This research provides insight into consumer perceptions of multiple private label brands being simultaneously offered by an individual retailer. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the current consumer perceptions of the three private label brands at Pick n Pay Stores, a South African retailer. Consumers are no longer being presented with a single private label brand, but individual grocery retailers offer multiple private label brands under one retailer. Pick n Pay Store’s current private label brands co-exist as PnP no name, PnP and PnP Finest, and are synonymous with the generic, classic, and premium private label brand concepts, respectively. The question can thus be posed whether consumers perceive private label brands differently and whether they will eventually purchase the private label brand. The research explores the subject of brand, and the nature and success factors of private label brands in retail. This was done by reviewing the literature that traced the rapid changes in the retail sector because of the increasing influence of private label brands on conventional retail practices and consumer behaviour. A conceptual framework was developed showing the constructs that may have relationships with the three private label brands of Pick n Pay Stores. Information regarding the different private label brand concepts was obtained from primary as well as secondary research. An empirical study of a quantitative nature in the form of a paper-based and online-based questionnaire was undertaken. Altogether 375 usable questionnaires were collected. The results of the empirical study indicated positive relationships of perceptions between all three of the Pick n Pay private label brands and their respective intention to purchase. Furthermore, there was a statistically positive relationship between the brand perceptions of Pick n Pay private label brands. The proposed framework is intended to shed light onto the interactions between the private label concepts to allow for meaningful strategic branding decisions to be made at senior business levels.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Brands, compnsing goods and services, serve to differentiate them from those of competitors. These have now proliferated to such an extent that it is difficult for brand owners to reach consumers and make their brands stand out. Brand loyalty has become one of the most frequently studied aspects of the purchasing process. It is thus defined through its measurements as the repeated purchase behaviour of one brand vis-á-vis other brands in the same category. The definition assumes a choice between two or more brands on the shelf. The objective of this project was to establish the presence of a direct relationship between brand loyalty and brand choice (or the lack thereof), in the emerging black markets of South Africa. The issue at hand is what happens in the absence of choice, i.e. the situation where there is only one brand per category. The second aspect to this is how do you measure brand loyalty in the absence of competition. The, outcome of the study clearly states that the choice that consumers are faced with in a particular market, lacks the dictionary meaning, In the absence of other brands in the same stable, loyalty has been found to exist because of the following: Brand being the first to market. Brand's superiority in terms of delivering on its promise, The presence of a strong advertising and promotions team to demonstrate its quality. Disposable incomes that are low and as such consumers' unwillingness to try other unknown brands, The lack of choice was described as a hostage situation, As long as the brand continues to deliver on quality, consumer choice will be deliberate and biased towards one brand. One very interesting other aspect to loyalty was that once it exists; it gets passed from one generation to the next. It becomes a family tradition, / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Handelsmerke onderskei produkte en dienste van hul mededingers. Die getal handelsmerke het nou tot so 'n mate toegeneem dat handelsmerkeienaars dit moeilik vind om verbruikers te bereik en hul handelsmerke duidelik van ander te onderskei. Handelsmerklojaliteit is een van die aspekte van die koopproses wat die meeste bestudeer word. Op grond van metingsprosedures word dit gedefinieer as 'herhaalde koopgedrag wat een handelsmerk bo ander handelsmerke in dieselfde kategorie bevoordeel'. Hierdie definisie veronderstel 'n keuse tussen twee of meer handelsmerke op dieselfde rak. Die doel van hierdie projek is om die direkte verwantskap tussen handelsmerklojaliteit en - keuse (of die gebrek daaraan) in die opkomende swart markte van Suid-Afrika te bepaal. Die eerste aspek van die ondersoek handel oor wat gebeur as verbruikers geen keuse het nie, m.a.w. as daar net een handelsmerk per kategorie op die rak is. Die tweede aspek handel oor die meting; van handelsmerklojaliteit as daar geen kompetisie van ander handelsmerke is nie. Die gevolgtrekkings van die studie illustreer duidelik dat die keuse wat verbruikers in 'n bepaalde mark het, nie aan 'n woordeboekdefinisie voldoen nie. Daar is ook bevind dat wanneer verbruikers nie 'n keuse van meer as een handelsmerk het nie, lojaliteit wel ontwikkel, om die volgende redes: Die handelsmerk was die eerste een wat in die mark beskikbaar was. Die betrokke handelsmerk doen sy beloftes beter gestand as ander handelsmerke. 'n Sterk advertensie- en promosiespan is teenwoordig om die kwaliteit van die handelsmerk te demonstreer. Die lae besteebare inkomste van verbruikers maak hulle onwillig om ander, onbekende handelsmerke te beproef Die gebrek aan keuse word beskryf as 'n "gyselaar"-situasie. Solank die handelsmerk aan die gehaltevereistes voldoen, sal verbruikers se keuse doelgerig daardie handelsmerk bevoordeel. Een van die interessantste aspekte van lojaliteit wat vorendag gekom het, is die volgende: as lojaliteit eers gevestig is, word dit van een generasie na die volgende oorgedra. So word dit dan 'n familietradisie.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aimed to answer the question whether a change of trade name would affect the brand distinctiveness of MC Design & Contracting. MC Design & Contracting is a small to medium-sized enterprise based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The business falls within a segment of the manufacturing sector known as the engineering sector. The business manufactures and installs engineered production facilities and components to industrial markets. As MC Design & Contracting is based in the Eastern Cape where the majority of South African automotive manufacturers are situated, it has a strong reliance on the automotive industry. In an attempt to break this single industry reliance, MC Design & Contracting management has deployed customer diversification strategies. The brand MC Design & Contracting is unique and the business therefore has achieved brand distinctiveness within its industry sector. The customer differentiation strategy requires marketing and sales personnel to target new customers that are not familiar with the business. As a promotional aspect of business-to-business marketing, the element of personal selling plays an important role. The salesforce and marketing personnel felt that the trade name of the business, MC Design & Contracting, was no longer aligned with its customer value proposition. They considered the trade name to be a distraction to the selling and promotions process. In order to assess the impact of a trade name change, MC Design & Contracting’s board requested an independent study dealing with the matter. This study set out to establish the various elements relating to the design of a trade name, including the procedural and legal requirements within a South African context. The ultimate goal of branding is for a business to achieve a degree of ‘uniqueness’ over its competitors. Referred to as ‘brand distinctiveness’, this study explored how trade names relate to brand distinctiveness. The study utilised a qualitative research methodology in the form of semi-structured interviews to gather data from internal and external stakeholders of MC Design & Contracting. The study found that MC Design & Contracting has a distinctive brand, but its trade name is no longer relevant. Furthermore, the study suggests that a change of trade name would affect both brand recognition and brand distinctiveness. The study concludes with recommendations to MC Design & Contracting’s board of directors. The recommendations revolve around the process of selecting an effective trade name that contains an element of distinctiveness. It also deals with the element of brand protection by suggesting the registration of a trademark.

A DISSERTATION Submitted in full fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTERS OF COMMERCE (Marketing) at the UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND 2016 / In the retail sphere of coffee shops, the increase in competition has led retailers to revert to alternative methods of capturing the attention of customers. By means of multi-sensory branding, retailers aim to stimulate consumers‟ emotions towards a brand, which ultimately influences buying behaviour. Although the success of multi-sensory branding is still relatively low, there seems to be an increased awareness of involving the five senses into the retail sphere. Its successful implementation can help marketers benefit financially through increased sales, profits and market share. The purpose of the present study is therefore to fill this void by exploring the effect of multi-sensory branding on purchase intention at coffee shops in Johannesburg. For the purpose of this study, the five senses (sight, touch, taste, smell and sound) are the predictor variables, with customer satisfaction as the mediating variable, and purchase intention as the outcome variable. Despite a number of studies that have been conducted in this field, little research has focused on the South African coffee shop industry, which is gaining increased attraction from global investors. This study follows a quantitative approach in which 400 surveys were distributed among male and female students at University of the Witwatersrand to explore the influence of multi-sensory branding on purchase intention at coffee shops. Although the findings indicate that all six proposed hypotheses are supported, the strongest relationships were found to be between customer satisfaction and sound, taste, and smell respectively. Thus indicating that sound, taste and smell have the most significant influence on customer satisfaction. Likewise, customer satisfaction has a significant influence on purchase intention. The contribution of this paper is firstly, to expand the contextual knowledge multi-sensory branding and its factors that are used to influence consumer purchase intentions. Secondly, it will add to existing literature on multi-sensory branding. Theoretically, it also contributes to the consumer behaviour literature in marketing and retail branding. Lastly, the investigation completed on the influences of purchase intentions, provides marketing practitioners with a proper understanding of techniques and strategies that can be employed to influence buying behaviour through manipulation of multiple sensory cues. / MT2017

A thesis Submitted in full fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Marketing) at the University of the Witwatersrand, 2016 / With an increase in competition, the retail industry is experiencing a paradigm shift as marketers revert to innovative retail experiences to influence consumer buying behaviour. Therefore, it is of interest to examine how consumers experience store environments in order for retailers to design atmospherics that are conducive to influencing purchase decision-making. Although several studies have explored store environment and consumer buying behaviour, few studies have explored atmospheric cues as a holistic construct to investigate the effect of these on brand loyalty and purchase intention. More specifically, few studies have explored this topic in a fashion retail context among the black middle class woman in South Africa. This paper aims to determine whether store environment influences consumers’ purchase intention and brand loyalty of fashion products. By means of a proposed conceptual model, store environment is the predictor variable, with brand experience, brand trust, brand satisfaction and brand attitude as the mediating variables, and purchase intention and brand loyalty as the outcome variables. The present study undertakes a quantitative approach in which 501 online surveys are distributed among black middle class woman to explore the influence of store environment on purchase intention of fashion brands. The findings support all nine proposed hypotheses. Therefore indicating that store environment influences consumers’ brand experience, brand trust, brand satisfaction and brand attitude. Likewise, the latter branding variables have a significant influence on brand loyalty, and ultimately purchase intention. The contribution of this paper is threefold. Firstly, by exploring the importance of store environment on consumer behaviour, this study adds to contextual knowledge on experiential retailing, fashion consumption and the buying behaviour of the emerging black middle class. Secondly, it adds to existing literature in retail management and fashion marketing. Theoretically, it is positioned in experiential marketing and contributes to empirical literature that focuses on consumer behaviour, branding, and retail. Lastly, by investigating store environment and it’s influence on consumers’ purchase intentions, the findings provide marketing practitioners with a better understanding of strategies that can be employed to influence consumers buying behaviour through the design of a conducive store environment. / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management (August 2016) / The purpose of this research paper is to explore the proposition around the factors influencing fashion choices for teenage girls which include attitude, impulse consumption, peer pressure, self-congruency and socialisation agents which all lead to their intention to purchase fashionable clothing brands. The research problem was to identify whether the factors influencing teenagers’ attitudes and decision making styles actually affect their intention to consume fashionable clothing brands. The design approach and methodology was the gathering of qualitative data from conducting five focus groups consisting of six female respondents each. The respondents were teenage girls aged between 13 and 19 years old, from different social backgrounds. Findings showed relatively high levels of consumption of fashion brands among the respondents, but not necessarily conducted in the traditional consumer decision-making processes. The manner in which teenage girls consume fashion brands creates a clear distinction and gap in the market of how to connect with this age segment. Key findings of the research show that teenagers no longer conform to typical adolescent ways, and it is through their consumption behaviour that marketers need to identify ways in which retail marketers can engage with them. / MT 2018

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing. Johannesburg, March 2017 / Brand trust has been in decline for a number of years (Eggers, O’Dwyer, Kraus, Vallaster, & Güldenberg, 2013; Gerzema, 2009; Gilmore & Pine, 2007; Schallehn, Burmann, & Riley, 2014). According to Eggers et al., (2013), this has been attributed to many possible causes; the most prevalent being a breakdown between the promises made by brands and what they actually deliver. As a result, consumers are growing increasingly sceptical and they find themselves unable to believe brand claims (Eggers et al.,, 2013). Brand authenticity has been referred to as the perfect antidote to this problem (Gerzema, 2009). It is synonymous with honesty (Morhart, Malär, Guèvremont, Girardin, & Grohmann, 2015), sincerity (Beverland, 2005a; Fine, 2003; Napoli, Dickinson, Beverland, & Farrelly, 2014; Pace, 2015), and trust (Eggers et al.,, 2013); and is a key success factor for brands today (Brown, Kozinets, & Sherry, 2003; Gilmore & Pine, 2007). Authentic brands are deeply committed to their values and to delivering on their promises (Eggers et al.,, 2013; Morhart et al.,, 2015). Morhart et al., (2015) state that to enhance the perception of authenticity, brands should come across as more “human”, as doing so makes it easier for consumers to recognise the inherent values of the brand. Due to a rebirth in traditional, wholesome values, consumers are growing increasingly fond of humanised brands and they now even relate to brands in the same way they relate to people (Brown, 2010; Fournier, 1998; Kervyn, Fiske, & Malone, 2012; Malone & Fiske, 2013). It has been said that brands that are succeeding in a time when brand trust is at an all-time low, are those that are fostering meaningful relationships with their customers by coming across as “human” (Kervyn et al.,, 2012; Malone & Fiske, 2013; Marshall & Ritchie, 2013). This research set out to examine the humanisation of brands, particularly in a world where authenticity is becoming increasingly popular and brand trust, increasingly rare. It was hoped that an empirical investigation would help to define the implications of this growing trend in brand management. The study was conducted in South Africa, where historically there has been a major breakdown of trust between its citizens and the institutions that have been entrusted to lead them (Lekalake, 2015; Marais, 2011; Moeng, 2015; Steenkamp, 2009). The study was grounded in theory that has roots in the field of social psychology. In interpersonal relationships, Cuddy, Fiske, and Glick (2007) found that people make judgements about others based on the evaluation of two dimensions: warmth and competence. The Brands as Intentional Agents Framework (BIAF) (Kervyn et al.,, 2012) theorises that this is consistent with people and brands. Consumers evaluate brands on the same basis of warmth and competence: where warmth is the belief that the brand has good intentions, and competence, the belief that the brand has the ability to carry out those intentions. (Kervyn et al.,, 2012). Expressions of warmth and competence enhance the perception that a brand is humanlike (J. Aaker, Vohs, & Mogilner, 2010; Kervyn et al.,, 2012; Malone & Fiske, 2013). An extensive literature review was conducted on brand authenticity, perceived warmth, perceived competence and brand trust - revealing strong connections between these four constructs. The research problem was three-fold. First, the intention was to establish and evaluate the dimensions of brand authenticity in South Africa, postulated as originality, continuity, credibility and integrity (according to recent studies in the literature). Second, the intention was to then determine whether brand authenticity has a positive impact on brand trust. Brand trust was postulated as having two dimensions, brand intentions and brand reliability, as per Delgado-Ballester (2004). Third, the intention was to resolve whether perceptions of warmth and competence then mediate the relationship between brand authenticity and brand trust. This study adopted a quantitative methodology whereby a self-completion questionnaire was distributed using face-to-face data collection procedures. The sampling frame consisted of frequent flyers of one of seven domestic airlines that fly within South Africa’s borders, namely: South African Airways (SAA), Mango, British Airways (BA), Kulula, Safair, Blue Crane and Cemair. The study used a convenience sample of passengers at Bidvest airport lounges in four major cities, and at Lanseria, a smaller airport in Johannesburg. The questionnaire design included a construct measurement section where respondents were asked to rate their perception of the selected brand’s authenticity, warmth, competence and trust. The data collection returned an impressive 355 usable responses, made up predominantly of business travellers. Partial least squares (PLS) was used to examine the data and factor analysis revealed four important findings. First, the analysis showed three new factors, different to the four postulated dimensions of brand authenticity. They were Original, Ethical and Genuine. Second, brand trust was found to be one-dimensional, and not two-dimensional as postulated. Third, although a revised model of six constructs (original, ethical, genuine, warmth, competence and brand trust) displayed both internal reliability and convergent validity, discriminant validity could not be proven due to critically high correlations between the constructs. The high levels of similarity rendered the constructs indistinguishable in a causal model and as a result, the hypotheses could not be tested using the data that was collected. Finally, an additional analysis showed significant differences between the results of South African Airways (SAA) and some or all of the other airlines on all the constructs. As SAA was not viewed in a positive light, this study identified SAA as an outlier brand. The findings of this research proved to be very interesting, and have major theoretical and managerial implications. As brand authenticity was measured as a second-order construct, it could not be said with certainty that original, ethical and genuine are dimensions thereof. However, the literature certainly suggested that they might be. Authenticity has been linked to any semblance of originality (Vann, 2006); an honourable set of values (Beverland, Lindgreen, & Vink, 2008); and that which is genuine, real and true (Arnould & Price, 2000; Beverland & Farrelly, 2010; Grayson & Martinec, 2004; Molleda & Jain, 2013). Moreover, a recent study by Akbar and Wymer (2016) proved originality and genuineness to be dimensions of brand authenticity and their findings strongly support those of this study. The unexpected results of this research also confirm that brand authenticity is highly contextual and subjective – its meaning is dependent on the consumer’s personal experiences and their unique understanding of what is authentic (Beverland & Farrelly, 2010; Bruhn, Schoenmüller, Schäfer, & Heinrich, 2012; Fritz, Schoenmueller, & Bruhn, 2017; Leigh, Peters, & Shelton, 2006; Molleda & Jain, 2013). This study reiterates that brand managers wishing to enhance perceptions of authenticity, must adapt their approach for their specific brand in specific contexts and be very cognisant of their customers unique interpretation of authenticity. The lack of discriminant validity between the six constructs in the revised path model (original, ethical, genuine, warmth, competence and brand trust) was the most noteworthy finding of this research, as it has serious theoretical and managerial implications. This finding indicates that consumers view these constructs as one and the same, and they are deeply interconnected. This could be attributed to the strong literary overlaps between them, as many of these constructs have almost identical definitions and key traits (for example: honesty, sincerity, benevolence, capability, and reliability). As a result, this research makes an important contribution to advancing the Brands as Intentional Agents Framework (BIAF) (Kervyn et al.,, 2012). It suggests that the BIAF should be expanded to include constructs beyond warmth and competence, as expressions of all six constructs contribute equally to the perception that a brand is human. This research concludes with the Human Brand Model (HBM); a model that provides practical guidelines as to how managers can use the insights from this study to build human brands. To enhance the perception that a brand is more human, managers must use expressions not only of warmth and competence, but of originality, ethicality, genuineness and trust as well. The six dimensions work along a continuum: if one is elevated, so too are the others; but if one is tarnished, the others are negatively impacted too. The result is that no single dimension can be ignored in this process. Brand managers must understand that efforts to build a human brand far surpass the marketing team. This process requires the mobilisation of every department in the organisation and the commitment of the highest levels of leadership. This research set out to establish whether the human brand is simply a buzzword in marketing, or an idea that has both academic and managerial value. The idea that brands have evolved into animate entities is not yet widely accepted in academic literature. However, this research makes an important contribution to advancing the existing theory on brand perception and current views on brand anthropomorphism. It also provides some guidance as to the exact mechanisms that can be used to build human brands. The findings demonstrated that the human brand is an idea that is real, and one with value for both academics and practitioners, leaving room for much further research. / MT2017

A thesis submitted in full fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Marketing) at the University of Witwatersrand, 2017 / With the rise of globalisation, consumers are increasingly faced with having to make purchase decisions between domestic and foreign products or brands. Therefore, it is important to gain a better understanding of what factors influence consumer decisions when considering a local or global product or brand. Although a number of studies have explored similar topics, a lack of research remains regarding a comprehensive theoretical model that provides a holistic view of factors influencing the decision to buy a global product. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate those factors that influence the purchase decisions of global fashion brands among black middle-class women in South Africa. More specifically, by means of a conceptual model, the present study proposes that ethnocentrism, price, brand knowledge (comprising of brand awareness and brand image), self-image, fashion involvement, brand love, attitude, and perceived quality influence consumers’ buying decisions. The findings of this study seek to fill the gap in literature regarding how emerging black middle-class consumers in South Africa make buying decisions with regard to (global) fashion products. An empirical study was undertaken, in which 500 black middle-class females were asked to complete an online survey to determine which factors influence their choice of global fashion clothing. The obtained data was analysed by means of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using Partial Least Squares. The findings support all proposed hypotheses, but not all hypotheses were found to be significant. The strongest relationships were found between brand knowledge and perceived quality, brand knowledge and attitude, and self-image and attitude. The weakest relationships were between ethnocentrism and purchase intention, price perception and perceived quality and finally brand love and purchase intention. Furthermore, the findings revealed that quality is the main reason for consumers to consider buying global fashion-branded clothing. On the other hand, price is the biggest drawback of sales of global fashion brands. This study is of significant importance to fashion marketers since it provides adequate insight into how global fashion brands can position themselves and influence consumers’ decisions to buy global fashion products. This study further provides a comprehensive model, adds to knowledge gaps, and provides several managerial implications and directions for future research. / XL2018

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in the field of Strategic Marketing Johannesburg, 2017 / Sales promotions are ever-present occurrences in modern day markets with companies using them as part of their marketing mix (Blattberg & Neslin, 1990). They also have the ability to effect customer satisfaction and in turn the brand loyalty for that consumer (Li-Xin & Shou-Lian, 2010). Bawa and Shoemaker (2004) found links between non-monetary sales promotions and the brand loyalty of a consumer. Consumers exposed to sales promotions usually had increased purchasing probability and enhanced loyalty to the brand, compared to consumers that were not exposed to the promotion. This study set out to establish the effects on the attitudinal loyalty of consumers who missed the opportunity to partake in a free premium sales promotion. Utilizing a quantitative research methodology, data was collected by means of a structured questionnaire from respondents in South Africa. Internal factors such as the consumers experience of cognitive dissonance; emotion showed towards the brand; and their attitudes towards the brand, were measured and analysed through factor analysis. The most notable finding from the study was that the effect on a consumer’s attitudinal loyalty was contained to the attitude they have towards the brand, irrespective of the level of dissonance that might appear or even the emotional feelings they might have for the brand. Missing the sales promotion would almost certainly alter their perception of the brand and change the internal factors a consumer turns to when searching for information and evaluating their post-purchase consumption. Ultimately, a missed free premium sales promotion will do very little to destroy any brand loyalty that is already present with that consumer. / MT2017

Writers as diverse as Oscar Wilde (1915), Matthew Arnold (1960), Erich Fromm (1997) and a proliferation of contemporary self-help gurus, variously assert that it is preferable for people to focus on “being”, or to value “who you are”, instead of emphasising “having” or the material possessions you have acquired. These discourses assert that individuals content with “being” are happier and more fulfilled than those involved in the constant (and alienating) motion of acquiring material goods as representations of themselves (de Botton, 2004; Fromm, 1997; James, 2007). This thesis provides an in-depth critical exploration of one of these ideal “ways of being”: authenticity. It does not seek to discover what authenticity is in an empirical sense, nor to define what it should be in a normative sense, but to map the cultural work done by changing and often contradictory discourses of personal authenticity. More specifically, this study uses a qualitative research design, social constructionist theoretical framework, and discourse analytic method to critically discuss the discursive constructions of subject authenticity in South African brand culture. The sample consisted of (1.) ten marketing campaigns of several large, mainstream brands, which were popular in South Africa from 2015 to 2017, and (2.) fifteen smaller South African “craft” brands popular in the “artisanal” context. The analysis is presented in two distinct, but interrelated, sections (namely, Selling Stories and Crafting Authenticity), where the relevant discourses of authenticity for each data set are explored in depth. Through this analysis the thesis provides a critical discussion of the ways in which these discourses of authenticity work to produce and maintain, (or challenge and subvert), subject positions, ideologies, and power relations that structure contemporary South African society.