Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to explore and analyze perceptions and attitudes of Facebook users as consumers and merchants; investigate which perceived risks, if any, function as adoption barriers of f-commerce. Methodology: The study adopts a mixed method approach. It uses the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation technique (ZMET method) and focus groups to explore consumers’ perceptions and their mental maps. In-depth interviews with SMEs were also part of the qualitative design. A survey was conducted among consumers based on the qualitative findings to construct a perceptual map of f-commerce, which denotes the perceived-risks that were transferred from Facebook and e-commerce.  Theoretical perspective: The study builds on prior literature of perceived risks as adoption barriers in e-commerce and social networks, brand extension and product sequence attributes transfer. Further, theories on perception and attitudes, categorization, values and mental maps were used in order to apply the ZMET method and the perceptual map.  Empirical data: Data was collected for four weeks via sixteen ZMET interviews, two focus groups and a survey with two-hundred and sixty four respondents from a sample of three-hundred and eighty existent and potential consumers. Further to this, ten in-depth interviews and one ZMET interview were conducted with existing and potential merchants. Conclusion: Perceived risks such as performance, social, privacy, physical, psychological, security, time and financial were identified in consumers as adoption barriers of f-commerce, and transferred from Facebook as a parent brand.  Overall lack of trust towards apps, brand pages and f-commerce is a latent aspect for consumers, where privacy and safe processing of credit cards are crucial factors. Category-product risks were concerns in general but not substantial. When it comes to merchants, they share the same perceived risks than consumers except for privacy, which was not an important factor to them. Besides, the dependence of internal and external changes of Facebook was perceived as a network externality risk, in terms of investment threat.

Many luxury companies within the fashion industry today choose to extend their brands downwards in order to reach new customer segments and hence increase their profitability. A brand extension strategy that leverages the core values of the luxury brand is a new possibility for luxury brands to position themselves towards a broader customer base. Meanwhile there is a risk that the extension dilutes the image of the luxury brand and has a negative effect on the company in the long term. Thus a tradeoff exists between becoming more accessible and maintaining the exclusivity of the luxury brand. The objective of this thesis is to investigate how luxury brands that perform downward brand extensions to reach new markets can succeed with this strategy without diluting the brand image. This is achieved by studying the perceptions of the new target segment towards the extension of luxury brands. The results of the study show that the risk of brand dilution is minimized when the core values of the luxury brand are transferred to the brand extension while the extension at the same time is successfully targeted towards the specific customer segment. / Många lyxföretag inom modebranchen idag väljer att använda sig av varumärkesutvidgning nedåt för att nå ut till nya kundsegment och därigenom öka sin lönsamhet. Varumärkesutvidgningsstrategin som drar nytta av lyxvarumärkets kärnvärden är ett nytt sätt för lyxvarumärken att positionera sig gentemot en bredare kundbas. Samtidigt finns dock risken att utvidgningen kan ge upphov till urvattning av lyxvarumärkets image samt skada varumärket och därigenom påverka företaget negativt på sikt. Det finns således en balansgång mellan tillgänglighet och exklusivitet för lyxvarumärken. Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur lyxvarumärken som utvidgar sig nedåt för att nå en ny marknad kan lyckas med denna strategi utan att samtidigt urvattna sitt varumärke. Detta genom att undersöka den nya målgruppens uppfattningar kring varumärkesutvidgning av lyxvarumärken. Studiens resultat visar att risken för varumärkesurvattning minimeras då lyxvarumärkets kärnvärden överförs till utvidgningen samtidigt som den nischas mot den specifika målgruppen.

The concept of brand equity emerged inthe eightiesto justify the long term value of marketing investments. Brand equity signify the value that a brand adds to a product and is the result of the marketing of a brand. One of the most widely used strategies to enhance brand equity is to do a brand extension, which means that a firm uses an established brand to introduce a new product to the market. At worst, a failed brand extension can damage the brand equity, which Vinjamuri (2008) claims that the brand Axe is currently in danger of doing. This January Axe launched an extention including products for both men and women for the first time and Vinjamuri claims that this can disappoint Axe´s former target group (men between 14 and 27 years old) (Newman, 2012).  In this thesis Axe´s brand equity among the extensions target group (men and women, age 14 to 27) in Sweden is studied to find out if the brand extension is likely to affect the brand equity in the target group. The research, that is mainly based on theory by Keller et al. (2008), is made through a comperative study of two groups, where one group is given information about the brand extension. The results of the research indicate that Axe's brand equity is neutral or negative among the target group and that the brand extension has no noticable impact on Axe´s brand equity. / Under 80-talet uppkom konceptet varumärkesvärde för att motivera det långsiktiga värdet av marknadsföringsinvesteringar. Varumärkesvärdet betecknar det mervärde varumärket tillför en produkt och är ett resultat av marknadsföring av varumärket. En av de mest använda strategierna för att stärka varumärkesvärdet är att genomföra varumärkesutvidgningar, vilket innebär att ett befintligt varumärke används för ett nytt marknadserbjudande. Om en varumärkesutvidgning misslyckas kan den i värsta fall skada varumärkesvärdet, något som Vinjamuri (2008) menar att varumärket Axe riskerar att göra i dagsläget. I januari i år lanserade Axe för första gången en varumärkesutvidgning som innehåller produkter för både kvinnor och män, vilket enligt Vinjamuri kan göra Axe:s tidigare målgrupp (män i åldern 14-27) besvikna (Newman, 2012). I denna uppsats undersöks Axe:s varumärkesvärde hos målgruppen (kvinnor och män i åldern 14-27 år) för utvidgningen i Sverige för att ta reda på om varumärkesutvidgningen kan tänkas påverka varumärkesvärdet hos målgruppen. Undersökningen som huvudsakligen utformats enligt teori ur Keller et al. (2008) görs genom en jämförande studie av två grupper varav den ena gruppen får information om varumärkesutvidningen. Undersökningens resultat tyder på att Axe:s varumärkevärde är neutralt eller negativt hos målgruppen och att Axe Anarchy inte har någon märkbar påverkan på varumärkesvärdet. / Linn Gustafsson, Emma Engqvist

The purpose of the study is to discuss the effect of three kinds of diversification strategies in the smart phone industry: self-brand strategy, upward integration strategy and brand extension strategy. Based on the moderate effect of evaluation of firm and product involvement, the influence of these three strategies will be evaluated by consumer¡¦s view when firms who are smart phone-related consider entering smart phone industry. Hon Hai, Canon and CHT were selected as cell phone equipment manufacturer, digital camera firm and internet service provider through pre-test 2. A 3(diversification strategy: self-brand strategy, upward integration strategy, brand extension strategy)x 2 (brand evaluation: high, low) experimental design collected data from white color workers and master students in NSYSU through 6 color printed advertisements. First of all, the result of search suggests that the willingness to buy is effected by different evaluations on cell phone equipment manufacturer and digital camera firm. Willingness to buy will be high if the evaluation of cell phone equipment manufacturer and digital camera firm is high too. However, for consumer, willingness to buy is not different whether the evaluation of internet service provider is high or low. Second, consumer involvement influences the behavior of buying smart phone. Consumer who is high-involvement has higher willingness to buy than low-involvement under three different strategies. Finally, willingness to buy is not different under these three strategies no matter what strategies firms adapt when they try to enter smart phone Industry.

For many enterprises, brand extension has played an important role in the new products developement and brand strategy. By using brand extension, corporation could reduce costs and effectivly gain their reputation while they sell new products. Recently, certain reserch about brand extension have shown that the key factor of successful brand extension lies in the connection between consumer brand extension and parent brand, the more related of the brands and the products, the higher of the effect of brand extension. In addition, self-construals also make effects in understanding the effects of brand extensions. In this study, we form the concept from this base and would like to exam the further extension effect of brand concept and the distance of each case. Also, we would like to testify how would different self-construals of consumer products works while they evaluate the products and try to examine their influence to consumer through advertising techniques by the extension of self-construals and product reviews. In this study, we use really existed brand as our studing case ,"Nike", "Adidas" and "New balance". We would like to explore the different brand extension degree lie in several types of consumer self-construals from the case. In this study, based on attitude function theory, we form the questions toward advertising manipulation of different attitudes inoder to explore whether consumer self-construals affect cognition, and thus affect the extension of consumer product evaluation. The results indicate that, in general, different types of consumer self-construals for evaluation of the product from the extension make significant difference in distance extension products. When the parent brand as a functional brand concept, no matter the distance or distance extension products, self-construals on the extension of product evaluation is not significant. The study also find that different attitude affects advertising strategy for the consumer, and have no significant effects for self-construals. In addition, they can not affect the extension of product evaluation.

產業競爭白熱化，產品創新成為勝敗關鍵，因此企業不斷推陳出新，造成產品生命周期縮短，市場上的競爭愈加激烈，企業如何使產品在消費者心中留下鮮明的印象呢？品牌是一個十分重要的、可操作的資產。對消費者而言，品牌降低了搜尋成本及風險、象徵產品的品質，同時也可喚起消費者的認同。對企業而言，品牌可防止仿冒，維持產品的獨特性，對抗削價競爭的壓力。 過去關於品牌延伸的研究已有許多，但大部份的研究多在探討「產品」品牌的延伸，實務上常見到的「產品」與「服務」交叉延伸的手法，卻少有研究探討此種延伸策略成效的影響因素，因此引發了本研究的興趣，希望從商品特性的角度，探討消費者對於產品品牌延伸與服務品牌延伸的評價有何差異，並且探討契合度、延伸成效等變數，對於商品特性影響力的調節效果。 正式研究採用實驗法來衡量消費者對於品牌延伸評價的差異，以文字操弄各品牌延伸之成功與失敗，受測產品為實際品牌丹堤咖啡店，以政治大學的大學生為主要的研究對象，並採用統計套裝軟體SPSS 10.0以進行資料分析及研究假設之驗證。實驗結果顯示： 1. 品牌延伸至「產品導向」商品時，消費者對於延伸商品與母品牌的評價皆較好；品牌延伸至「服務導向」商品時，消費者對於延伸商品與母品牌的評價皆較差。 2. 高契合度的品牌延伸對於消費者之延伸商品評價有著正向影響，低契合度對於消費者之延伸商品評價有著負向影響。 3. 高契合度的品牌延伸，不僅使得延伸商品的正面評價愈容易回饋到母品牌上，增強消費者對於母品牌的正面評價；在高契合度下，延伸商品的負面評價，也更容易回饋到母品牌上。

In recent years esports has evolved from strictly being a hobby of playing videos games for many to becoming a highly commercialized and professionalized sport. Nowadays, there are more unique viewers of the largest esport competitions than physical sport events like the NBA finals or the Super Bowl. With this growth, the field of esports has come under the radar for professional football clubs and several football clubs has made brand extensions into the field. The study has identified a gap of knowledge of why professional football clubs in Sweden extend their brand to the esport. Hence, the purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of how professional football clubs, on an elite level, can affect their brand through creating esports teams as brand extensions. Results show that professional football clubs can benefit from positive short - and long term effects by brand extensions to esports as well as enhance the brand equity of the sportclub. The football clubs suggest brand extensions to esports such as FIFA is logical to the clubs as the sports are much alike, which minimizes the risk, but also reduce the opportunities as FIFA is a relativity unpopular game, results show. However an brand extension to esports further away from the core of the football clubs was not an option at this point. The paper contributes with a introduction to the phenomenon that is esports and its effects on professional football clubs on an elite level, however we acknowledge that there is more research to be done in the field. / På senare år har e-sport utvecklats från att vara en fritidsaktivitet utövad genom tv-spel till att bli ett högt kommersialiserat och professionaliserat sätt att tävla. Nuförtiden har esportens största tävlingar fler unika tittare än de största fysiska idrottsevenemang som NBA-finalen eller Super Bowl i USA. Tack vare denna utveckling, har e-sporten fått uppmärksamhet av professionella fotbollsklubbar och ett flertal fotbollsklubbar har genomfört varumärkesutvidgningar till e-sporten. Studien har identifierat en kunskapslucka om varför professionella fotbollsklubbar i Sverige valt att utvidga sin verksamhet till att omfatta e-sporten. Med stöd av detta, är syftet med studien att öka förståelse för hur svenska fotbollsklubbar på elitnivå kan påverka sitt varumärket genom att starta e-sportlag. Resultatet visar att professionella fotbollsklubbar anser sig kunna uppnå kort- och långsiktiga fördelar genom att varumärkesutvidga till e-sporten samt bidra till att öka fotbollsklubbens totala varumärkeskapital. Resultatet visar även att varumärkeutvidgningar till e-sporten och FIFA har en logisk koppling till fotbollen tack vare dess likheter, vilket minskar risken för misslyckande men även reducerar möjligheterna med satsningen. Detta förklaras vara då FIFA inte anses vara ett så populärt spel i dagsläget. Däremot har det visats att varumärkesutvidgningar till e-sportspel mer distanserade från kärnverksamheten inte var ett alternativ. Uppsatsen bidrar med en introduktion till fenomenet e-sport och dess påverkan på professionella fotbollsklubbar på elitnivå samtidigt som vi erkänner att det finns ytterligare forskning att göra inom fältet.

O perfume, do mesmo modo que a roupa, faz parte do ritual do vestir e está relacionado à intimidade pessoal. Junto ao vestuário, os envoltórios, as fragrâncias e seus sistemas discursivos passaram a delinear padrões de comportamento, perfis e estilos de vida. Deste modo pode-se dizer que apesar de serem distintos no que se refere à origem e produção, o vestuário e o perfume são convergentes sob o ponto de vista do consumo. Há marcas de perfumes próprias, exclusivas do setor, como também há aquelas associadas aos nomes de celebridades ou à moda. Este trabalho se propôs a identificar quais os fatores considerados pelas marcas de moda, no interesse em integrar o perfume ao seu ciclo de coleções de vestuário. As estratégias das grifes para definir suas coleções podem ser adotadas para produtos complementares por meio da extensão da marca, no intuito de potencializar a fixação da imagem de marca, ampliar a experiência de compra do consumidor e desenvolver os negócios como um todo. Para este estudo foi feito um levantamento do estado da arte dos conceitos referentes às marcas de moda e aos perfumes. Foi realizada uma pesquisa empírica caracterizada como exploratória com a utilização de estudo de casos múltiplos, para identificar as conexões entre os dados coletados, por meio da revisão bibliográfica, e as empresas que trabalham nos segmentos de vestuário e perfumes. Os resultados mostraram que os profissionais de moda atribuem baixa importância ao perfume e têm pouco conhecimento técnico sobre o setor, tanto no que se refere ao produto quanto à sua comercialização e ao potencial de mercado. Ao partirem do princípio que o perfume com sua marca não seria atrativo aos seus consumidores, acabam por depreciá-la. A visão é baseada na experiência diária e nos resultados das outras empresas, o que acaba gerando uma série de preconceitos. Já os profissionais de perfume, embora também apresentem desconhecimento sobre as questões técnicas do setor de moda, têm disposição para trabalhar em conjunto e promover a integração, pois entendem que o consumidor se motivaria com essa complementariedade. O resultado é que a integração se dá pela extensão de marca, principalmente pelo licenciamento e, desse modo, o perfume não está inserido à coleção de vestuário de moda. O consumidor, no entanto, não faz distinção ao usar os produtos de vestuário, acessórios, perfumes e cosméticos, todos eles fazem parte de um benefício único, o de se vestir e preparar-se para um papel social. Em um ambiente competitivo onde se diz que a inovação é o propulsor do sucesso corporativo, identificou-se que há pouca motivação na busca por novos caminhos e oportunidades nas marcas de moda pesquisadas. Neste sentido, se entende que o trabalho contribui para o estudo do desafio das empresas de focar seu negócio nos benefícios de uso do consumidor, em um ambiente de integração de produtos que tem sua origem em indústrias de distintos setores e, portanto, domínios diferentes de conhecimento / Perfume, like clothing, is part of the dressing ritual and is related to personal intimacy. Along with clothing, packages, fragrances and their discursive systems have outlined patterns of behavior, profiles and lifestyles. Although they are distinct in origin and production, clothing and perfume are convergent from the consumption point of view. Fragrances have their own exclusive brands and are associated with celebrities or fashion brands. This study aims to identify the factors considered by fashion brands to integrate perfume into their clothing collections cycles. Fashion brands consider complementary products through brand extension to enhance brand image, broadening the consumer experience and developing the business as a whole, as part of their strategies to define clothing collections. An overview of the state-of-the-art concepts related to fashion brands and perfumes was carried out in this study. An exploratory empirical research using multiple case studies was conducted to identify the connections between the data collected, through the literature review, and the companies in the clothing and perfume segments. The results showed fashion professionals attach marginal importance to perfume and have little technical knowledge about the sector, in terms of the product, its commercialization and market potential. By assuming that the perfume with their brand would not be attractive to their consumers, they eventually despise it. Their vision is based on the daily experience and the results of other companies, which ends up generating several preconceptions by the segment. In contrast, perfume professionals are also unfamiliar with the technical issues about the fashion sector, but are willing to work together and promote the integration, as they understand the consumer would be motivated by this complementarity. As result, the connection takes place by brand extension mainly through licensing and does not associate the perfume with the clothing collection. The consumer, however, makes no distinction when wearing apparel, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics, all of them are part of a unique benefit of dressing and preparing for a social role. In a competitive environment where innovation is considered the driver of business success, the fashion brands analyzed have not been motivated to pursue new paths and opportunities. In this sense, the findings of this study have contributed to the understanding of companies challenges to focus their business on the consumer use benefits, in an environment of products integration that comes from different industries and, therefore, distinct domains of knowledge

The purpose of this study is to utilize the sensemaking perspective to increase the understanding of what makes managers consider brand extensions, and how the decision is formed throughout the sensemaking process. The study aims to add to the existing literature by providing knowledge about the largely unexamined domain of managerial practice related to brand extensions. Furthermore, this study is designed as a qualitative multiple case study on four Swedish distilleries. The data was gathered primarily through semi-structured interviews and processed using a thematic method of analysis. This study found that brand extension decisions are influenced by managers subjective interpretive frameworks and previous organizational identity constructions. Contextual factors affects managers perceived need of brand extensions following the attention to one or more cues.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of loyalty in consumers’ selection of brand extensions in the presence of familiar competitors. The findings show that fit may not have a linear relationship with the choice of an extension when loyalty and brand familiarity are considered. Loyal consumers’ likelihood to choose high-fit and moderate-fit extensions is not much lower than their likelihood to choose products from familiar competitors. We also find an inverted-U-shaped relationship between choice behavior and degree of perceived fit for loyal and moderately loyal consumers. Moreover, brand concepts can make a brand more elastic and extendable, increasing loyal and moderately loyal consumers’ likelihood to choose moderate- and even low-fit extensions. However, disloyal consumers are highly unlikely to choose extensions over products from familiar competitors regardless of fit and types of similarity. Finally, the effect of similarity on consumers’ choice of extensions is fully mediated by loyalty and perceived risks.