to any purchase, it can lead to TV commercials remaining in our consciousness. There is thus a need to understand which factors and strategies are considered effective in the eyes of the consumer. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to identify and investigate potential factors behind effective television advertising and expand understanding from the perspective of consumers. The report also explores consumers' habit of avoiding TV commercials and whether this habit is experienced differently when exposed to in-stream video ads instead. Theories: The study is based on previous research and this research is related to four factors that form the basis of the study. The four factors are Creativity, Moment-to-Moment (EV & IV), Brand Image and Celebrity Endorsement. The study is also based on previous research concerning consumers' habit of avoiding TV commercials. Methods: A qualitative study where focus groups have been used as a research method. A deductive approach has been applied. The sample consisted of students from Södertörn University. Conclusions: Some potential factors behind effective TV advertising were more effective than others. Celebrity Endorsement and Brand Image were considered to lead to an actual purchase while the other factors only led to intention regarding purchase. Consumers, if given the opportunity, choose to avoid TV commercials largely for the reason that it is annoying and disrupts the action. It was avoided more on traditional TV than in-stream video ads for the reason that the TV commercial break lasted longer.  Concept: When the term consumer is mentioned, we refer to people who are exposed to TV advertising, not those who buy the product but those who consume the content of the marketing. In-stream video ads entail TV-commercial as a concept transferred to the Internet.

The number of festivals and events worldwide as well as in South Africa has increased significantly over the past decade. With more than 600 festivals being staged annually in South Africa, it is clear that festivals are competing with each other to attract and retain visitors in order to remain sustainable. For this reason, creating and sustaining a loyal visitor base through marketing and branding activities has become increasingly important for festivals. This, however, is a complex task since branding of a festival is challenging in several ways. Festivals are non-permanent tourism offerings with a variety of attributes that need to be considered when branding the festival. These include attractions, accommodation, entertainment and the natural environment. The competitive environment in which festivals operate and the complex nature of a festival as a brand require a specific approach whereby festivals can create and sustain brand loyalty. To remain a competitive and sustainable arts festival, marketers of festivals need to know how their marketing efforts can be applied to enhance visitors’ loyalty as well as the aspects that contribute to visitors’ loyalty. Although various studies have been concerned with brand loyalty in a tourism context, little research has focused on brand loyalty in a festival context and more specifically in a South African arts festival context. In the light of this, the following research question was formulated: “What are the components and the relationships between the components of a brand loyalty model for arts festivals in South Africa? The primary goal of this thesis was to develop a brand loyalty model for arts festivals. To achieve this goal, four objectives were formulated. The first objective was to analyse the role of marketing in creating and sustaining brand loyalty for arts festivals by means of an in-depth literature review. The definition of marketing and the distinguishing features of tourism offerings were analysed. It was indicated that aspects such as visitors’ motivation for attending festivals impacts on their loyalty. Furthermore it was established that marketing activities such as market research, market segmentation, positioning, branding and developing an effective festival marketing mix can assist marketers of festivals to achieve visitors’ loyalty. The second objective was to review the literature regarding brand loyalty and its constructs. Branding and brand loyalty were defined and the history of branding was discussed. More importantly, the constructs of brand loyalty and the items for measuring them were analysed. It was clear that a variety of constructs impact on festival visitors’ loyalty including brand attitude, brand personality, individuals’ characteristics, circumstances and purchase situation, organisations’ commitment to being customer orientated, brand equity, brand associations, brand awareness, product involvement, brand commitment, brand affect, quality, brand image, brand experience, brand trust, brand value and satisfaction. In addition, it was concluded that these aspects are related and affect one another. The third objective was to identify the components of a brand loyalty model, test the relationships between them and determine the variables influencing them. This was done with the aim of developing a brand loyalty model for arts festivals. For this purpose, data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire which was distritubuted to visitors at Vryfees and Aardklop. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed at each festival with 355 questionnaires obtained at Vryfees and 352 questionnaires obtained at Aardklop. Selected statistical techniques were employed to achieve this objective. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on the items for measuring brand loyalty. From this, six brand loyalty components were revealed. Spearman Rank Order Correlation was used to determine the relationships between these brand loyalty components. An independent t-test, one-way ANOVA and two-way ANOVA between groups were employed to determine the impact of selected variables on the components of brand loyalty. Finally, the brand loyalty components were used in Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to develop the model. The results of the study confirmed that brand loyalty for festivals such as Aardklop and Vryfees are multidimensional and consist of satisfaction, affective image, festival experience, loyalty, personal value and cognitive image. Affective image and satisfaction are also major components of visitors’ loyalty towards these festivals. It was furthermore confirmed that variables such as occupation, province of residence, frequency of attendance and home language have an impact on festival visitors’ loyalty. The final objective of this study was to draw conclusions and make recommendations concerning the compilation and implementation of the brand loyalty model for arts festivals. This research makes important contributions theoretically, methodologically and practically. Theoretically, this study is unique since it is one of the first to indicate the role of marketing in enhancing brand loyalty and to analyse various brand loyalty constructs that can be further investigated by future researchers. Methodologically, this study developed a reliable and valid questionnaire for the measurement of brand loyalty in a festival context which can be used by other festivals to determine visitors’ loyalty. In addition, this study investigated distinctive relationships between the festival loyalty constructs and other demographic and festival-related variables. The impact of demographic variables on festival loyalty constructs was also explored. The greatest contribution of this study, however, is its practical contribution by developing a brand loyalty model for arts festivals which can be used by marketers of festivals to create, maintain and increase visitors’ loyalty towards their festivals. / PhD (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015