Recent research on links between dimensions of consumer-based brand equity, as well as links to consumer involvement, has shown that it is a significant predictor of purchase behavior. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the affect brands have on consumer involvement. We attempt to investigate how consumer-based brand equity affects the level of consumer involvement. Based on consumer behavior theory and previous research of these areas, gathered primary data (an empirical investigation of students’ attitudes) is analyzed to gain an understanding of how the aforementioned concepts relate to each other. The findings indicate that there are correlations between consumer-based brand equity and consumer involvement, and that there is more to investigate in this area. Suggestions for further research include a similar study with more measured variables for each dimension, and analyzing them separately instead of creating indexes. The results of this dissertation may be useful for marketers and manufacturers of the specific products investigated, as well as products of similar nature, in order to apply focus to the attributes which consumers value most.

This study investigates a debatable subject of branding; building brand equity in industrial service markets, particularly within the logistics service industry. The extant literature provided many brand equity models, the brand resonance pyramid being the most predominant one. However, the literature suggests the model should be amended for the B2B service markets as the industry has numerous different characteristics to consider. Servbrand Framework is one of the undergoing efforts to provide a brand equity framework applicable within the B2B service industry as an amended version of the brand resonance pyramid. Nevertheless, the model is based on a single empirical context. This research assesses the transferability of the model to the logistics service industry and therefore provides a guideline to build a strong brand in the logistics service industry. The research took an interpretivist approach with an exploratory qualitative research design to apply the Servbrand Framework within the logistics industry. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with the decision-makers in purchasing logistics services within the automotive industry in Germany, who were subject to the non-probability sampling process. The results indicated that the Servbrand Framework is transferable to the logistics service industry with minor changes. Two new subdimensions are proposed as ‘service experience’ and ‘consideration’ to be part of the client-brand opinions block within the framework. Also, the ‘servicescape’ and ‘personableness’ subdimensions were not relevant for the context of the study. Logistics service providers can build strong brands by initially creating salience among the customers by using corporate naming strategies attached to core competencies. Service providers also need to develop good performance and people attributes connected to their brand, which will create positive brand opinions and, therefore, long-term relationships and partnerships. The people aspect was a key element to build strong brands and facilitate the brand's meaning to the customers.

Understanding the contribution of marketing to the shareholder value of a company has been a major challenge for marketing research. The purpose of this dissertation was creating and validating an attitudinal measure of customer equity in hospitality businesses, thus providing a link between return on marketing and the shareholder value of a company. The theoretical background of the customer equity construct was examined, and then systematic scale development processes were initiated. The results produced two concise scales: (1) 17 items that represent the six dimensions of customer equity in the restaurant industry and (2) 19 items that represent the six dimensions of customer equity in the hotel industry. Six dimensions of customer equity achieved strong convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency, indicating unidimensionality of the constructs. To further validate the newly developed scale, criterion validity was checked in correlation with six criterion measures using data collected from 590 hospitality industry consumers. The results demonstrate that customer equity closely reflects the shareholder value of a company. Also, it was found that value equity, brand equity, relationship equity, and service quality are significantly and positively correlated with overall customer equity of a company. In conclusion, customer equity represents the long-term value of a company, and reflects shareholder value of the company, thus providing a link with return on marketing investments. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed. / Ph. D.

Syfte: Syftet med studien är att öka förståelsen för vad manliga elitfotbollsspelares värdesätter vid val av arbetsgivare inom svensk elitfotboll.Teori: Studien har använt sig av tre teorier för att besvara frågeställningarna. Teorierna var Self Determination Theory, Brand equity och varumärkeslojalitet.Metod: Den valda metoden för studien var semistrukturerade intervjuer. Dessa intervjuer kom sedan att transkriberas och analyseras genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Studien grundar sig i ett deduktivt synsätt.Resultat och slutsats: Deltagarnas värderingar kom att definieras i flertalet variabler. Inom Self Determination Theory kom det att speglas i att utvecklas för som fotbollsspelare och att finna nästa steg i karriären där spelarna kan få ut maximalt av sin utveckling. Glädje var ett tema som var viktigt för spelarna. Att kunna njuta av sin fotboll och känna en frihet att uttrycka vem man är som fotbollsspelare. Glädjen gick hand i hand med tränaren och att ha en god relation till sin tränare var av vikt för att behoven av glädjen och utvecklingen skulle tillfredsställas. Det sociala livet utanför fotbollen var av vikt för deltagarna och kunde i senare delar av karriären bli av än större vikt. Även lön kom att bli av större vikt desto längre karriären gick. Majoriteten av deltagarna diskuterade sitt varumärke men det var inte alla deltagare som visade intresse för att aktivt arbeta med sitt varumärke. Varumärkeslojalitet var tydlig hos vissa av våra deltagare. Det fanns klubbar som deltagarna vägrade att skriva kontrakt med av lojalitet för en gammal klubb. Slutsats för studien var att deltagarna valde klubbar för att ta steget vidare i karriären och få ut maximalt av sin potential. Att känna en frihet på planen och fortsättas utvecklas. Varumärket för spelarna var på deras tankar vid val men kom som en sekundär värdering framför de tidigare nämnda variablerna. / Purpose: The purpose of the study is to increase the understanding of what male elite football players value when choosing employers in Swedish elite football.Theory: The study used three theories to answer the questions of the study. The theories were Self Determination Theory, Brand equity and brand loyalty.Method: The chosen method for the study was semi-structured interviews. These interviews were then transcribed and analyzed through a qualitative content analysis. The study is based on a deductive approach.Results and conclusion: The participants' values were defined in different variables. Self Determination Theory was reflected in being developed as a football player and finding the next step in the career where the players can get the most out of their development. Joy was a theme that was important to the players. Being able to enjoy their football and feel a freedom to express who they are as a football player. The joy went hand in hand with the coach and having a good relationship with his trainer was of importance for the needs of joy and development to be satisfied. The social life outside football was of importance to the participants and in later part of the career could be of even greater importance. Even wages came to be of greater importance the longer their career went.The majority of the participants discussed their brand, but not all participants showed interest in actively working with their brand. Brand loyalty was evident in some of our participants. There were clubs that the participants refused to sign a contract with out of loyalty to an old club.The conclusion for the study was that the participants chose clubs to take the step further in their career and get the maximum out of their potential. To feel a freedom on the plan and continue to develop. The brand for the players was on their minds at choice but came as a secondary valuation over the previously mentioned variables.

Bakgrund Intresset för friluftsliv ökar markant inom Sverige. Det finns en enorm efterfrågan på svenska outdoorprodukter som är kända för sin kvalitet, design och funktionalitet -de har ett mycket gott rykte utomlands. Internationalisering blir en allt större del i outdoorföretagens verksamheter. Trots att valet av internationell marknad är ett av de mest centrala beslutenhar det gjorts förhållandevis lite forskning på området. Det är därför av betydelse att genomföra en studie med kvalitativ metodologi som på ett djupare och mer ingående sätt förklarar de svenska outdoorföretagens strategi vid internationella marknadsval. Vilken blir nästa marknad att träda in på och varför? Syfte Syftet med denna studie är att bidra med ökad förståelse för hur svenska outdoorföretag väljer internationella marknader. Metod Denna studie är en kvalitativ flerfallsstudie där sex svenska outdoorföretag har studerats. Vidare har insamlingen av empirin genomförts med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Studien vidtar ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv med en abduktiv forskningsansats. Slutsats I slutsatsen kan det konstateras att de svenska outdoorföretagen väljer ny internationell marknad genom olika strategier. Beslutsfattandeprocessen skiljer sig något företagen emellan, en del tenderar att vara med rationella i sina beslut, medan andra företag fattar beslut grundat på intuition. Studien undersöker företagens ställningstagande till det psykiska avståndet, i form av geografiska-, kulturella-, ekonomiska-och institutionella skillnader, där företagen är eniga. Det geografiska och kulturella avståndet har knappt någon betydelse förvalet av marknad medan ekonomiska- och institutionella skillnader kan vara direkt avgörande. De centrala egenskaper som har identifierats för att kunna expandera till en ny marknad är att ha ett starkt varumärke, erfarenhet och mänskligt kapital. Genom att besvara studiens frågeställningar uppfyller studien syftet att bidra med ökad förståelse för hur svenska outdoorföretag väljer nya internationella marknader. / BACKGROUND The interest in outdoor life is significantly growing in Sweden. There is a huge demand for Swedish outdoor products as they are known for their high quality, design and functionality - they have a very good reputation abroad. Internationalisation is becoming an increasingly important part of the companies’ operations. Although the international market selection is one of the most important decisions for them, little research has been done within this area. Therefore, it is important to conduct a qualitative study that explains the Swedish outdoor companies’ strategy in international market selection, in a deeper and more detailed perspective. Which market will be the next one to enter – and why? AIM The aim of this study is to contribute to an increased understanding of how Swedish outdoor companies select new international markets. METHODOLOGY  This study is a qualitative case study in which six Swedish outdoor companies have been studied. Furthermore, the collection of the empirical data was conducted through semi-structured interviews. The study takes a hermeneutic perspective with an abductive research approach. CONCLUSION In the conclusion it can be stated that Swedish outdoor companies choose new international markets in different ways. The decision-making process differs between the studied companies. Some tend to be more rational in their decisions, while others make decisions based on intuition. The study examines the companies’ attitude to the psychic distance, in terms of geographical, cultural, economic and institutional differences, where the companies are agreed. The geographical and cultural distance has barely any meaning for the choice of a new market, while economic and institutional differences can be decisive. The key characteristics that have been identified as crucial for the expansion into a new market, are a strong brand and brand equity, experience and human capital. By answering the research questions, the study fulfills the purpose of contributing to an increased understanding of how Swedish outdoor companies select new international markets

There has been significant research done on the impact of branding on consumer buying behaviour over the years, however, consumers at the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) have been ignored and very little research has been done in the South African market. This study examines the impact of brand equity on purchase intention of Parmalat yoghurt in the South African BoP market using socio-economic status, price sensitivity and sales promotion as mediating variables. Data was collected from 289 South African BoP consumers residing in Soweto. The study tested six hypotheses using PLS- SEM. Data was analysed using SmartPLS software. The results show that of the six hypotheses tested, only three are supported, namely, the relationship between brand equity and socio-economic status, socio-economic status and purchase intention and price sensitivity and purchase intention. Socio-economic status as a mediator has the most significant impact on the relationship between brand equity and purchase intention. The findings of this study give some implications for managers and marketers of yoghurt brands. Brand equity influences on purchase intention of yoghurt products and socio-economic status has the strongest mediating influence suggesting that companies must build and maintain strong brand equity in order to create a positive influence on purchase intention for their brands. Managers need to understand the underlying reasons as to why consumers would choose a competitor’s brand. Based on this study, socio-economic status and price sensitivity are the two most influencing mediators in the purchase intention of yoghurt, thus it is imperative for managers to take this into consideration when devising and implementing branding strategies.

The restaurant industry is the second largest employer in the United States; however, only 33% of restaurants are successful during the first 3 years of operation. The purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to determine what marketing strategies small independent restaurant owners need for profitability. Aaker's brand equity model was the conceptual framework used to ground this study. Using a purposeful criterion sampling technique and semistructured interviews, 12 individuals (2 managers and 2 employees from 3 restaurants in Philadelphia) participated in the study. Data collected from interviews and archival business records were analyzed to generate themes, also allowing for triangulation. Five marketing strategy themes emerged from this study: word of mouth and social media marketing, limited financial resources, product differentiation and atmosphere, blogging and using the point of sale (POS) system, and employee engagement and upselling. Participants stated that word of mouth and social media marketing were powerful strategies that small independent restaurant owners should use to retain customers and gain new customers. Participants noted that product differentiation and atmosphere are unique characteristics that guide marketing strategies, brand positioning, and influence competitive advantage and profitability. Implications for positive social change include business development opportunities, opening resource centers for training programs, and free webinars associated with marketing and brand equity strategies. Communities, organizations, and new entrepreneurs will benefit from positive social change from the increase of social resources, community economic growth, employment opportunities, and sustainability.

This research investigates brand equity’s role in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19, a complex crisis, on firms’ stock performance. It also compares a high brand equity stock (HBES) portfolio with the overall market during three periods of the crisis (downturn, upturn, and total disturbance). To delineate brand equity’s influences across different periods of the COVID-19 crisis, I distinguish between three market periods: (1) market downturn; (2) market upturn; (3) total disturbance. Furthermore, the excess returns of the HBES portfolio with the overall market, containing all the firms listed collectively on the Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP), NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ, are compared. The Fama-French (FF; Fama and French, 1993) method is used to examine the brand equity’s effects on stock return and risk factors, namely volatility and beta. Using the Behavioral Portfolio Theory (BPT), this research shows brand equity insulates firm performance during the COVID-19 crisis by improving stock return and mitigating risks. However, brand equity effects vary across the three market periods, improving stock return and reducing volatility in the downturn. Nevertheless, brand equity does not buffer stock return in the upturn. Overall, during the total disturbance period, brand equity protects stock return and diminishes risk. The comparative findings indicate brand equity is a strong protector of stock return in the downturn, while it is more effective in reducing risk in the upturn. The findings advance research by providing evidence pertaining to brand’s role in mitigating the impact of unpredictable market shocks and crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, on stock performance. While brands are mostly viewed as drivers of sustained competitive advantage and profitability, their protective role in times of crisis is noteworthy. The findings can potentially help marketing and brand managers justify marketing spending and aid them in crafting strategies to enhance firm performance during crises similar to the COVID-19. The marketing-finance interface can benefit from insights offered by the COVID-19 pandemic, as such crises are becoming prevalent and are capable of damaging various stakeholder’s outcomes (firms, investors, customers).

Att ha en framgångsrik produkt som fortsätter att växa på dagens marknad är komplext. På grund av det stora antalet marknadsföringsstrategier som är tillgängliga för företag som verkar på en global marknad. Syftet med denna forskningsstudie är finna hur digitala produkter marknadsförs i olika faser av produktlivscykeln med fokus på datorspelsindustrin. Därför kommer denna studie att undersöka om strategierna är tillämpliga i en mer global och digital miljö. Studien kommer således att försöka fylla det litterära gap som finns inom detta område. Empiriska data i denna studie samlas in genom intervjuer med personer som har erfarenhet eller arbetar inom dataspelsindustrin. Detta inkluderar affärscoacher och marknadsföringschefer som verkar inom dataspelsindustrin. Resultaten indikerar att varumärket är en av de viktigaste faktorerna för framgång på denna marknad. Men samspelet mellan de olika strategierna var märkbar och kunde inte bortses från. Intervjuerna har givit nya insikter om hur ett spel kan prissättas. Därför skulle en riktning för ytterligare forskning vara intressant att fokusera på prissättningen av digitala produkter. / To have a successful product that continues to grow in today's market is complex due to the amount of marketing strategies that are available to the operating firm, especially when they operate on a global market. The purpose of this research study is to find out how digital products are marketed in different stages of the product lifecycle with the focus on the videogame industry. Therefore, will this study examine if the strategies are applicable in a more global and digital environment. Thus, will this study attempt to fill the literature gap that exists in this field. The empirical data in this study are gathered through interviews with people who have experience or worked in the videogame industry. This includes business coaches and marketing managers who operate in the videogame industry. The findings indicate that brand is one of the most important factors for success in this market. But the interplay between the different strategies were noticeable and could not be overlooked. The interviews have given a new insight on how a game could be priced. Therefore, would a direction for further research be interesting to focus on the pricing of digital products.

The dissertation explored the relationships among Website interactivity, brand knowledge, consumer-based brand equity and behavioral intentions in the context of hotel Websites. Based on an in-depth literature review, a theory-driven model was proposed and ten hypotheses were developed. The dissertation employed an empirical study based on a survey design, and collected data via a marketing company. Respondents who booked a hotel room online using hotel branded Websites in the last 12 months were approached to complete the online questionnaire. Four hundred ninety six (496) respondents completed the online questionnaire by answering to questions related to their last hotel booking experience. Analysis was conducted in two phases: (1) Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and (2) Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The overall fit of the CFA model and the final SEM model were acceptable, indicating an adequate fit to the data. The results suggested that the two dimensions of Website interactivity, namely system interactivity and social interactivity, positively impacted the components of brand knowledge, and that system interactivity had a stronger impact as compared to social interactivity. Although, social interactivity was not found to have a significant direct effect on brand awareness, the results showed that social interactivity had a significant impact on brand image. Furthermore, the relationship between brand equity and behavioral intentions was positive and significant. The empirical study offered theoretical for utilizing Website interactivity as a branding tool in the hotel context. Additionally, the results provide practical insights into branding strategies, Website development, and behavioral intentions enhancement. Very few studies have empirically examined and incorporated Website interactivity dimensions and brand knowledge with consumer-based brand equity and behavioral intentions. This gap in the literature has been compounded by an absence of empirical studies on Website interactivity as a tool to develop brands and behavioral intentions in the context of hotel Websites. The present dissertation closes this gap in the literature by reporting on a questionnaire of US adult travelers that offered data on those theoretical associations. Conceptually, the results support the influential impact of Website interactivity on brand elements and behavioral intentions.