Date: 3 June 2021 Level: Bachelor Thesis in Business Administration, 15 cr Institution: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University Authors: Battha Mohammed Jargalsaikhan Erdenebulgan                     (93/06/10)               (99/12/14) Title: The affect of eWOM on the brand image and purchase intention Tutor: David Freund Keywords: Electronic word of mouth (eWOM), word of mouth (WOM), brand image, smartphone Research question: Does eWOM affect a brand image? Purpose: The purpose of this research study is to determine eWOM affects on brand image concerning smartphone industries in Sweden Method: To fulfill the purpose of the research study used quantitative method. The quantitative method is used by applying questionnaires to collect the empirical data to answer the research question. A sample size of 168 respondents was selected and statistical analyses were carried out to show the distribution of the collected data. Conclusion: The study found that there is a strong affect of eWOM on the brand image of the smartphone industry in Sweden. The study concludes that it is important for firms and brands to invest in their technological marketing platforms where they can respond to customer concerns immediately.

AbstractKeywords: Brand image, brand identity, sponsorship, betting, football, branding. Purpose: How does Swedish Elite Football (SEF) work with its main sponsors Unibet and OBOS based on its brand identity and how is this perceived through brandimage? Methodology: The study is based on a qualitative approach. With semi-structured interviews and document analysis, we have collected material that has been processed through a thematic analysis. Theory: Theoretical starting points in this study are the concepts of brand image, brand identity and positioning. Results and conclusions: Previous research showed that gambling addiction and a normalization of betting were consequences formed in England since 1992 after a high exposure of gambling companies. This led to unhealthy betting behaviour, especially among adolescents, which may have affected the league's reputation. In our analysis, we investigated SEF's use of a privately owned gaming company as the main sponsor from a brand perspective. Based on SEF's brand identity, the organization will now be associated with Unibet in their exposure and marketing, which also means that their association will fall on SEF. Thus, SEF needs to create a good brand image for the gaming company, which it tries to do through different types of projects. Hemmaklubben and Unicoach are social projects that will develop Swedish football by, for example, training coaches further to develop better own products from the academies. SEF and Unibet have also initiated work against gambling addiction. They explain the project as that the problem is something that affects both organizations and should therefore be solved by the organizations. In this way, they want to inform the public that there are many benefits to the new collaboration, which are factors that strengthen SEF's identity. Based on our review of previous material, we can ́t see any previous studies where private betting companies as the main sponsor of a league social projects have done to counteract unhealthy betting behaviour, which SEF and Unibet do. From this point of view, we believe that the view of SEF's brand is partly dependent on the results the social projects will show. At present, SEF believes that they have received a positive response after turbulent discussions when the collaboration became official. Social projects have calmed the storm and supporters are probably waiting for the consequences of the values the collaboration can have. Thus, brand identity is probably dependent on positive results of the projects to be able to show that the organizations do have a value for Swedish Elite Football. This will then lead to a perception (brand image) about the organization. In further studies, we would like to see further research5on the organization's brand image to see how this has actually been received by supporters of SEF and whether the projects have been successful or not.

El tema de la presente investigación se centra en las “Impacto de la experiencia de Realidad virtual en la imagen de marca en capacitaciones B2B”. Para su desarrollo, el contenido se ha dividido en tres partes: introducción, tres capítulos (marco teórico, metodología y campo) y finalmente, conclusiones (discusión e implicancias que se han encontrado en la investigación). La Realidad Virtual es un tipo de tecnología que está despertando el interés de muchas empresas por su gran potencial estratégico. La experiencia VR permite penetrar en la mente del consumidor por las posibilidades de generar una experiencia vivencial de forma audiovisual de gran impacto. Gracias a ello, apareció un nuevo uso enfocado al B2B como maquinaria, capacitaciones y showrooms de muestra. El presente estudio se enfoca específicamente en las capacitaciones por ser rentables específicamente para el sector minero por el transporte a las minas que están a fuera de la ciudad. Además, abarca la imagen de marca como tema de marketing por lo mismo que para las empresas dedicadas al B2B les es relevante el estatus. A partir de ello, se desglosa en un análisis de calidad, inmersión, esfuerzo del cliente, satisfacción y notoriedad. El diseño es no experimental de corte transversal y alcance correlacional debido a que se observa y detalla la característica de dos acciones en momentos específicos. Asimismo, se utilizó un enfoque mixto, es decir cualitativo y cuantitativo. Los descubrimientos a nivel cualitativo y cuantitativo indican que la relación es significativa; sin embargo, la teoría muestra que ciertos factores tienen una mayor significancia que en la tropicalización no corresponden de igual forma. / The subject of this research focuses on the “Impact of the Virtual Reality experience on the brand image in B2B training”. For its development, the content has been divided into three parts: introduction, three chapters (theoretical framework, methodology and field) and finally, conclusions (discussion and implications that have been found in the research). Virtual Reality is a type of technology that is awakening the interest of many companies for its great strategic potential. The VR experience allows you to penetrate the mind of the consumer by the possibilities of generating an experience of audiovisual experience of great impact. Thanks to this, a new use focused on B2B appeared as machinery, training and sample showrooms. This study focuses specifically on training because it is profitable specifically for the mining sector due to transportation to mines that are outside the city. In addition, it encompasses the brand image as a marketing theme for the same reason that for companies dedicated to B2B, their status is relevant. From this, it is broken down into an analysis of quality, immersion, customer effort, satisfaction and notoriety. The design is non-experimental with a cross-sectional and correlational scope because the characteristic of two actions is observed and detailed at specific times. A mixed approach was also used, that is, qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative and quantitative findings indicate that the relationship is significant; However, the theory shows that certain factors have a greater significance than in tropicalization they do not correspond in the same way. / Trabajo de investigación

This study investigates the image of a theme park by determining the relative importance of factors tourists rely on in their evaluations of a theme park and their assessments of that theme park in satisfying these motives. The analytical framework of the importance- performance technique is used in analyzing the data. The SantaPark in Rovaniemi, Finland serves as the study setting. Study results and their implications are discussed.

Sammanfattning Titel: Från student till fastighetsmäklare – En kvalitativ studie med inblick i rekryteringsprocessen    Nivå: C-uppsats i ämnet företagsekonomi   Författare: Jonatan Hallqvist och Linus Ottosson Hahne    Handledare: Agneta Sundström och Benny Berggren   Datum: Maj 2020   Problematisering och Syfte: Forskningen idag verkar begränsad gällande strategier och kommunikation från fastighetsmäklarföretag mot blivande fastighetsmäklare med syfte att rekrytera. Syftet med studien är därmed att öka förståelsen för hur säljande organisationer använder olika marknadsföringsstrategier med mål att rekrytera studenter samt att förklara deras arbete med varumärkesförmedling.   Metod: Undersökningen har sin grund i en kvalitativ forskningsmetod. Den teoretiska referensramen är uppbyggd på tidigare studier och det insamlade empiriska materialet är utfört med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Studien antar en induktiv ansats.   Slutsats: Slutsatsen som dragits genom denna studien är att förmedlingen av en autentisk varumärkensbild är en viktig komponent för att lyckas fånga studenters intresse och bygga relationer som sedermera måste vårdas.   Förslag till vidare forskning: De förslag som givits gällande vidare forskning handlar om att testa den andra sidan i rekryteringsprocessen som undersökts. Dessutom att testa samma process i ett annat land med liknande utbildningskrav för den berörda branschen.   Studiens bidrag: Studien bidrar med en ökad förståelse och kunkap om hur viktigt arbetet med förmedlingen av en trovärdig och autentisk varumärkesbild är i rekryteringsarbetet gentemot studenter. Genom denna studie ges en inblick i hur fatighetsmäklarföretag applicerar trovärdighet och autenticitet i sitt rekryteringsarbete. Därmed bekräftar resultatet av denna studie tidigare teorier inom området. Dessutom ger studien praktiska råd för att lyckas bättre med processen att rekrytera. Detta i form av vikten att vårda relationer, använda befintlig personal vid förmedlingen av varumärkesbilden samt betydelsen av att förmedla en autentisk och trovärdig varumärkesbild.     Nyckelord: Rekrytering, rekryteringsprocessen, varumärkesuppfattning, brand image, employer branding, kommunikationsstrategier, kommunikation.

La comunicación de marcas sigue proyectando a la mujer como un objeto de deseo, que tiene como fin la venta de un producto, definido autores como marketing de belleza. Sin embargo, existe un tendencia internacional llamada “Real Beauty”, Belleza Real en español, el cual demuestra que la belleza no es única y estándar, es diferente y especial por persona. Asimismo, debido a la facilidad de acceso a la información, por la evolución de medios, los consumidores se tornan más exigentes frente a las marcas. De tal manera, es que el objetivo de la investigación es identificar qué variables de las acciones de promoción digital, siendo el uso de videos y uso de influencers, presenta mayor relación frente al posicionamiento basado en imagen de marca, enfocado al Real Beauty en el sector de moda femenina. Para ello, se realizará el análisis cualitativo, realizando entrevistas a profundidad, siendo 19 preguntas divididas en 3 bloques al target y 17 preguntas divididas en 2 bloques a cada experto, y el cuantitativo, realizando una encuesta, basada en 22 anunciados, dirigida a una muestra de la población. La muestra evidenció importantes hallazgos frente al estudio cualitativo, porque efectivamente, consideran que el concepto Real Beauty debería ser mejor implementado en las marcas del sector investigado, generando un vínculo más allá de lo transaccional, buscando un vínculo emocional. Por lo cual, consideran importante y efectivo el uso de diferentes estrategias para ello, como el uso de videos o influencers, generando un buena imagen y posicionamiento en la mente del consumidor. Teniendo en cuenta que en los hallazgos cuantitativos, por medio la regresión lineal múltiple, se pudo aterrizar los resultados cualitativos, indicando que el modelo indicado de analizar comprende ambas variables, es decir, que las estrategias de promoción analizadas tienen relación frente a la imagen de marca, sin embargo, una es más relevante e influyente. Debido a ello, es que la presente investigación tiene una utilidad práctica para la industria de la moda femenina. Asimismo, resulta funcional frente a la toma de decisiones en relación a la implementación estrategias de promoción digital. / Brand communication continues to project women as an object of desire, whose purpose is to sell a product, defined by authors as beauty marketing. However, there is an international trend called "Real Beauty", which shows that beauty is not unique and standard, it’s different and special per person. Also, due to the ease of access to information, due to the evolution of media, consumers are becoming more demanding towards brands. Therefore, the objective of the research is to identify which variables of the digital promotion actions, being the use of videos and the use of influencers, have a greater relationship with the positioning based on brand image, focused on Real Beauty in the women's fashion sector. For this, the qualitative analysis will be carried out, making in-depth interviews, being 19 questions divided in 3 blocks to the target and 17 questions divided in 2 blocks to each expert, and the quantitative analysis, making a survey, based on 22 announced, directed to a sample of the population. The sample showed important findings compared to the qualitative study, because indeed, they consider that the Real Beauty concept should be better implemented in the brands of the investigated sector, generating a link beyond the transactional, looking for an emotional link. Therefore, they consider important and effective the use of different strategies for this, such as the use of videos or influencers, generating a good image and positioning in the mind of the consumer. Taking into account that in the quantitative findings, by means of the multiple linear regression, it was possible to land the qualitative results, indicating that the indicated model to analyze includes both variables, that is to say, that the analyzed promotion strategies have relation in front of the brand image, nevertheless, one is more relevant and influential. Because of this, the present research has a practical utility for the women's fashion industry. Likewise, it is functional in relation to decision making in relation to the implementation of digital promotion strategies. / Tesis

Branding has become increasingly important in order to distinguish a brand from numerous competitors in the fashion industry. An effective way to differentiate the brand from others has shown to be through the brand image, which is why managers should work on sustaining a positive brand image. Managing brand image through different sales channels has become even more important due to the rise of multi-channels. The integration and effort of offline and online channels can result in both enhanced purchase intention and brand image. Previous literature has shown how purchase intention can be derived from the level of congruity between the consumer’s self-image and the brand’s image. Despite this, most previous research is conducted from a company perspective, why this research intends to provide theoretical contributions from a consumer perspective. This is particularly important for fashion brands, as for the ever-changing and highly competitive characteristics of the fashion market. Furthermore, an understanding of consumers’ perception of brand image in different sales channels has been missing in previous research. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate how consumers perceive brand image of multi-channel fashion companies for the purpose of providing insight into how brand image should be managed through different channels. Using a qualitative perspective, this explorative research conducts ten semi-structured interviews with women and men between the ages of 18 and 63, that are experienced within fashion consumption in online and offline channels. Analysis of the research findings indicates that there are 13 attributes that consumers consider as most prominent for brand image; six offline attributes and seven online attributes. For the offline image, it emerges that the surrounding environment, products and collections, price and value, store personnel and service, reputation are prominent attributes. For online, easy access and navigation, design and aesthetics, merchandise description, price and value, communication, services and reputation are prominent. It is also found that interviewees find it highly important that the image is consistent through different channels so that the brand conveys a holistic image.

El uso de la técnica del brand placement en las películas de ficción, durante los últimos años, el cual, a tenido una mejor valoración por parte de los profesionales de la publicidad y marketing (Nagar, 2016). El saber si es que los elementos que posee esta nueva técnica que se utiliza en las películas de ficción son percibidos por el consumidor y asociados a la imagen de marca. Debido a que consideran que es una inversión mucho más efectiva que las demás, prefieren desarrollar historias que conecten con el consumidor durante largo tiempo (Lorán, 2016). El objetivo general de este artículo es analizar si la percepción de los espectadores de los elementos del brand placement en las películas de ficción se asocian a la imagen de marca. Este se buscará alcanzar por medio de la metodología basado en un enfoque cualitativo y a través de la realización entrevistas personales como técnica de campo, de 5 a 10 jóvenes entre hombres y mujeres de 18 a 25 años, que les gusta ver películas de ficción, de un nivel socioeconómico A y B de Lima Metropolitana, utilizando como herramientas guías de indagación semiestructuradas. / The use of the brand placement technique in fiction films, in recent years, which has had a better evaluation by advertising and marketing professionals (Nagar, 2016). El uso de la técnica del brand placement en las películas de ficción, durante los últimos años, el cual, a tenido una mejor valoración por parte de los profesionales de la publicidad y marketing (Nagar, 2016). Knowing whether the elements of this new technique used in fiction films are perceived by the consumer and associated with the brand image. Because they consider it to be a much more effective investment than the others, they prefer to develop stories that connect with the consumer for a long time (Lorán, 2016). The general objective of this article is to analyze whether the viewers perception of the elements of brand placement in fictional films are associated with the brand image. This will be achieved through a methodology based on qualitative approach and through personal interviews, as a field technique, of 5 to 10 young people between men and women between 18 and 25 years old, who like to watch fiction films, of a socioeconomic level A and B of Metropolitan Lima, using semi-structured inquiry guides as tools. / Trabajo de investigación

In a competitive environment, ensuring to provide high quality can be considered as one of the key objectives of the organizations. For guaranteeing that, the firms should communicate efficiently regarding quality, in order to influence the consumers´ perception towards quality. A high perception of quality requires a strong brand, which should guide the consumers in their choice and let them to refuse the competitors. Among the different strategies that can be put in place by the firms, co-branding is a joint strategy that is trying to combine the value of both brands in a synergy effect. Ingredient branding is a type of branding that entails the use of a component from one brand in a product of another brand, moreover these stimuli that are influencing the consumers´ behaviour. This stimulus will impact the quality perception of the brand and the consumers´ willingness of choosing the brand, therefore the brand would be preferred to other brands and make the consumer be loyal to the host brand. This study was conducted by employing a quantitative approach based on an experimental design with a focus on the automotive industry. A survey was distributed among students and young professionals, which are considered as actual or prospective car buyers. A total of 116 responses contributed to the sample of this research. The findings show that an ingredient brand with high perceived quality can increase the perceived quality of the host brand and that the increased quality of the host brand can lead to brand loyalty.

Studiens syfte är att utifrån ett marknadsföringsperspektiv analysera hur ett väletablerat premiumvarumärkes omprofilering kan samverka med fenomenet påverkarmarknadsföring. Analysen ska belysa hur en sådan samverkan kan utformas för att skapa konkurrenskraftighet på marknaden, samt undersöka dess möjligheter och risker. Metod: Studien är av kvalitativ karaktär och utfördes med en induktiv ansats genom en fallstudie. Primärdata samlades in utifrån sex stycken semistrukturerade intervjuer och kompletterades sedan med sekundärdata. Det empiriska materialet analyserades genom tematisering för att nå en slutsats. Teoretiska perspektiv: Till grund för studien ligger omprofilering samt dess koppling till varumärkesidentitet. Den förklarar hur ett företag strategiskt bör utforma processen samt hur det kommer att påverka den interna verksamheten. Vidare har studien även en teoretiskt utgångspunkt i hur digitala kanaler och påverkarmarknadsföring kan inverka på konsumenters beteende samt uppfattnings-formation. Empiri: Valet av studieobjekt föll på Baum und Pferdgarten A/S. Företaget är ett väletablerat modehus i Danmark, och har varit aktivt på marknaden i 20 år. I empirin redovisas materialet från den insamlade primär- och sekundärdatan. Fokus ligger på att analysera verksamhetens fas av omprofilering samt hur de strategiskt genom processen planerar arbeta med sociala medier och påverkarmarknadsföring. Slutsats: Studiens slutsatser visade på flertalet tillvägagångssätt där möjligheter samt risker kunde identifieras vid omprofilering genom påverkarmarknadsföring. Slutsatserna samlades under fyra kategorier som kunde sammanfattas; en marknadsföringsstrategi som genererar mät- och spårbart resultat, en ökad mångfald inom varumärkets målgrupp, möjligheter till ett genererat mervärde i relationen mellan företag och influerare, samt möjligheten att arbeta med obetald sponsring. Vid utformningen av påverkarmarknadsföring som huvudsaklig marknadsföringsstrategi, belystes kombinationen mellan ett kontinuerligt analytiskt arbete kring influerare och en fördjupad kunskap kring företagets målgrupp. Vidare identifierades även en begränsning för omprofilering genom påverkarmarknadsföring vid konsumenters ökande krav kring hög variation i bildmaterialet, samt en snabbare typ av kommunikation på sociala medier och digitala kanaler. / The purpose of the study is to analyse, from a marketing perspective, how a wellestablished premium brand's rebranding process can interact with the phenomenon called influencer marketing. The analysis will shed light on how such a united action can bedesigned to create competitiveness on the market, as well as examine its possibilities and risks. Methodology: The study is of qualitative character and was executed with an inductiveapproach through a case study. The primary data was collected from six semi-structuredinterviews and was supplemented, where necessary, by secondary data. The empirical datawas analysed by the help of thematisation in order to reach a conclusion. Theoretical perspectives: The theoretical perspective of the study is based on rebranding andits connection to brand identity. It explains how a company strategically should design the process, and how it will affect the internal business. Furthermore, the study is also based on atheoretical gate about how digital channels and influencer marketing can affect consumerbehaviour and their formation of perception. Empirical foundation: The choice of study object fell on Baum und Pferdgarten A/S. Thecompany is a well-established fashion house in Denmark, and has been active on the marketfor 20 years. In the empirical data section, primary and secondary data are presented in detail. The focus lies on analysing the company's rebranding process and how they through this strategically plan to work with social media and influencer marketing. Conclusion: The study concludes several approaches where both possibilities and risks couldbe identified, when rebranding through influencer marketing. The conclusions were gathered in four categories, which summarise; a marketing strategy that generates measurable and traceable results, increased diversity within the brand's target group, possibilities in an added value around the relationship between company and influencer, and the possibility to work with unpaid sponsorships. When developing influencer marketing as a main strategy, the combination of an continuous analytical work around influencers and a deeper knowledge of the company's target group was highlighted. Furthermore, a limitation within rebranding through influencer marketing was also identified in consumers increasing demand for high variation in image material as well as a faster type of communication on social mediaplatforms and other digital channels.