The aim of this study is to make a theoretical contribution vis-à-vis the main determinants of international student identification with a middle ranking business school corporate brand. The findings of this study are of foundational significance in theory building terms. A substantive theory of international postgraduate student identification in UK middle ranking business school corporate brands is introduced. This theory was found to be underpinned by five attractiveness dimensions: brand similarity, brand distinctiveness, association with a metropolitan city brand, country brand and university physical campus. The findings showed that brand similarity, brand distinctiveness, association with a metropolitan city brand, country brand and university physical campus are the main corporate brand identification dimensions of international postgraduate students – in terms of attractiveness – of a middle ranked business school (Brunel Business School). Whilst the tuition fees were a constituent part of the initial theoretical framework, this variable was not shown to have a significant effect on middle ranking business school corporate brand attractiveness. The findings also showed that brand distinctiveness and the country brand had a direct positive effect on international postgraduate student identification. Moreover, brand similarity, brand distinctiveness, metropolitan city brand, country brand and university physical campus affect international postgraduate student identification indirectly through the mediating effect of middle ranking business school corporate brand attractiveness. Whereas the effects of brand distinctiveness and country brand on international postgraduate student identification are partially mediated, and the effect of metropolitan city brand is fully mediated, tuition fees have an inverse, unmediated effect on international postgraduate student identification. A test of alternative moderating effect showed that the effects of brand similarity, brand distinctiveness, association with a metropolitan city brand, country brand, university physical campus and tuition fees on international student corporate brand identification were not moderated by the effect of middle ranking business school corporate brand attractiveness. This study – focusing on a middle ranking business school corporate brand, internationalisation/international marketing– appears to be the first of its kind. It is one of the first attempts to provide a theoretical undertaking regarding the main determinants of international student identification with a middle ranking business school corporate brand. The instrumental contributions of this study stress the efficacy of business school managers in focusing on corporate brand building and corporate brand communication activities. Whilst the statistical generalisability of the findings generated from a single case study is limited, the insights are analytically generalisable.

Globální kosmetický trh každoročně dosahuje silného růstu v absolutním i relativním vyjádření. Předpovědi jeho dalšího vývoje jsou velmi pozitivní, hovořící o možném pokoření hranice $300 mld. v roce 2011, což by představovalo 16% růst za pětileté období. Pro oblast rychloobrátkového spotřebního zboží jsou to vysoké hodnoty, které jsou mimo jiné faktory odrazem rostoucího světového bohatství a stále zvětšujícího se důrazu spotřebitelů na svůj vzhled. Tato diplomová práce analyzuje kosmetický trh a jeho sekci, trh dekorativní kosmetiky z hlediska faktorů makroekonomických, demografických a spotřebních, přispívajících k modelování tohoto sektoru. Zároveň nastiňuje nové trendy v této oblasti s odkazy na nejmodernější příklady v praxi, a to jak globálně, tak se zaměřením na Českou republiku. Jejím hlavním výstupem je analýza positioningu značek, která čerpá z pozorování a dotazování českých spotřebitelek na základě vlastního výzkumu.

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The impact of brand ambassador transgression on brand perception is investigated in this study. To reach the goal of this research the impact brand ambassador transgression across different generational cohorts was measured. The essence of brand ambassadors in the new branding landscape was determined from literature. The new branding landscape as a whole was described to provide a context for the study and the impact and affect thereof on the different generations. The increasing popularity of using brand ambassadors in marketing campaigns due to their ability to increase brand awareness, create or strengthen brand image as well as to achieve brand differentiation was discussed in depth. The literature also focused on brand ambassador transgressions and the impact thereof on brand perception. Mini-case studies which focussed on Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, Oscar Pistorius, Wayne Rooney and Charlie Sheen were provided as basis for the empirical research. An empirical research study has been launched to determine how different generational cohorts (Generation Y, Generation X and Baby Boomers) perceive values (both personal values and organisation brand values), brands and brand ambassadors as well as brand ambassador transgressions based on the provided case studies. The questionnaire was distributed to consumers in different generational cohorts. The results of the research indicated that: - There is no clear differentiation between the different generations’ perception on personal values. However, there was a greater amount of variance between the generations regarding their perceptions on brand values. - There is a definite difference between the different generational cohorts regarding perceptions regarding brand ambassadors. - The majority of the respondents stated that the mentioned brand ambassador transgressions did not negatively influence their perception of the brand, which was endorsed. Furthermore, the brand ambassador’s transgression did not cause the consumers to refrain from purchasing products which was endorsed by the specific brand ambassador. - No clear differentiation between the different kinds of transgressions and the severity thereof was made. - When brands stopped endorsing brand ambassadors when their transgressions came to light it mostly had a positive impact on the consumers’ perception of the brand. - The Generation Y respondents, who are also more social media active than the other generations, were more forgiving and were not as easily influenced negatively by the brand ambassadors’ transgression. - Consumers are more brand-orientated than brand ambassador-orientated. It can be concluded that the use of brand ambassadors in marketing campaigns holds many advantages. It is imperative that brand ambassadors should be decided upon carefully, although a brand ambassador does not define the entire brand. Brand ambassador transgressions’ have a more important impact on the consumers’ perception of the brand ambassador than on the brand itself. Consumers also feel that transgressions should be punished and are positive towards brands which ended brand ambassador agreements after transgressions, indicating that certain standard values are applicable for at least three consecutive generations of South-Africans and should be taken into account when branding decisions are made. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The impact of brand ambassador transgression on brand perception is investigated in this study. To reach the goal of this research the impact brand ambassador transgression across different generational cohorts was measured. The essence of brand ambassadors in the new branding landscape was determined from literature. The new branding landscape as a whole was described to provide a context for the study and the impact and affect thereof on the different generations. The increasing popularity of using brand ambassadors in marketing campaigns due to their ability to increase brand awareness, create or strengthen brand image as well as to achieve brand differentiation was discussed in depth. The literature also focused on brand ambassador transgressions and the impact thereof on brand perception. Mini-case studies which focussed on Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, Oscar Pistorius, Wayne Rooney and Charlie Sheen were provided as basis for the empirical research. An empirical research study has been launched to determine how different generational cohorts (Generation Y, Generation X and Baby Boomers) perceive values (both personal values and organisation brand values), brands and brand ambassadors as well as brand ambassador transgressions based on the provided case studies. The questionnaire was distributed to consumers in different generational cohorts. The results of the research indicated that: - There is no clear differentiation between the different generations’ perception on personal values. However, there was a greater amount of variance between the generations regarding their perceptions on brand values. - There is a definite difference between the different generational cohorts regarding perceptions regarding brand ambassadors. - The majority of the respondents stated that the mentioned brand ambassador transgressions did not negatively influence their perception of the brand, which was endorsed. Furthermore, the brand ambassador’s transgression did not cause the consumers to refrain from purchasing products which was endorsed by the specific brand ambassador. - No clear differentiation between the different kinds of transgressions and the severity thereof was made. - When brands stopped endorsing brand ambassadors when their transgressions came to light it mostly had a positive impact on the consumers’ perception of the brand. - The Generation Y respondents, who are also more social media active than the other generations, were more forgiving and were not as easily influenced negatively by the brand ambassadors’ transgression. - Consumers are more brand-orientated than brand ambassador-orientated. It can be concluded that the use of brand ambassadors in marketing campaigns holds many advantages. It is imperative that brand ambassadors should be decided upon carefully, although a brand ambassador does not define the entire brand. Brand ambassador transgressions’ have a more important impact on the consumers’ perception of the brand ambassador than on the brand itself. Consumers also feel that transgressions should be punished and are positive towards brands which ended brand ambassador agreements after transgressions, indicating that certain standard values are applicable for at least three consecutive generations of South-Africans and should be taken into account when branding decisions are made. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

<p>Aldrig förr har den svenska konsumenten varit så hälso- och miljömedveten. Ett resultat av detta är att fler mervärdesmärkningar har dykt upp på våra butikshyllor. En av de mest kända mervärdesmärkningarna inom ekologiskt producerade varor är i dagsläget KRAV-märkningen.</p><p>Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om Uppsala Universitets företagsekonomistudenters attityder gentemot KRAV-märkta produkter stämmer överens med den bild som KRAV vill förmedla. Studenterna har fått ange vilka produktattribut de anser vara av störst vikt vid livsmedelsinköp, vilka sedan har jämförts med hur väl de anser att KRAV uppfyller dessa. Genom detta har vi kunnat urskilja en generell attityd hos studenterna gentemot KRAV-märkta produkter.</p><p>Resultatet visar på att studenterna har en positiv attityd gentemot KRAV-märkta varor. Dock visar undersökningen på att den bild som KRAV vill förmedla inte helt överensstämmer med den bild som studenterna har om varumärket. Den traditionella bilden av KRAV, där samhälls- och miljöansvar står i fokus, anser studenterna att KRAV uppfyller mycket väl. KRAV har däremot inte lyckats med att förmedla att KRAV-märkta produkter numera även står för god hälsa och smak. Vidare kan vi urskilja en tendens mot att studenterna inte värdesätter KRAV:s traditionella värderingar särskilt högt. Samhällsansvar och miljöansvar är inte någon prioritet vid studenternas val av livsmedel.</p><p>Slutsatsen vi kan dra av detta är att om KRAV vill nå ut till studenterna som målgrupp bör de lägga större betoning på de produktrelaterade attributen som studenterna anser vara av störst vikt (smak, nyttigt, kvalité, tillgänglighet). KRAV bör fortsätta sitt arbete med att ladda varumärket med hälsoargument och framhäva de attribut som studenterna värdesätter hög</p>

Abstrakt Syfte:Studiens syfte är att beskriva hur ett mätinstrument för att mätakonsumentbaserad brand equity ska utformas. Forskningsfråga:Vilka mätpunkter ska inkluderas vid mätning av konsumentbaserad brand equity? Metod:Då studien ämnar testa mätinstrumentet som skapats ur den befintliga litteraturen föllvalet på att genomföra en kvantitativ undersökning eftersom författarna avsågundersöka hur en stor mängd konsumenter uppfattar varumärken. För att samla in databad författarna 130 stycken respondenter delta i en enkätunderökning. Datananalyserades sedan i en faktoranalys. Slutsats:Efter genomförd faktoranalys kunde författarna behålla 9 stycken mätpunkter från detursprungliga 16 stycken mätpunkter. Utefter de nya mätpunkterna utformades ett nyttmätinstrument. Aakers fyra dimensioner var fortfarande utgångspunkt därmätpunkterna placerades in

This research recommends a new approach to brand strategy for Korean professional football teams, focusing on the relationships between team brand identity as the basic element of sports team branding, team brand loyalty as the most desirable goal, and identification between fans and teams as the mediator between identity and loyalty. Nowadays, professional football teams are no longer merely sporting organisations, but organisational brands with multi-million pound revenues. It is vital for football teams to build a relevant brand strategy based on the relationship with their fans. Existing research on sports branding suggests that fans who are deeply identified with a specific team tend to possess extremely high loyalty, holding a particular team as central to their identity. Therefore, managing the relationships between team brand identity, fan-team identification, and team brand loyalty can be the most powerful brand strategy for football teams, particularly for Korean football teams that do not retain strong fan bases and yet desire to gain consumers who identify with them. Through two empirical studies and case study analysis this research investigated a construct of team brand identity in the professional football context. Consumers’ associations with football teams were examined and 13 elements of a team brand identity scale were developed. It was revealed that team brand identity is composed of four identity dimensions which are experience, visual, non-product, and product. Case studies, with a further literature review of team brand identity, clarified and confirmed the first study findings. The final empirical study tested and confirmed the correlated and serial relationships, and provided the basis for the new theoretical model on which to build the brand strategy.

Consumer brand preference is an essential step to understand consumer choice behaviour, and has therefore always received great attention from marketers. Brand preferences reveal the type of attributes a brand possesses, to strengthen its position and increase its market share. Moreover, it forms a critical input in developing a company’s successful brand strategy, and gives insight for product development. However, the shift to experiential marketing broadens the role of the brand from a bundle of attributes to experiences. Experiential marketing also considers both, the rational and irrational assumptions of consumer behaviour. The technological advancement helped increasing the similarities between the brands attributes and product commoditisation. Consequently, consumers cannot shape their preferences among brands using rational attributes only. They seek the brand that creates experience; intrigue them in a sensorial, emotional, and creative way. Companies’ competitiveness in such market has, therefore become increasingly difficult. Their survival requires building their competitive advantage by delivering memorable experiences, which would influence consumers’ brand preferences, and consequently stimulate consumers’ purchase decisions. In the marketing literature, the traditional models are uni-dimensional, and addressing the brand preferences by consumers’ cognitive judgement of brand attributes on a rational basis. The role of experience is limited to the impact of its type on shifting preference level. Most of prior studies are partial and focusing on one or two antecedents of brand preferences. In addition to these drawbacks, the studies also ignore consequences determining the consumer purchase decisions. Based on these limitations in the literature, a lack of understanding of how consumers develop their brand preferences was identified. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to develop a model that provides an understanding of how brand knowledge and brand experiences determine brand preferences and to investigate its impact on brand repurchase intentions. In this model, the brand knowledge is defined by attribute-based beliefs, referring to consumers’ salient beliefs about the brand intrinsic cues, and non-attribute beliefs, reflected in the price, appearance, brand personality, and self-congruity. Therefore, the relative importance of brand knowledge factors contributing to brand preference is determined. Furthermore, the model addresses the interactions between the brand knowledge and brand experience in shaping brand preference. Thus, addressing how the experiences reflect embedded value in the brand offerings influencing consumer preferences. To achieve the aim of this study, a sequential mixed-method methodology combining both qualitative and quantitative research was adopted. The aim of the first qualitative phase is exploratory, using focus groups, to refine the proposed model and generate items for questionnaire development. The second phase, quantitative research, is the survey conducted using self-administrated questionnaires. The structural equation modelling (AMOS) software is used to analyse the data. The findings confirm that brand knowledge and brand experience are key sources of brand preferences. In addition, all the factors of brand knowledge have a direct positive impact on brand preferences. However, the role of brand personality on brand preference is realised through brand experience. The findings also support that the impacts of the general brand attributes and appearance on brand preference are partially mediated by brand experience. Furthermore, brand preference positively impacts repurchase intentions. The ultimate contribution of this study stems from revealing that both cognitive information processing and experiential responses form the bases of developing brand preferences, which form the link to future psychological reactions. Methodologically, the study measures the multi-dimensional constructs, brand experience and brand personality, at the aggregate level. In addition, it validates the “big-five personality” as a measure of brand personality. Pragmatically, the study suggests three levels for building brands of technological products to win consumer preferences. At the first level lies the brand functional attributes, at the second level, are the brand symbolic attributes reflected in the imagery associations and aesthetic appearance while at the third level is the brand experience. Noteworthy, these experiences are private in nature and cannot be commoditised. This model extends the notion of brand experience on preference development and can be extended in future research to build long-term consumer-brand relationship.

The globalization become a current tendency, and China as one of the biggest parts in the international market, plays the important role. Considering the SMEs in China occupy the main amount, Chinese SMEs are the key factors in Chinese economy. At the same time, they are also faced with fierce competition from global company that compared with other developed countries’ SMEs, Chinese SMEs are not competitive enough. One of the reasons is that their brands are lack of competitiveness. It is known to all, brand is a key strategic asset to long-term performance and it should be managed. Therefore this study is focused on how Chinese SMEs perceive brand as crucial factor for establishing competitiveness. This study is based on qualitative research, and case study research design is chosen. The semi-structured interview is conducted in the Chinese SME called CSC, and two managers and three employees were interviewed. In conclusion, it can be found that the CSC pays attention to the brand, but their brand still need to be improved to be more powerful, unique and positiveness then to reach the loyalty of consumers, and the media channels should be paid more attention