<p> </p><p><p><strong><p>Abstract</p><p>Date May 29th, 2009</p><p>Course Master Thesis EFO705, International Marketing</p><p>Tutor Daniel Tolstoy</p><p>Authors Thi Bich Ngoc Nguyen</p><p>Thi Xuan Thu Nguyen</p><p>Title</p><p><em>Brand Launching and Sustaining in a Developing Country</em><strong><p>Purpose</p>The project is to investigate the Brand Launching and Sustaining in a</strong></p><p>The Case Study of Honda on Vietnam Motorcycle Market</p></strong></p></p><p>developing country through the study on how Honda has successfully</p><p>launched and sustained its Brand on the Motorcycle Market of Vietnam.</p><p><p><strong><p>Problems</p>Honda's Brand Launching campaign and the company's strategies and</strong></p></p><p>initiatives to Sustain its Brand on the Motorcycle Market of Vietnam.</p><p><p><strong><p>Methodology</p>The realistic approach and case study method are to be applied. The</strong></p></p><p>information should be gathered through numerous sources: primary data</p><p>from the email qualitative interviews with the managers of Honda</p><p>Motorcycle Vietnam, and the email quantitative surveys among Vietnam's</p><p>Honda Motorcycle users; secondary data from the articles in a variety of</p><p>newspapers and magazines as well as websites.</p><p><p><strong><p>Conceptual Model</p>The contents covered in the project are Brand Launching and Sustaining.</strong></p></p><p>In particular, theories related to Brand Launching in terms of Brand</p><p>Identity and Brand Positioning, as well as Brand Sustaining with respects</p><p>to Brand Growth and Brand Maturity should be investigated and analysed.</p><p>In addition, what is of significance importance is the base of the</p><p>company's Branding Strategies -the business environment of the</p><p>destination country. Therefore, the disseration should thoroughly</p><p>investigate the Grasp of the Market including Market Assessment</p><p>(Government Policies, Demand Conditions and Market Opportunities) and</p><p>Communications (Marketing and PR Activities and Social Corporate</p><p>Responsibility) which serve as the foundation for the firm's market-based</p><p>or fully tailored Branding Strategies to the specific conditions or</p><p>characteristics of the destination nation.</p><p><p><strong><p>Findings</p>Honda has adopted appropriate Branding Strategies (Brand Identity,</strong></p></p><p>Positioning, Growing and Sustaining) on Vietnam Motorcycle Market.</p><p>The firm has identified its Brand as true Made-in-Japan products of high</p><p>quality and reasonable price. It serves as 'the power of dreams' created in</p><p>an ideal corporate culture and environment friendly working condition</p><p>which is committed to advanced technology and society orientation.</p><p>Honda Brand has been positioned to satisfy the needs for a transportation</p><p>means of reliability, long duration, safety, hi-tech, fuel saving and</p><p>environment protection of the middle and high class customer groups in</p><p>Vietnam. To compete with such rivals as Yamaha, Suzuki, SYM and</p><p>Piaggio, Honda has adopted proper Growing Strategies with Cub and</p><p>Scooter categories including a range of product lines. In addition, the</p><p>company has implemented appropriate Sustaining Strategies focusing on</p><p>Communication Efforts and Influencer Proximity with a variety of</p><p>Marketing and PR activities, Safety Driving Plan and Social Activities</p><p>ranging from Environmental Preservation, Educational Development,</p><p>Safety Driving Support Activities to Donation and Charity Activities.</p><p>Actually, Honda's Branding strategies have been fully tailored to the</p><p>specific market conditions of Vietnam.</p><p><p><strong><p>Conclusion</p>Honda has gained the leading position on Vietnam Motorcycle Market</strong></p></p><p>since 1996 when the company penetrated into the country. Honda Brand</p><p>has received great love from Vietnamese customers and become more than</p><p>a Brand, but a citizen of Vietnam who 'strives to become a company that</p><p>the society wants to exist'.</p><p><p><strong><p>Recommendation</p>Honda Brand success should only be maintained when the firm is</strong></p></p><p>managed to constantly strengthen Honda Brand itself as well as identify</p><p>and fix the shortcomings: keep serving as a good Vietnamese citizen, be</p><p>consistent with the company's reasonable pricing strategy, improve the</p><p>firm's customer relationships and pay more attention to the counterfeit</p><p>brand defense.</p><p><p><strong><p>Lessons</p>Honda's great achievements in Vietnam offer valuable lessons for the</strong></p></p><p>firms who desire to successfully brand in Vietnam in particular and</p><p>developing countries in general: Concerning Brand Launching (Brand</p><p>Identity and Positioning), the company should invest in Marketing and PR</p><p>activities, adopt Reasonable Price and Localization strategies, pay</p><p>attention to Customer Relationship, Influencer Proximity and Corporate</p><p>Social Responsibility to become a good citizen of the market country.</p><p>Regarding Brand Sustaining (Brand Growth and Maturity), the firm</p><p>should take advantages of brand extension and line extension, maintain the</p><p>Launching Strategies and simultaneously Bring Added Values and</p><p>Recreate a Perceived Difference for its brands, Actively and dynamically</p><p>involving itself in the Competition and also adopting Dual Management.</p>

<p><em>Aim:</em> This study deals with Brand Management after acquisitions. Since this subject is still quite unexplored, a case study backed the theoretical review in order to answer the two research questions. Furthermore, the work educes a model which shows the ascendancies that are involved in the field of Brand Management after acquisitions. It is the aim to reveal the necessity of strong branding for acquired companies and the importance of the continuity of their presenting brand values. I hope this paper adds new knowledge in the Brand Management sector in connection with acquisitions and gives the reader a proper understanding about the issue._<em></em></p><p>_{<em>Method:</em> The study occupies a theoretical and an empirical study. The theory}part presents a selection of theories and models developed by scholars in the field of business administration. While the first research question concerning brand equity after acquisitions is addressed in the theoretical review in chapter 3, the second question regarding brand image is mainly discussed during the empirical part. The data for the latter was primarily obtained by a case study which is a qualitative method and occupies interviews and discussions.</p><p><em>Result:</em> Brand Management has become a key issue for companies and is a sensitive subject in the context of Merger and Acquisition. Hence, it is a challenge for the acquirer and the acquired company to manage control and adapt to the new situation. Brand equity as a key asset of Brand Management is the amount of loyalty a customer has towards a brand and it is certainly influenced by such transactions as M&A. In the real-life comparison of the specific case it proved to be successful for the acquirer to maintain the autonomy of the acquired brand and continue the meaning of the brand. In addition, the loyalty of the customers is of great importance to assure a smooth process of the business operations.</p><p><em>Suggestions for future research: </em>Due to the current situation and constant changes it would be interesting to repeat the study some time in the future for a final conclusion. Furthermore, since the findings for the empirical part of this study are based on a strong acquired brand, it would be interesting to investigate the case of another company of weaker nature, and maybe of a different branch. The high profile of the target firm and its strong brand values had a remarkable influence on the revelations of this study.</p><p><em>Contribution of the thesis: </em>The result of this study helps companies to maintain their brand values during an acquisition. The research adds new knowledge in the brand management sector in connection with acquisitions, and it is useful for companies which are involved in M&A activities.</p><p> </p>

<p><strong>Syfte: </strong>Syftet med denna uppsats är att analysera varumärkeshanteringen i olika ideella organisationer i Sverige. </p><p><strong>Metod:</strong> I denna uppsats har författarna använts sig av kvalitativa metoder samt utgått från en abduktiv ansats. De primära data är fem intervjuer med fem ideella organisationer i Sverige som arbetar för olika ändamål. Dessa intervjuer har valts utifrån ett bekvämlighetsurval.<strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Resultat och slutsatser: </strong>Av resultatet framgår det att de ideella organisationerna arbetar med sitt varumärke beroende på vilka resurser de har, vilken storlek organisationen har och vilka ändamål de arbetar för. Författarna av studien anser att varumärkeshantering inte är ett högt prioriterat område för samtliga ideella organisationer eftersom de behöver lägga sina resurser på rätt företeelse, vilket är deras ändamål. Om organisationerna skulle lägga mycket tid på varumärkeshantering och marknadsföring skulle detta leda till att allmänheten blir skeptiska och börja undra om organisationerna använder pengarna på rätt sätt. Eftersom det saknas modeller för ideella organisationers varumärkeshantering har uppsatsförfattarna med hjälp av Melin och Aakers modeller, skapat en egen modell som är anpassad för ideella organisationer.</p> / <p><strong>Aim:</strong> The aim of this thesis is to analyze brand management in the different non-profit organizations in Sweden. </p><p><strong>Method:</strong> In this thesis, the authors used qualitative methods and an abductive approach. The primary data consists of five interviews with five non-profit organizations in Sweden that work for different purposes. The choice of non-profit organizations is based on convenience sample. </p><p><strong>Results and conclusions:</strong> The results showed that the non-profit organizations are working on its brand depending on what resources they have, what size the organization is and what purposes they are working for. The authors of the study, think that brand management is not a high priority for all non-profit organizations because they need to put their resources in the right property, which is their purpose. If non-profit organizations would spend a lot of time on brand management and marketing, it would result in the public being skeptical and start wondering if the organizations use the money properly. Since there are no models for brand management in non-profit organizations, the authors of the study has created a model adjusted for non-profit organizations with the help of the models by Melin and Aaker.</p>

<p>Purpose/Aim: To describe likenesses and differences between the personal identity of the common Kalmar nation member and the collective identity of the organization Kalmar nation as described by said members.</p><p>Material/Method: Collecting data through a quantitative survey, where the members answer questions about themselves and Kalmar nation, and subsequent analysis of said data by means of theories about personal, collective, and brand identity.</p><p>Main results: After analyzing the data from the survey I conclude that there exists both likenesses and differences between the organization and its members. Some likenesses are more pronounced than others, and the same can be said for the differences. However, within the three areas of study (specific identity traits, politics and music) politics and music showed more similarity between the members and the nation than the specific identity traits did. The most interesting aspect of the analysis show that the members have quite a common view of the organization despite their own widely different descriptions of themselves.</p>

Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Imagine how you would react if you learned that your favorite singer was recording new music in a style far from that which you have come to love. Perhaps you would disapprove. Then you might react like many Porsche consumers did when they learned that “their” brand would start producing sports utility vehicles. They are not without peers. In fact, how would you respond if a favored brand would launch, say, a chain of coffee shops? Some people would resist such an idea. These scenarios illustrate how strong consumer-brand bonds may complicate attempts to extend brands into new businesses. The research presented in the thesis explores this connection, towards a better understanding of the stakes facing both companies and consumers. It is an inquiry into tensions of extensions. The thesis comprises four published studies. Three explore how consumers with close ties to a brand react to brand extension. They acknowledge that consumers who come close to a brand potentially become stakeholders with opinions on efforts to change the products and marketing of that brand. They suggest that the implications of combining brand extension and strong consumer bonds can be substantial. The fourth study considers how the financial implications in particular can be analyzed and communicated within organizations. The findings show how brand extension can be an important event in a longer relationship with core consumers. This perspective is easily obscured when concentrating only on the perceptions of “the average consumer”. The thesis highlights symbolic and experiential aspects. It offers a closer look at such things as consumer identity, emotional reactions, and expression of criticism, and the findings should inform communication strategies and decision-making related to brand extensions. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan i Stockholm, 2008. Sammanfattning jämte 4 uppsatser</p>

Today advertisers face the challenge of securing advertising effectiveness by producing advertisement that gets the consumers’ attention and shape their attitudes and behavior. One suggested way to reach these objectives is creativity. Both advertising industry professionals, awards, effectiveness reports and research support this notion that what makes advertising effective is creative excellence. However, research has shown that advertising professionals seems to have little formalized understanding about how advertising creativity work and how it is defined and measured. Current research need to better understand the response to creative advertisements by documenting how advertising professionals and consumer assess and value creativity. By applying new perspectives and new theories this thesis investigate the effects advertising creativity has on consumers. The thesis reviews the academic research on advertising creativity and contributes with five articles to increase the understanding of advertising creativity and how perceptions of creativity influence advertising effectiveness. In so doing, it plays a part in advertisers understanding and use of advertising creativity. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan i Stockholm, 2012. Sammanfattning jämte 5 uppsatser.</p>

Purpose/Aim: To describe likenesses and differences between the personal identity of the common Kalmar nation member and the collective identity of the organization Kalmar nation as described by said members. Material/Method: Collecting data through a quantitative survey, where the members answer questions about themselves and Kalmar nation, and subsequent analysis of said data by means of theories about personal, collective, and brand identity. Main results: After analyzing the data from the survey I conclude that there exists both likenesses and differences between the organization and its members. Some likenesses are more pronounced than others, and the same can be said for the differences. However, within the three areas of study (specific identity traits, politics and music) politics and music showed more similarity between the members and the nation than the specific identity traits did. The most interesting aspect of the analysis show that the members have quite a common view of the organization despite their own widely different descriptions of themselves.

As the title insinuate, this essay illustrate Event Marketing as a marketing instrument, and how it can be used as a tool to facilitate brandbuilding and improve relationships. We have come to the understanding that Event Marketing is in the course of constant development. It seems like Event Marketing as a marketing tool is starting to get its well-merited position in the marketing mix throughout the world, since companies and other organisations have realized that Event Marketing is a powerful tool for differentiation. We have also seen that Event Marketing in the business world lately has come to be more important for building and maintaining relationships, as well as carrying marketing messages. In this essay we discuss Event Marketing in three sections; brand, relationships, and customer experience. Among these topics, inter alia Integrated Marketing Communications, Sensory Marketing, and Service-dominant Logic are presented. The three sections are ultimatley supposed to establish a part of the entirety of Event Marketing. This essay is a commission from the building company Skanska in Sweden, with the purpose of throwing a new light on their customer-oriented event Skanskadagen in the south-east district of the Swedish market. We have performed eleven qualitative interviews; nine with management and personnel within Skanska, and two with event managers from two different bureaus in Sweden. As a complement to these interviews, we have studied literature, documents, and articles – with and without a scientific basis. The conclusions and recommendations are presented in chapter 8.

Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att analysera varumärkeshanteringen i olika ideella organisationer i Sverige.  Metod: I denna uppsats har författarna använts sig av kvalitativa metoder samt utgått från en abduktiv ansats. De primära data är fem intervjuer med fem ideella organisationer i Sverige som arbetar för olika ändamål. Dessa intervjuer har valts utifrån ett bekvämlighetsurval.  Resultat och slutsatser: Av resultatet framgår det att de ideella organisationerna arbetar med sitt varumärke beroende på vilka resurser de har, vilken storlek organisationen har och vilka ändamål de arbetar för. Författarna av studien anser att varumärkeshantering inte är ett högt prioriterat område för samtliga ideella organisationer eftersom de behöver lägga sina resurser på rätt företeelse, vilket är deras ändamål. Om organisationerna skulle lägga mycket tid på varumärkeshantering och marknadsföring skulle detta leda till att allmänheten blir skeptiska och börja undra om organisationerna använder pengarna på rätt sätt. Eftersom det saknas modeller för ideella organisationers varumärkeshantering har uppsatsförfattarna med hjälp av Melin och Aakers modeller, skapat en egen modell som är anpassad för ideella organisationer. / Aim: The aim of this thesis is to analyze brand management in the different non-profit organizations in Sweden.  Method: In this thesis, the authors used qualitative methods and an abductive approach. The primary data consists of five interviews with five non-profit organizations in Sweden that work for different purposes. The choice of non-profit organizations is based on convenience sample.  Results and conclusions: The results showed that the non-profit organizations are working on its brand depending on what resources they have, what size the organization is and what purposes they are working for. The authors of the study, think that brand management is not a high priority for all non-profit organizations because they need to put their resources in the right property, which is their purpose. If non-profit organizations would spend a lot of time on brand management and marketing, it would result in the public being skeptical and start wondering if the organizations use the money properly. Since there are no models for brand management in non-profit organizations, the authors of the study has created a model adjusted for non-profit organizations with the help of the models by Melin and Aaker.