Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Any brand has a specific identity that the company wants to portray to consumers in its target market – its brand identity – what the brand stands for. This is also the case for Oakley, a luxury brand competing in the sports and fashion industries. In essence the brand identity of a company is that what the brand is characterised by and what it stands for in the minds of consumers. By communicating its brand identity to consumers, a company create associations with the brand, which in turn forms the brand image that consumers have of the brand. The greater the degree to which consumers associate the brand with those characteristics that the brand in effect stands for, the greater the congruence between brand image and brand identity. The aim for a company is to realise a brand image in the minds of consumers that is similar, if not the same as the brand identity that it has identified for itself. In this study, the brand identity of Oakley is identified and the brand image that consumers have of the brand examined. The two concepts are then compared to find out to what degree the two are related and whether Oakley has in fact managed to portray their brand identity accurately (as reflected through the brand image). The relationship between price and quality for a brand represents the degree to which consumers believe the brand to be worth the money paid for it. It is widely believed that a brand with a high price is also of high quality and vice versa. This is not necessarily exclusively the case. The concept of quality and value differ from one individual to another, since it is based on the subjective perception of each individual. As mentioned earlier, associations form part of the brand image that consumers have of a brand. One of these associations might be their perception of quality of the brand, given the price of the brand. A luxury brand can charge a premium price, on the basis of various characteristics, one of which is the fact that the brand is perceived to be of high quality. Oakley is a luxury brand and charges a premium price. The study examines the quality and price of the brand by looking at the perceptions that consumers have of the brand with reference to the price/quality relationship, which represents one of the associations that contribute towards the formation of consumers’ brand image.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Against the background of the challenge marketers face in influencing consumer perceptions of brands, this study attempts to assess the effect of the senses on the perception of a brand. Perception is the way in which consumers interpret the world around them, with the senses as the receptors of information from the environment. One way of influencing consumer perceptions is by stimulating or involving multiple senses in brand building. To test this statement, the following research question was drawn: ‘Do the senses affect the perception of a brand?’The empirical study was one of an experimental nature, and a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design was used to assess the effect of the senses on the perception of a brand. In order to focus the research and to provide information to a leading distributor of alcohol spirits in South Africa, it was decided to concentrate on alcohol, more specifically, brandy. Due to the nature of the selected brand, sensory properties in relation to the product were used to measure the effect of the senses on brand perception. The nature of the brand is a consumable, and taste was used as the dependant variable to measure perceptions. The stimulated senses in the experiment are sight, sound and smell. The stimuli were: sight with the visible brandy colour, sound in the form of brandy being poured into a glass and smell as an enhanced honey aroma. Several experiments were conducted in a sensory laboratory, which assessed the effect of the senses on the perception of a brand, by way of individual main effects, two-way interactions and a three-way interaction. A convenience sample of 240 alcohol spirit consumers, from the Western Cape, was used to conduct the experiment. The empirical results indicated that the three independent variables (individual main effects or two-way interactions) did not have significant effects on perception. Most importantly, it was found that the three-way interaction of sight, sound and smell did have a significant effect on the perception of a brand. Therefore, this study revealed that multiple stimulated senses affect the perception of a brand. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie handel oor die effek van sintuie op persepsie van ’n handelsmerk, teen die agtergrond van die bemarkings uitdaging wat bemarkers teenstaan om verbruikers se persepsie van handelsmerke te beinvloed. Persepsie is die manier waarop verbruikers die wêreld interpreteer, met die sintuie as ontvangers van inligting vanuit die omgewing. Een manier waarop persepsies beinvloed kan word, is deur die stimulering en betrekking van ‘n meerderheid van sintuie met die bou van handelsmerke. Om hierdie stelling te toets is die volgende navorsingsvraag gestel: ‘Beinvloed die sintuie die perspesie van ‘n handelsmerk?’Die empiriese studie was eksperimenteel van aard, en ‘n 2 x 2 x 2 faktoriese ontwerp is gebruik om te bepaal wat die effek van die sintuie op ‘n handelsmerk persepsie is. Om inligting aan ‘n verspreider, wat ‘n markleier van alkohol spirietes in Suid-Afrika is, te verskaf, is daar besluit om op alkohol, en meer spesifiek, brandewyn te fokus. Weens die aard van die gekose handelsmerk is sensoriese eienskappe in verband met die produk gebruik om die effek van die sintuie op die handelsmerk te bepaal. Die produk is ‘n verbruikbare produk, en smaak is as die onveranderlike gebruik om persepsie te meet. Die gestimuleerde sintuie in die eksperiment was sig, klank en reuk. Die stimuli was: • sig met die sigbaarheid van die brandewyn kleur, • klank in die vorm van ‘n brandewyn wat geskink word en • reuk as ‘n beklemtoonde heuningreuk. Verskeie eksperimente is uitgevoer in ‘n sensoriese laborotorium om te bepaal wat die effek van die sintuie op die persepsie van ‘n handelsmerk is. ‘n Geriefliksheidsteekproefmetode van 240 verbruikers, van die Wes Kaap, was gebruik om die eksperiment uit te voer. Hierdie respondente was almal alkohol verbruikers wat ook spirietes gebruik. Die empiriese resultate het getoon dat die drie veranderlikes (individuele hoof effekte of tweerigting interaksies) geen beduidende effek op persepsie gehad het nie. Die belangrikste bevinding was die dat die drierigting interaksie van sig, klank en reuk wel ‘n beduidende effek op die persepsie van ‘n handelsmerk gehad het. Die studie het getoon dat, dus veelvoudige gestimuleerde sintuie die persepsie van ‘n handelsmerk beinvloed.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Growing competition, fuelled by globalisation, has increased the number of alternatives across almost all product categories, leaving consumers overloaded with information and overwhelmed for choice. Brand and price represent two cues that have been found to influence consumer decision-making and which can be used in marketing strategies to create value, and differentiate from competitors in this increasingly competitive climate. Responding to the misconceptions surrounding the decision-making of individuals classified in the low-income market segment, and in light of the significance of Bottom of Pyramid (BOP) supported by Prahalad (2002), this study was undertaken to assess the perceived importance of price and brand in low-income consumers’ decision-making process, and thereby examine the effect of different prices and brands on low-income consumers’ product preference. Primary causal research using a choice-based conjoint (CBC) analysis was conducted on a judgement sample of black female adults. A total of 209 questionnaires were completed through fieldwork of personal interviews in informal settlements in Gauteng. The study used a 5 price presentation (R18.99; R24.99; R28.99; R33.99; R42.99) by 5 brand presentation (Ace, Iwisa, White Star, Mnandi, Ritebrand) between-subjects design in the maize meal product category. The hierarchical Bayes procedure and multinomial logit model were used to analyse the primary data. Results of the descriptive and inferential analysis of the CBC showed that brand was perceived as more important, attributing to 65 per cent of low-income consumers’ decision-making process, opposed to the 35 per cent attributed to price, and that prices and brands had varying effects on low-income consumers’ purchase probabilities. Although lower prices did have higher perceived utilities, the price-sensitivity of low-income consumers was found to be less influential at lower price ranges, suggesting the stronger influence of brand and brand associations on their evaluation of alternatives. Familiar brands (White Star, Ace and Iwisa) were seen to positively influence low-income consumers’ purchase probability by reducing perceived risk, further enhanced by brand credibility as found with Iwisa (which indicated consistent quality) resulting in higher purchase probability. Unfamiliar brands (Mnandi and Ritebrand) were perceived as having low levels of utility, attributed to higher levels of perceived risk and unclear quality inferences. The research conclusions, drawing from secondary research, proposed a model of low-income consumer decision-making that is influenced by various factors, including aversion to loss, and the desire to satisfy aspirations. Varying levels of brand knowledge, brand quality and credibility as well as symbolic value attached to different brands as perceived by low-income consumers, are argued to influence both individuals’ aversion to loss, as well as their aspirational desires, and thus influence the decision-making process. Price and price–quality inferences, brand familiarity, brand–quality inferences, psychological factors and those surrounding the purchase context were found to have influence over the decision-making process of individuals within this market segment. Managerial recommendations emphasise the significance of the BOP as a viable market segment, warn marketers of low-cost pricing strategies, and discuss the importance of employing value-based strategies and leveraging brand to attract, satisfy and retain consumers in this market segment. Managers are challenged to find a balance between perceived quality and reliability and affordable price, in order to operate successfully in the low-income market and offer effective value propositions that provide customer satisfaction while allowing for sustained sales and profits for the firm. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Groeiende mededinging, gedryf deur globalisering, het die aantal alternatiewe in byna alle produkkategorieë laat toeneem, wat verbruikers oorlaai met inligting en oorweldig met keuses. Handelsmerk en prys verteenwoordig twee leiseine wat verbruikersbesluitneming beïnvloed en wat gebruik kan word in bemarkingstrategieë om waarde te skep, en 'n produk van sy mededingers te onderskei in hierdie toenemend mededingende klimaat. In reaksie op die wanopvattings omtrent die besluitneming van individue wat in die lae-inkomste-marksegment geklassifiseer word, en in die lig van die betekenisvolheid van die Bodem van die Piramide (BOP) soos ondersteun deur Pralahad (2002), is hierdie studie onderneem om die waargenome belangrikheid van prys en handelsmerk in lae-inkomste-verbruikers se besluitnemingsproses te assesseer, en sodoende die effek van verskillende pryse en handelsmerke op lae-inkomste-verbruikers se produkvoorkeure te ondersoek. Primêre kousale navorsing deur 'n keusegebaseerde saamgevoegde analise ("choice-based conjoint analysis" of CBC) is uitgevoer op 'n oordeelsteekproef van swart, vroulike volwassenes. 'n Totaal van 209 vraelyste is voltooi deur middel van veldwerk in die vorm van uit persoonlike onderhoude in informele nedersettings in Gauteng. Die studie het 'n tussensubjekte-ontwerp gebruik met 'n 5-prys-aanbieding (R18.99; R24.99; R28.99; R33.99; R42.99) teenoor 'n 5-handelsmerk-aanbieding (Ace, Iwisa, White Star, Mnandi, Ritebrand) in die mieliemeel-produkkategorie. Die hiërargiese Bayes-prosedure en multinomiale logitmodel is gebruik om die primêre data te ontleed. Die resultate van die beskrywende en inferensiële analise van die CBC het gewys dat handelsmerk as meer belangrik waargeneem word, met 65 persent van lae-inkomste-verbruikers se besluitnemingsproses wat daaraan toegeskryf kan word, in vergelyking met 35 persent aan prys. Verder het pryse en handelsmerke wisselende effekte op lae-inkomste-verbruikers se aankoopwaarskynlikhede gehad. Alhoewel laer pryse hoër waargenome bruikbaarhede gehad het, is daar gevind dat die pryssensitiwiteit van lae-inkomste-verbruikers minder invloedryk is in laer prysklasse, wat dui op die sterker invloed van handelsmerke en handelsmerkassosiasies op hulle evaluering van die verskillende alternatiewe. Bekende handelsmerke (White Star, Ace en Iwisa) het lae-inkomste-verbruikers se aankoopwaarskynlikheid positief beïnvloed deur waargenome risiko te verlaag. Hierdie verskynsel is verder versterk deur handelsmerkgeloofwaardigheid, soos gesien by Iwisa (wat konsekwente gehalte aangedui het), wat lei tot hoër aankoopwaarskynlikheid. Onbekende handelsmerke (Mnandi en Ritebrand) is waargeneem as laag in terme van bruikbaarheidsvlakke, wat toegeskryf kan word aan hoër vlakke van waargenome risiko en onduidelike afleidings omtrent gehalte. Die navorsingsgevolgtrekking, wat op grond van sekondêre navorsing gemaak is, stel 'n model van lae-inkomste-verbruikersbesluitneming voor wat deur verskeie faktore beïnvloed word, insluitend 'n afkeer van verlies en die begeerte om aspirasies te bevredig. Wisselende vlakke van handelsmerkkennis, handelsmerkgehalte en -geloofwaardigheid, asook die simboliese waarde wat aan verskillende handelsmerke geheg word soos waargeneem deur lae-inkomste-verbruikers, beïnvloed sowel individue se afkeer van verlies as hulle aspirasionele behoeftes, en beïnvloed dus die besluitnemingsproses. Daar is gevind dat afleidings omtrent prys, prys teenoor gehalte en handelsmerk teenoor gehalte, handelsmerkbekendheid, sielkundige faktore en faktore vanuit die aankoopkonteks 'n invloed het op die besluitnemingsproses van individue binne hierdie marksegment. Bestuursaanbevelings beklemtoon die belangrikheid van die BOP as 'n lewensvatbare marksegment, waarsku bemarkers teen laekoste-prysingstrategieë, en bespreek die belang daarvan om waardegebaseerde strategieë te gebruik en handelsmerke te hefboom om verbruikers in hierdie marksegment te lok, te bevredig en te behou. Bestuurders word uitgedaag om 'n balans te vind tussen waargenome gehalte en betroubaarheid en bekostigbare pryse, ten einde suksesvol in die lae-inkomstemark te funksioneer en doeltreffende waardeproposisies te bied wat verbruikersbevrediging verskaf, maar steeds ruimte laat vir volgehoue verkope en winste vir die firma.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main question addressed in this research study is ‘How can L’Oréal improve upon their current brand image and subsequent brand positioning amongst Stellenbosch students as their target audience’. It was therefore considered necessary for the author of this research project to effectively be able to uncover the current health of the L’Oréal brand. A brand audit was therefore performed on the corporate L’Oréal brand. Brand audits are qualitative snapshots of the current position of the brand in terms of the current perceptions of the target audience and it is important to perform them on a regular basis as target audiences may evolve over time. Through performing a brand audit, the manufacturers / marketers of the brand in question will gain a better understanding of the current problems, desires and needs of the target audience in question. The information obtained from such an audit is valuable for the organization / brand as it allows them to determine whether a costly and time-consuming process such as a brand repositioning is necessary, as well as providing valuable market research which can lead to a viable and sustainable brand strategy. In order to uncover the health of the brand and determine the perceptions, attitudes and behaviour of the target audience, a deductive approach to this study was employed. A paperbased questionnaire regarding the corporate / product L’Oréal brand was designed by the author and distributed to 444 students located on central campus at the University of Stellenbosch. A statistical significance level of five percent (α = 0.05) was employed when the information collected from the questionnaires was subjected to a series of statistical tests. Six main brand characteristics were investigated during the analysis of the survey data. These include brand awareness, attitude towards the corporate brand, attitude towards the products, level of desire for the brand, behavioural tendencies, and the value proposition. The results from the survey indicated that an overwhelming majority of respondents were familiar with the brand, and also that a large percentage of them had also used L’Oréal products. Along similar lines, the perceptions / attitudes with regards to the corporate and product brand were very, or fairly favourable amongst the respondents. There was a consistent trend amongst ethnic groups, with the white ethnic group being the most familiar with the brand, having the most favourable attitude with regards to the brand and products, and displaying the most positive usage behaviour with regards to the products. The opposite trend was observed for the black ethnic group. It was also determined that as the attitude with regards to the corporate brand increases so too does that of the product brand. This is a favourable situation for L’Oréal as efforts to build corporate brand identity can translate into strong, favourable and unique product associations. In terms of the benefits being sought, the majority of respondents ranked functional and emotional benefits as most important when using personal care products. The author was able to extract from the survey the fact that the black ethnic group had the least awareness and least favourable attitude, perception and behaviour with regards to the corporate and product brand in question. If L’Oréal is able to enhance the brand imagery amongst this target audience, they will surely build a positive brand equity as well as an additional income stream. In addition to this, the author was also able to identify that the emotional bond to the L’Oréal brand was not as strong as it could be. The respondents indicated that their level of desire for the brand was not on par with their expected / anticipated needs and that a personal care brand should fulfil more of these needs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofonderwerp van hierdie stuk navorsing is: “Hoe kan L’Oréal hulle huidige beeld en dus ook hulle handelsmerk posisionering tussen Stellenbosch studente as hulle teikenmark verbeter?” Dit is dus as nodig beskou dat die navorser ondersoek moet instel na die huidige gesondheid van die L’Oréal handelsmerk. ‘n Handelsmerk-oudit is dus op die korporatiewe L’Oréal handelsmerk uitgevoer. Handelsmerk-ouditte is kwalitatiewe “foto’s” van die huidige posisie van die handelsmerk in terme van die huidige persepsies van die teikenmark en dit is belangrik dat hulle op ‘n gereelde basis uitgevoer moet word want teikenmarkte evalueer oor ‘n tydperk. ‘n Handelsmerk-oudit kan daartoe lei dat die bemarkers van die handelsmerk ‘n beter begrip sal hê van die probleme, begeertes en behoeftes van hulle teikenmark. Die inligting wat deur die oudit verkry word is vir die organisasie / handelsmerk waardevol want hulle kan daaruit vasstel of ‘n duur en tydrowende proses soos handelsmerk re-posisionering nodig is, en ook kan dien as marknavorsing wat kan lei tot ‘n lewensvatbare en volhoudbare handelsmerkstategie. Om die gesondheid van die handelsmerk asook die persepsies, houdings en gedrag van die teikenmerk vas te stel, is ‘n deduktiewe benadering tot hierdie studie gevolg. ‘n Vraelys oor die korporatiewe / produk L’Oréal handelsmerk is deur die navorser opgestel en onder 444 studente op die sentrale kampus van die Universiteit Stellenbosch versprei. ‘n Statisties sinvolle vlak van vyf persent (α = 0.05) is gebruik toe die versamelde inligting van die vraelyste aan ‘n reeks statistiese toetse onderwerp is. Ses hoof handelsteken kenmerke is tydens die ontleding van die opname-data ondersoek. Dit sluit in merkbewustheid, houding teenoor die korporatiewe handelsmerk, houding teenoor die produkte, begeerte vir die handelsmerk, gedragstendense, en die waarde-proposisie. Die opname het getoon dat die oorweldigende meerderheid van die respondente die handelsmerk geken het en ook dat ‘n groot persentasie van hulle al L’Oréal produkte gebruik het. Die persepsies / houdings tussen die respondente betreffende korporatiewe- en produk handelsmerke was baie of redelik gunstig. Daar was ‘n konsekwente neiging tussen etniese groepe; die wit etniese groep ken die handelsmerk beter, het ‘n meer gunstige houding teenoor die handelsmerk en produkte en toon meer positiewe gebruiksgedrag betreffende die produkte. Die teenoorgestelde geld vir die swart etniese groep. Daar is ook vasgestel dat soos die houding teenoor die korporatiewe handelsmerk verbeter, so ook dié teenoor die produk handelsmerk. Dit is ‘n gunstige situasie vir L’Oréal want pogings om korporatiewe handelsmerk identiteit te bou sal omsit in sterk, gunstige en unieke produk assosiasies. Die navorser het uit die opname geleer dat die swart etniese groep die minste bewustheid en die ongunstigste houding, persepsie en gedrag betreffende die korporatiewe en produk handelsmerk het. As L‘Oréal die handelsbeeld onder hierdie teikenmark kan verbeter, sal hulle ‘n positiewe handelsekwiteit asook ‘n bykomende inkomstestroom kan skep. Die navorser het ook vasgestel dat die emosionele band met die L’Oréal handelsmerk nie so sterk is wat dit kan wees nie. Die respondente het aangedui dat hulle begeerte vir die handelsmerk nie so sterk is as hulle verwagte behoeftes nie en dat ‘n persoonlike sorg handelsmerk in meer van hierdie behoeftes behoort te voorsien.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The mature market is increasing, and has been identified as the fastest growing demographic segment globally. Throughout the world, and even more so in the developing countries, the decline in fertility rates and in the increasing life expectancy rates, means that the proportion of people aged 60 years or older will reach two billion by 2050. In South Africa, one in ten people will be over 65 years old by 2025.The result of the growing ageing population has both social and economic implications and effects businesses, communities, families and individuals: everyone is affected. This market has, however, been neglected by marketers for years, and their needs are therefore increasingly unmet. They are stereotyped as isolated and grumpy, and are generally under-researched, yet they have increasing wealth and are willing to pay premiums. Some research into this market has been conducted in Japan, Europe and the United Kingdom, but no study of this nature in South Africa currently exists. This study seeks to identify the relevance of this market in the Western Cape, South Africa by studying their motivations behind brand choice. The six fast moving consumer goods categories, which were studied are: dishwashing liquid; laundry powder; bar soap; toothpaste; instant coffee and tea. These items were chosen specifically to be gender-neutral and relevant to the South African market. The study was conducted through face-to-face, shopper intercept, survey questionnaires, which consisted of a five-point Likert Scale and categorical questions. The total sample size was 184 respondents, and represents the ethnic composition of the Western Cape. The results of this study reveal that the ageing population purchase household items, such as dishwashing liquid and laundry powder according to quality and product performance. Furthermore, they purchase personal care items such as soap and toothpaste according to brand loyalty or preference, and not price. Lastly, beverages are bought on brand loyalty and quality. Therefore, price is not the main motivation criteria for the ageing consumer for these specific items. Furthermore, the mature market seldom displays interest in promotion, packaging or availability of items. The secondary results delve into the findings per age group and demographic group. A secondary finding of importance is that the older mature consumer, 80-plus, purchase primarily on price, and seldom on brand loyalty, thus the younger mature market tend to display higher brand loyalty purchasing behaviour. Finally, the African ageing consumer cite price more often as a motivational factor, than other ethnic groups, with the exception of coffee purchasing in which the White demographic is more price conscious. This study concludes with recommendations for organisations going forward to capture the mature markets as well as possible future research into the ageing demographic group. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die volwasse mark is voortdurend aan die toeneem en word geidentifiseer as die vinnigste groeiende demografiese segment globaal. Wêreldwyd, veral in ontwikkelende lande is daar 'n afname in aanwas en 'n toename in lewensvewagting. Dit het tot die gevolg dat die aantal mense 60 jaar en ouer, teen die jaar 2050 'n getal van twee biljoen sal bereik. In Suid Afrika sal een uit elke tien mense teen die jaar 2025 ouer as 65 jaar wees. Hierdie groeiende ouer populasie het beide sosiale en ekonomiese implikasies en affekteer besighede, gemeenskappe, gesinne en individue; dus word almal daardeur geraak. Ten spyte van die feite word hierdie mark egter al jare deur bemarkers afgeskeep en hulle markbehoeftes bly toenemend onvervuld. Hierdie groep word gestereotipeer as afgesonderd en nors en ten spyte van die feit dat die groep 'n toenemende aanwas toon en gewillig is om premies te betaal, word daar oor die algemeen min navorsing oor hulle gedoen. Daar is wel studies oor die ouderdomsgroep in Japan, Europa en die Verenigde Koninkryk beskikbaar, maar daar is huidiglik geen navorsing van die aard beskikbaar in Suid-Afrika nie. Hierdie studie het ten doel om die relevansie van hierdie mark in die Weskaap te identifiseer deur vas te stel wat die groep motiveer in terme van handelsnaam keuse. Die studie fokus op die volgende ses vinnig bewegende verbruikersgoedere: skottegoedwaspeep, stafie seep, tandepaste en kitskoffie-en tee. Hierdie items is spesifiek gekies omrede hulle nie geslagsspesifiek is nie en omrede die produkte relevant is tot die Suid-Afrikaanse mark. Die studie is geloods deur klante in die winkel te nader en dan persoonlike onderhoude te voer waartydens 'n vraelys, wat uit 'n vyf-punt Likert-skaal en kategoriese vrae bestaan, te voltooi. Die proefstukgrootte bestaan uit 184 respondente en het die totale etniese samestelling van die Weskaap ingesluit. Die resultaat van die studie het onthul dat die ouer bevolking huishoudelike items soos opwasmiddel en waspoeier aankoop vir kwaliteit en doeltreffendheid van die produk. Produkte vir persoonlike versorging, soos seep en tandepasta word aangekoop na gelang van handelsnaam en nie prys nie. By die aankope van tee en kitskoffie, blyk handelsnaam-lojaliteit en kwaliteit die belangrikste oorwegings te wees. Prys blyk dus nie die hoof motiveringskriteria vir die ouer verbruiker van hierdie spesifieke items te wees nie. Verder demonstreer die ouer mark selde 'n belangstelling in promosies, verpakking of die beskikbaarheid van items. Die sekondêre resultate fokus op bevindinge per ouderdom en demografiese groepering. 'n Sekondêre bevinding van belang is dat die ouer volwasse verbuiker, 80 plus, primêr aankope doen gebasseer op prys en selde op handelsnaam lojalitiet. Die jonger volwasse mark neig egter om 'n hoër handelsnaam lojaliteit te toon in hul aankope. Laastens dui die studie daarop dat vir die ouer Swart verbruiker, prys meer dikwels 'n motiverende factor is, as vir enige ander etniese groep. Die uitsondering is koffie-aankope, waar Blanke verbruikers meer prysbewus is. Die studie sluit af met aanbevelings vir organisasies om die ouer mark so goed as moontlik in die toekoms te begryp asook moontlike toekomstige studies in terme van die ouer volwasse demografiese groep.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

As producers of national and international brands, manufacturers and service providers were the focus of brand management literature. However, as retailers have become major players nationally and internationally, managing retailers as brands have become a major challenge. The retailer unique business nature, and managerial needs as well as its ever-changing business environment render managing the retail brand a unique and complex task. For the retail brand to embrace and adapt to its managerial challenges, a multitude of brand management approaches should be employed. However, when addressing retailers as brands, the retail management literature has failed to account for this multiplicity exposing a gap in the literature. To fill this gap, a communal retail brand management model is proposed to help retailers embrace and adapt to their various branding requirements inflicted by their business challenges. To build the model, a common core among the various approaches involved in managing retail brands should be identified so as to simplify, by forming a unified approach, yet maintain the essence of each approach. The holistic, humanitarian and managerial orientations of the concept of organizational culture identify it as the common core and thus act as the backbone on which the model will be built. Since the model will be built through cultural interpretation, the ethnographic tradition of qualitative inquiry is utilized because it provides an emic perspective, which is the best strategy (that consequently provides best tools) for interpreting cultures. Besides, the flexibility of the ethnographic tradition allows the adoption of other qualitative traditions of enquiry to aid in building the model. Thus, the case study tradition is employed to confine the study within the precincts of a single retail brand in order to conduct deep analysis for several stakeholders simultaneously. Additionally, the analytical technique of the grounded theory tradition is employed to capitalize on its systematic ability to form conceptual themes out of raw data that, ultimately, become the model's building blocks. In light of conducting a five-months participant observation study in two grocery stores of a leading supermarket brand in two countries (Sainsbury's stores in the UK and Egypt), the findings revealed that modelling the retail brand culture resembles, metaphorically, a tree. The culture symbols resemble the tree attractive leaves, the rituals & local heroes resemble the supportive trunk, and values resemble the roots that anchor in the soil, which, in turn, resembles the cultures in which the retailer operates. The thesis concludes that the Tree- Model is a road map that guides retailers to build and manage their brand identity and consequently enable them to embrace and adapt to the various branding requirements dictated by their business challenges.

This research began with the question: why is the retailer brand market share of Tesco Korea higher than that of local Korean retailers? Of the foreign grocery retailers who have expanded into Korea, Tesco has achieved the most outstanding performance, with the highest retailer brand share in the market. After the withdrawal of Wal-Mart and Carrefour from Korea in 2006, Tesco Korea has been positioned as the successful foreign retailer. Accordingly, how the retail operation of Tesco Korea differs from that of the local Korean retailers attracted the author’s interest, specifically in terms of the development and handling processes of the retailer brand. Rather than examining the customer perceptions of both Tesco Korea and the domestic Korean retailers, the researcher concentrated on identifying the differences between both parties from the point of view of their retailer brand program operations. Based on in-depth interviews with retailers and suppliers, store observations, the author’s own experience in retailer brand development, and company documentation, this research explored the differences between Tesco Korea and domestic Korean retailers in how they develop and handle their own brands. Tesco Korea has taken advantage of retailing know-how, that is, retailer brand development skills created by Tesco UK. With the help of Tesco UK, the retailer brand development process of Tesco Korea is differentiated in a number of areas from that of the local Korean retailers. The flows of retailing know-how from Tesco UK to Tesco Korea has also influenced the whole retailer brand market in Korea, as well as stimulated the local Korean retailers to improve their retailer brand development skills. The entry of retailers with advanced retailer brand development knowledge into markets where retailer brands are less well developed is a catalyst in promoting retailer brand markets, and in intensifying retail competition. Also, the retailer brand development know-how of domestic retailers is enhanced by imitating or benchmarking foreign retailers. This research suggests that retailer brand share is related to the degree to which retailers are proactively involved in the development and handling processes for retailer brand product ranges, as well as to how sophisticated or advanced their knowledge of the retailer brand development process is. Advanced development and handling skills make a considerable contribution to increasing retailer brand share in markets with a lower share or no presence of retailer brands.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing 2016 / Since 1994, the number of South Africans who have the ability to hire domestic help has increased due to the economic inclusion of the African majority. This research has been conducted amongst South Africa’s middle to upper class (also referred to as LSM 7-10 or LSM A). A sizeable number of them have a monthly household income of R50 000 and above and another significant number is made up of business owners. The aim of the study is to assess the extent to which domestic workers’ perceived brand quality of homecare products influence the brand loyalty of the same as far as their employers are concerned. The data collection of this study was exclusively conducted online for the simple reason that the target population of the study is made up of office bound and busy people. A large majority of the respondents in fact spend 4-5 hours in their homes per day during the week. Therefore expecting them to fill in a questionnaire and submit to the researcher would have been a challenge. The research’s point of departure was based on the assumption that employers of domestic workers are not the end users of the products under discussion as their lifestyle did not permit this. However, the fact that the employers are the eventual buyers of the products presented the researcher with a point of curiosity. The key finding of the research was that there was a very strong link between Employer Brand Association and Employer Brand Loyalty. However, there was a weak influence of Employer Brand Awareness on Employer Brand Loyalty. These findings therefore ultimately suggest that domestic worker Brand Quality perceptions, will influence the Brand Equity of homecare products in South Africa. Overall, the Domestic Worker Perceived Brand Quality of homecare products had a positive influence on Employer Brand Awareness and Employer Brand Associations / GR2018

This paper seeks to investigate leading global brands‘ social media presence. The analysis of the Interbrand’s 100 Best Global Brands (2010) social media pages was conducted in the current study. Based on Kaplan & Haenlein‘s classification of social media, seven social media application cases were examined. The findings suggest that there are differences in global brands‘ social media presence by brand categories and social media applications. The findings also suggest that there are different levels of global brands‘ social media control. Managerial implications and guidelines for social media marketing are also provided. / text