Yes / Brands that do good for the society as well as for themselves are motivated by the core values they espouse, which necessitates a better understanding of what qualities a true core value must possess. The inherent tension within brands that do good, between commercial interests to increase competitiveness, and societal interests that are closely linked to the brand’s authenticity, has largely been overlooked. Hence, we develop and demonstrate a relatively easy-to-apply visual tool for evaluating core values based on a set of ‘goodness’ criteria derived from extant theory. The Core Value Compass adopts a paradox-based, evolutionary perspective by incorporating the inherent tensions within true core values, and classifying them according to their temporal orientation. Thus, we contribute towards a better understanding of underlying tensions of core values and provide a practical tool that paves the way for improved, and indeed ethical, corporate branding strategies. Furthermore, we demonstrate the Compass’ application using the case of a public sector brand, which is a quintessential brand that does good. Therefore, we also contribute to the nascent theoretical discourse on public sector branding. This paper therefore adds to the notable attempts to bridge the gap between theory and practice in core values-based corporate branding.

Sammanfattning I dagens läge är konkurrensen inom livsmedelsbranschen stenhård och företag försöker på alla möjliga sätt att marknadsföra sina produkter. Dock räcker det inte med att endast göra reklam för sina produkter, utan man måste integrera med kunderna och skapa underlag som möjliggör en positiv varumärkesimage i kundernas ögon och får dem att känna en positiv känsla inför företagets varumärke. Ett sätt att dra detta ett steg längre är att använda sig av corporate branding, som syftar till att man använder sig av ett varumärke som är detsamma som företagsnamnet. Detta kan vara såväl positivt som negativt, då företaget måste vara väldigt konsekventa i hela företagskedjan, eftersom konsumenterna kommer bedöma företaget och dess produkter utifrån helhetsintrycket och inte bara på hur bra de upplever att den specifika produkten är. Ett dåligt bemötande av en medarbetare, som arbetar för företaget, kan leda till att konsumenter väljer bort det varumärket vid inköpet. Varje anställd är en marknadsförare av företaget och dess egna varumärken med samma namn. Denna studie undersöker hur kunder upplever förändringen i sina inköp av ICA:s  lågprisprodukter efter övergången från Euroshopper till ICA Basic, samt vilka faktorer som påverkar denna eventuella förändring. Vi undersöker även vilket lågprismärke som föredras och vilka faktorer som ligger till grund för att konsumenten väljer ett visst varumärke. Underlaget till undersökningen har införskaffats via en enkätundersökning där 100 respondenter vid eller kring ICA Maxi Strömpilen i Umeå tillfrågades. Vår data visade att respondenterna i genomsnitt upplevde att deras egna inköp av ICA:s lågprisprodukter hade ökat något, i och med övergången till ICA Basic. Regressionen av vår första modell visade att de faktorer som påverkade denna upplevda ökning var kvalité och respondentens egen erfarenhet av märket. Regressionen av vår andra modell visade att valet av lågprismärke påverkas av vilken favoritaffär man har, vilket kön man är, samt ens egna erfarenheter av märket. Undersökningen visar också att konsumenter överlag håller ICA Basic som ett bättre varumärke och produkt än Euroshopper, samt övriga lågpriskonkurrenters varumärken. ICA:s satsning på eget lågprisvarumärke, som inkluderar namnet ICA, har enligt vår undersökning slagit väl ut. Då respondenterna, överlag, anser ICA Basic vara en positivare upplevelse än framförallt föregångaren, men även konkurrerande varumärken. Vidare drar vi slutsatsen att respondenterna ökat sina inköp av ICA:s lågprisprodukter, efter lanseringen av ICA Basic.

Purpose - The purpose of this research is to explore if there is a viable way for a newly brand to speed up the process of creating and acquiring the brand equity. Since branding is a very broad area, we narrow the research down to brand alliance for startups. With this research, we aim to deep into the subject to understand how this has been done and could be done.   Research Question - How can a start-up make brand associations with other well-known brands, in order to leverage their equity and acquire its own?   Methodology - Qualitative research method is applied through an interview to the case study company. This research is conducted in inductive reasoning which conforms to the qualitative paradigm. In addition, the research approach is an interpretive that has a view of subjectivism ontology. By looking into our case company, the description of each of the co-branding partnerships performed with its partners is examined. The information is gathered via an interview to the case company as well as secondary sources.   Findings - This research indicates that the case company has greatly benefited from the large number of co-branding partnerships with other well-known brands. It has benefited both in terms of gaining brand awareness and brand image, as well as accessing the customer base of its partners. It is an indication that a new start-up can speed up the process of branding and customers acquisition by engaging in co-branding partnerships.

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.

The concept of branding has been developed mainly in the perspectives of product and corporate. Nowadays, there is an emerging trend and attention to be made on the concept of branding cites. As thought from the perspective of product, the promotion of city has been considered mainly from tourism point of view. Nevertheless, there is increasing number of researchers have started to consider the city branding more broadly and from the perspective of corporate branding. Furthermore, since the importance of communication, especially among different stakeholders, has been emphasized in corporate branding literatures, few literatures in city branding have started to mention the linkage between corporate branding and city branding in this aspect. This paper is then focused on the stakeholder communication strategies in both corporate and city branding, with the identification of major stakeholder in city branding: the local residents/service providers. Then potential stakeholder communication strategies for city branding are developed from the corporate branding literatures and discussed with primary research results from the Design District Helsinki project. In addition, possible application to Taipei City is also discussed.

Abstract This study examines the phenomenon of corporate brand co-creation in the context of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in business-to-business (B2B) markets. The aim of this study is to better understand how external stakeholders co-create a corporate brand—brand image and identity—and what characterises these brand co-creative stakeholder relationships. Branding is regarded as a social and interactive process in which the company and its stakeholders are both considered active participants. In addition to the corporate branding literature, this study builds on industrial network theory, service-dominant logic and organisational identity theory. The empirical contribution of the study is conducted using qualitative interview and case study methods to analyse the phenomenon longitudinally and from a multi-stakeholder perspective. The primary empirical data are generated through interviews of B2B SME experts and the case company’s management, employees and key partners during the period 2010–2013. Narrative approach is employed in the data generation and analysis. The study shows that corporate branding is a holistic process that is influenced by various stakeholders. In particular, the key partners can be actively involved in co-creating a company’s corporate brand. External stakeholders are involved in corporate branding through interactions with the company and other stakeholders. The study identifies a number of co-creative actions performed by external stakeholders that influence the corporate brand image, either directly or indirectly. The study also shows that stakeholder cooperation, interaction and dialogue are central in corporate brand identity development, as they help companies to understand and adapt to the competitive environment and to define the corporate brand’s unique and central features in relation to it. At the relationship level, corporate brand co-creative stakeholder relationships are characterised by dependency and mutuality. The significance of various stakeholder relationships in branding, however, varies across situations, at different stages of the company’s lifecycle and at the relationship portfolio level; they can be understood as context-dependent, evolving and dynamic. Managers can use the findings of this study to identify the key stakeholders that are central in co-creating corporate brands and to employ their resources and integrate their activities to strengthen the corporate brand. / Tiivistelmä Tämä väitöskirja tutkii yritysbrändin yhteisluomista yritystenvälisillä markkinoilla (B2B) toimivien pk-yritysten kontekstissa. Tutkimus pyrkii ymmärtämään miten yrityksen ulkoiset sidosryhmät osallistuvat yritysbrändin – brändi-imagon ja -identiteetin – luomiseen ja mikä on luonteenomaista yritysbrändiä yhteisluoville sidosryhmäsuhteille. Brändäystä tarkastellaan sosiaalisena ja vuorovaikutteisena prosessina jossa yritys ja sen eri sidosryhmät nähdään aktiivisina toimijoina. Tutkimus nojaa brändikirjallisuuden lisäksi verkostoteoriaan, palvelulähtöiseen ajatteluun sekä organisaatioidentiteetti-teoriaan. Tutkimuksen empiirinen osuus toteutettiin laadullisena haastattelu- ja tapaustutkimuksena jossa ilmiötä tarkasteltiin eri sidosryhmien näkökulmasta sekä pitkittäisesti. Tutkimuksen ensisijainen empiirinen aineisto kerättiin haastattelemalla B2B pk-yritystoiminnan asiantuntijoita sekä tapausyrityksen johtoa, henkilöstöä ja avainyhteistyökumppaneita vuosina 2010–2013. Aineiston keruussa ja analyysissa on käytetty narratiivista lähestymistapaa. Tutkimus osoittaa että yritysbrändäys on kokonaisvaltainen prosessi johon vaikuttaa yrityksen lisäksi myös sen eri sidosryhmät. Erityisesti avainyhteistyökumppanit voivat olla aktiivisesti mukana luomassa yrityksen brändiä. Yrityksen ulkoiset sidosryhmät osallistuvat yritysbrändin luomiseen vuorovaikutuksessa yrityksen sekä muiden sidosryhmien kanssa. Tutkimuksessa tunnistetaan useita ulkoisten sidosryhmien brändiä yhteisluovia toimintoja, jotka vaikuttavat yritysbrändi-imagoon joko suoraan tai epäsuorasti. Tutkimus osoittaa lisäksi, että yhteistyö, vuorovaikutus ja dialogi sidosryhmien kanssa ovat keskeisessä roolissa yritysbrändi-identiteetin kehittymisessä, sillä ne auttavat yritystä ymmärtämään sen kilpailuympäristöä, sopeutumaan sen vaatimuksiin sekä määrittelemään brändin keskeiset erottuvuustekijät suhteessa siihen. Tutkimuksen perusteella yritysbrändiä yhteisluoville sidosryhmäsuhteille on suhdetasolla ominaista riippuvuus ja vastavuoroisuus. Eri sidosryhmäsuhteiden merkitys yritysbrändin kannalta vaihtelee eri tilanteissa sekä yrityksen eri elämänvaiheissa. Suhdeportfoliotasolla brändiä yhteisluovia sidosryhmäsuhteita voidaankin luonnehtia kontekstisidonnaisiksi, muuttuviksi ja dynaamisiksi. Tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää yritysbrändäyksen kannalta keskeisten sidosryhmien tunnistamisessa sekä niiden resurssien hyödyntämisessä ja toimintojen integroimisessa brändäyksessä.

“What role did branding play in the social marketing processes of the three Schwab Foundation award winning social enterprises (SEs)?” The research problem, as well as the research questions, revolve around the issue of establishing how branding may be employed as part of the social marketing process in such a way as to increase the competitiveness of those organisations known as social enterprises (SEs). This study investigates three SEs whose Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) have won The Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur (SFSE) of the Year Awards, to determine how branding was used as a communication tool to position their organisations as leaders and differentiators in the development sector. The three SEs that were chosen as case study organisations are: Soul City, Heartbeat and the Johannesburg Housing Company (JHC). The theoretical context focuses firstly on the non-profit sector in South Africa as the context and environment of this study, more specifically, the evolution of non-profit organisations (NPOs) into Social Enterprises (SEs). This is followed by defining communication principles and applications as they appear in both profit-driven and non-profit organisations/social enterprises (NPOs/SEs). This is applied in two different communication contexts: communication within corporate organisations and communication within development organisations. The last theoretical focus is placed on understanding what branding means, a description of the different branding categories, and a view of the evolution of branding to brand building and brand leadership. This is followed by a discussion on the importance of brand identity and equity in the process of brand development, brand management and measurement, including a presentation of the main role players in this brand-building process. Branding is then discussed as it is applied in SEs, outlining what a strong brand could do for the development sector. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research approaches are utilised; more specifically a qualitative research approach, supported by a quantitative one, referred to as the “dominant less-dominant model”. This study is based on the grounded theory model supported by a collective case study approach, also referred to as “building theories from case study research”. The study further indicates the theory that was generated by this study, namely “The Social Enterprise (SE) branding layered grounded theory model”. Whereas the 1st layer displays the important role that the NPO/SE sector if fulfilling in modern society; the 2nd layer the specific space and linkages of SEs with the different other society sectors are explained; the 3rd layer positions/similar to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs with the growth path of NPOs towards SEs and their own sustainability on the NPO/SE pyramid model; the 4th layer indicates the fact that the same corporate communication principles applies to the development sector; and the 5th layer stresses the important role that branding plays as the core element of a corporate communication strategy. In summary, the study found that a lack of implementation of corporate communication in NPOs and SEs, more specifically the absence of a corporate identity, image and a strategic brand management process, has a direct impact on the effectiveness of SEs’ communication and limits the achievement of their developmental objectives. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2013 / Information Science / unrestricted

No / Purpose: The aim of this research is to investigate how local company web sites can contribute towards the value and characteristics of city brands online, particularly where post-industrial cities are concerned, and to establish a predictive model for this. Design/methodology/approach: Interviews were conducted to gain an understanding of how post-industrial city brands can be influenced by local companies, leading to the notion of a 'constructed' city brand. An overarching brand model was developed based on the works of Christodoulides et al. and Merrilees and Fry and a survey of company web sites conducted. Structural equation modelling was then fitted to these data. Findings: Trustworthiness, responsiveness, online experience and emotional connection were confirmed as dimensions of company online brand value. It was further shown that company brand and constructed city brand are influenced by customer perceptions of brand value. Company brand was not, however, related to constructed city brand for the case study of Bradford, UK, which has a pervading negative reputation. Originality/value: A model incorporating company brand and city brand has been developed and validated for a typical post-industrial city that is in decline. The influence that local companies can exert on these brands via their web sites and behaviours was established. It is further demonstrated that company brands become disassociated from a city if it has a negative brand image.

Employer branding är ett omfattande begrepp som används i många organisationer. Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva hur kommuner använde sig av employer branding utifrån att behålla och attrahera kompetens. Genom en kvalitativ semistrukturerad intervju med 20 frågor som utformades utifrån vår teoretiska referensram, samlades data in från fem olika HR befattningar i varierande åldrar och kön från 5 kommuner. Dessa kommuner låg i samma geografiska område. Vi gjorde intervjuerna på plats förutom från en respondent som gjordes på Skype. Efter intervjuerna så analyserades data med hjälp av vår teoretiska referensram. Genom empirin identifierades teman som utgick employer branding för att attrahera och behålla kompetens. Samt utmaningar som finns i kommunerna och hur dessa hanteras genom employer branding. Därefter kunde kategorier urskiljas utifrån temat hur kommuner använder sig av employer branding, vilket var varumärken, extern och intern branding. Utifrån det andra temat utmaningar kunde kategorierna urskilja ett rekryteringsbehov utifrån demografi, fördomar gentemot offentlig verksamhet och problematiken att attrahera unga och nyutexaminerade.Genom den empiriska analysen och slutsatsen visade sig att kommunerna använde sig av exponering i fysisk form och på digitala plattformar för en extern employer branding. Genom att få sin personal att trivas, införa ambassadörskap i organisationen och använda aspekter ur talent management som kompetensutveckling, så användes intern employer branding. Utmaningarna hos kommunerna var att kunna informera externt och internt om hur offentlig verksamhet arbetar, attrahera mer unga genom incitament och olika plattformar samt hitta tillvägagångssätt för att få människor att arbeta heltid istället för deltid. / Employer branding is a comprehensive concept used in many organizations. The purpose of this study is to describe how municipalities used employer branding to retain and attract competence. This was done through a qualitative semi-structured interview with 20 questions. The questions were designed based on our theoretical frame of reference. The data was collected from five different HR positions in varying ages and gender, originated from five different municipalities. These municipalities were in the same geographical area. The interviews was made in person apart from one interview which was done on Skype. After the interviews, the data was analysed using our theoretical frame of reference. Through empirics, themes were identified that were based on the koncept employer branding to attract and retain skills and what challenges exists and how they are handled through employer branding. Subsequently, categories could be distinguished based on the theme how municipalities use employer branding, which was branding, external and internal branding. Based on the second theme challenges, the categories were able to distinguish a need for recruitment based on demographics, prejudices against public activities and to attract young and new graduates.Through the empirical analysis and conclusion, it turned out that the municipalities used exposure in physical form and on digital platforms for an external employer branding. By getting their employees thriving, introducing ambassadorship in the organization and using aspects from talent management as competence development, internal employer branding was used. The challenges faced by the municipalities and how they are handled through employer branding were to inform externally and internally about how public activities work, attract more young people through incentives and different platforms and find ways of getting people to work full time instead of part-time.

Cette recherche teste de manière empirique la valeur d'une marque de société pour ses actionnaires et les propriétés de la marque en réduisant les risques à un niveau corporatif. Ce processus s'opère indépendamment des récessions économiques. Les études précédentes, ayant établi une relation entre les activités de marketing et la création de la valeur pour les actionnaires, se concentrent principalement sur les marques des produits plutôt que la valeur d'une marque de société et négligent le contrôle des autres variables financières et de performance de marché. Cette recherche est fondée sur la théorie du positivisme. La théorie du positivisme postule que la seule connaissance authentique est celle basée sur l’expérience et la réalité. L’échantillonnage aléatoire des données a été choisi pour la partie quantitative de cette étude et pour la section qualitative de cette recherche, l’auteur a choisi l’échantillonnage et la technique principale de recueillir des données est l’observation.La contribution principale de cette étude à la littérature est précisément la marque commerciale, ses caractéristiques de mélange du risque et de la création de richesse pour les actionnaires, et l'utilisation des contrôles financiers et de marché, tout en vérifiant les relations entre contrôles financiers et contrôles de marché. En utilisant les données annuelles du sondage Interbrand entre 1994 et 2008, l’auteur trouve une preuve forte pour les entreprises qui possèdent une ou plusieurs marques globales très connues et la richesse pour les actionnaires. Ce résultat est cohérent avec la théorie actuelle de la marque qui postule que les efforts liés au développement d'une marque ajoutent de la valeur à l’entreprise et démontrent des caractéristiques12de variation du risque. Les résultats demeurent solides à la suite de l'analyse factorielle et de la régression multivariée. Dans la partie qualitative de la recherche, l’auteur présente des cas relativement notoires de marques corporatives – leur histoire et la raison expliquant leur succès ainsi que les différentes politiques de marque sont soulignées. Cette section peut être considérée la validation qualitative des résultats quantitatifs. Il s'agit donc d'une méthodologie de triangulation. Les cadres conceptuels et les modèles théoriques ont été monopolisés afin d’analyser davantage les cas qualitatifs de cette recherche. Cette perspective additionnelle a renforcé et mis en valeur nos résultats quantitatifs. / This research tests to analyze if solid corporate brands create wealth for shareholders; and have risk reducing properties. Previous studies that were relating marketing with the creation of shareholder value worked on product brands. This research is based on theory of positivism; positivism states that true knowledge is based on verification. Random sampling was chosen for the quantitative part of this study, and for the qualitative section of this research we chose purposive sampling. Observation is used as the main data collection technique.13The most important contribution of this research to the field of branding is precisely the focus on corporate brand, its risk reducing and creation of wealth for shareholders. Using data between 1994 and 2008, we find strong evidence that corporations that own superior corporate brands create wealth for stakeholders of companies. Later in the qualitative part of this research we went through some fairly known cases of corporate brands – their stories and how they managed to succeed were explained and some of their branding policies were highlighted. This part is seen as qualitative validation of quantitative results through triangulation method. Conceptual frameworks and theoretical models were implemented to further analyze the qualitative cases for this research; this added perspective reinforced and supported our quantitative findings.