Goal of my diploma thesis is evaluation of premium car brands on the Czech market in terms of market share and image among the target group. The thesis is divided into eight chapters. First chapter is focused on basic marketing terminology and strategic marketing. Second chapter describes marketing mix in detail. Third chapter defines brand, specifies differences between premium and luxury brand, summarizes brand functions for the consumer as well as for the company, describes brand valuation models and finally defines brand identity, brand image and positioning. Fourth chapter analyses market shares developent of leading premium and luxury car brands on the Czech market. Fifth chapter introduces and evaluates model portfolios of selected premium and luxury car brands. Sixth chapter describes target groups of the most successful premium car brands according to their brand identity. Seventh chapter summarizes results of my own survey and define the image of the leading premium car brands. Last chapter involves my suggestions and recommandations which lead to better position of the leading premium car brands on the Czech market.

Le Vietnam est un marché très potentiel pour les marques de soin de la peau. Dans le prémium segment, les produits importés prennent la part totale du marché avec une croissance annuelle de 18 à 35 % dans ces dernières années 2010-2014 (Euromonitor 2015). Dans ce secteur, le seul terme commun utilise ‘mỹ phẩm cao cấp’ (prémium cosmétique) implique les marques de luxe (ex : Clinique, Estée Lauder, Lancôme, Sisley, Shiseido, SKII, Menard, Ohui…) et les marque non-luxe mais haut de gamme (ex : Vichy, Dr.Spiller, Swissline, Dermalogica, Tenamid…). Jusqu’à maintenant, le segment de luxe a bien été abordé, pourtant le segment de haut de gamme ne fait pas encore l’attention des chercheurs. A côté, les vietnamiens par tradition mènent une vie simple et modeste, ce qui est à l’encontre du phénomène de consommation ostentatoire des produits de luxe qui a été largement discuté dans les pays émergeants. Par conséquent, les influences culturelles au marché Vietnamien devrait être revisité dans cette thèse. Alors, comment les consommateurs vietnamiens perçoivent les produits de soin de la peau de luxe et ceux de haut de gamme ? Pourquoi ils choisissent les produits de luxe et pour quoi ils choisissent les produits de haut de gamme ? Quelles sont les facteurs culturels qui influence leur choix ? Cette thèse est pour but de répondre à ces questions tout en générant des implications managériales et académiques importantes pour le marché vietnamien. Dans la partie théorique, cette thèse approche les trois axes théoriques comme les concepts de luxe et de haut-de-gamme, les consommateurs, et les influences culturelles avec des spécificités du marché vietnamien. La partie empirique de cette thèse contient 5 études qualitatives (les records audio spontanés, les discussions en groupe, l’enquête sur le prix de vente, la collection des photos et les entretiens individuels). Les résultats de la revue de littérature et des analyses des données confirment 7 propositions de recherche : [...] Cette thèse contribue à rafraîchir les connaissances sur une économie émergente et en transition tel est le Vietnam. Elle aide les managers à avoir une stratégie dynamique sur la segmentation des produits prémiums (luxe vis-à-vis haut-de-gamme) ainsi que de prendre conscience de la potentialité des consommateurs traditionnels non-ostentatoires Vietnamiens. Elle donne aussi une suggestion aux chercheurs d’étudier une nouvelle perception des marques de luxe et de haut de gamme dans les marchés émergents ; ainsi l’attention sur le pays d’origine devrait être donnée non seulement aux pays de l’Ouest (développés) mais aux aussi autres pays couronnés de succès actuellement comme la Corée du Sud dans les études du marché vietnamien. / Vietnam is a promising market for skincare brands. In premium segment, foreign imported products take the total share with an annual sales increase of 18 to 35 % during the last period 2010-2014 (Euromonitor 2015). Though vietnamese consumers have one common term for this segment as ‘mỹ phẩm cao cấp’ (premium cosmetics), it includes in fact luxury brands (eg : Clinique, Estee Lauder, Lancôme, Sisley, Shiseido, SKII, Menard, Ohui…) and non-luxury but high-end brands (eg: Vichy, Dr.Spiller, Swissline, Dermalogica, Tenamid…). Researchers so far have approached luxury segment but not yet adequately paid attention on the non-luxury but high-end segment in Vietnam. Besides, vietnamese people by culture appraised simplicity and modesty in actual life ; this is contrary to a phenomenon of conspicuous luxury consumption that has been heavily discussed by researchers in emerging economies so far. As such, existent and new cultural trends in Vietnam also is to be revisited in this thesis. So, how vietnamese consumers perceived luxury and high-end skincare brand products ? Why they choose luxury brands and why they choose high-end brand ? Which cultural factors influence their consumption choice ? This thesis is for an aim to find answers to these questions in enabling important managerial and academic implications for the vietnamese market.In theoretical part, this thesis approaches in three axes as luxury and high-end brand concepts, consumers, and cultural influences in stressing on the specificities of vietnamese market. The empirical part of this thesis contains 5 qualitative studies (random records, focus group discussion, market price survey, photo collection and in-depth interview). The results of theoretical review and data analysis confirmed 7 research propositions: 1/ During the economic transition period, vietnamese consumers are supposed not to have clear perception on luxury and high-end brand skincare products; 2/ Vietnamese traditional consumers was supposed not to be conspicuous but quality seeking in premium skincare consumption; 3/ By Korean cultural influence, there exists a behavioral preference of Korean high-end skincare products by vietnamese consumers; 4a/ Comparing to vietnamese young traditional consumers, elder consumers are less product-involved, less knowledgeable on brands, more advice-seeking and brand committed; 4b/ Comparing to elder traditional consumers, young consumers are more product-involved, more knowledgeable on brands, more self-information seeking and self-decisive and less brand committed; 5/ Vietnamese traditional consumers prefer luxury skincare products because of the quality assurance, of which elder consumers rely on price cue and young consumers rely on brand cue; 6/ Vietnamese traditional prefer high-end products because of price-quality, of which elder consumers rely on advice cue and young consumers rely on self-judgment.This thesis contributes to a refreshing knowledge on such emerging and transition markets as Vietnam. It helps managers to have dynamic strategy on premium product segmentation (luxury versus high-end products) as well as to acknowledge of the big potentiality of vietnamese traditional and non-conspicuous consumers. It also give a hint to academic researchers for studying a new perception of luxury and high-end brands in emerging markets as well as to pay attention on not only COO from Western/developed countries but also from such successful Asian country as Korea in study vietnamese market.

Balenciaga was one of the most influential fashion brands of 2022. Due to the attention the brand gets in traditional and social media, and their tendency to address political issues during their fashion shows, I consider it relevant to analyse what the brand communicates ideologically. Hence, this study aims to investigate what ideological values are portrayed through audio-visual elements in Balenciaga’s marketing of the Winter 22 collection. A multimodal critical discourse analysis was made on the Winter 22 runway show and campaign video – with support from theories concerning semiotics, discourse, ideology, hegemony, and brand positioning.   The study resulted in four ideological discursive main themes: climate, flight, celebrities, and fashion. Throughout the material a climate discourse was seemingly produced using extreme weather such as snowstorm, flooding, and drought. Grave-looking models walking through a snowstorm in impractical clothing, and the reading of a pro-Ukraine poem gave rise to a flight discourse – a flight caused by climate change or war. The campaign video had a visual focus on celebrities known for their work in popular culture or sports. A fourth pervading theme was fashion, showing a fixation on appearance despite harsh circumstances. These main discourses were used in a marketing genre implicating Balenciaga used climate change and social and political issues to generate more sales. Altogether, in the marketing of the Winter 22 collection Balenciaga used discourses regarding climate, flight, celebrities, and fashion to reproduce the western society’s hegemonic ideologies such as capitalism, materialism, consumerism, individualism, and elitism.

Lyxvarumärken har en status att erhålla, som är en utmaning, speciellt i ett samhälle somutvecklas snabbt genom teknologi. Därmed befinner sig lyxvarumärken på en marknad medhög efterfrågan. För att kunna hålla sig väsentlig i dagens samhälle är det viktigt förlyxvarumärken att vara medveten om sina marknadsföringsstrategier. Till följd av detta harlyxvarumärken behövt omvärdera sina marknadsföringsplaner, och ett sätt somlyxvarumärken marknadsför sig idag är genom sociala medie marknadsföringsaktiviteter(SMMA). Denna studie undersöker hur SMMAs dimensioner kan bidra till en förbättradkundlojalitet för lyxvarumärken. Genom en kombination av empirisk forskning och teoretiskaperspektiv analyseras SMMAs olika dimensioner: Underhållning, Interaktion, Trendighet,Anpassning och eWOM för att kartlägga dess roll i att skapa och stärka kundens anknytningtill lyxvarumärken. För att uppnå dessa mål genomfördes en kvalitativ intervjuundersökning där respondenterdelade sina upplevelser av att följa och interagera med lyxvarumärken på sociala medier.Dessutom användes en teoretisk ram för att kontextualisera och förstå resultaten i förhållandetill befintlig forskning och teori om marknadsföring och kundlojalitet. Genom att även observera sambandet mellan SMMA och kundrespons har studien kunnatmed detalj se hur konsumenters kundlojalitet påverkas. Resultatet betonar att Underhållning,Interaktion och eWOM identifieras som de mest inflytelserika aspekterna för att skapaintresse och engagemang hos kunderna med lyxvarumärken. Dessa insikter kan vara enavgörande betydelse för utformning av effektiva marknadsföringsstrategier förlyxvarumärken. Genom att tillämpa SMMA på ett korrekt sätt kan lyxvarumärken skapapositiva upplevelser för sina kunder och därmed förbättra kundlojaliteten. / Luxury brands have a status to sustain, which is a challenge, especially in a society that develops fast with the help of technology, thus luxury brands find themselves in a market with high demand. In order for luxury brands to stay relevant in today's society, it is important for luxury brands to reflect about their marketing strategies. This leads to luxury brand shaving to be aware of their marketing plans, for example through social media and throughso-called social media marketing activities (SMMA). This study explores how the dimensions of SMMA contribute to enhanced customer loyalty for luxury brands. Through a combination of empirical research and theoretical perspectives analyze SMMA's different dimensions: Entertainment, Interaction, Trendiness, Customization and eWOM to map its role in creatingand strengthening the customer's connection to luxury brands. To achieve these objectives, a qualitative interview study was conducted where respondents shared their experiences of following and interacting with luxury brands through social media. Additionally, a theoretical framework was used to contextualize and understand the results in relation to existing research and theories on marketing and customer loyalty. By examining the relationship between SMMA and customer response, the study has been able to see in detail how consumer loyalty is impacted. The results emphasize that Entertainment, Interaction, and eWOM were identified as the most influential aspects ingeneration interest and engagement among customers with luxury brands. These insights can be crucial for developing effective marketing strategies for luxury brands. By implementing SMMA correctly, luxury brands can create positive experiences for their customers, thereby enhancing customer loyalty.

Background: All brands need to keep moving and to keep building their stories by bringing new and exciting products or experiences. During the last twenty years, companies have been more and more convinced that their brands are among their most valuable resources and today we see an increasing trend of brand extension attempts, however with a significant number of failures, as well.The strategies of how a brand extension should be done, have been published in several books during the last decades. Despite of this, some companies still do not see the link between brand extension and business development. There seem to be a certain lack of knowledge and understanding of the underlying factors that affect a brand extension. In this study, we would therefore like to examine and identify these different factors in order to create a greater understanding of branding strategies.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to research, describe and analyse the nature of horizontal brand extensions in order to create a theory regarding the essential key factors to take into consideration before considering an extension. Based on the theory, the hypothesis will be tested empirically in order to strengthen- or reject it.Methodology: This study is made with a deductive approach, where the theoretical framework, based on previous presented theories, has led to the conformation of our hypothesis, which has later on been applied to the findings from the empirical researches in order to confirm or discard our hypothesis.The empirical basis consists of qualitative interviews with respondents from two companies with experience from horizontal brand extension: Craft of Scandinavia and Peak Performance.Conclusion: Our conclusion from this research is that for a horizontal extension to be successful it must:‐ Be a part of a brand with a clear brand image and plan, for the brand ­‐ Fit the brand ‐ Live up to the original brand promise - Fit with the old associations and generate new, positive associations to the brand ­‐ Have high perceived quality and trust in the mind of the customer- Be a part of a risk evaluation in order to limit the risks and obtain a more realistic view of the extension. / Program: Textil produktutveckling med entreprenörs- och affärsinriktning