Having studied the literature on the issue of corporate brand identity our group found different points of view towards it and its components. The major ideas discussed in all the sources studied are the corporate brand identity, corporate brand personality, corporate brand reputation and corporate brand image. But the interconnections of those and the possible ways to influence them differ from source to source. As a result, our group managed to create a cumulative model of the structure of corporate brand identity and the factors that influence it as a whole and its components separately, basing on the idea of logical clearness and overall simplicity. After that our intention was to test the relevance of our model and we needed an example of a successful company with a strong corporate brand that has recently started dealing with the issues of maintaining and strengthening its corporate brand identity, due to the fact that we assumed the information to be rather “fresh” and interesting to analyze. Scania turned out to be a perfect example. Taking advantage of the qualitative research method, accompanied by the case study approach, we have conducted interviews with the Scania officials, using a semi-structured type of interviews in order to get a broader and more detailed view of the situation. As a result of the analysis of the data gathered we tested our theoretical model and brought up a real-life model of Scania’s corporate brand identity and the factors influencing it, which can be generalized for any single-branded corporation. Our model proved to be correct at its core with only a few differences from the Scania model.

<p>Having studied the literature on the issue of corporate brand identity our group found different points of view towards it and its components. The major ideas discussed in all the sources studied are the corporate brand identity, corporate brand personality, corporate brand reputation and corporate brand image. But the interconnections of those and the possible ways to influence them differ from source to source. As a result, our group managed to create a cumulative model of the structure of corporate brand identity and the factors that influence it as a whole and its components separately, basing on the idea of logical clearness and overall simplicity.</p><p>After that our intention was to test the relevance of our model and we needed an example of a successful company with a strong corporate brand that has recently started dealing with the issues of maintaining and strengthening its corporate brand identity, due to the fact that we assumed the information to be rather “fresh” and interesting to analyze. Scania turned out to be a perfect example.</p><p>Taking advantage of the qualitative research method, accompanied by the case study approach, we have conducted interviews with the Scania officials, using a semi-structured type of interviews in order to get a broader and more detailed view of the situation. As a result of the analysis of the data gathered we tested our theoretical model and brought up a real-life model of Scania’s corporate brand identity and the factors influencing it, which can be generalized for any single-branded corporation. Our model proved to be correct at its core with only a few differences from the Scania model.</p>

Title: Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility in Rapidly Growing Firms – As a way of Strengthening the Corporate Brand Authors: Frida Dahlin and Anna Ledel Supervisor: Thomas Helgesson Examiner: Venilton Reinert Level: Bachelor thesis Keywords: Corporate social responsibility, Corporate brand, Gazelle companies Research question: How can gazelle companies develop CSR strategies to strengthen their corporate brand? Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate how Swedish gazelle companies are taking their rapid growth into consideration when working with CSR as a way of strengthening their corporate brand. This paper aims to examine how Swedish gazelle companies are managing their CSR strategies and if the fact that they are fast growing firms is affecting their strategic work, and in that case how. This paper aims to contribute with a better adjusted model of CSR that is applicable in the context of rapidly growing firms. Methodology: A deductive and qualitative method was chosen for a deeper, more detailed and descriptive explanation of the considered subject. Theoretical frame of references: Theories regarding previous research of corporate brand, CSR, reputation management and rapidly growing firms are brought forward. Empirical findings: Primarily data was collected and presented from three rapidly growing firms in Sweden. Conclusion: A new model has been developed that is aimed for gazelle companies to use when working with and developing CSR strategies as a way of strengthening the corporate brand.

Dissertation files not currently available online.A brand is emotional, has a personality, and captures the hearts and minds of its customers. Great brands survive attacks from competitors and market trends because of the strong connections they forge with customers (Kotler&Pfoertsch, 2007). Organisations can use this to ensure competitive advantage with the right talent at low costs. Employer branding focuses on how the company is seen by current and potential employees with the aim of winning the war for talent (Ulrich, 1997). Current and potential employees are now looking to work for more responsible organisations – employers of choice. A strong employer brand fosters a positive image, identity or reputation and encourages (current and potential) employees to identify with the organisation. This research explores how organisations can use employer branding to attract and retain talent. A mixed methodology is employed using semi-structured interviews and a survey questionnaire to understand the perception that current and potential employees have about employer branding. Key results of the study are that building both the internal and external employer brand will ease the organisation’s ability to recruit and retain people, and that there are significant gaps between the different perspectives and how they can be managed. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Organizacijos, norinčios pasiekti geresnių rezultatų rinkoje nei konkurentai, turi įgyti ir išlaikyti tam tikrą unikalumą, kurio negalima imituoti, ir kuris suteiktų konkurencinį pranašumą. Vienu iš tokių sunkiai imituojamų išteklių yra organizacijos prekės ženklas ir organizacijos įvaizdis. Organizacijos socialinė atsakomybė taip pat tampa vis svarbesniu konkurenciniu pranašumu. Darbo objektas – organizacijos prekės ženklas, įvaizdis ir socialinė atsakomybė. Darbo tikslas – teoriškai pagrįsti ir empiriškai patikrinti organizacijos prekės ženklo ir įvaizdžio sąsajas socialinės atsakomybės aspektu TEO LT, AB pavyzdžiu. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Atskleisti organizacijos prekės ženklo sampratą, pristatant jo identiteto elementus; 2. Identifikuoti ir apibendrinti organizacijos vidinio ir išorinio prekės ženklo identiteto elementus, pagrindžiant jų suderinamumą; 3. Atskleisti organizacijos socialinės atsakomybės konceptualiąją esmę; 4. Identifikuoti ir apibendrinti veiksnius, turinčius įtakos organizacijos įvaizdžiui; 5. Parengti organizacijos prekės ženklo ir įvaizdžio sąsajų socialinės atsakomybės aspektu struktūrinį modelį; 6. Remiantis apibendrintomis metodologinėmis nuostatomis, atlikti organizacijos prekės ženklo ir įvaizdžio sąsajų socialinės atsakomybės aspektu empirinį tyrimą ir apibendrinti jo rezultatus. 7. Empiriškai patikrinti organizacijos prekės ženklo ir įvaizdžio sąsajų socialinės atsakomybės aspektu struktūrinį modelį TEO LT, AB pavyzdžiu. Atlikus tyrimą, nustatyta... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Organizations that want to achieve better results than its competitors in the market must acquire and maintain a uniqueness that cannot be imitated, and which provide a competitive advantage. One of these difficult imitated sources is corporate brand and image. Corporate social responsibility becomes increasingly important competitive advantage, too. The object of the graduation paper is the corporate brand, image and social responsibility. The purpose of the graduation paper is to justify theoretically and to prove empirically the relations between corporate brand and image by the aspect of the social responsibility with example of “TEO”. The tasks of this graduation paper: 1. To show the concept of the corporate brand, introducing elements of identity. 2. To identify and summarize the elements of internal and external corporate brand identity, proving their compatibility. 3. To show the conceptual essence of the organization‘s social responsibility. 4. To identify and summarize the factors those influence the corporate image. 5. To compose the theoretical model of the relations between corporate brand and image by the aspect of the social responsibility. 6. Using summarized methodological altitudes to make an empirical research of the relations between corporate brand and image by the aspect of the social responsibility and to summarize the findings of the research. 7. To test empirically theoretical model of the relations between corporate brand and image by the aspect of... [to full text]

Celebrity endorsement has received academic attention since the 1970s and it has widely been used by companies in their marcom (marketing communications) activities as an effective strategic tool to promote their brands, companies, products and services. Instead of only being appointed as endorsers, this new phenomenon sees how celebrities have changed their roles as human brands and are now better known as celebrity brands. Celebrities, as they are known today, are progressively becoming brands in their own right (i.e. celebrity brand), have their own value, owning their own products and/or services and businesses/companies (i.e. corporate brand), and endorsing other corporate brands too. Companies use celebrity endorsements to position and communicate their individual/product brand image to consumers at large. However, due to the changing marketing environment (from traditional to digital marketing), companies are finding that their communication through celebrity endorsements have become costly and less efficient when trying to project a coherent corporate image and reputation across various audiences. Rather, the new trending phenomenon of celebrity chefs may achieve the desired effect. Unlike other human brands such as CEOs, athletes or artists, which roles limit to either personal or corporate roles, celebrity chefs are unique as they encompass both. Furthermore, they also endorse other brands and corporate brands simultaneously, enabling them to project their own personal and corporate brand as well as the brand they are endorsing. Hence, this study's novelty lies in the exploration and development of the celebrity chef concept at both the product and corporate brand level of their 'own' and 'endorsed' activities (termed as celebrity corporate brand or CCB in this study); and operationalises the CCB concept. The study aims to investigate whether a change in the celebrity brand roles by addressing both traits (human personality) and states (brand personality) and by associating it at the corporate brand level, given the best contextual setting, is one of the possible ways to strategically use celebrity brand beyond endorsement in marcom activities. The study has three objectives, which are: 1) to explore the concept of celebrity brand at a corporate brand level, known as Celebrity Corporate Brand - CCB; 2) to investigate the impact of CCB on attitudinal (identification, image and reputation) and behavioural (loyalty) outcomes (termed as corporate brand enhancement); and 3) to develop a holistic conceptual model to understand the consumers attitudinal and behavioural response and association impact of celebrity brand at corporate brand level named as Celebrity Corporate Brand Association Impact on Corporate Brand Enhancement Model. A mixed method approach was employed by using qualitative data (netnography - Study1; and in depths interviews - Study 2) as well as quantitative data (population-based survey experiments - Study 3). A qualitative approach is used to explore the concept and dimensions of CCB, which is later used to assist the items and measure development for Study 3. Data collection was done covering samples selection from the United Kingdom and Malaysia. Random sampling is used to select respondents that fulfilled the criteria required for the study. The study finds that CCB represents and carries his Personal Brand, Product/Service Brand and Corporate Brand. CCB Product Brand refers to the celebrity chefs own developed products and services which are their foods, cookbooks, kitchen utensils. CCB Corporate Brand refers to the celebrity chefs' businesses, corporations and companies such as their restaurants, colleges and programs. CCB is further conceptualised through the CCB's Authentic and Functional Quality, CCB's Cognition and CCB's Personal Quality. The CCB's Philosophy also projects the celebrity's own corporate brand and endorsed activities. CCB Personal Brand refers to the celebrity chefs' traits such as their interpersonal skills and quality, symbolic value and authenticity; and their and their personality states such as enterprising and technical quality. Theoretically, the research is novel in four different ways: 1) it offers a fresh insight to scholars and practitioners in celebrity endorsement, human or celebrity brand, into how to address the new phenomena of changing consumer and celebrity roles by going beyond the celebrity endorsement concept (i.e. via CCB); 2) it explores, develops, defines and provides measures for the newly developed CCB concept; and 3) it extends the nascent literature on celebrity brand, which explores mainly at product brand level, to corporate brand level (celebrity with personal brand also owning corporate brand), and 4) it test CCB empirically and further investigates its relationship in terms of both attitudinal and behavioural outcomes in an effort to enhance corporate brand (corporate brand enhancement process). Previously, studies on celebrity endorsement only look at the use of celebrity as an endorser and discussion in this area is made based on the Source Model which only discusses the personality traits of the celebrities. In addressing the changing roles of celebrities (having personal brands, product brands and corporate brands), this study defines CCB by including both the celebrity brand personality traits and states and researching its impact on corporate brand enhancement. Furthermore, this study looks at both the attitudinal and behavioural outcome of the CCB on multiple stakeholders (celebrities, consumers and endorsed corporate brands). Methodologically, the study contributes in three ways: (1) a new context (celebrity chefs) is chosen to add new insights to celebrity branding literature; (2) approaching the research with three different studies, namely Study 1- netnography; Study 2 - in depths interviews; and Study 3 - population-based survey experiments; and (3) the inclusion of multiple stakeholders as the samples. Practically, the study proposes marketers to select a new type of celebrity: one that has a personal brand of their own, own product and/or corporate brand to increase the promotional marketing campaign success. Thus, both parties need to work together to build upon their brand strategy to ensure that the consumer identifies closely with them, thereby enhancing their image and reputation and subsequently increasing brand loyalty to the advantage of both parties. Interestingly, once CCB has built upon reputation, this guides the business and marketers to carefully select them in the hope of enhancing its corporate brand. The study's findings also demonstrate that it is essential to address various audiences in this new era by designing an appropriate positioning and communication strategy. The results will assist businesses and organisations in the context of defining and developing strategy alongside celebrity chefs (as the CCB) with their businesses and the endorsed corporate brands.

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Around the world, markets deregulates, which leads to increased competition. Meetings between the consumer and the employees of a company determine how the customer perceives the company and / or its brand. This has result in that many companies have realized the importance of internal using the same marketing skills that are used externally. In 2009, pharmacy market went from being a monopoly market to be a regulated competitive market.</p><p><strong>Problem:</strong> Is there any internal conditions for a private company, whose culture and structure was formed under a state monopoly, to create a strong corporate brand?</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The purpose of this paper is to, through a case study, analyze and evaluate the internal marketing in a company which has undergone a change of ownership and retained the same staff.</p><p><strong>Method:</strong> Through interviews with key personnel and staff , data was gathered for the case study, which means that the method is qualitative. Only one of the company's pharmacies has been included in the study.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> The authors of this paper perceive that company has the required internal conditions to create a strong corporate brand, since the company i.e. has taken into consideration the history of the pharmacy staff, the management shows a personal commitment, campaigns are communicated internally, staff and customers consciously or unconsciously may be involved in shaping the content of the corporate brand, and that dialogue exists between staff and management so that management can have an understanding of how staff perceive the company's vision and corporate brand, which in turn leads the company to form a brand that staff can accept and understand because their norms and values has been taken into consideration.</p>

Background: Around the world, markets deregulates, which leads to increased competition. Meetings between the consumer and the employees of a company determine how the customer perceives the company and / or its brand. This has result in that many companies have realized the importance of internal using the same marketing skills that are used externally. In 2009, pharmacy market went from being a monopoly market to be a regulated competitive market. Problem: Is there any internal conditions for a private company, whose culture and structure was formed under a state monopoly, to create a strong corporate brand? Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to, through a case study, analyze and evaluate the internal marketing in a company which has undergone a change of ownership and retained the same staff. Method: Through interviews with key personnel and staff , data was gathered for the case study, which means that the method is qualitative. Only one of the company's pharmacies has been included in the study. Conclusions: The authors of this paper perceive that company has the required internal conditions to create a strong corporate brand, since the company i.e. has taken into consideration the history of the pharmacy staff, the management shows a personal commitment, campaigns are communicated internally, staff and customers consciously or unconsciously may be involved in shaping the content of the corporate brand, and that dialogue exists between staff and management so that management can have an understanding of how staff perceive the company's vision and corporate brand, which in turn leads the company to form a brand that staff can accept and understand because their norms and values has been taken into consideration.

Title                                 Shape me up! – A study of how leaders in the Swedish financial sector can use their personal brand to shape the corporate brand Course                             Master Thesis (60 credits) in Business Administration; Strategic Management and Leadership, International Marketing Authors                           Amanda Elg and My Engdahl Supervisors                      Maya Hoveskog and Ingemar Wictor Keywords                        Leadership, personal brand, corporate brand Problem formulation       ”How can a leader in the Swedish financial sector use the personal brand to shape the corporate brand?” Purpose                            The aim of this study is to describe the importance of the leader’s personal brand within the Swedish financial sector. Further, this study aims to explore how the personal brand of a leader can contribute to shape the corporate brand from an internal perspective, in aspects such as organisational culture and visions. This study focuses mainly on the positive aspects of the personal brand since we are more interested to see the positive outcomes of personal branding than the negative ones.  Target Group                   Our study is directed towards a target audience of Swedish leaders and other interested parties that want to increase the understanding for personal and corporate branding, and to increase the understanding of how leaders can use the personal brand to shape the corporate brand. Theoretical framework    We have mainly focused on two different theories; one for personal branding and one for corporate branding. Methodology                   This study is based on a qualitative, deductive approach, with a case strategy. The empirical data is collected through personal interviews. Result                              We have come to the conclusion that the most important thing to be able to shape the corporate brand is to align your vision and values with the vision of the company. To be able to use your personal brand, you need to know who you are and what you hold to be true. We have also come to the conclusion that in what extent the leader can use the personal brand to shape the corporate brand will be dependent of different positions and different companies. However, we believe that leaders within every sector have more or less ability to use their personal brand to shape the corporate brand.

The aim of this thesis is to explore and illustrate empirically how brand values are co-created in communication by users on a corporate Facebook page. The text from two months of conversa-tion on IKEA Sweden’s Facebook page has been analyzed using qualitative and quantitative meth-ods. The concept of value co-creation has been excessively discussed in marketing literature during the last decades. In co-creation the customers, or stakeholders, create value together with the brands, but how this happens in communication on the social media remains to be further exam-ined. This thesis takes a close perspective of the phenomenon and the result shows how a few brand values of the IKEA brand are recurrently reinforced in the text communication as IKEA and other users of their Facebook page share practical advices, emotions, and thoughts. The communication is surprisingly friendly and supportive, the atmosphere reminds of a big family, an IKEA family, even though users don’t know each other. The social values appear to be of fun-damental importance as one of the world’s largest furnisher retailers uses the world’s largest social media, and these values are co-created between the users in the IKEA Facebook community. Fur-thermore, there is a brand value of IKEA explaining that IKEA understands their customers living situations and needs. This value is continuously co-created as employees of IKEA talks with cus-tomers and learn from what is said, commented and suggested on their corporate Facebook page.