Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / The purpose of this study is to investigate why and when corporate brands in the retail environment rejuvenate, with the aim to determine the key components that plays a role in the corporate brand rejuvenation process. Furthermore, the study aims to investigate the impact that the brand rejuvenation has on the four components of Aaker’s brand equity model (brand loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality and brand association). The study used Woolworths as a case study and is divided into three sections. The first section aims to study the principles and concepts of corporate brand rejuvenation. Secondly, the study aims to investigate the process of brand rejuvenation in Woolworths. The last section will investigate the impact that brand rejuvenation has on the four components of Aaker’s brand equity model (brand loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality and brand association). A qualitative research design was selected with a single case study at Woolworths South Africa. The case study examines the thought process of the decision makers during the brand rejuvenation process and the effect that the business model had on the corporate brand rejuvenation. The study also aims to investigate if the life cycle of the brand plays a vital role in the rejuvenation process of the corporate brand. The study will go into more depth on the effect that the world recession had on the corporate brand rejuvenation process and determine whether the corporate brand rejuvenation had a positive effect on the bottom line of the business. The study found that Woolworths mostly went against the principles and theory of corporate brand rejuvenation, yet the organisation still showed good growth after the brand rejuvenation process. Furthermore, even though Woolworths did not use theory as a guideline for brand rejuvenation, the strategic decisions made within the business model had a very positive effect on the bottom line of the business. It is clear from this study that the brand strategy needs to be aligned with the business strategy. The principles of brand rejuvenation will differ from industry to industry and therefore it is recommended that theory needs to be written on corporate brand rejuvenation, specifically for the retail environment. The processes and principles of brand rejuvenation that work for a service brand such as a bank, will not necessarily work for a retail brand. The study suggests that organisations that decide to rejuvenate brands should have a strong and integrated brand strategy that is aligned with the business model of the organisation.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2018. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Creating brand equity, that is, building a strong brand is a successful strategy for differentiating a product from competing brands (Aaker, 1991: 256). Brand equity provides sustainable competitive advantages, because it creates meaningful competitive barriers. Brand equity is developed through perceived quality, brand loyalty, brand awareness and brand associations, which cannot be either built or destroyed in the short run; but can be created only in the long run through carefully designed marketing investment. This study aims to examine the practicality and application of a customer-based brand equity model, based on Aaker’s (1991: 256) well-known conceptual framework of brand equity. The study investigates the causal relationships between the 4 dimensions of brand equity and brand equity itself. It specifically measured the way in which consumers’ perceptions of the dimensions of brand equity affected the overall brand equity evaluations. Data were collected from a sample of house-wives in South Africa. The study concludes that brand loyalty and perceived quality is the most influential dimension of brand equity. Support was also found for the brand awareness and brand association dimensions. Implications for marketing managers and marketing planners are discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die skep van handelsmerkekwiteit “brand equity”, wat die bou van sterk handelsmerke impliseer, is 'n suksesvolle strategie om 'n produk van mededingende produkte te onderskei (Aaker, 1991: 256). Handelsmerkekwiteit voorsien volgehoue mededingende voordele omrede dit betekenisvolle mededingende hindernisse skep. Dit is ontwikkel op grond van kwaliteitsherkenning, handlesmerklojaliteit, kwaliteitsbewustheid en kwaliteitsassosiasies. Handelsmerkekwiteit kan geskep word deur omsigtige bemarkingsinvestering. Die doelwit van hierdie studie was om die toepaslikheid en praktiese toepassing van 'n kliëntgebasseerde ekwiteitsmodel te ondersoek en is gebaseer op Aaker (1991: 256) se bekende konseptuele handelsmerk-ekwiteitsraamwerk. Die studie ondersoek die kousale verwantskap tussen die vier handelsmerkekwiteitsdimensies en die algehele ekwiteitsevaluasie. Dit meet die wyse waarop die verbruiker se persepsie van die dimensies ekwiteit beïnvloed en die algehele ekwiteitsevaluasie. Data-insameling is gedoen onder huisvrouens in Suid-Afrika. Die resultate bevestig dat handelsmerklojaliteitlojaliteit en kwaliteitherkenning die mees invloedryke dimensies van handelsmerekwiteit is. Ondersteuning is ook gevind vir die kwaliteitsbewustheid en assosiasie dimensies. Hiervolgens is implikasies vir bemarkingbestuurders en -beplanners geformuleer.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Red Bull brand has been in the international market since 1992 and entered the South African market in 1997. The company has seen phenomenal growth in the South African market, selling in excess of 39 million cans in South Africa during 2010. The brand created the energy drink category for the Western world. Red Bull grew the energy drink category in South Africa (SA) and with growth in profits and turnover, competitors entered the energy drink category. According to the brand strategy, the positioning of the Red Bull brand has always been premium. However, the economy and the fierce competitive environment in the energy drink category have become challenging for the brand both in terms of market share and value share. This begs the question: Is the Red Bull brand in South Africa sustainable? The brand remained premium in difficult economic times and during a time when many new brands entered the energy drink category. Hence, Red Bull’s loss of value and volume share in the energy drink category is the motivation for this study. The approach to the research includes conducting focus-group interviews with consumers and administering questionnaires. The research consists of three parts, namely Project Toro, Project Rojo and Project Matador, and was conducted by TNS Research SA for Red Bull. The research indicated that the brand is challenged in the area of pricing. Price remains the barrier of entry for new consumers purchasing Red Bull. Consumers agree that the brand must remain a premium brand. However, at some stage premium can become too premium. The price of Red Bull products will have to decrease to help ensure sustainability of the brand in South Africa. However, consumers did note that the brand must not decrease its prices too much because it will take away the status of the brand. The Red Bull brand is also challenged by the value proposition component. Competitor brands have larger cans which offer consumers value for money while Red Bull is known as the “small can” brand. As based on Red Bull’s international strategy, the efficacy and re-energising functional value of the brand are the main reasons why people still consume Red Bull. The focus that Red Bull once had on the entry-level consumer market that ensures sustainability of the brand has also been challenged by new brands in the category. Competitors have seen the opportunity created by investing in the entry-level consumer market. Red Bull SA has not been keeping up with international energy trends, which created an opportunity for competitors to launch bigger pack sizes and to be first-to-market. This has taken away value and volume share from the most valuable energy drink brand in South Africa. Renewed focus on the main findings of the research can give Red Bull the opportunity to once again be the leading brand in terms of value and volume.

University of Stellenbosch Business School / The objective of this study is to determine whether brands create value for shareholders and the extent to which such value can be quantified. The research methodology is based on a case study of Pretoria Portland Cement, South Africa’s leading cement producer, and seeks to demonstrate how a commodity like cement can be successfully differentiated and branded. Primary data was gathered by conducting unstructured interviews with business leaders and key personnel involved with the development and execution of the company’s brand vision. Secondary data is based on the results of a customer loyalty survey by IPSOS Markinor as well as on customer perceptions from Millward Brown’s BrandDynamics™ model. The results of both these surveys, together with historic market share data and the company’s financial performance over a 15-year period, is analysed and interpreted before conclusions are made about the brand’s contribution to value creation. The study concludes by attempting to make generally applicable findings about the value of brands and their overall contribution to shareholder value. One of the major limitations of the study is the inability to assign a definitive value to the PPC brand because of the vast number of credible brand valuation models available and the lack of consensus among academics and industry experts regarding the determination of brand value.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / Since the first democratic election in South Africa in 1994, considerable investment has gone into South Africa’s brand. However, this researcher could find no literature on the description of South Africa’s brand personality as perceived by visitors. The purpose of this study is to provide insight into South Africa’s brand personality and encourage researchers to undertake a more in depth study of South Africa’s brand personality. It ultimately aims to assist marketers in differentiating South Africa’s brand and making it more competitive on the world stage. This report also seeks to encourage research in the field of customer service personality frameworks for destinations, based on destination brand personality. The design of this report is qualitative and exploratory. Participants of this study included a group of 15 arbitrarily selected visitors at the International Departure Terminal of Cape Town International Airport. A semi-structured interview was the method used to collect the data. A qualitative analysis included categorising the data according to similar adjectives and descriptions and then determining where best it fits (if at all) with Aaker’s (1997:354) brand personality dimensions. The findings of the research reveal that South Africa’s brand personality can be described in terms of Aaker’s (1997:354) brand personality scale. However, a relatively large number of participants described the personality as immature, contradictory and damaged. The researcher also discovered that there is a weak relationship between the brand personality and the core values of South Africa’s brand as identified by Brand South Africa (Shepherd, 2010a).This led the researcher to conclude that there are deficiencies in South Africa’s brand personality and it is not robust enough to be a sustainable competitive advantage in its current state. This researcher concluded that South Africa’s brand personality has a perceived weakness of inconsistency, is in a developing phase and the perceived personality is not an effective medium through which the country’s core values are being communicated. This research was limited by the relatively low number of participants, the collection of data in one location only and the absence of triangulation. This impacts negatively on the robustness of this research. The data collection also lacked representation across nationalities that would have provided an opportunity to make comparisons of the same. This report is not generalisable and the isolated nature of the research implies that the personality identified cannot be compared with other destination brand personalities to determine its relative strength or weakness. The practical implication of this research is that in identifying visitors’ perceptions of South Africa’s brand personality, marketers can use this information to mitigate the negative perceptions that manifest in the personality and emphasise the positive. The identification of the ‘developing’ nature of South Africa’s brand personality points to an opportunity to shape the brand according to Brand South Africa’s strategic objectives. The finding that traits associated with some of the core values like Ubuntu, Competitiveness and Determination are absent from the personality provides valuable insight into the gap between how the brand is positioned and the perceptions of visitors. The finding of the stereotypical perceptions of African and Western manifesting in the brand personality can be used as valuable insight in a nation branding initiative that aims to change these perceptions. Finally, the brand personality can form the basis of a customer service personality that is unique to South Africa.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / The high costs of new product launches have forced consumer magazines globally to launch brand extensions as part of new product strategies. Costs can be reduced radically by using renowned brands and utilising their marketing and distribution competencies. The economic recession and a rapid leaning towards non-print media have caused a sharp drop in advertising as well as consumer spending in the print magazine industry. Nevertheless, tablet devices and ground-breaking technology offers opportunities for traditional media to grow. The product life cycle and the growth-share matrix for a mature brand such as Huisgenoot validate the necessity of new products and brand extensions to remain sustainable. Huisgenoot is the largest magazine in South Africa with a circulation of 281 045, reaching 2.2 million (AMPS 2012, Jul 2011 – Jun 2012) readers on a weekly basis. Publishers felt it necessary to develop a brand extension strategy to leverage the brand even further and to avoid stagnation of the title. However, although profiting from parent brand value sounds promising, the global failure rate of extensions is still great. Extending existing brands and launching new products is crucial to increase profits. Brand extensions address neglected consumer needs and simultaneously confront competition in the market. However, launching new products is costly, risky and time consuming. In 2010, Media24 decided to leverage content, one of its most valuable assets, by introducing additional standalone magazines (line extensions) for one of its strongest brands, Huisgenoot. Are magazines exploiting niche markets catering for the changing needs of the South African consumer and advertiser? What is the impact of Huisgenoot’s standalone titles on the business of Media24 Weekly Magazines in an already competitive consumer magazine market? This research report explores specifically Huisgenoot’s line extensions in order to evaluate if an extension strategy has long-term sustainability for the title or if it is inducing a cannibalisation effect on the core magazine brand. Growth of the extensions will be measured by analysing profit, circulation and point of sale data. A critical analysis of the current extension strategy will also be completed. The report also includes an overview of the South African media landscape, identifies the core brand (parent brand) values of Huisgenoot and includes interviews with important role-players within the publishing business. This was done by conducting a literature overview, completing a reader questionnaire and doing in-depth interviews. The qualitative data was supported by secondary circulation and advertising data. The researcher concludes by making recommendations to ensure sustainability in terms of Huisgenoot’s future line extensions.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: David Ogilvy stated that ‘I have seen one advertisement actually sell not twice as much, not three times as much, but 19 ½ times as much as another. Both advertisements occupied the same space. Both were run in the same publication. Both had photographic illustrations. Both had carefully written copy. The difference was that one used the right appeal and the other used the wrong appeal’, Ogilvy (1983, 9) He then goes on to say that, the wrong advertising can actually reduce the sales of products. It is with this quote in mind that the researcher took to this research study. The objective of this study is to understand why the current advertising for SABMiller’s Global brands does not resonate with its intended target audience and based on these findings make recommendations that can be implemented by SABMiller. The design of this report is qualitative and exploratory. Participants of this study included a sample of fifteen individuals made up of SABMiller customers, and employees from Tanzanian brewery’s marketing and sales departments. The findings confirmed that Global brand advertising does not currently resonate with consumers in Tanzania. The perception generally is that these brand’s communication does not compel consumers to want to interact with them, let alone drive the propensity for purchase. Factors such as a mismatch in culture, language and relevance were identified as drivers to advertising relevance, all of which were lacking in Global brand advertising. The practical impact of this study is that SABMiller marketers can use this information to develop robust brand positioning strategies as well as communications strategies that will better resonate with their intended target audience and help to increase consumer’s propensity to purchase these brands.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2018. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Creating brand equity, that is, building a strong brand is a successful strategy for differentiating a product from competing brands (Aaker, 1991: 256). Brand equity provides sustainable competitive advantages, because it creates meaningful competitive barriers. Brand equity is developed through perceived quality, brand loyalty, brand awareness and brand associations, which cannot be either built or destroyed in the short run; but can be created only in the long run through carefully designed marketing investment. This study aims to examine the practicality and application of a customer-based brand equity model, based on Aaker’s (1991: 256) well-known conceptual framework of brand equity. The study investigates the causal relationships between the 4 dimensions of brand equity and brand equity itself. It specifically measured the way in which consumers’ perceptions of the dimensions of brand equity affected the overall brand equity evaluations. Data were collected from a sample of house-wives in South Africa. The study concludes that brand loyalty and perceived quality is the most influential dimension of brand equity. Support was also found for the brand awareness and brand association dimensions. Implications for marketing managers and marketing planners are discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die skep van handelsmerkekwiteit “brand equity”, wat die bou van sterk handelsmerke impliseer, is 'n suksesvolle strategie om 'n produk van mededingende produkte te onderskei (Aaker, 1991: 256). Handelsmerkekwiteit voorsien volgehoue mededingende voordele omrede dit betekenisvolle mededingende hindernisse skep. Dit is ontwikkel op grond van kwaliteitsherkenning, handlesmerklojaliteit, kwaliteitsbewustheid en kwaliteitsassosiasies. Handelsmerkekwiteit kan geskep word deur omsigtige bemarkingsinvestering. Die doelwit van hierdie studie was om die toepaslikheid en praktiese toepassing van 'n kliëntgebasseerde ekwiteitsmodel te ondersoek en is gebaseer op Aaker (1991: 256) se bekende konseptuele handelsmerk-ekwiteitsraamwerk. Die studie ondersoek die kousale verwantskap tussen die vier handelsmerkekwiteitsdimensies en die algehele ekwiteitsevaluasie. Dit meet die wyse waarop die verbruiker se persepsie van die dimensies ekwiteit beïnvloed en die algehele ekwiteitsevaluasie. Data-insameling is gedoen onder huisvrouens in Suid-Afrika. Die resultate bevestig dat handelsmerklojaliteitlojaliteit en kwaliteitherkenning die mees invloedryke dimensies van handelsmerekwiteit is. Ondersteuning is ook gevind vir die kwaliteitsbewustheid en assosiasie dimensies. Hiervolgens is implikasies vir bemarkingbestuurders en -beplanners geformuleer.

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

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing / The cosmetic industry over the years has proven to be one of the fastest growing and most profitable industries globally. In the male cosmetic industry, male grooming, metrosexual and dapper trends have rapidly expanded across global communities and, in recent years, have become a leading trend amongst South African men. These emerging trends subsequently shaped the way businesses and companies expanded product lines and developed marketing strategies. It is imperative that we understand what marketing capabilities companies require to stay abreast of local trends in order to gain a market share and strong brand presence in these expanding categories. Companies invest significant financial resources on marketing in order to have a compelling value proposition against competitors. Understanding the customer and what aspects of brand equity resonate with customers would ensure that companies have a streamlined customer centric marketing plan that meets the customers’ needs and addresses the accurate emotional touch points to capture the customer and encourage resilient repurchase intention. Four hypotheses are posited and in order to empirically test them a sample data set of 208 was collected in South Africa. The results indicate that brand loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality and brand association positively influences repurchase intention of male branded cosmetic products in South Africa in a significant way. Drawing from the study’s findings, managerial implications are discussed and limitations and future research directions are suggested. / MT2017