Background. Previous research on the investigation of brand personality (BP) can be found to use the personification metaphor of brands through celebrities, occupations and animals. Brand image research aims to discover the human characteristics attached to a brand. In this regard, the author suggests that as music can tell much of the personality of a person, then it would be possible to know the personality of a brand through music. The rationale behind is that music elicits “extramusical” information, such as emotions, values, dress codes and stereotypes of people; in relation to musical-genres. Purpose. This research aims to explore how music can help to produce brand knowledge. In particular how the extramusical information conveyed by musical-genres can be used as language to talk about the personality of a brand. Methodology. The empirical research was developed within an Interpretive research paradigm to learn from the perspective of consumers of hip-hop music in Sweden, how brand knowledge can be obtained from music as cognitive schema (CS). The data was gathered using a mixed-method research design. Two different projective techniques were employed in group sessions. On one session (N=11), visual collages were used to visually represent the brands using images of musicians and their description with brand personality traits. The second session (N=12) consisted of an associative task using music, followed by the application of the brand personality scale. The interpretation and analysis of findings was done through the triangulation of the methods’ data. Conclusions. The use of music genres as CS to produce brand knowledge can provide insightful information on the lifestyle and type of users that buy, consume or wear the brand. Extramusical information helps understand characteristics of BP through the lifestyle and profile of the musician or music-fan that was associated with the brand. In particular, brand knowledge can be gained in terms of demographic and psychographic characteristics associated to the brand. However, several theoretical implications for further research were identified in order to consolidate the BP/consumer/music relationship.

CIS目前一般譯為企業識別系統，或者稱為企業形象戰略。許多研究認為CIS即企業識別系統是一個社會組織(企業)為了塑造組織(企業)形象，透過統一的視覺識別設計，運用整體傳達溝通系統，將組織(企業)的經營理念、企業文化和企業經營活動的信息傳遞出去，以凸顯組織(企業)的個性和精神，與社會公眾建立雙向溝通的關係，從而使社會公眾產生認同感和共同價值觀的一種戰略性的活動和職能。 本研究之目的即在針對企業識別系統改變過程中有關行銷、推廣傳播此兩方面之手段、工具做一回顧與整理，並對視覺設計與企業理念協同發揮，做一實證的引申。並以類似相關企業做相互對照，希望能找出其間之關聯與比較，藉以收鑑往知來之功，作為後繼有志推動CIS的企業的實務參考。 繼企業識別之外，品牌對於企業而言，不單只是區隔與其他公司的差別，而應為一個企業在消費者心中的形象、承諾、品質、經驗的集合體。 採取的品牌識別與品牌打造行銷策略及其所隱含的思維與目的，是希望將此經驗以系統性的理論架構做出整理，重新詮釋品牌打造計畫，萃取出品牌經營的關鍵因素與策略，並給予其未來計畫建議。 「企業公民責任」，進入21世紀人們對企業的期望，已經不僅僅是解決就業、賺取利潤和繳納稅收的功能，人們更希望企業能有效地承擔起推動社會進步、關心環境和生態、扶助社會弱勢群體、參與社區發展、保障員工權益等一系列社會問題上的責任和義務。對於企業來說，經濟效益固然重要，但同時更應承擔相對的社會責任。一家真正成功的企業，應該在創業的同時心繫社會，擁有強烈的社會責任感。因此要促進社會和諧發展，強化企業的社會責任尤為必要。 在一連串的評比與對照兩家國際級航空公司面臨困境均極為相似的種況之下，在長達十年觀察的各項表現評比，雖互有擅長，但其獲利表現卻呈現極大的差異值得深究，依本研究長期工作所接觸之資訊、親身體驗與近距觀察，公司內部之「企業公民責任」氛圍是一重要關鍵因素，是決定內外部客戶滿意與獲利豐碩與否的重要指標。

銀行產業在台灣是屬於一個高度競爭的行業，在競爭下為求生存只能不斷創新獲利模式。由最早的企業金融放款，演進到個人消費信用貸款；由信用卡手續費收入，演進到財富管理手續費收入。回顧過往銀行發展的產業史，可以發現銀行已由承擔放款風險的利差收入，進化到藉由專業化服務賺取無風險手續費收入的新世紀。財富管理業務已是各家銀行兵家必爭之地，而其中決戰的主戰場又以保險產品的行銷最為激烈。 本文以Y銀行為個案研究目標，因為它是首波台灣政府開放民營銀行中，由專業經理人創設且迄今於銀行的各項業務中皆名列前茅的模範生代表。銀行近年來已成為保險公司最大的行銷通路，最主要的原因在於市場低利率的環境下，保險產品能提供相對定存為高的報酬且能享有稅賦上的優惠。然而在主管機關加強對保險業的監理，要求類定存保險產品淡出保險市場後，銀行未來行銷保險產品的策略又該何去何從? 本研究使用問卷調查量化分析之方式，以Y銀行顧客中曾購買過保險產品之顧客為研究對象。另外，也將問卷調查中所發現的問題設計成訪談大綱，針對Y銀行通路主管進行質化深度訪談，期望藉由探討「服務品質、品牌形象、認知價值」對顧客滿意度及顧客忠誠度之關係，提供Y銀行未來訂定保險產品行銷策略的建議，更希望能健全保險產業的發展，讓保險產品回歸最原始的保障需求。 本研究得出下列結論：第一、銀行若能持續提供優質的保險軟硬體服務，銀行通路仍將長期佔據保險公司最大行銷通路的王座。第二，銀行的品牌形象優於保險公司，但仍需慎選合作的保險公司，避免損及自身品牌商譽。第三、認知價值對顧客滿意度及忠誠度影響很大，銀行應善用顧客對銀行認知較保險公司為佳的優勢。第四、銀行應加強理專的保險教育訓練，提升同仁專業的保險知識與行銷技能，方能滿足消費者對於銀行理專服務品質提升的期待。第五、銀行應該多行銷保障型保險產品，讓保險回歸保障之本質，讓顧客保險需求得到滿足，因此產生滿意度進而帶來忠誠度。 / Banking is a highly competitive industry in Taiwan. Banks have to keep renovating the profit model to survive. Banking evolution starts from early corporate lending, consumer lending, and credit card fee income to wealth management fee income. Learnt from the history, banks fee income is moving from lending, which banks bear the risk, to risk free service fee by providing professional services. Wealth management business is now the battle field in banking, and insurance product business is the fiercest area among others. The subject of this research is Y Bank. Y Bank was selected because it’s one of the top banks in all banking categories, established by professional manager, and it’s in the first wave of the Taiwan government to open private banks business. Banks are becoming the largest distribution channel for insurance products. Primarily is due to in the low interest rate environment insurance products could provide higher than fixed deposit interest rate and the tax benefit. However, now the authority is tightening the control in insurance industry and expect the Deposit Classed Insurance Products to be phase out the market, what will be the banks’ next step in insurance business? This study used quantitative analysis of questionnaires way to the bank customer in Y Customers who bought insurance products for the study. In addition, the questionnaire design issues found in a interview outline, qualitative in-depth interviews conducted for the Y channel bank supervisor. This research is looking in the relationship between customer satisfaction and loyalty from service quality, branding, perceived value aspects. Furthermore, hopefully could provide the future insurance product strategies and recommendations to the banks, develop the soundness of insurance industry, and guide the insurance products return to it’s original purpose, protection. In this study, the following conclusions: First, if banks continue to provide hardware and software quality insurance services, banking channel will occupy the throne of the insurance company's largest long-term marketing channels. Second, the bank's brand image is better than the insurance company, but bank still carefully chooses insurance companies, to avoid compromising their brand goodwill. Third, the perceived value of a great impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty, banks should take advantage of the customer perception of banks is better. Fourth, banks should enhance the knowledge of insurance professional colleagues and marketing skills in order to meet consumer demand for banking services designed to enhance the quality of management expectations. Fifth, the bank should be more marketing protection-type insurance products, the protection of the insurance back to basics, so that the customer insurance needs are met, resulting satisfaction and thus bring loyalty.

有越來越多品牌商除了管理直接客戶(代理商)外，也會積極與非直接客戶(下游客戶)建立關係，這樣的拉式策略不但能夠幫助品牌商取得市場資訊，也可藉此讓下游客戶對品牌商產生偏好，讓代理商因此對品牌商的產品產生需求；在這樣的情況下，代理商可能套牢在與該品牌商的關係中。本論文探究在品牌商的拉式策略下，對於品牌商、代理商與下游客戶的三方交換關係所造成的影響，以及處於中樞地位的代理商應如何降低負面衝擊。 本論文以台灣代理商為研究對象，藉由177份有效樣本進行實證研究。子研究一以品牌商觀點出發，研究結果指出，「品牌商對下游客戶的專屬資產投入」與「品牌商的品牌形象」將正向影響「下游客戶對品牌商的關係承諾」，進一步提高「代理商對品牌商的依賴」；另外，此研究也發現，代理形式將在「下游客戶對品牌商的關係承諾」與「代理商對品牌商的依賴」兩者的關係間扮演調節變數的角色。 子研究二則從代理商觀點出發，研究結果指出，當「下游客戶對品牌商與代理商的關係承諾正向差距」越大，則「代理商對品牌商的依賴」將越高；在這樣的情況下，若代理商提高「對下游客戶的專屬資產投入」與「對下游客戶的快速回應能力」，將有助於減少「下游客戶對品牌商與代理商的關係承諾正向差距」。另外，「代理商高層與下游客戶高層間的人際關係」與「代理商與品牌商的結盟程度」在本研究中則扮演調節變數角色，當「代理商高層與下游客戶高層間的人際關係」及「代理商與品牌商的結盟程度」越好時，將弱化「下游客戶對品牌商與代理商的關係承諾正向差距」與「代理商對品牌商的依賴」的負向關係。 / Increasing numbers of brand owners are actively investing marketing resources in not only their direct customers(distributors), but also those customers’ customers (downstream customers). This indirect customer marketing approach follows the “pull strategy” principle proposed in the channel literature. This kind of strategy provides the brand owner with valuable market information, creates product preference among the downstream customer, and aims to stimulate derived demand. Thus, the distributor faces a lock-in situation, and this leads to the brand owner occupying a stronger position and enhancing its profits. Under such a situation, the distributor may change its cooperative behaviors with the brand owner. The study interviewed 177 independent distributors who sell brand owners' products to downstream customers. The dissertation has two sub-studies. Study One is from the brand owner's perspective to investigate how the brand owner get stronger position in the channel system when it expands in overseas markets. The result showed specific investments from the brand owner to the downstream customer and the brand owner's good brand image may increase the downstream customer's relationship commitment to the brand owner. If the downstream customer’s commitment to the brand owner is high, the distributor may increase its dependent on the brand owner. In addition, the research also found that the number of distributors plays a moderating role in this study. If there are multiple distributors, the positive relationship between commitment of the downstream customer to the brand owner and the dependence of the distributor on the brand owner may become stronger. Study Two of the dissertation is from the distributor’s perspective. The brand owner's pull strategy may cause a decrese in the relationship performance of the distributor to the downstream customer. In order to solve this difficult situation, the study provides the distributor with the following solutions. The distributor can make specific investments to the downstream customer or improve its responsive ability to decrease the difference of commitment between the downstream customer to the distributor and the downstream customer to the brand owner. Moreover, the distributor can develop personal guanxi with the downstream customer or try to align with the brand owner to reduce the negative impact from this commitment disparity.

Submitted by Noeme Timbo (noeme.timbo@metodista.br) on 2016-08-18T23:39:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Alexandre2.pdf: 1548078 bytes, checksum: b33bfbabfb980f3ad3452a6515c023dd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-18T23:39:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alexandre2.pdf: 1548078 bytes, checksum: b33bfbabfb980f3ad3452a6515c023dd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This study aims to prove the existence of the interference of opinion leaders in brand communication with consumers (opinion leaders, here in this study, we understand as a person who generate influence on groups of people that discuss a particular subject). We mapped the impact of the interference mentioned above and found out five major significant events of reflections on the brand. The theoretical framework consists of contemporary authors, and is based on the study of the perspective of marketing communication, cyber culture, micro-power, machine dependency and psych technology. The form of the study evidence consisted of methodologies comprising historiographical study, case study and focus groups. (comes before the methodology). We achieved the initials objectives and proved the existence of the interference of the opinion leader in brand communication with consumers. / Este estudo tem como objetivo a comprovação da existência de interferência dos formadores de opinião na comunicação da marca com seus consumidores (formadores de opinião, aqui neste estudo, entendemos como pessoas que geram influência em grupos de pessoas que debatem um determinado assunto). Mapeamos o impacto desta interferência supra citada e encontramos cinco grandes eventos significativos dos reflexos na marca. O quadro teórico de referência é formado por autores contemporâneos, e baseia-se na perspectiva do estudo da comunicação mercadológica, cibercultura, micropoder, maquinodependência e psicotecnologia. A forma de comprovação do estudo foi composta de metodologias que compreende estudo historiográfico, estudo de caso e grupos focais. (vem antes da metodologia). Alcançamos os objetivos iniciais e comprovamos a existência da interferência do formador de opinião na comunicação da marca com seus consumidores.

Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T20:14:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 61080100031.PDF: 7443816 bytes, checksum: a82ca7f98a374b3f75cdb221b7fb942b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-02-22T00:00:00Z / O impacto do boca a boca na Imagem da Marca e no julgamento de produtos (bens e serviços) tem sido estudado há tempos na disciplina de comportamento do consumidor. Com o crescimento da internet como mídia social e meio de comunicação entre consumidores e empresas, o boca a boca ganhou força junto a profissionais e pesquisadores de Marketing. Uma revisão da literatura permitiu traçar um paralelo entre o boca a boca tradicional e o eletrônico. É preciso compreender cientificamente a influência do boca a boca eletrônico no comportamento do consumidor. Para isto, foram realizados dois estudos nesta dissertação, sendo o primeiro um estudo exploratório a partir da realização de entrevistas e aplicação de questionários a consumidores, profissionais de Marketing e especialistas do assunto com o intuito de levantar percepções gerais sobre o tema. Para avaliar estatisticamente as hipóteses propostas nesta dissertação, o segundo estudo foi a realização de um experimento com 168 estudantes, contando com cinco cenários e três tipos de produtos (Vestuário, Cosméticos e Lojas Online). A variável independente foi o Comentário Postado pelo consumidor. Duas foram as variáveis dependentes: Imagem da Marca e Intenção de Compra dela. Para a mensuração da Imagem da Marca se utilizou a escala de Personalidade de Marca de Aaker (1997). No tocante à Intenção de Compra, um concurso foi elaborado para os sujeitos. No início e no final da coleta de dados, os participantes escolhiam as empresas das quais ganhariam um prêmio (vale compra), caso fossem os vencedores. Mediu-se a Intenção de Compra em função da escolha dos consumidores antes e depois do estímulo, sendo comparados, ainda, os resultados dos diferentes cenários. Constatou-se que os comentários negativos e positivos que os consumidores postam na internet têm um impacto significante na Imagem da Marca para outros consumidores nos produtos Vestuário e Loja Online. Mas não foram percebidos impactos destes comentários na Imagem da Marca no produto Cosmético e na Intenção de Compra dos outros consumidores nos três tipos de produtos testados. O Gerenciamento dos Comentários negativos (resposta da empresa a comentário postado pelo consumidor) apresentou uma redução no impacto do comentário na Imagem da Marca para os outros consumidores no produto Loja Online. Contudo, os tons alinhados com Foco Regulatório do consumidor nas respostas das empresas não provocaram diferenças significativas, contra indicando essa concepção teórica como meio de aprimorar os resultados do Gerenciamento dos Comentários. Várias implicações científicas e profissionais interessantes decorrem da pesquisa. Para o praticante, se viu que a internet 2.0 é uma mídia a ser considerada no esforço de comunicação da empresa e que ela deve ser considerada como um canal de comunicação bidirecional. / The impact of Word of Mouth Communication on Brand Image and the evaluation of products (goods and services) has been studied for some time in the discipline of consumer behavior. With the growth of the Internet as a social media and as a means of communication between consumers and enterprises, Word of Mouth has gained strength with Marketing professionals and researchers. A review of the literature draws a parallel between traditional Word of Mouth and its electronic version. It is essential to understand scientifically the influence of Electronic Word of Mouth on consumer behavior. In order to do this, two main studies were made: the first one was an exploratory stage conducted with interviews and questionnaires applied to consumers, marketers, and experts on the subject in order to raise general perceptions on the issue. The second study aims to evaluate statistically the hypotheses proposed in this work and involves an experiment applied to 168 students, considering five scenarios and three types of products (clothing, cosmetics and Online Stores). The independent variable was the Comment Posted by the consumer on the internet. Two were the dependent variables: Brand Image and Purchase Intention. To measure Brand Image, the scale "The Brand Personality" by Aaker (1997) was used. To measure Purchase Intention subjects participated in a contest where they chose, at the beginning and end of data collection, the companies from which they would gain a gift certificate, if they won the contest. Purchase Intention was measured depending on the choice of consumers before and after the stimulus, and compared also the results of different scenarios. It was found that the positive and negative comments that consumers posted on the internet have a significant impact on Brand Image for other consumers of products in Clothing and Online stores. However, there was no perceived impact based on these comments regarding Cosmetic products. No impact was found on other consumers' Purchase Intention. Management of Negative Comments (company's response to comments posted by the consumer on the internet) decreased the negative impact of comments on other consumer's Brand Image on product Online Store and the use of Regulatory Focus Theory on companies' responses did not cause significant differences, counter indicating this theoretical concept as a mean to improve the results of managing the comments posted by the consumer on the internet. Several implications of scientific and professional interest arise from this research. For a Marketing professional, it is evident that internet 2.0 should be considered in the media plan of a company and that it should be treated as a two-way communication channel with consumers.

Title: Large sporting events' brand identification Objectives: The main objective of this work is to identify the brand personality of Summer Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup by means of marketing research. Methods: In connection with the primary data collection a method of written and electronic questioning was used. The brand personality identification of the above mentioned brands was performed based on the brand personality measurement method according to Geuens, Weijters and De Wulf (2009). For the obtained data interpretation their statistical analysis was performed. Results: Based on the research results, the brand personality of Summer Olympic Games can be described by the dimensions Responsibility, Activity and Simplicity and by characteristics stable, responsible, active, dynamic and simple. The brand personality of FIFA World Cup can be described only by the dimension Activity and by characteristics active, dynamic and innovative. Keywords: Sports brand, brand personality, brand personality measurement, brand image, brand identity, Summer Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup.

O objetivo deste estudo é investigar, de forma comparativa entre as categorias alimento e limpeza doméstica, os antecedentes da intenção do consumidor comprar marcas próprias, bem como analisar os efeitos da diferença nos níveis de risco percebido entre essas duas categorias de produtos na formação da intenção de compra. Para o alcance desse objetivo construiu-se um modelo com base em revisões da literatura sobre marcas próprias, bem como sobre risco percebido, imagem da loja, imagem da marca própria e atitudes, construtos identificados como os principais preditores da intenção de compra. O marco teórico permitiu a construção de hipóteses acerca dos principais relacionamentos existentes entre esses construtos no contexto de marcas próprias. A seguir foi realizada uma pesquisa empírica com o objetivo de testar tais hipóteses, utilizando um questionário auto-administrado elaborado com escalas já validadas na literatura. Esse levantamento de campo (survey) coletou opiniões de uma amostra não probabilística de 1.938 clientes de supermercados, composta por pessoas de ambos os gêneros e provenientes de 26 Estados do Brasil e do Distrito Federal, com predominância do Estado de São Paulo. Os resultados obtidos por meio de modelagem de equações estruturais utilizando a ferramenta Smart PLS demonstram que há relacionamentos significativos entre o risco percebido e a imagem da marca própria; entre a imagem da loja e imagem da marca própria; entre a imagem da marca própria e a atitude; e entre a atitude e a intenção de compra, validando as hipóteses de trabalho. O estudo também conclui que o risco percebido e a imagem da loja são fortes preditores da imagem da marca própria e da atitude a qual, por sua vez, é uma forte preditora da intenção de compra. Por fim, os resultados sugerem que a imagem da loja exerce maior influência na imagem da marca própria quando se trata da categoria alimentos, identificada como de menor risco percebido. Já na categoria limpeza doméstica, a cadeia mais relevante de antecedentes à intenção de compra por parte dos consumidores passa pelas relações entre risco percebido, imagem da marca e atitude frente a marcas próprias. Essas conclusões sugerem diferenças de intensidade, senão em natureza, nas relações entre os antecedentes psicológicos à intenção de compra do consumidor quando são consideradas categorias que se diferenciam no risco percebido pelo cliente, contribuindo para uma melhor compreensão teórica do fenômeno e sugerindo implicações gerenciais na adoção de estratégias de marketing por parte dos varejistas detentores de marcas próprias. / This study aims to investigate the antecedents of consumer´s intention to purchase private brands and analyze the effects of different perceived risk levels in intention formation by comparing food and house cleaning product categories. To attain to such goal a model was developed based on literature reviews about private brands, as well as perceived risk, store image, brand image, and attitudes, constructs identified as the main predictors for purchase intention. The theoretical framework allowed the construction of hypotheses about the key relationships among the constructs in the context of private brands. A survey was then designed and executed in order to test the hypotheses. A self-administered questionnaire was build with validated scales found in marketing literature. The empirical study collected opinions from a non-probabilistic sample of 1,938 private brands supermarket shoppers, comprising persons of both genders and from all 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District, predominating residents in the state of São Paulo. Results obtained by Structural Equation Modeling using Smart PLS suggest there are significant relationships between perceived risk and private brand image; between store image and brand image; between private brand image and attitude; and between attitude and purchase intention, validating the proposed hypotheses. The study also concluded that perceived risk and store image are strong predictors for private brand image and attitude which, in turn, is a strong predictor for purchase intention. Finally, results suggest that store image has more influence on private brand image when food products are the focused category as consumers present lower perceived risk toward it. For house cleaning products, the most relevant antecedents for consumer´s purchase intention form a chain of relations from perceived risk, brand image and attitude towards private labels. These findings suggest differences in intensity, if not in nature, on the relations among consumer´s psychological antecedents for purchase intention when categories that differ on perceived risk are considered. Such findings contribute to a better theoretical understanding of the phenomenon and suggest managerial implications for marketing strategies to retailers who hold private brands.

Bakgrund: Den ökade användningen av sociala medier har lett till att de i allt större utsträckning används som varumärkesbyggande verktyg för företag och organisationer. Den ökade kommersialiseringen som skett inom elitidrott har lett till att även elitidrottsklubbar avser att stärka sina varumärken. Tidigare forskning visar att elitidrottsklubbar bör utnyttja sociala medier för att främja och stärka relationen med supportrar och kunder, eftersom det på lång sikt bidrar till ökade intäkter för klubben. I en svensk kontext är forskningen om elitidrottsklubbars varumärkesbyggande i sociala medier däremot ytterst begränsad. Med anledning av denna kunskapslucka krävs ytterligare studier om hur svenska idrottsklubbar använder sociala medier för att stärka sina varumärken. Syfte och frågeställningar: Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur och varför svenska elitidrottsklubbar använder sociala medier som varumärkesbyggande verktyg. Vilka syften har användningen av sociala medier för en svensk elitidrottsklubb och hur uppfylls dem? Vilka förtjänster och utmaningar medför användningen av sociala medier som varumärkesbyggande verktyg i kontexten av svensk elitidrott? Vad för innehåll publicerar en svensk elitidrottsklubb på sociala medier och hur påverkar det klubbens fans? Genomförande: Studien har kombinerat en kvantitativ och kvalitativ forskningsstrategi. Innehållsanalyser av en fallorganisations publicerade material på sociala medier, samt en kvalitativ semistrukturerad intervju har utförts för att fylla studiens syfte. Resultat: Sociala medier är viktiga verktyg för att bygga och fördjupa relationen, samt skapa lojalitet mellan klubben och dess fans och kunder. Sociala medier fyller också direkta ekonomiska syften. Studien har även påvisat tydliga utmaningar som klubbar ställs inför. Utmaningar som till stor del grundar sig i brist på enhetlig syn på hur och varför socialamedier ska användas. / Problem definition: The emergence of social media has resulted in that companies to a bigger extent uses them as brand management tools. The increased commercialization in professional team sports led to the fact that professional sports clubs aim to strengthen their brands. Previous research shows that professional sports clubs should take advantage of social media to promote and strengthen relationships with fans and customers, since it will result in increased revenues for the club in the long term. In a Swedish context, however, the research about professional sports clubs’ brand management in social media is extremely limited. Due to this research gap, further research studying Swedish professional sports club’s brand management in social media is eligible. Aim and research questions: The purpose of this study is to examine how and why Swedish professional sports club use social media as a brand management tool. What are the purposes of using social media as a brand management tool for a Swedish professional sports club and how are they fulfilled? What benefits and challenges entails he use of social media as brand management tool in the context of professional Swedish sports? What content is published by professional Swedish sports club on social media and how does it affect its fans? Methodology: This study has combined a quantitative and qualitative research strategy. Content analysis of a case organization's material published on social media, as well as qualitative semi-structured interviews have been conducted to fulfil the purpose of this study. Findings: Social media are important tools for building and deepening the relationship, as well as creating loyalty, between the club and its fans and customers. Social media also fills direct economic purposes. This study has also highlighted clear challenges that sports clubs face when using social media. These challenges are to a big extend due to lack of unanimous views on how and why social media should be used.

This thesis deals with problems of brand piracy. The main objective is to evaluate the current situation in the various types of piracy, focusing on product piracy especially in the forms of counterfeiting and product imitation. The work consists of a theoretical and a practical part. The first chapter of this part concentrates on the general overview of brand policy. The important role and the value of the brands very much influence the purchasing behavior of consumers and support the presence of non-original products. The second theoretical part is further dedicated to the different types of piracy and legal protection of brands falling under the scope of intellectual property rights. To achieve a more comprehensive view, the practical part considers attitude, shopping behavior and opinions of Czech consumers on this issue.