This research paper has been prepared by Bachelor students from Dalarna University in Borlänge. The project is centered on a case study of ICA – Kvantum and its brand awareness among customers. The purpose of this study is to find out that which measures can help ICA-Kvantum to create brand awareness among its current and potential customers by looking in to the importance of information of its offerings and use of effective communication tools to convey this information. Further, to recommend them what they need to do, to increase brand awareness among their customers with the help of managerial implications. The research question was formulated as what actions could be seen effective for ICA-Kvantum to maintain or improve brand awareness among its current and potential customers.The project was created with the help of theoretical concepts of brand awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality, consumer decision model, integrated marketing communication approach and strategic planning process. These theories were applied in this thesis in order to find out the most effective communication measures to maintain or improve brand awareness among current and potential customers of ICA-Kvantum.The primary and secondary data was collected. Primary data was gathered through the survey among ICA-Kvantum customers in the front of the store in Borlänge. The personal interview with manager was conducted in the office of ICA-Kvantum store located in Borlänge. Secondary data was gathered from textbooks, academic journals, theses and websites.The empirical findings have been presented in detail and then analyzed with the help of theoretical concepts. The analysis and further results from survey and interview focused on importance of information, marketing communication tools, brand awareness and loyalty, perceived quality and implementation of strategic planning process. Moreover, the main weaknesses and strengths of ICA-Kvantun have been evaluated. The conclusion including short summary of analysis and its results have been provided at the end. Each weakness of issues related to brand awareness i.e. importance of information, effectiveness of marketing communication tools and strengths and weaknesses of ICA-Kvantum discussed in the paper, has been pointed out along with solutions and managerial implications.

The times of following a ‘one brand – one product’ strategy have long past. Nowadays, firms are increasingly recognizing the true value of their brands and are starting to use these as a source of competitive advantage. By introducing new products under an existing brand name, firms leverage the power of their brands and thus, aim at benefiting from the success of the parent brand. Brands are amongst the most valuable assets owned by a company, which encourages them to engage in brand extensions. The authors mainly distinguish between three brand extension strategy types: line extension, vertical line extension and category extension.             Previous quantitative studies have identified that particularly brand equity and brand identity stand out as significantly influencing brand extension strategies. Therefore, this qualitative case study further explores how these two branding constructs affect firms’ brand extension decisions. While most past studies investigated the potential success of fictitious brands, this study performs qualitative interviews with brand and product managers of eight real case firms operating in the FMCG industry in Germany.             The empirical data indicates that the pressure to innovate rises, as more and more new extension products are being introduced to the market in recent years. Nevertheless, the majority of firms opt for line extension strategies, while only few dare to enter a further distanced market segment. Hence, the condition of a “fit” between the parent brand and extension product is mostly accounted for. The study further suggests that a brand without strong brand equity will not be able to perform brand extensions at any level. However, even if brands do benefit from strong brand equity, firms may adopt divergent strategies, which is mainly dependent on the brand’s identity. The research results show that narrowly defined brands, predominantly distinguishable by concrete product features and physical facets, restrict the firms’ capability to extend a brand beyond its original product line. Contrarily, brands with a more abstract or value based identity provide more opportunities to stretch further from the parent brand. An emotional brand that succeeds in building a relationship to the customer, in representing a distinct personality or telling a story, is able to extend to a new product category. The study concludes that certain brands may be under-exploited, as they do not leverage their high equity and identity capabilities in terms of extending the brand to a further distanced market segment.             As a result of the findings, two Brand Extension Strategy Matrices are constructed, setting the brand identity abstraction level (product or value based identity) into relation to (1) brand equity and (2) the identity “fit” of an extension product and the parent brand. Each of these two matrices explains the strategic consequences of a given set of brand equity and brand identity.

This research focuses on online brand communities from a brand management perspective. The purpose of this study is to contribute to understanding of online brand communities by examining differences in brand-sponsored and consumer-generated online brand communities, and to extend research into online brand communities by examining online brand communities for a sports brand. The first phase of this study investigates how consumption practices differ in brand-sponsored and consumer-generated online brand communities. Online brand communities for the All Blacks brand were selected as a case study for this research. The All Blacks brand-sponsored and consumer-generated online brand communities were observed for eight weeks and afterwards discussions in both communities were analysed for two weeks to identify consumption practices. Ethical issues pertinent to this research design meant raw comments and discussions could not be collected and instead discussions were immediately analysed through a coding process. The second phase of this study investigates marketing industry expert views on brand-sponsored and consumer-generated online brand communities. Interviews with three representatives from service and sports organisations were held. The findings from this research contribute to literature on online brand communities by demonstrating brand-sponsored and consumer-generated online brand communities differ in consumption practices, language, self-expression, modes of interaction, and legitimacy. This study also extends research into online brand communities by investigating online brand communities for sports brands. Findings imply there are minimal differences between online brand communities for service or sports brands compared with online brand communities for goods. The outcomes from this research may also have a number of implications for marketers, hoping to capitalise on the growth of online brand communities.

Les systèmes de management de marque (BMS) sont d’une importance centrale pour contrôler de façon efficace le management de marque et mettre en valeur la performance de l’entreprise. Une difficulté actuelle concerne l’évaluation des pratiques des managers de marque et leurs contributions à la performance. Cette recherche doctorale tente de pallier cette limite de plusieurs manières : (1) en identifiant les pratiques saillantes et composantes du BMS ; (2) en définissant une échelle de mesure du BMS ; (3) en testant son rôle médiateur dans la relation entre le concept d’orientation marché et la performance marque ; (4) en déterminant globalement , mais aussi sectoriellement, les pratiques saillantes du management de marque qui contribuent à la performance marque mesurée de façon subjective et objective, ainsi que les effets ; (5) en étudiant le rôle de variables qui pourraient modérer cet effet médiateur. Les résultats d’une analyse de sentier auprès de 359 managers de marque confirment l’existence de l’effet médiateur du système de management de marque. Nous démontrons qu’il existe également un chemin médiateur passant par cet effet et ayant un impact sur la performance subjective de la marque puis la performance financière objective. Les analyses multi-groupes mettent en avant des différences sectorielles dans la valorisation des pratiques du management de marque et de l’orientation marché, fournissant ainsi des éléments d’information pour la prise de décision du top management. / Brand management systems (BMSs) are of prime importance to monitor an effective brand management and enhance firms’ performance. The lack of research about brand management practices makes the evaluation of their impact on performance difficult to assess. In order to fill this gap, this doctoral research tries to: (1) identify the BMS’s main practices and components; (2) define a BMS scale; (3) test the BMS mediating role in the relationship between market orientation and brand performance; (4) determine to what extent brand management systems contributes to brand performance, measured at subjective and objective levels, globally and in five sectors; (5) study the moderating effects of firms’ and sectors’ characteristics. The research was carried out with a sample of 359 managers. The results demonstrate the mediating effect of BMS on subjective brand performance to objective financial performance. Multigroup analyses show moderating effects which influence BMS and market orientation valuation, which provides relevant information for top managers’ decision making.

The aim of this diploma thesis named "Brand perception" is to create suggestion for changes in the communication of brands based on an analysis and comparison of the perception of the particular brands by the public and the society. The theoretical part focuses on the clarification of the important definitions, which are related to the issue from the recognized economic authors points of view. The second part of the diploma thesis is focused on the evaluation of qualitative and quantitative techniques of a marketing research which are the basis for a comparison of the chosen brands from the point of view both of the public and of the representatives of the society. The conclusion of the thesis includes suggested precautions for making the communication of the brands better.

This diploma thesis focuses on regional brand PRÁCHEŇSKO regional product communication and its assessment. The aim of this thesis is to make suggestions to increase the efficiency of communication of the brand PRÁCHEŇSKO regional product through an analysis of this regional brand and a realization of marketing research. The theoretical part deals with the brand and its direction as well as with marketing communication. There is also a definition of terms region and regional brand included. The other part deals with an analysis of regional brand programmes, that are available on the Czech market as well as PRÁCHEŇSKO regional product. The region Prácheňsko and the system of granting a brand and the certification of products through this brand are presented. Finally, a critical analysis of the brand and its marketing communication as well as marketing research that focuses on discovering of the knowledge PRÁCHEŇSKO regional product are given. In the closing part of this thesis, suggestions that should not only lead to increase the efficiency of the brand and its marketing communication but also to increase the consumer awareness are given.

The master thesis deals with strategy of luxury professional hair care brand Kérastase Paris on the Czech and Slovak market. The focus of this thesis is on the brand's current position and its communication strategy on these markets. Based on own research, suggestions how to improve this strategy are then made. The work could be divided into three sections. The first one brings theoretical base for the next sections. The second one introduces the brand Kérastase Paris and its current position on the local market by analyzing the secondary data sources. The last part of the thesis focuses on the actual research, interpretation of its results and suggestions of the improvements of the communication strategy of the brand on our market.

Idrottssektorn är inte vad den en gång i tiden varit, kommersialiseringen och professionaliseringen har medfört ett ökat resurskrav på idrottssektorn. Idrottsföreningar och individuella idrottare måste idag arbeta för att bygga upp ett starkt varumärke för att införskaffa sig de resurser som krävs för att bedriva den önskade idrotten. Med hjälp av digitaliseringen har det öppnats upp nya möjligheter och utmaningar för att marknadsföra sig och sociala medier har blivit ett av de viktigaste verktygen inom marknadsföring.   Syftet med denna studie är att öka kunskapen om hur en individuell idrottare kan arbeta för att bygga upp ett personligt varumärke och på vilket sätt idrottaren i fråga kan använda sig av Instagram som verktyg. För att undersöka detta har vi genomfört åtta intervjuer med professionella individuella idrottare för att sedan analysera svaren mot befintlig teori.   Vår studie fokuserar på Instagram och det vi kan se men våran studie är att det finns tre nyckelfaktorer som individuella idrottare bör arbeta med för att bygga upp det personliga varumärket med hjälp av Instagram. De faktorerna är att skapa en stark identitet, vara en attraktiv samarbetspartner och skapa en relation till sina följare.   Bidraget studien har gett är en ökad kunskap för hur professionella individuella idrottare arbetar med sociala medier för att bygga upp det personliga varumärket på sociala medier för individuella idrottare. Avslutningsvis kan vi konstatera att det finns stora marknadsförings möjligheter genom Instagram. / The sport sector is not what it once was, commercialization and professionalism has resulted with higher economic demands on the sport sector. Today Athletic clubs and individual athletes have to work on a strong brand building to attract the needed resources for competitive performance. Digitalization and social media opened the new opportunities for the personal brand building.     The purpose with this study is to discuss an individual athlete personal brand building using Instagram as a tool. Eight interviews with professional individual athletes were conducted; the empirical material was thematically analyzed according to existing theories. As result, three key factors of athletes´ personal brand building were identified, such as: (1) a strong identity, (2) a good cooperative partner, and (3) a relationship with followers.   The study contributes to the knowledge on the personal brand building in social media, and in Instagram particular, as a platform with biggest marketing opportunities for professional individual athletes.

This master´s thesis deals with improving communication strategy of Lactacyd, which is an intimate hygiene brand of Omega Pharma company. The thesis is divided into three main parts. The first part contains description of theoretical resources and fundamental knowledge. The second part of the thesis is focused on an analysis of the current situation with an aim to obtain information needed for proposal part. The last part delivers proposals for improvement of the current marketing communication as well as other proposals which can strenghten market position of Lactacyd brand.

Cilem teto diplomove prace je zamerit se na predmet ktery se tyka rizeni znacky (branding). Primarnim cilem je shrnout problematiku rizeni znacky a nasledne aplikovat dosazene poznatky o vybrane znacce pusobici na ceskem trhu v prumyslu onlinovych hudebnich prehravacu. To znamena vyhodnoceni analyticke casti, ktera popisuje stavajici strategii rizene znacky a jeji soucasnou situaci na trhu. Zminene vyhodnoceni znacky vychazelo z prehledu teoretickych ramcu a jejich strategickych moznosti obsazenych v teoreticke casti. Nasledne jsou navrzeny pripadna doporuceni, ktera nabizi strategicke moznosti rizeni znacky, jez jsou navrzeny k tomu, aby znacce pomohli vylepsit svou pozici na ceskem trhu.