The aim of this study is to understand how co-branding can be strategically implemented and its relevance in small business customer relationships. The study serves as a guide for small businesses striving to strengthen their brand and improve their customer relationships through strategic utilization of co-branding. By enhancing knowledge about co-branding as a strategy, businesses can identify opportunities and challenges of successfully implementing the strategy in their operations. The theoretical foundations of the study include areas of brand equity, co-branding and relationship marketing. Using a qualitative method and across-sectional study design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with five companies and seven consumers to obtain multiple valuable perspectives and viewpoints on the research topic. Based on the empirical research, the findings indicate that consumers value quality, company values, long-term relationships, personalized offers, and trust in brands. Consumers also view brand collaborations positively but emphasize the importance of clear objectives and beneficial partnerships. The companies reported that collaborations can provide broader reach, expand the target audience, increase market share and sales, and facilitate insights sharing and trust building. The prospects for successful collaborations highlights long-term commitment and strong relationships as key components for successful partnerships. Based on the previous mentioned information and the study’s results, the conclusion is that the establishment and management of brand equity play a central role in creating a stable customer base, requiring strategic implementation of the brand process early on to effectively communicate the brand and its identity. Small businesses have several advantages that gives them opportunities to implement co-branding as a strategy, where they can contribute with significant resources to other larger businesses with an interest in exchange through exposure. In relation to their customers, the importance of quality, long-term commitment, trust and strong values is emphasized as factors that need to remain stable in the implementation of a co-branding strategy.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore how environmentally sustainable efforts, in terms of circular economy (CE) initiatives, are affecting the customer-based brand equity (CBBE) of fast fashion brands. By considering the attitudes of Generation Z, fashion companies can build brands that respond to the environmental requirements of future decision-makers. Therefore, the following research questions are derived: What are Generation Z’s self-disclosed perceptions of fast fashion brands conducting circular economy initiatives? and How do the perceptions of Generation Z regarding circular economy initiatives impact the CBBE of fast fashion brands?  Method – This master thesis is an exploratory study with an inductive approach. In total, 12 qualitative interviews are conducted, consisting of consumers of fast fashion within Generation Z and currently living in Sweden. The interviews follow a semi-structured approach and in order to analyze the empirical findings, a thematic analysis was executed.  Findings – The main findings of this study consist of three overarching themes in terms of Generation Z’s perceptions towards fast fashion brands conducting CE initiatives and its impact on CBBE. The emerging perceptions describe different segments within Generation Z, which have been defined as Positive: Creates Value, Negative: Hypocritical, and Indifferent: Not relevant. Moreover, the results show that a positive perception towards CE initiatives can strengthen the CBBE of fast fashion brands. In contrast, a negative perception causes a small impact on CBBE and may even weaken the brand, whereas an indifferent perception towards CE initiatives has no noticeable impact on the CBBE.  Theoretical and practical contributions – The study provides insights into Generation Z's different perceptions regarding CE initiatives and how macro-environmental factors can impact the brand equity of fast fashion brands and consumer perception of these brands. The main findings can assist brand managers to address the different consumer segments and their needs by successfully implementing sustainability activities into the business operations of fast fashion brands.

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to gain further understanding of how social mediamarketing activities can affect a firm's brand loyalty and brand image. The study was conductedwithin the sportswear industry. Design/Methodology/approach: This study was of explanatory nature and had a quantitativeapproach where it gathered its data through questionnaires that was posted in communitygroups on Facebook for the brands Oner Active, Gymshark and Better Bodies. These chosenbrands are an active part of the chosen industry to investigate, the sportswear industry. Findings: The findings of this study showed that social media marketing activities have apositive effect on brand image as well as brand loyalty. The social media marketing activitiesthat had the overall highest impact were entertainment and word of mouth. Furthermore, thefindings of this study concluded that increased brand image has a positive effect on brandloyalty. Implications: The findings of this study contributes to the growing knowledge of social mediamarketing activities and how they effect brand image and brand loyalty of sportswear brands.The findings of this study contributes to practitioners as well, it showcases the importance of social media marketing activities but also provides insight of what activities might be of mostimportance to develop in regards to brand image and brand loyalty (based on the circumstancesand limitations to this study).

The aim for this study was to explore how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Swedish tourism and hospitality industry have managed their brand during the covid-19- pandemic. To fulfill the aim the following research questions were asked; “How have SMEs in the tourism- and hospitality industry managed their brand equity during the covid-19 pandemic?” and “How have SMEs in the tourism- and hospitality industry worked with branding in social media to cope with the pandemic?”. The study was limited to SMEs in the area of Swedish Lapland, since the tourism- and hospitality industry in this area was relatively harmed by the pandemic in comparison to several other industries. A qualitative approach was chosen with an exploratory nature by having semi-structured interviews with SMEs in Swedish Lapland. Findings show that SMEs in this study have been forced to change their work with brand equity due to the pandemic. To strengthen their brand equity the companies have started to collaborate to attract each other's customers. Branding in social media has become more important, and how companies use social media have changed. Activities such as entertainment, interaction and advertising on social media have increased in order to cope with the pandemic.

Purpose - The purpose of the study is to explore how sustainability activities are perceived as a part of a company’s brand equity and brand reputation in a B2B context within the transport sector. This is studied from the perspectives of the supplier as well as of its customers. Methodology - The research purpose was of an exploratory nature and had an qualitative approach, where data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The research strategy is in the form of a case study based on a Swedish truck company, more specifically tanker trucks. The respondents consisted of current customers and employees at the forwarding company.   Results - The findings of the study showed that transport companies in the specific industry do not have a direct need to conduct marketing communication or focus as much on the brand reputation as the theory says. However, in terms of sustainability, marketing is still relevant, but not for creation of brand equity. Sustainability activities are therefore not a requirement for brand equity in the transport industry. Customers who do not have sustainability activities as a requirement for suppliers see sustainability as an add-on service, and since sustainability is not an expressed need for these customers, satisfaction is positively affected, although satisfaction does not say anything about the customer’s degree of fulfillment of sustainability. Implications - This study helps to fill the gap in the research area of sustainability activities and brand equity, both by studying the subject in the transport sector but also by providing a holistic view of the impact of sustainability on brand equity and brand reputation. The findings of the study also contribute to practitioners, by giving forwarding companies in a B2B market insights to prioritize their marketing efforts through obtained findings in terms of sustainability, brand equity, and brand reputation. Further findings show that B2B customers have a hard time fulfilling the emotional route in customer-based brand equity, instead, they fulfill the rational route. Sustainability is thus a complement to strengthening brand equity. However, it is not enough as an individual aspect when it comes to creating brand equity in the transport industry. The thesis shows that customers have the greatest interest in the environmental sustainability dimensions in terms of responsibility in the transport sector. Communicating sustainability and its value creation further in the value chain to customers can result in interest and commitment to sustainability.

Senaste hundra åren har design utgjort en betydande komponent för uppfattningen av en nation. Typiska faktorer som utgör identiteten av en nation är ekonomi, kultur och politik, där nationers urbana miljö och uttryck utgör en betydande del för att utmärka och identifiera nationen. Den urbana miljön har också stor inflytande för att attrahera turism vilket har betydande effekt för en nations ekonomi och internationella rykte. Nation brand syftar till att göra nationer internationellt synliga genom de olika kvalitéer nationen besitter. Varumärket för en nation fungerar som identitetsskapande och som differentierande faktor, och består av flera faktorer som ekonomiska, politiska, sociala och kulturella. Arkitektur har genom flera epoker uttryck nationers ambitioner samt kunskaper. Flera arkitektoniska strukturer står oftast som nationella symboler för den internationella publiken. Denna studie har till uppgift att undersöka hur arkitekturen påverkar uppfattningen av en nation. Studien genomförs med kvalitativa metoder, vilka är semistrukturerad intervju och netnografi. Teorier studien omfattas av är nation brand och brand equity. Studien ämnar besvara forskningsfrågan: Hur fungerar arkitektur som formande faktor för uppfattningen av en nation? Resultatet påvisar att arkitektur är aktivitetsskapande vilket främjar turism. Det i sin tur bidrar till det ekonomiska kapitalet och även den internationella uppfattningen av nationen. / During the last century, design has become an important component to the perception of a nation. Typical factors that constitute the identity of a nation are economy, culture, and politics, where the urban environment in nations constitutes a significant part in distinguishing and identifying the nation. The urban environment also has a big impact on attracting tourism, which affects the economy and international reputation. The purpose of a nation brand is to market the nation through the different qualities the nation possesses and make these internationally visible. The brand for a nation aims to create identity and works as a differentiating factor, through several different components such as economic, political, social, and cultural. Several architectural structures are often used as national symbols, targeted towards the international audience. This study aims to investigate how architecture affects the perception of a nation. It’s a qualitative study with two methods, semi structured interviews and netnography. Along with theories such as nation brand and brand equity, this study aims to answer the following question: How does architecture function as a factor for the perception of a nation? The result of the study shows that architecture helps to create activities for tourists, which in turn contributes to the economic growth and the international perception of a country.

To achieve brand success and develop a competitive advantage through consistently delivering brand experiences to customers, the roles of employees in service organizations are critical. Specifically, it is necessary that service employees are capable and motivated to transform a brand promise into brand reality. Although service organizations have widely adopted internal branding initiatives to engender employees' pro-brand attitude and behavior, how employees perceive such organizational effort to inform their brand-consistent attitude and behavioral outcomes has remained unclear. Drawing upon Job Characteristics Theory, Self-Determination Theory, and Organismic Integration Theory, it is suggested that the attainment of employees' pro-brand attitude and behavior requires a joint effort from both the organization and employees. Organizations need to establish a brand climate through internal branding practices that enhance employees' perceived encouragement and support of the coveted brand performance. Based on this brand climate, employees are likely to internalize the brand enabling them to obtain necessary brand knowledge and skills, understand the relevance of the brand to their roles, as well as perceive a fit between their values and the values of the brand. As such, employees are more likely to develop positive brand attitudes and behaviors, including endorsing the brand, staying with the brand, and exhibiting brand-consistent behaviors (i.e., employee brand equity). The brand climate to brand internalization to employee brand equity model conceptualized in this dissertation was assessed with two empirical studies. Study 1 utilized a sample of current employees in service-related industries and Study 2 served as a strict replication study with a sample of current hotel employees. Additional moderation effects based on employees' individual traits including proactive personality and intrinsic motivation were also examined in Study 2. The results from both studies provide strong support for the conceptual model. Brand climate is shown to have a significant impact on all employee brand internalization factors. That is, when employees perceive that the organization is supportive and encouraging with respect to employees' brand performance, they are more likely to transform such perception into their brand understanding, including perceiving appropriate brand knowledge, self-brand relevance, and congruence between the brand values and their own value systems. In addition, it was found that when employees perceive a high level of relevance between their roles and the brand success, as well as congruence between the brand's values and their personal values, they are more likely to develop positive brand attitudes and behaviors, including endorsing the brand, staying with the brand, and exhibiting brand-consistent behaviors (i.e., employee brand equity). Further, it is suggested that employee proactive personality has a positive impact on the relationship between brand climate and employee brand value congruence, while employee intrinsic motivation to work has a negative impact on the relationship between employee perceived brand relevance and employee brand equity. This dissertation significantly advances the current internal brand management literature and contributes to theory development with respect to examining and validating employee brand internalization. This dissertation also provides practical implications to help justify and guide service organizations' investment in internal branding. In addition, this dissertation demonstrates that a brand-aligned workforce can be selected and cultivated through a brand climate that affords employees' internalization of the brand. / Tourism and Sport

The final work of master studies, 65 pages, 20 figures, 6 tables, 41 literature sources, 3 appendices, in Lithuanian. KEYWORDS: brand, brand name, brand mark, logo, brand equity, protection of the brand, brand equity management, brand equity management strategy, consumer. The object of research – closed joint stock companies “Galinta ir partneriai” and “Skanėja”. The subject of research – brand equity management strategy. The purpose of research – to recommend brand equity management strategies of friable products for closed joint stock companies “Galinta ir partneriai” and “Skanėja”. The task of research: 1. To survey the history of a brand development, branding goals and functions, principles of designing and legal protection of the brand. 2. To discuss theoretical fundamentals of the brand equity management. 3. To prepare methodic for research of the friable products brand equity influence on consumer behavior. 4. To conduct a sample survey and to analyze the GALINTA and SKANĖJA brands influence on consumer attitudes and behavior. 5. To recommend the brand equity management strategies for closed joint stock companies “Galinta ir partneriai” and “Skanėja”. The methods of research: rationale comparative analysis of scientific literature, sample survey, descriptive, data grouping and graphic representation. The brand equity management strategies recommended for closed joint stock companies “Galinta ir partneriai” and “Skanėja” are based on the historical survey of brand... [to full text]

Den här uppsatsen försöker kartlägga vilka produkt- och varumärkesegenskaper som driverkonsumenternas val av premiumöl på restaurang och redovisar en konsumentstudie gjord irestaurangmiljö. Tidigare forskning menar att det finns en outnyttjad potential förrestauranger som vill utnyttja det snabbt ökande intresset för hantverksöl genom co-brandingmed attraktiva premiumvarumärken. Studien visar att konsumenter av premiumöl pårestaurang värderar både produktegenskaper men också funktionella, sociala och emotionellavarumärkesegenskaper signifikant annorlunda mellan premiumöl och mainstreamöl. Studienvisar också att restaurangens utbud av premiumöl påverkar konsumentens val av restaurangoch att ökade kunskaper om öl kan vara en nyckel till ökad försäljning av hantverksöl. / This paper employs a sample of restaurant customers to explain consumer preferences forpremium beer brands. Previous research has pointed to the underexplored niche marketpotential of craft beer related to Food & Beverage operators and suggest increasing cobrandingwith premium beer brands in order to gain competitive advantage. This studyexplains a significant percentage of variance in premium consumer preferences for premiumbeer to mainstream beer comparing product attribute utitlity to brand equity dimensions(functional, social and emotional dimensions). This study also shows that the beer menu ofthe restaurant is likely to effect premium consumers choice of restaurant and that efforts toincrease consumer knowledge of beer can be the key to increased sales of craft beers. Thispaper is published in Swedish.

Företaget Google är i dag ett av världens mest kända varumärke och deras sökmotor står för 70 % av internetsökningarna i USA och 90 % i Europa. De har lyckats få en dominans på sökmotorsmarknaden framför sina konkurrenter som Yahoo, Ask och Bing. Människor över hela världen använder flera utav Googles tjänster varje dag och många av dem reflekterar inte över den makt som Google har. Kan den här monopolliknande positionen Google har vara så pass transparent att användarna inte ens reflekterat över det? Vår önskan med uppsatsen är att ge läsaren en inblick i Googles varumärkesstrategi och hur användarnas attityder är gentemot företaget. Vi vill ta reda på om användarnas attityder stämmer överens med vad Google vill kommunicera till sina användare och om användarna reflekterar över den maktposition och dominans Google har på internet. För att samla empiriska data, valde vi att göra en webbenkät som besvarades av medie- och kommunikationsstudenter på Högskolan i Jönköping. Utifrån resultatet kunde vi konstatera att en stor del av respondenterna är väl medvetna om den dominans och maktposition som Google har på marknaden. Trots denna medvetenhet har vi inte sett detta påverka respondenternas generella attityder om Google som företag. Däremot kunde vi urskilja viss skepticism hos respondenterna när det kom till en del av Googles funktioner. / Google is today one of the world’s most known brand and their search engine stand for 70 % of the internet searches i the U.S. and 90 % for those i Europe. That means that they have managed to reach monopoly on the search engine market prior to its competitors such as Yahoo, Ask and Bing. People all over the world use several of Google’s services each day and many of them doesn’t reflect over the power that Google has. Can this monopoly and their positions of power be that translucent that the users don’t reflect on it? Our desire with this thesis is to give the reader a deeper understanding about Google’s marketing strategy and about the user’s attitudes towards the company. We want to find out if the attitudes of the user’s correspond to what Google wants to communicate to its users. We also want to find out if the users reflect any on the monopoly and positions of power that Google has on the Internet. To be able to gain empirical data, we chose to design a web-based survey and had media and communications student at Jönköping University to answer it. From the results we found that a large proportion of the respondents is very much aware of the monopoly and positions of power that Google has on the market. However, despite this awareness we could not see that this affected the user’s general attitudes towards the company. On the other hand, we could notice some skepticism when it came to some of the functions of Google’s services.