Luxury fashion brands face a new challenge as to how to sustain brand growth while maintaining the exclusivity of brands due to the democratisation of the luxury phenomenon which is mainly driven by the emergence of ‘new luxury’ and changes of consumption style ‘trading up’. Luxury consumers are becoming disillusioned with the vulgarisation of luxury goods and prefer exclusive luxurious experiences. In order to keep pace with the changes in luxury consumer needs and promote an image with creative and luxurious connotations, luxury brands increasingly associate with contemporary visual art through diverse kinds of channels. Among the channels, great attention has been given to contemporary visual art exhibitions within a flagship store due to its benefits: geographical location, cutting investment cost and offering direct art experience to consumers. However, there is no theoretical research investigating the main points to be considered in applying contemporary visual art exhibitions to flagship stores of luxury fashion brands. Moreover, there is a need for a systematic approach in applying contemporary visual art exhibitions to flagship stores of luxury fashion brands as relying mainly on a designer’s intuition might pose a problem: delivering different messages from those intended. Through the research, four main propositions were identified which need to be considered when luxury fashion brands apply contemporary visual art exhibitions to their flagship stores: 1) brand communication with consumers, 2) the fit between brand identity and that of an artist, 3) consumers’ value/benefits in the way that enhance consumers’ aesthetic experience of art and 4) artists’ value/benefits. Models including a conceptual model and a design tool kit were developed and tested with experts in this field. The proposed models are decision supporting tools which provide a comprehensive overview regarding the main points to be considered as well as support finding a high fit artist to brand identity. They offer advantages as follows: 1) the conceptual framework improves understanding of the needs/values of the three main stake holders such as luxury fashion brands, consumers and artists for this practice and provides an insight into how to address them in applying contemporary visual art exhibitions to flagship stores of luxury fashion brands 2) the tool kit assists in making a decision when selecting artists or artworks and offers benefits to all the stake holders: 1) luxury brand value by managing their touch points effectively that ultimately lead to enhancing brand communication, 2) consumer value by preventing confusion caused by disharmonious messages from all the touch points within flagship stores, and 3) artist value by finding a matched brand for synergy between brands and artists.

Bakgrund: Till följd av att Sverige befinner sig i en kris orsakad av coronaviruset har tjänstesektorn drabbats hårt och är i stort behov av äkta varumärkeskommunikation för att engagera publik till att stötta dem. I kristider ökar publikens förväntan på samhällsansvar och relevant kommunikation från varumärken, vilket ställer krav på att kommunikationen uppfattas som trovärdig och äkta för att marknadsföringen ska få positiv effekt för varumärket. Syfte: Syftet med arbetet är att studera äkta varumärkeskommunikation i en uppmärksamhetsekonomi och hur varumärken i hotell- och resebranschen kommunicerar i kristider. Metod: Studien antar en kvalitativ metod med deduktiv ansats då äkthet studeras vilket inte är mätbart. Därtill är studien designad som en komparativ flerfallstudie där tre varumärken studeras och där insamling av empiri består av både sekundärdata och primärdata i form av dold etnografi samt intervjuer. Resultat: För att varumärkeskommunikationen ska uppfattas som äkta är det viktigt att varumärket upplevs som trovärdigt vilket möjliggörs genom att den kommunikation som förmedlas är sanningsenlig och att varumärkena agerar efter vad som kommunicerats. Vidare visar resultatet att det publiken kräver av varumärkena i kristider är tydlig, ärlig och transparent kommunikation, visat sig vara svårt för varumärkena att leva upp till. Avslutningsvis pekar studiens resultat på vikten för varumärken att föra dialog med publiken för att uppfattas som äkta. / Background: As a result of Sweden being in a crisis caused by the coronavirus, the service sector has been hit hard and needs genuine brand communication to engage audiences to support them. In time of crisis the audience expect corporate social responsibility and relevant communication from brands, which demands communication is perceived as credible and genuine for the marketing to have a positive effect on the brand. Purpose of the study: The purpose of the study is to examine genuine brand communication in an attention economy and how brands in the hotel and travel sector communicate in time of crisis. Methodology: The study adopts a qualitative method with deductive approach which is necessary when studying authenticity since it is not measurable. In addition, the study is designed as a comparative multi-case study in which three brands are studied and where the collection of data consists of both secondary data and primary data in the form of hidden ethnography and interviews. Result: In order for brand communication to be perceived as authentic, it is important that the brand is perceived as credible, which is made possible by the fact that the communication is truthful and that the brands act according to what has been communicated. Furthermore, the result show that the audience demand clear, honest, and transparent communication, which seem to be difficult for the brands to live up to. In conclusion, the study's findings point to the importance for brands to engage with the audience to be perceived as genuine.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the brand management of a motor manufacturing company. The study set out to establish what the most important elements are that contribute towards a successful brand and to identify a potential model that can be used to measure the brand elements that are evident in the Toyota brand. By using this model, the Toyota brand was evaluated, bringing to the fore the key success factors that have made Toyota the number one motor manufacturing brand in South Africa. The qualitative research was conducted to evaluate Toyota's understanding of its brand and then questioning the usage of the brand through an individual interview with the custodian of the Toyota Brand in South Africa. The results of this qualitative research were used to identify the key values that the manufacturer sees as brand-building elements and to then evaluate how they are using these values to build and enhance the brand. These core brand values were then evaluated in the quantitative research that followed. The quantitative research was conducted through questionnaires where the retail network (General Managers, Sales Managers in the Toyota retail network) evaluated Toyota SA's implementation of its brand's core values through the dealer network. The sample size consisted of twenty nine (N=29) randomly selected Unitrans Toyota dealers in the country. An extension of the study compared these key success factors with the values that are delivered through the retail network to the customers. The brand expectations that the customer has in mind to the realisation of the brand promise at retail level were compared. This study gives insight into the workings of the Toyota brand and tests the communication of the brand blueprint through to the retail network. This study allows Toyota to review the way they communicates their brand to the direct customer, the retail network. The study also found that Toyota should use the opportunity to communicate the brand name to its direct customers, namely the retailers, and that, if needed, Toyota should revise the communication strategy. Other recommendations are that both Toyota and its retailers should take note of the fast-changing business environment, acknowledge the importance of managing the length of the product line, and that Toyota should embrace the retailers as partners rather than mere franchisees. The retail network, in turn, can get a better understanding of the role it has to play to ensure the sustainability of the Toyota brand. The study also allows the retail network to realize the importance of customer service in the whole Toyota brand set-up. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the brand management of a motor manufacturing company. The study set out to establish what the most important elements are that contribute towards a successful brand and to identify a potential model that can be used to measure the brand elements that are evident in the Toyota brand. By using this model, the Toyota brand was evaluated, bringing to the fore the key success factors that have made Toyota the number one motor manufacturing brand in South Africa. The qualitative research was conducted to evaluate Toyota's understanding of its brand and then questioning the usage of the brand through an individual interview with the custodian of the Toyota Brand in South Africa. The results of this qualitative research were used to identify the key values that the manufacturer sees as brand-building elements and to then evaluate how they are using these values to build and enhance the brand. These core brand values were then evaluated in the quantitative research that followed. The quantitative research was conducted through questionnaires where the retail network (General Managers, Sales Managers in the Toyota retail network) evaluated Toyota SA's implementation of its brand's core values through the dealer network. The sample size consisted of twenty nine (N=29) randomly selected Unitrans Toyota dealers in the country. An extension of the study compared these key success factors with the values that are delivered through the retail network to the customers. The brand expectations that the customer has in mind to the realisation of the brand promise at retail level were compared. This study gives insight into the workings of the Toyota brand and tests the communication of the brand blueprint through to the retail network. This study allows Toyota to review the way they communicates their brand to the direct customer, the retail network. The study also found that Toyota should use the opportunity to communicate the brand name to its direct customers, namely the retailers, and that, if needed, Toyota should revise the communication strategy. Other recommendations are that both Toyota and its retailers should take note of the fast-changing business environment, acknowledge the importance of managing the length of the product line, and that Toyota should embrace the retailers as partners rather than mere franchisees. The retail network, in turn, can get a better understanding of the role it has to play to ensure the sustainability of the Toyota brand. The study also allows the retail network to realize the importance of customer service in the whole Toyota brand set-up. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

ABSTRACT   AIM: Consumers are to some extent more interested in being a part of a brand community rather than interested in the actual product the company are selling. In addition, the aim of this study is to examine Tesla’s communication to its consumers and whether the communication can affect consumers' feeling of being a part of the company. The study will investigate consumers' perception of the communication.  METHOD: The empirical method used in this study was a survey distributed on four Facebook groups with a special interest in Tesla and a Swedish discussion site about the company, which generated a total of 217 individual answers. MAIN RESULTS: The main results of the study show that Tesla's consumers perceive Tesla’s communication as both innovative and modern. Even though the consumers perceive word-of-mouth in Tesla's communication, they do not see it as part of the company’s marketing. It is primarily product-oriented factors such as environment and technology development that attracts consumers to Tesla as a company. There is also an emotional interest in Tesla’s electric cars, feelings of safety, pleasure in driving and sense of freedom were in focus when discussing the car. Further the study shows that interaction and connection among consumers are key to make the customers feel a part of the Tesla community. The results provide an increased understanding about the meaning of communication and how it can provide an interaction with customers.

National branding and Country-of-origin strategy (COO) has not only shown to be convenient for research, but also of considerable importance and interest for companies to enhance competitive advantage. With constantly increasing product range on the markets and continually new technology in the society, the buying behaviour and customer preferences have changed. The customer evaluates not only the product regarding its function or physical capacity, but also regarding the product's intangible value, such as its COO. The purpose with this study was to provide a deeper understanding about how a multinational company's (henceforth MNC) use of COO in their brand communication, can be described. To realize and accomplish the purpose, two research questions were formulated which this study had the intention to answer. The first research question was meant to describe what channels in the communication process a multinational company can use to communicate their brand. The second research question was meant to describe how a multinational company can use COO in the message component of the communication process. The fundamental purpose of the thesis in question was descriptive. The study was performed by observing a multinational case company. The observation of case company was performed partly with an interview and partly with a content analysis. The interview was held with a representative of the case company. The content analysis of case company was performed by reviewing websites in two different countries. As a result, we found that the case company, which represented a multinational company (MNC), among other channels, used paper catalogues and websites as a channel in the communication process. The study also showed that different COO strategies can be used complementary in the message component in the company´s communication process, with the aim to attain competitive advantage among other companies on the market.

La evolución de los medios online ha ocasionado gran impacto en la comunicación de marca y la participación de las marcas durante los últimos años. De la misma manera, este impacto afecta principalmente a las marcas que ingresan al mercado a través del canal digital utilizando herramientas del marketing en las redes sociales o creando una página web para el crecimiento del negocio. Existe todo un proceso para lograr la recompra de productos y generando así la lealtad de marca de los consumidores siendo este el objetivo principal de las marcas. El presente trabajo de investigación considero que, para lograr este objetivo, se debe conectar con los clientes; es decir, el engagement de la marca que se enfoca en la relación de los clientes con la marca. De esta manera, se crea un vínculo emocional y social, lo cual conlleva a que el consumidor interactúe con la marca mediante el canal online. Se utilizó una metodología de recolección de datos del campo cualitativo y cuantitativo con la finalidad obtener resultados favorables para la investigación. En primera instancia, se llevó a cabo entrevistas a expertos del sector retail de belleza y cuidado personal; se realizó también un focus group con el público objetivo del estudio. La segunda parte, de carácter cuantitativo, se ejecutó encuestas online a usuarias en base a los objetivos específicos de la investigación. / The evolution of online media has had a great impact on brand communication and brand participation in recent years. In the same way, this impact mainly affects brands that enter the market through the digital channel using marketing tools on social media networks or the companies create a website for business growth. There is a whole process to achieve the repurchase of products and thus generating the brand loyalty of the consumers which is the main objective of the brands. The present research work considers that to achieve this objective, the brands must connect with clients; in other words, that means the engagement of the brand which is focus on the relationship of customers with the brand. In this way, an emotional and social bond is created, which leads the consumer to interact with the brand through the online channel. A qualitative and quantitative field data collection methodology was used in order to obtain favorable results for the research. The first part of the study, interviews were conducted with experts from the retail beauty and personal care sector; a focus group was also held with the study's target audience. The second part, of a quantitative nature, was carried out online user surveys based on the specific objectives of the research. / Trabajo de investigación

Problem: The concept of marketing segmentation was introduced over 60 years ago and have been a central element in the process of conducting customer analysis since then. However, it has barely been criticized. Consequently, companies have constructed their communication strategies upon segmentation criteria’s with the belief of it being the most effective alternative. As digitalization has changed the way in which information is retrieved and the way people communicate with one another, the customer analysis process should be adapted accordingly.   Purpose: This study aimed to explore how customer analysis is performed by professionals in the marketing field today and identify which factors professionals find essential when communicating with their target audience.   Method: To fulfil the purpose of this research and answer the research questions, a qualitative research approach with a case study was conducted. Semi-structured interviews with eight Swedish professionals in the field of marketing was held in the empirical data collection process.   Conclusion:   The analysis of the interviews showed that there is an understanding of new perspectives when conducting customer analysis among professionals today. Furthermore, acknowledgments were made that for marketing communication to be effective, changes in customer demand and individuals life context should be taken into account. Based on these results, we conclude that segmentation criteria’s might be less relevant when identifying prospects and communicating with target audiences today. Moreover, companies should become familiar with their customer's preparatory understandings, as this premise could be used as a complement to segmentation when identifying prospects and performing effective marketing communication.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar as mediações comunicativas da cultura que envolvem as inter-relações entre marcas e seus públicos interagentes em seus circuitos comunicacionais, assim como o processo de midiatização decorrente dessas relações. O sistema publicitário se adaptou às novas tecnicidades da sociedade contemporânea, somando à tradicional técnica da propaganda dispositivos promocionais que visam estabelecer vínculos com seus públicos interagentes por meio do estimulo à participação, interação e colaboração. Esse panorama reflete a mudança de enfoque de processos comunicacionais unilaterais, baseados na emissão de mensagens, para processos interacionais estabelecidos com o suporte de tecnicidades que permitem a produção de conteúdo e sua difusão em redes de informação, estimulando a interação entre marca e públicos em um processo comunicacional baseado na perspectiva da circulação da informação por circuitos comunicacionais. A tese analisa circuitos comunicacionais entre marcas e públicos a partir do uso de aplicativos dotados da tecnicidade do georreferenciamento como um recorte metodológico para demonstração das interações entre circuitos físicos e digitais de comunicação entre consumidores e marcas. Os circuitos físicos de consumo cultural de marca são analisados pela abordagem teórica da perspectiva da antropologia urbana de Magnani (1999) e pela óptica da teoria das mediações segundo Martín-Barbero (2010, 2001) e sob a perspectiva da midiatização em sua vertente nórdica segundo Hjarvard (2013), Hepp (2011) e pela visão latino-americana de Braga (2006), Fausto Neto (2010) e Trindade e Perez (2014); os circuitos digitais são analisados com base na noção de publicização de Casaqui (2011), assim como nas visões sobre compartilhamento e engajamento por Castells (2003), Saad Correa (2010), Recuero (2008), Ugarte (2008), Jenkins, Ford e Green (2014) e Terra (2011). O estudo resulta em um protocolo de análise de circuitos comunicacionais estabelecidos sob a mediação de lógicas de produção de marcas e táticas de recepção de consumidores em constante negociação. / This study aims to analyze culture communicative mediations that involves interrelationships between brands and interactor public in their communication circuits, as well as mediatization proceedings arising from these relations. Advertising system has adapted to new technicalities of contemporary society, adding to traditional technique of advertising some promotional devices that aim to establish links with their interactor public through stimulus to participation, interaction and collaboration. This situation reflects focus changes from unilateral communication processes based on message sending to interactional processes established by support of technicalities that enable content production and its distribution in information networks that stimulates interaction between brand and public in a communication process based on the perspective of information circulation on communication circuits. Thesis analyzes communication circuits between brands and public from use of georeferencing technicality provided mobile apps as a methodological cut to demonstration of interactions between physical and digital consumer-brands communication circuits. Brand cultural consumption physical circuits are analyzed by theoretical approach from Magnani´s (1999) urban anthropology perspective and Martin-Barbero´s (2010, 2001) mediation theory view and from mediatization theory by Hjarvard (2013) and Hepp´s (2011) northern perspective and latin american perspective of Braga (2006), Fausto Neto (2010) and Trinidad and Perez (2014). Digital circuits are analyzed by Casaqui´s (2011) notion of publicization perspective as well as views of sharing and engagement by perspective of Castells (2003), Saad Correa (2010), Recuero (2008), Ugarte (2008), Jenkins, Ford and Green (2014) and Terra (2011). The study results in analysis protocol of communication circuit established under mediation between brand production logics and consumer reception tactics in a constant negotiation.

Estudo que aborda a relação entre o conhecimento e o consumo de marcas, com o propósito de avaliar sua exploração e seu impacto econômico, iniciando pelas questões da educação escolar e o seu papel formador de conhecimento. Como recurso foi utilizada a pesquisa bibliográfica de referência nas áreas de gestão do conhecimento, comunicação e gestão de marcas na sociedade do conhecimento, cujos pertinentes conceitos foram testados através do estudo de caso de um centro de educação extra-acadêmico com enfoque nas ciências humanas, fundado na cidade de São Paulo a Casa do Saber. Foi demonstrado que, sob certas condições, marcas ligadas à exploração econômica do conhecimento podem ser desenvolvidas, praticadas e comunicadas, e, ainda, que os benefícios do investimento em conhecimento não dependem apenas da sua utilização e compartilhamento em ambientes economicamente produtivos e competitivos. / Study that addresses the relationship between knowledge and brand consumption with the aim of evaluate its exploration and economic impact starting on the field of education and its role of knowledge formation. As a tool the reference bibliographic research on the fields of knowledge management, communication and brand management were used, whose relevant concepts have been tested through the case study of a center for non-academic education with an emphasis on the humanities, founded in the city of Sao Paulo the Casa do Saber. It was shown that under certain conditions, brands associated to economic exploitation of knowledge may be developed, communicated and practiced, and that the benefits of investment in knowledge not only depends on their use and sharing in economically productive and competitive environments.