Atualmente, os valores intangíveis são cada vez mais importantes no processo gerencial de empresas e governos, implicando a necessidade de informações mais precisas. Dentre os ativos intangíveis mais importantes encontram-se as marcas. É por meio das marcas que os consumidores escolhem e memorizam suas compras, e assim destinam seu dinheiro para algo que possa solucionar problemas em suas vidas. Marcas são formas de empresas e países conseguirem se diferenciar no mercado competitivo globalizado, e estas últimas são denominadas marca-país. A marca-país é fonte de conhecimento e associações no mercado, e torna o país mais ou menos atraente para os estrangeiros. Para se medir o valor de uma marca-país (country brand equity) utilizamse métodos específicos. Essa métrica perceptual é uma construção de valores baseados na marca-país, como conhecimento, associações, imagem, qualidade percebida e lealdade. Este trabalho visa compor um modelo de mensuração de country brand equity aplicável à realidade brasileira. Para tanto foram apresentados diversos modelos de avaliação de marcas e marca-país, por serem complementares, e testados empiricamente. Os dois principais modelos utilizados neste trabalho foram o modelo de valor de marca de Yoo, Donthu e Lee (2000), e o modelo de valor de marca-país de Pappu e Quester (2010). Como o construto de valor de marca-país é derivado de dimensões formativas que o compõem, foram somadas nessa equação as dimensões de imagem baseada na personalidade (AAKER, 1997) e percepção de cultura (NEWMAN; NOLLEN, 1996; HOFSTEDE; BOND, 1984). Todas as variáveis e composições de dimensões foram avaliadas quanto à sua confiabilidade, linearidade, normalidade, heterocedasticidade, multicolinearidade, correlações, formação de fatores e, por fim, avaliadas em regressões e modelos de equações estruturais. Foram criados dezesseis (16) modelos iniciais, nos quais se avaliou o poder de explicação dos construtos com a variável dependente proposta por Zeugner-Roth, Diamantopoulos e Montesinos (2008). Verificou-se pouca variabilidade entre os modelos. Em seguida, foram elaborados mais oito (8) modelos com a proxy de valor de marca-país pela reputação de marca-país, proposta por Kang e Yang (2010), na qual se pôde observar que os modelos com maior número de dimensões se mostraram melhores para explicar a variável dependente. Além disso, verificou-se a importância das dimensões de imagem e percepção de cultura nesses construtos. Por fim, esta tese apresenta modelos mais consistentes de avaliação de marca-país. / Nowadays, the intangible values are more and more important in the management process of companies and governments, implying the need of more accurate information. Among the most important intangible assets, there are the brands. It is through brands that consumers choose and memorize their purchases, and, thus, allocate money for something which can solve problems in their lives. Brands are how companies and countries can differentiate themselves in such competitive global market; the later one is called Country Brand. The country brand is the source of knowledge and associations in the market which makes the country either more or less attractive to foreigners. In order to measure the country brand equity, specific methods are used. Such perceptual metrics is a construction of values based on the country brand, such as awareness, associations, image, perceived quality and loyalty. This work aims to build up a model of country brand equity measurement which can be applied to the Brazilian scenario. Therefore, several brand and country brand evaluation models were presented, since they are complementary, and empirically tested. The two main models used in this work were Yoo, Donthu & Lee´s (2000) brand equity model, and Pappu & Quester´s (2010) country brand equity model. Since the construct of country brand equity is derived from formative dimensions which are part of it, the image dimensions based on personality (AAKER, 1997) and culture perception (NEWMAN & NOLLEN, 1996; HOFSTEDE & BOND, 1984) were summed. All the variables and dimension compositions were evaluated concerning their reliability, linearity, normality, heteroscedasticity, multicollinearity, correlations, factor formation and, finally, they were assessed in regressions and structural equation models. Sixteen (16) preliminary models were created, in which the power of explanation of constructs with the dependent variable proposed by Zeugner-Roth, Diamantopoulos & Montesinos (2008) were created. Little variability between the models was seen. Afterwards, eight (8) more models were elaborated with the proxy of country brand equity by the country brand reputation proposed by Kang & Yang (2010), in which it was possible to observe that the models with greater number of dimensions were better to explain the dependent variable. Moreover, the importance of image dimensions and culture perception in these constructs were checked. Finally, this thesis presents more coherent country-brand evaluation models.

Em um ambiente em que o marketing busca formas de avaliar os impactos de suas ações, Vogel, Evanschitzky e Ramaseshan (2008) sugerem que o uso do customer equity (CE), como uma medida do comportamento futuro de clientes de uma empresa, é um ativo estratégico que exige um gerenciamento efetivo com monitoramento tanto para detectar sinais de erosão neste valor, como para adequar programas para melhorá-lo. Vogel et al. (2008) associaram os condutores de CE, proposto por Rust, Zeithaml e Lemon (2000) e vendas futuras, contribuindo, em especial, com um modelo que inclui um construto de lealdade e foca na predição de vendas futuras, dado que valor de vida do cliente (CLV) é um difícil conceito para ser medido e está fora do alcance da maior parte das empresas. Diante da contribuição que essa técnica traz tanto para o avanço acadêmico da área de marketing metrics quanto para a prática empresarial, esta dissertação tem como enfoque a aplicação do modelo de Vogel et al. (2008), no B2B. Suas principais contribuições são: primeiro, adaptar e utilizar o modelo no contexto de serviços no B2B, estendendo a sua verificação a um universo mais amplo; segundo, testar se o modelo adaptado poderia produzir resultados tão consistentes quanto os encontrados pelos autores; terceiro, sugerir recomendações para a aplicação do modelo em outros segmentos. Para realização do estudo foram selecionadas duas empresas de segmentos diferentes que possuem outras companhias como clientes, uma delas do ramo de serviços ao varejo e outra uma distribuidora de medicamentos que permitiram acesso a um total de 253 de seus clientes. Para a empresa de serviços ao varejo identificou-se resultados em direção e magnitude semelhante ao estudo de Vogel et al. (2008), sugerindo que o modelo poderia ser aplicado no universo B2B; para a distribuidora, entretanto, os achados não demonstraram associação entre as variáveis, sinalizando uma fragilidade do modelo na predição de vendas futuras. Os resultados sugerem que o modelo adaptado poderia ser empregado no B2B, porém não é robusto. Desta forma apenas pode ser aplicado apenas sob condições específicas que precisam ser verificadas antes da aplicação. / In an environment where marketing seeks ways to assess the impacts of their actions , Vogel , and Evanschitzky Ramaseshan (2008) suggest that the use of customer equity (CE), as a measure of future customer behavior of a company, is a strategic asset that requires effective management with both monitoring for signs of erosion in this figure , as to tailor programs to improve it . Vogel et al. (2008) associated drivers from EC , proposed by Rust , Zeithaml and Lemon (2000) and future sales, contributing in particular to a model that includes a construct of loyalty and focuses on the prediction of future sales, since customer lifetime value (CLV) is a difficult concept to be measured and is beyond the reach of most companies . Given the contribution that this technique brings both academic advancement in the area of marketing metrics and for business practice, this dissertation focus on the application of Vogel et al. (2008), in the B2B. His main contributions are: first , to adapt and use the model in the context of B2B services, extending the verification to a broader universe; Second, to test whether the adapted model could produce results as consistent as those found by the authors; thirdly, to suggest recommendations for the application of the model in other segments. To conduct the study, two companies from different segments that have other companies as clients were selected , one of them in the service industry to retail and a distributor for drugstores that allowed access to a total of 253 clients. For services company was identified similar results, in direction and magnitude, toward the study of Vogel et al. (2008) , suggesting that the model could be applied in the B2B universe; for the distributor , however, the findings did not show association between the variables, indicating a weakness of the model in predicting future sales. The results suggest that the adapted model could be employed in B2B, but it is not robust. Thus, it can be applied only under specific conditions that must be verified before application.

Devido à progressiva importância atribuída à marca e, em especial, ao seu gerenciamento, diferentes teorias e modelos de compreensão, análise e prescrição foram e vêm sendo desenvolvidos, procurando se orientar abordagens e decisões estratégicas de negócio. Embora seja possível identificar algumas diferenças conceituais e/ou estruturais, dois aspectos, na prática, estão sempre presentes na análise de marcas e podem ser considerados decisivos na compreensão e gestão dessas: identidade e posicionamento de marca. Em relação a este segundo conceito, torna-se, ao longo do tempo, mais relevante, decisivo e crucial o processo de análise e avaliação da eficácia, adequação e relevância do posicionamento, em termos organizacionais, o entendimento da condição da marca e sua relação com o mercado, assim como modelos e procedimentos de avaliação para a decisão por sua eventual modificação ou adequação ao longo do tempo: o reposicionamento. Atualmente, o exame e a decisão de um reposicionamento de marcas está presente no cotidiano de profissionais de marketing e comunicação, porém não existe consenso ou uniformidade de abordagem deste tema, resultado, entre outras razões, da limitada literatura desenvolvida acerca do assunto. Este trabalho se propõe a abordar de forma estruturada conceitual e estrategicamente condições, desafios e riscos da adoção de uma estratégia de reposicionamento de marcas, utilizando argumentação baseada em literatura disponível, somada a intervenções exploratórias de exemplos reais, e propondo uma tipificação para as decisões e estratégias de reposicionamento, assim como orientações e alternativas para a gestão de marcas. A decisão por um reposicionamento de marca envolve desafios, investimentos e riscos, sendo que, na maioria das vezes, este processo se impõe ao gestor de marca. Com o objetivo de contribuir no exame e/ou avaliação do reposicionamento de marcas, este trabalho aborda as condições, as decisões e os impactos potenciais, oferecendo uma classificação e uma estrutura de análise orientadas para operação e gestão de estratégias de reposicionamento. / Different theories and comprehension, analysis and prescription models were and are being developed associated to progressive importance of brand management. Their objectives, in general, are to offer approached-based and strategic decisions for business. However, it is possible to identify some conceptual and/or structural differences among these papers, two aspects, in practice, are always present in brand’s analysis and may be recognized as decisive to understanding and administration brands: identity and positioning. This second concept is becoming more important and crucial as time goes by, playing a fundamental role in the brand efficacy evaluation, relevancy and compatibility of positioning and, particularly, the brand condition comprehension and its relationship with the market, as evaluation procedures and decision models for brand positioning change: the repositioning. Nowadays, brand repositioning analysis and decision are part of daily activities of marketing and communication professionals, but there is not approach consensus or uniformity to deal with this concept. As matter as fact, it is result – among other reasons – of limited developed literature about this issue. That thesis proposes itself to approach structurally, conceptually and strategically the conditions, challenges and risks to the adoption of brand repositioning strategy, using argumentation based on available literature added exploratory intervention in actual cases and proposing a taxonomy for repositioning strategies and decisions and brand management orientation and alternatives. Brand repositioning decision involves challenges, investments and risks. In general, this process in not a management decision, but an external imposition as a function of realized brand performance. With the objective to contribute to analysis and evaluation of brand repositioning, this research effort focus conditions, decisions and potential impacts, offering a structure and a classification oriented to repositioning strategies an operation management.

Em um comércio internacional globalizado, tecnológico, dinâmico e competitivo, o conceito de marca passou a ser aplicado aos países, surgindo o termo marca-país. As nações passaram a ser vistas e a agir como marcas, a fim de adquirir vantagem competitiva e se desenvolver em grande escala. Uma marca-país deve ser forte e agregar valor aos seus consumidores estimulando e atraindo turistas, moradores, investidores e compradores ao país para ser bem sucedida nesse cenário. Para isso, é necessário um processo de nation branding (gestão de marca-país) bem estruturado. Mais ainda, uma marca-país deve ser capaz de provocar reações e intenções comportamentais nos consumidores internacionais, as denominadas conações em relação a um país e que abrangem o vínculo com tal país, a vontade de viajar, investir, fazer negócios, trabalhar e adquirir produtos e serviços provenientes dele. Deste modo, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo verificar a existência da relação entre o valor da marca-país do Brasil e as conações em relação a este país. O Brasil é um país emergente, cujo potencial da marca-país é grande, mas pouco estudado. O estudo foi iniciado por uma revisão de literatura sobre imagem de país e efeito país de origem, conações em relação a um país, marca-país e valor de marca-país. Em seguida, a partir de dados primários coletados por meio de um levantamento com 202 consumidores estrangeiros- mais especificamente com estudantes de universidades internacionais vinculados à Universidade de São Paulo (USP) por programas de intercâmbio, foi realizado um estudo quantitativo e descritivo. Este utilizou a técnica de modelagem de equações estruturais, que permite verificar a relação de dependência entre a conação do Brasil e o valor de sua marca. Verificou-se por meio dessa análise que o valor de marca-país do Brasil é um construto muldimensional, formado por três dimensões: qualidade percebida, imagem macro técnica e lealdade, que se inter-relacionam de maneira positiva, bem como se agrupam para formar o construto de valor de marca-país do Brasil. Finalmente, averiguou-se que o valor de marca-país do Brasil influencia positivamente as conações em relação ao país, em termos de investimentos, negócios e trabalho. Esses resultados fornecem informações valiosas que podem colaborar com o governo para desenvolvimento estratégico de ações para a melhora e o crescimento da marca e da imagem dos países (principalmente do Brasil), pois é possível notar que investir em marca-país e na sua gestão traz retornos para o país. Por exemplo, os governos podem ajustar os programas de marketing voltados aos consumidores internacionais e à venda de produtos no exterior; modificar as campanhas de divulgação de marcas brasileiras internacionalmente e oferecer subsídios e facilidades para investimentos e negócios com o Brasil. Além disso, a pesquisa proporcionou reflexões teóricas para pesquisas na área de imagem de país e valor de marca-país. / In a globalized, technological, dynamic, and competitive international trade, the brand concept is now applied to countries, making arise the term country brand. The nations are now seen and act as brands, in order to gain competitive advantage and develop in large scale.A country brand should be strong and add value to their consumers stimulating and attracting tourists, residents, investors and buyers to the country to be successful in this scenario. For this, a well-structured process of nation branding is needed. Moreover, one country brand must be able to provoke reactions and behavioral intentions in international consumers, which are called country specific conations, and it comprises ties with the country, the desire to travel, to invest, to do business with, to work and to purchase goods and services from a country. Thus, this study aimed to verify the existence of the relationship between the country brand equity of Brazil and the country specific conations regarding this country. Brazil is an emerging country whose potential of the country branding is great, but little studied.The study was initiated by a literature review on country image and country of origin effect, country specific conations, country brand and country brand equity. Then, based on primary data collected through a survey of 202 foreign consumers - more specifically with students from foreign universities accredited with the University of São Paulo (USP) in exchange programs, it was conducted a quantitative and descriptive study. This was used the technique of structural equation modeling, which allows to check the dependency relationship between country specific conations of Brazil and its country brand equity. This analysis showed that the country brand equity of Brazil is a muldimensional construct made of three dimensions: perceived quality, macro technique image and loyalty, which are interrelate in a positive way and relate to form the construct of Brazil country brand equity. Finally, it was found that the country equity of Brazil has a positive influence over the country specific conations, in terms of investment, business and labor. These results provide valuable information that can collaborate with the government to develop strategic actions for the improvement and growth of the brand and image of countries (mainly Brazil), because it is possible to note that invest in country brand and its management brings returns to the country. For example, governments can adjust the marketing programs geared to international consumers and the sale of products abroad; modify the publicity campaigns of Brazilian brands internationally and offer subsidies and facilities for investment and business with Brazil. In addition, the research provided theoretical reflections for research in the country image area and country brand equity.

Tourism destinations all over the world increasingly embrace marketing and branding practices traditionally utilized by businesses. However, the literature on customer-based brand equity modelling and measurement for tourism destinations lacks the conceptual understanding of the complex relationships between tourists and the destination brand. Therefore, the thesis at hand addresses the existing gap in tourism literature and aims at contributing to the development of the customer-based brand equity concept in a tourism destination setting (CBDBE) by taking into account the value-co-creation approach. The components of the proposed model consist of the customers’ evaluation of the destination promise in terms of transforming functional, intangible and social destination resources into tourists’ value-in-use. Furthermore, the positive relationship between visitors’ perception of the destination and value-for-money discloses the input of tourists’ own resources into the process of value-co-creation. Moreover, destination brand awareness affects the evaluation of the destination promise, which, in turn, determines tourists’ behavioural intentions towards the destination. By implementing web-based customer surveys and using a linear structural equation modelling approach, the proposed model is empirically validated for the leading Swedish mountain destination Åre. First, the model is repeatedly tested with data regarding the winter seasons 2009/10 and 2012/13.  Second, the proposed CBDBE model has been operationalized and tested also for the summer season. Findings from face-to-face interviews conducted in Åre during summer 2012 uncovered the relationships between destination resources offered in Åre, tourists’ own resources and destination value-in-use and, thus, served as the empirical fundament for the development of a destination-specific scale to measure value-in-use. Subsequently, the proposed CBDBE model has been successfully tested with web-based survey data collected after the summer season 2012, both for the total sample and separately for the main a priori tourist segments, including hiking, mountain biking and village tourists. Results show the significant contribution of destination value-in-use defined as perceived benefits from a destination stay, which, in turn, strongly affect customers’ destination loyalty. In contrast, the relationship between value-for-money and destination loyalty is less strong and even non-significant for the two customer segments hiking and mountain biking tourists. Importantly, as part of the CBDBE model operationalization, the thesis highlights the need to better understand destination-specific consumption patterns across various tourism segments by destination managers. Therefore, results demonstrate that by monitoring unique destination and tourist-specific experience dimensions, destination management can influence and better manage both the value-in-use for customers and customer loyalty. Thus, the proposed CBDBE model provides destination managers with a tool, which enables evaluation and upgrade of destination marketing strategy and, finally, assist in discovering promising innovation potentials for highly experiential tourism products. / Customer-based innovations in tourism / Engineering th Knowledge Destination through Customer-based Competence Development

Magister Commercii - MCom / A brand extension strategy is one of the marketing tools that firms utilise to introduce new products in the market. One of the advantages of adopting this strategy is that firms are able to leverage on the positive image, reputation, and equity of a recognised and established brand,thereby reducing risk associated with launching new products.This study examines how consumers perceive the overall quality and similarity/fit of the brand extensions (Nike camera, Nike socks, and Nike golf balls) in relation to the original brand (Nike athletic shoes) and how these perceptions influence their attitudes towards the extensions. The researcher proposes that the perceived overall quality of the brand extensions will be congruent to that of the original brand and that the attitude towards the brand extensions will be favourable only when there is a perceived similarity/fit between the brand extensions and the original brand.In order to get these insights, the study surveyed 147 undergraduate and postgraduate students from the University of the Western Cape across all faculties. A non-probability convenience sampling method was used to access respondents. To collect data, qualitative and quantitative methods were employed using a questionnaire which consisted of open-ended and closed-ended questions in the form of free associations technique and 5-point Likert scales. The data gathered was analysed by means of descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation coefficient. The findings indicate two things.(1) respondents only perceived Nike socks’ overall quality to be congruent to the original brand, Nike athletic shoes. (2) respondents only perceived Nike socks to be strongly similar to the original brand, Nike athletic shoes. Despite this, respondents had a favourable attitude towards all the brand extensions irrespective of whether they perceived the overall quality of the extensions to be congruent to the original brand or not, and whether they perceived the extensions to be similar to the original brand or not. These factors did not influence respondents’ attitudes towards the extensions negatively.

This study examines how the grocery retail company ICA handle their communication in store during a crisis and how they manage it efficiently. With contributions from theories and models from the field of crisis management this study examines how these are implemented in practice. With the help of a case study on four ICA-stores in Stockholm this study aims to see how communication during a crisis is conducted. A qualitative approach is used through four semi- structured interviews with people who hold leading positions in each store. Among those were two of them store owners, one was a store manager and one a controller. The results show that communication is one of the most important things during a crisis and that the information should be open and transparent. The conclusion is that the stores use several different communications channels, signs, verbal communication, flyers and social media. A combination of which is what is shown to be the most efficient way to handle a crisis and to be active on social media is what this study think will be an important tool in the future. / Den här studien undersöker hur dagligvaruaktören ICA sköter sin kommunikation i butik under en krissituation och hur de på ett effektivt sätt hanterar dessa händelser. Med hjälp av existerande teorier och modeller inom krishantering undersöks här om dessa implementeras i praktiken. Genom en fallstudie av fyra ICA-butiker i Stockholmsområdet har den här studien på ett kvalitativt sätt via semistrukturerade intervjuer studerat hur denna kommunikation ser ut. De intervjuade är två stycken handlare, en butikschef och en controller där samtliga har en ledande roll inom vardera ICA-butik. Resultaten visar att de intervjuade tycker att kommunikationen under en kris är av yttersta vikt och att vara öppen och transparent anses som fundamentalt. Slutsatsen är att butikerna använder sig av flera olika kanaler för att kommunicera i butik, skyltning, informera de anställda, skicka ut reklamblad samt att använda sig av sociala medier. En kombination av dessa kanaler visar sig vara ett effektivt sätt att hantera en kris och att vara aktiv på sociala medier tror den här studien kommer vara ett viktigt verktyg i framtiden.

Despite a long-standing tradition to view gender as a unitary theoretical construct, there is an increasing approbation afforded to gender identity as a multifarious construct. Over and above physiological characteristics, gender identity is a psychological and a social construct. More than simply a biological classification, both gender and gender identity have been explored as portentous moderators of consumers' cognitive and emotive states, brand attributions and shopping behaviors. How might gender differences be manifested in building and sustaining brand relationships? This is the seminal question addressed in the present research. The overarching objective of this research is to address how the broadened conceptualization of gender impacts customer-based brand equity across U.S. and Chinese consumers. The focal populations of interest are related to markedly different levels of brand penetration in each a post-developed and transitional market setting. Furthermore, it provides a platform for investigating how gender identities may differ across two of the largest consumer buying groups in the global marketplace. Toward this goal, this research explores the multidimensionality of gender as a construct, and then empirically investigates how an extended view of gender may or may not impact consumer-based brand equity. Based on an integration of extant theories in gender identity and self-congruity, this study proposes a research framework to investigate the relationship among gender identity, brand connections, and consumer-based brand equity. An online survey was conducted to collect consumer panel data in the U.S. and China respectively. Results from regression analysis and path analysis suggest that physiological gender alone cannot adequately explain consumers' brand perceptions. The empirical analysis offers further support for including three unique gender related constructs (physiological gender, psychological gender traits, and gender role attitudes) to understand gender-related consumer behavior. The results also indicate that brand connections serve as important intermediate steps to understand the relationship between gender identity and consumer-based brand equity.

The vast majority of research based on brand gender has been developed focusing on consumers’ perspectives and behaviour. The implications of studying different perceptions of a brand’s gender can be related to brand equity, since this term is strongly associated with brand personality. Furthermore, as consumers reinforce themselves and their self-concept through brand identification, implications regarding self-representation are emphasized in terms of self-congruency having significant influence in brandcustomer relationships. During this thesis, a new holistic firm perspective approach was applied to brand gender. Acne Studios, iconic fashion brand based in Stockholm, was analysed and constituted as case study, aimed to comprehend how a brand could be perceived and identified as androgynous. Several brand related elements, covering a wide spectrum from typography to brand’s portfolio, including garment analysis, as well as brand presentation and communication features were studied in order to provide a whole picture of the firm’s gender comprehension. Using as a starting point androgyny definition as the sum of the feminine and the masculine, the setting of brand´s gender was further expanded as a result of the analysis performed for covering all possible gender identifications. Overall, this study conveys a broad and inclusive understanding of gender within the fashion brand Acne Studios and its elements to deepen and provide a new perspective within marketing and gender research.

Background: The global video game industry is today bigger than both the film- and music industry and is subject to a lot of competition. Companies are always looking for alternative ways to reach consumers and buzz is identified as a crucial success factor by many scholars. From real life examples, buzz is shown to have both positive and negative effects. There is however little knowledge about the phenomenon and what role buzz can play in the customer-based brand equity (CBBE) of video game companies. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding about buzz and examine what role it plays in customer-based brand equity for companies within the video game industry. Method: A deductive approach was adopted and in order to fulfil the purpose of the study, a qualitative study (i.e. a case study) was deemed suitable. Interviews were held with five companies within the video game industry. Also, observations were made of how the companies work with their promotion and creation of buzz during the pre-release period. Theoretical framework: The theoretical framework consists of theories regarding the buzz phenomenon and CBBE. These were combined in order to examine the potential role buzz plays in the context of CBBE. Findings: Buzz is shown to play a big role in the video game industry but is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. It is also found that buzz can have a “life of its own” and become unmanageable through speculations. Speculations can lead to higher expectations and pseudo-promises[1], making buzz even more difficult to manage. Regarding CBBE, buzz plays a role in all aspects. However, it is shown to play a different role in the CBBE of video game companies depending on how high the brand loyalty is within that company. The study also results in a conceptual model, illustrating buzz and what role it plays in the CBBE of video game companies both pre-release and post-release.