This thesis provides a thorough definition of corporate branding, including its benefits when used as a strategic marketing tool. There are many who believe that the logo of a corporation is its brand. However, the logo is only one interpretation of the brand. The brand is the corporation's ethos. It is the fundamental character or spirit of the corporation. It is an expression of who the corporation is. It is the essence that links the corporation's product or service with its consumer through loyalty and emotional attachments. Corporations use various processes and methodologies when they begin to create and enhance their corporate brand. Corporations must define their corporate personality, build recognition, standardize, and fulfill brand promises. There are also obstacles and challenges that corporations face in their endeavor to implement a branding guideline, and the chance of overcoming them without defined leadership is unrealistic. This study focuses specifically on existing literature about corporate branding and cites case study examples to show what makes the best brands successful and where failing brands could have been more successful. The study concludes by providing insight into the future for corporate branding and offering suggestions for technical communication professionals who find themselves a part of the brand building and defining process. There are various rules to branding and traits that are common to every top brand in the world. By instilling its brand with such traits, and following certain processes with focus, passion, and persistence, and most of all a long-term commitment to the brand, a corporation will find its brand among the most recognized brands in the world.

It is argued that there is a need to extend our understanding and knowledge of the magnitude to which the elements of corporate visual identity (CVI) are perceived as the communicators of brand personality and hence corporate image, by the consumers. This thesis extends the knowledge about corporate visual identity (CVI) factors, particularly, name, logo, and colours, by developing a comprehensive model which incorporates corporate visual identity (CVI) elements and brand personality (BP) traits (sophistication, sincerity, ruggedness, excitement, competence). The thesis focuses on the association of types of brand names with brand personality traits. This study also focuses on the different types of logos and their associations with different personality traits and on associations of different brand colours with different brand personality traits. A quantitative approach was adopted. A conceptual model was developed. This model looked at brand name, logo and colour and their collective association with, as well as their influence in, developing a brand‘s personality. A questionnaire was prepared and pretesting was carried out to test whether the constructs of the model were valid and reliable and that the instrument used was fit for purpose. Pakistan was the context for this research, and the brands chosen represented the cellular telecom industry of Pakistan. A sampling frame of Pakistani youth was chosen, with an age bracket of 18-26, as this age group which constitutes the highest usage of cellular services in Pakistan. The sample size was 1400, and the sampling method was stratified random sampling. Cross-tabulation analysis was conducted to test the hypotheses. The results from this study suggest that CVI has a significant positive impact on brand personality development. One of the strongest messages to emerge from this study is that CVI elements (namely, brand name, logo, and brand colours) are found to be essential for the creation of brand personality. This study provides a model that managers can use to influence consumers‘ perceptions and buying behaviour and also helps in the positioning of a brand in differentiating it from the competition. This study makes its contribution in that it is the first to empirically test the associations of CVI elements with BP traits and to present a conceptual model which examines the influence of CVI elements in shaping a brand‘s personality and establishing an integrative view of CVI elements and brand personality traits, and, to do so from South Asian perspective. This study is the first to clearly define the role of brand names in creating brand personalities, associating brand name types with brand personality traits and to establish an empirical relationship between types of brand names and various personality traits. This is the first study to provide empirical evidence to support the claim that brand logo types are associated with specific brand personality traits and to clearly associate brand colours with specific brand personality traits. Findings from this study allow companies in other business sectors as well as in other countries to develop their CVI strategy and to modify their CVI strategies to influence the brand personalities.

The purpose of the study was to find out how well companies succeed in trying to convey the identity of their trademarks to the consumers. The study was quantitative with a survey design. A sample of 109 respondents participated. Brand identity and brand image was the focus of the study and was measured in three companies; Odd Molly, Filippa K and Björn Borg. These three were selected partly because of their different profiles. One survey was sent to the companies and one survey was distributed to the consumers. The majority of the questions in the surveys were based on a model designed to measure brand identity and brand image and gap in between them. The study presents three central theories; Profile, Image and Identity, Brand Equity and The Corporate Personality Scale. The first two gives a background to the concept of the words. The Corporate Personality Scale was created and designed to assess image and identity and the gaps in between them. The results showed that there were gaps in between the brand identity and the brand image in all three of the selected companies. However there were also signs of coherence between them. The companies succeeded in some part, in their trying to convey the identity of their trademarks to the consumers. There were both clear gaps and clear coherence between Brand Identity and Brand Image. In some cases the image was graded higher than the identity and vice versa.

Brands have for a long time been used to identify and distinguish organizations, companies and products, it can be compared to as the soul of a company. A brand extension is a clear channel for product innovation, which can be a powerful tool to hold a competitive advantage. Product innovations can create differentiation; raise the brands characteristic-values, extend the area of use and block competitors.For 25 years, Panos Emporio has had a leading position in the swimwear industry and in spring of 2011 the company launched their first clothing collection for men and woman, and has recently launched an online store. The company is extending their brand and now that they have a new product category they are facing a challenge, which is underlying in our research question: How can Panos Emporio, a swimsuit brand, expand their brand image and identity to their new clothing line? The purpose of this report is to highlight important factors within brand extension that could be of value to Panos Emporio and other companies facing a brand extension.The report is a qualitative study using an abduction methodology where empirical findings have been studied parallel with the theories and vice versa. We have conducted interviews and observations, and have also collected quantitative data in form of a customer interview, to gain an understanding of the reality. We have chosen to examine and observe the brand Panos Emporio by asking questions regarding the company‟s organization, brand identity and image, as well as customer attitudes. The theoretical framework is underlying in our research study, with the initiation of portraying a brands meaning, importance and structure. Furthermore theories of brand extension with an emphasis on approach strategy and its advantages and disadvantages. The empirical chapter includes, information concerning the company´s brand, collections, costumer and retailers, as well as marketing strategies, which is a part of our data presentation.Out of our theoretical and empirical part we came to the conclusion that Panos Emporio should consider making the consumers more aware of the clothing collection before launching more products within a new product category, since the lack of awareness can throw a shadow over the main product and bring down the brand image which in terms affects the brand equity. Having good knowledge regarding the brands attribute, personality, purpose, identity and the relationship with consumers is more important than whether they should extend the brand or not. Companies need to focus on building their brand equity and image, towards the customers first. Authors believe that companies can take great advantages if a strong brand name and relationship is established at first. / Program: Master in Fashion Management with specialisation in Fashion Marketing and Retailing

The area of Brand Equity has received considerable attention during the past twenty years. The importance of a brand emanates from the fact that brand recognition and positive associations with it create value for companies and consumers. This value is called Brand Equity and translates into monetary value. Until now, there is scant research on brand equity for online retailers to test whether theoretical frameworks developed for offline companies apply to online businesses. The study is an attempt to bridge this gap by developing and testing a comprehensive brand equity model with selected drivers (customer support and a mix of functionality and fulfilment marketing efforts) and sources (awareness, association of value and trust, and loyalty) of brand equity. Grounded in a traditional offline consumer-based brand equity framework, a research model (at the aggregate level) for assessing brand equity of online companies is developed and tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). Several key findings are reported: First, a measurement model based on dimensions of awareness, associations of value and trust, and attitudinal loyalty seem to fit the data well. Measures have adequate reliability, convergent and discriminant validity. Secondly, from the SEM application, only value association and loyalty are potent determinants of brand equity. Third, awareness, trust and value associations contribute indirectly to create brand equity. Fourth, the hierarchical hypothesized relationships between the sources of brand equity are confirmed. The final best-fitting (calibrating) model derived from the subjects that had bought from the online businesses under study was validated across a sample of subjects. Simultaneous model comparison using structural equation (by means of Chi square difference) confirms the tenability of the calibrating model. To test for the probability than an incorrect model will be rejected, power analysis was calculated. The results indicate that the likelihood of rejecting the hypothesis of exact and close fit equals 1.0. The second phase of the study involved brand analysis at the individual level. According to the calculations Amazon obtains slightly higher brand equity than eBay and puts it in first place, eBay is in second place, followed by Dell in third. CDNow is the worst performer and obtains consumer-based brand equity below average. The study offers contributions to both academia and business in several ways.

Background: During the last decade, retail businesses have realized the importance of creatinga strong brand to be able to differentiate in a fierce market. However, having a strong brand isno longer enough to survive in the long run and gain a large customers base. Especially in theretail and fashion industry where many products fulfill the same need for the customer, making it important to adapt to changes on the market and stand out in the crowd. This has lead to the wide variety of brands that can be found and an intensified competition. Therefore, the key factor for building a long-term relationship is through customer brand relationship. A literature review showed that the most important variables needed to build this relationship are brandexperience, brand satisfaction and brand trust. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how brand experience, brand satisfaction and brand trust effect brand loyalty in Växjö, Sweden. Hypotheses:H1: Brand experience has a positive effect on brand loyalty.H2: Brand satisfaction has a positive effect on brand loyalty.H3: Brand trust has a positive effect on brand loyalty. Method: This study was based on a deductive and quantitative research approach withempirical data conducted from 239 respondents to either accept or reject the stated hypotheses. Result and conclusion: According to the empirical data, the stated hypotheses were acceptedand imply that 41.2 percent of brand loyalty can be explained by brand satisfaction, brand trustand brand experience. However, for retail businesses within the fashion industry to ensurebrand loyalty from the customers, brand satisfaction is the main focus.

The concept of brand management has increased attention in recent years. Building andmaintaining a brand provides valuable growth and profitability for a company. To establish astrong brand, a company creates its brand identity for products and differentiates it from otherproducts. Brand identity and brand image are integrated with brand management, andcommunication is needed to convey brand image (or identity) to brand identity (or image).Brand identity is the internal view of a company, and the brand image is the external view byits customers. Between brand identity and brand image, factors are conveyed through media. This study explores the adaptation of brand management to a market; specifically, the adaptation of a brand in a foreign market. Ascertaining how Korean automobile companiesadapt brand management in the Swedish market is the primary objective. Kia Motors Sweden AB, a sales-oriented organization and a subsidiary of a Korean automobile manufacturer, KiaMotors Corporation, small and medium sized cars in the Swedish automobile industry, will be this study’s case company. In terms of methodology, a qualitative, single case study approach of Kia Motors Sweden AB was employed. An interview of a marketing manager from the company was analyzedand interpreted to figure out internal brand identity and external brand image. In this study, anintegrated framework that companies can use to justify brand identity and brand image is developed. The factors of brand identity and brand image are indicated and there are relevant factors which convey brand image to brand identity or vice versa. In addition, the factors of brand identity are imparted to brand image through different communication channels. The case study also reveals that apprehending brand identity and distinguishing it from brand image are vital to effective brand management. Moreover, using several communication channels and finding the effective channels also help to convey the desired image. Therefore, Kia Motors Sweden brand management has been identified in my framework.

Bakgrund: De flesta är medvetna om att vi matas med och påverkas av varumärken, men sällan om det arbete som ligger bakom ett varumärkes uppbyggnad. Därför är det av stor vikt vid varumärkesuppbyggnaden att förankra de värderingar som företaget vill positionera sig med. För att i sin position kunna differentiera sig gentemot konkurrenter med ett starkt varumärke måste företaget kommunicera samma värderingar, både i den interna och externa marknadsföringen för. Det finns de som anser att man kan utföra detta genom marknadsföring på två skilda sätt, genom att agera “marknadsförare” eller att agera “försäljare” gentemot sina kunder, där “försäljare” ofta är bättre på att skapa relationer där kunden rekommenderar företaget vidare än en “marknadsförare”. Därför finns det anledning att undersöka om företag av olika art skiljer sig i arbetet med sina kunder för att bygga upp sitt varumärke på olika sätt.   Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka tjänsteproducerande företags varumärkes-positionering.     Metod: Denna studie har genomförts med en kvalitativ metod där vi har gjort en fallstudie som består av elva intervjuer med företag inom både bank och fastighetsmäklarbranschen. Vi har sedan använt oss av en tematisk analys för att finna samband och skillnader i genomförandet hos de olika branscherna.   Slutsats: I dagens konkurrensutsatta marknader har det varit svårt att positionera tjänster, där traditionella marknadsföringsaktiviteter blir mindre viktigt och det krävs att företagen arbetar för att skapa långsiktiga relationer med sina kunder. Vi finner i vår studie att den personliga kontakten blir en viktig del av att positionera de immateriella tjänsterna då ingen fysisk produkt kan visas upp eller undersökas, men att detta även skiljer sig mellan de två branscherna. Vår undersökning tyder på att dessa skillnader beror på att hos en bank köper du en tjänst och hos ett fastighetsmäklarföretag betalar du någon för att hjälpa dig med en tjänst.   Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Denna uppsats har sitt fokus på två olika branscher inom service sektorn. Genom att studera fler företag inom dessa skulle man kunna generalisera uppsatsens bidrag genom vidare forskning. Uppsatsen kan även vara en utgångspunkt i att studera fler branscher för att se vilka skillnader som finns där. Fokus har även varit med utgångspunkt ur företagens synvinkel, vidare forskning kan studera fenomenet ur kundens perspektiv.   Uppsatsens bidrag: Forskningen syfte är att bidra till en större förståelse inom företagsekonomiska områden för varumärkesuppbyggnaden inom olika branscher som kan användas av marknadsförare inom dessa branscher. / Background: Most people have awareness that we are fed with communication from and are influenced by brands, but rarely do we possess awareness surrounding the work behind brand-building. Therefore it is of great importance to the concept of brand building, to anchor the values ​​with which the company wishes to position itself. In order to position itself within the marketplace by presenting a strong brand, to differentiate itself from competitors. The company must communicate the same values, with consistency both in the internal and external marketing efforts. Some commentators have the belief that this can be accomplished by marketing, using two specific separate methods, by acting as a "marketer" or acting as a "salesman" towards customers. Within these approaches the "salesman" approach is often better at creating relationships, in which customers are more likely to recommend the company much further than if a "marketer" approach is used. Therefore, there is need to examine whether firms which differ in nature differ in their work with their clients to build their brand in different ways.   Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine service companies branding positioning.   Method: This study was carried out with a qualitative approach, through conducting a case study, consisting of eleven interviews with companies within banking and real estate broking markets. We then used a thematic analysis to identify correlations and differences in the implementation processes of the various businesses.   Conclusion: Todays intensive market competition has created complexity when firms attempt to position their services. A consequence is that traditional marketing activities have become less effective and it now requires that companies are working to create longer-term relationships with their customers. We conclude within our study that personal contact is an important part of positioning intangible services, when no physical product can be displayed or explored, but also that this differed between the two industries studied. Our study indicates that these differences are due to that within banking, customers purchase a service product, whereas at a real estate brokerage firm, customers pay individuals to consult and assist them with a service.   Suggestions future research: This paper focuses on two different branches of the service sector. By studying more companies within these sectors, there would be an opportunity for further generalization by undertaking further research. This paper can also be utilized as starting point in the study of more industries to see what differences exist comparatively. The Focus has been conducted from a business perspective, possible further research could be achieved by undertaking a study of the phenomenon from the customer's perspective.   Essay submissions: The research aims to contribute to a greater understanding in business administration areas for brand building within different industries, which can be used by marketers within these industries

Branding and the management of brands has become a highly prioritized aspect for com-panies to maintain lasting competitive advantage and to provide meaning to consumption. Therefore companies have adopted an inside-out approach in order to manage their brand. The challenge with an inside-out approach is to align the internal brand identity,what brands communicate, with the external brand image, what consumers perceive. Therefore two questions are crucial to answer; how does the brand want to be perceived and how is the brand actually perceived? There is a risk that gaps occur in the communication of the brand, and these gaps are crucial to monitor and prevent for effective brand management. This paper proposes a method on how to measure and align brand identity and brand im-age, based on existing theories and models regarding brand management. The method is evaluated through a case study, where the difference between Happy Plugs’ brand identity and brand image is analyzed. The method was designed using Kapferer’s Brand Pyramid and Brand Identity Prism. Both qualitative and quantitative data is used to examine how wide the gap between Happy Plugs’ brand identity and brand image is. The Happy Plugs brand is solely used as a tool to apply the designed method and evaluate the validity of it. The findings show that a gap in brand identity and brand image does occur, at higher levels of the brand pyramid, or brand identity. The results from the case study indicate that the designed model is an effective tool in identifying and measuring possible gaps, and is a use-ful approach for companies who wish to align their brand identity with brand image.

In their continuous search for improved explanations of why consumers engage with certain brands more than with others, academics and managers have placed significant importance on self-brand congruence theory, which suggests that consumers are drawn to brands with characteristics that align with their own characteristics. Although this theory has been extensively investigated and supported by previous research, it has hitherto been assumed that the alignment of characteristics exhibits a similarity configuration, that is, consumers are drawn to brands with traits that mirror their own traits. By adopting a relational view of consumer-brand interactions and drawing from the literature on interpersonal relationships, specifically from theories of interpersonal attraction, the thesis explores the possibility that besides similarity, self-brand personality alignment may also exhibit a complementarity configuration, whereby consumers are drawn to brands with traits that complement their own. Using a two-phase empirical study of mixed methods [in-depth interviews and online survey (n=206)], the thesis first explores the structure of consumers’ perceptions of their own personalities and those of their favourite brands using Exploratory Factor Analysis. Results reveal that although brand personality has the same five factor structure as human personality, the composition of dimensions is distinct. The patterns of alignment between the two sets of traits are then examined through Canonical Correlation Analysis, which reveals the existence of both similarity and complementarity configurations in self-brand personality alignment. A new method for measuring the magnitude of self-brand personality alignment is then devised, which captures both configurations. The predictive power of this new measure is then compared against existing, similarity-based measures for a range of desirable brand behaviours, using Discriminant Analysis and Linear Regression. Results indicate the new measure performs well, especially for emotionally-related brand behaviours.