Most recently in academic literature, over the past decade, it has been observed that the cultural approach to brand management represents a new school of thought. This has emerged from relational and community based brand perspectives: which chart the rising role, significance and influence in brand management of connected and savvy consumers. Furthermore, the researcher has identified that economic migrancy; the increase in multi-racial and multicultural relations, evident in childbirth; urbanism and urbanization; Globalization; conspicuous branded consumption; and Web2.0 continue to drive new methods and channels for information exchanges, collaboration and societal understanding. These in turn are shaping and changing the way in which branding, management and consumption are being understood and practiced. Brands have gravitated towards a position of offering individual and societal meaning. In doing so they have become cultural artefacts and language shapers. In tandem the conceptual argument for a brand being understood and used as a ‘human’ has grown in prominence. Collectively, these represent a global cultural phenomenon where the management of brands appears to be a cultural, diffused and self-defined practice. The purpose of this study was to examine this identified phenomenon in greater detail, from a brand management perspective. The aim was to investigate the nature of the relationship between culture and brands – to the benefit of brand managers. The method of qualitative investigation elicited iterated views from an international panel of academics and practitioners -­ in the form of a 16 month Expert Delphi Study. Through the Delphi process, they were encouraged to arrive at a consensus of opinions and understanding. Findings of this doctoral study suggest that culture and brands share strong relationship bonds, brought into existence by human desires. Equally, brands and culture both have the ability to influence each other. Furthermore, the successful management of brands requires a cultural approach, which mediates dynamic and complex networks of brand stakeholder relations. It was concluded that the understandings of brands, culture and management have to take into account: context, space and time – as porous boundaries of transience and transcendence. A new, grounded theoretical framework for brand management was developed - which took its inspiration from Aristotle’s Praedicamenta. In addition, alternative criteria for collecting and analysing biographical data were proposed.

Purpose: This research studies the relationship between corporate heritage brand identity and customer satisfaction of John Lewis Partnership (JLP) which is one of the most successful British retail heritage brands internationally. It conceptualizes and addresses the key factors of corporate heritage brand identity including brand price, quality, design, and symbol. It examines the corporate heritage brand experience of JLP customers through which corporate heritage brand identity influences customer satisfaction. It also establishes the moderating role of brand innovation, word of mouth and multiple time dimensions on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual framework of corporate heritage brand identity is developed from the literature review. To improve the validity of this study, semi-structured interviews were carried out with JLP managers, senior partners and their loyal customers recommended by JLP. These interviews have verified and advanced the hypotheses informed from the reviewed literature. This study mainly adopts the quantitative survey research method approach to test the conceptual framework. An online questionnaire was sent to JLP customers through social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Off-line paper-based survey questionnaires were collected from customers in JLP stores located in five cities in the UK (London, Manchester, Liverpool, Leicester and Southampton). In total, a sample of 596 clean questionnaire responses were collected and used for this study to test the developed hypotheses. Findings: Data analysis results have confirmed the dynamic and essential role of heritage brand identity on attaining and sustaining customers' satisfaction of a corporate heritage brand from the retailing industry in the UK. The results revealed that corporate heritage brand identity dimensions (price, quality, design and symbol) are effective in representing the strength of corporate heritage brand identity. The confirmed that the dimensions of the corporate heritage brand identities of this study are indicating positive impacts on corporate heritage brand experience according to the data analysis results. The findings also suggest that these brand experience dimensions (sensory, affective, behavioural and intellectual) have a positive influence on improving customer satisfaction. Additionally, brand innovation and the time stream in this study strengthens the relation between corporate heritage brand identity and corporate heritage brand experience. Furthermore, word of mouth and the prospect future of a corporate heritage brand are of significance to improve customers' satisfaction through positive heritage brand experience. Originality/value: This is one of the few attempts to develop a conceptual framework of corporate heritage brand identity. The conceptual framework has confirmed the multiple dimensions of corporate heritage brand identity (including brand price, quality, design and symbol) and their impact on customers' experience and satisfaction. This study also identified the moderating role of brand innovation, word of mouth and multiple time dimensions on the relationships between corporate heritage brand identity and customers' experience and satisfaction. This is one of the first attempts to study corporate heritage branding management in the retailing industry sector. Managerial implications: The corporate heritage brand identity dimensions identified from this study have the potential to help brand managers develop and augment their corporate heritage brand management strategy, especially for the retailing industry as revealed in this study. Marketers and brand managers need to be aware of their corporate heritage brand treats such as price, quality, design and symbol to satisfy and sustain their customers. The findings reflect the importance of sustaining the traits of corporate heritage brand and being responsive and innovative to the market on time. Additionally, the fundamental function of Word of Mouth (WOM) in extending the communication channels between a brand and customers. The findings confirmed that Time Streams have a central role in demonstrating the identity and sustainability of a corporate heritage brand.

Title: Utilization of Facebook in studio Arven's marketing Objectives: The aim of this work is to create a facebook fan page for Power Plate studio Arven in Čelákovice. The facebook fan page was created on the basis of survey. Then the effectiveness of the page was evaluated. Methods: In this work have been taken both quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative method was applied in survey among existing clients of studio Arven and facebook fans of fitness clubs. Qualitative method was used during structured interviews. The facebook page was monitored. Results: It was found that the facebook page serves as a presentation for companies. However, fans of the facebook pages do not follow the pages very often. It was also found that is very difficult to bring new clients to the studio thanks to Facebook. Keywords: marketing, marketing communications, social networks, Facebook

This study presents a descriptive account and an analysis of the development and practices of marketing communications in Thailand between 1987 to 1991, the period of the Sixth National Economic and Social Development Plan. By using a theoretical approach which combines features of both the &quotedeterminist&quote views of the relation between marketing and economic development (Joy and Ross, 1989), and the cultural dependency models (Reeves, 1993), the study takes a contextual and qualitative cultural approach to understanding Thai marketing communications practices. The development of Thai marketing communications between 1987 to 1991 was marked by the rapid growth of the influence of transnational advertising agencies (TNAAs) in Thailand, together with some substantial, but constrained, development of local advertising agencies and other ancillary marketing communications services. Advertising expenditure for the whole industry increased by some 200 per cent in the period, whereas some 38 new agencies were established as well, of which 34 were locally owned. The relative lack of capital of local agencies and professionals, however, together with the dominant influence of TNAAs on local marketing communications practices, meant that the growth of the marketing communications industry took place within the parameters determined by the TNAAs. This theme of the interplay between the local and the global development of marketing communications in Thailand is examined at different levels. The first chapter analyzes aspects of the national economy with reference to the effect of the National Economic and Social Development Plans and features of Thai culture and society which were the framework of the marketing communications. The second chapter then considers relevant Western and Thai literature to review earlier and current theories about the relationship between marketing communications and national development. The bulk of the analysis is then made in Chapters Four to Six. Chapter Four analyzes the Thai communication infrastructure and reviews the growth of transnational media advertising within the context of mass communications, public communications and communication for specific purposes. Mixed evidence emerges here of both an improvement in parts of the mass media, and continuing deficiencies in the telecommunication infrastructure. Chapters Five and Six then analyze the development and changes in Thai marketing communications in the period and the impact of globalization respectively. This is done through a qualitative content analysis of two monthly business magazines, Khoo Kaeng and Phoo Jad Karn, and two business newspapers, Thansetthakit and Prachachart Thurakit. The analysis here shows the dominance of a &quoteMadison Avenue&quote style of marketing communications among TNAAs, as well as growing use of sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing by local marketers. It is concluded that the industry practices of Thai marketing communications were mainly shaped by the actions of the TNAAs operating within the policy framework set by the Thai government.

Sustainable consumption has become a crucial factor to consider for both consumers and manufacturing firms. Green marketing practices, or marketing activities aimed at decreasing the impact on the environment, have been incorporated into many business plans to combat old habits of wastefulness and pollution. One very popular method that has come to prominence over the recent years is eco-labeling of products and services. Eco-labels are logos that represent that a product or service has met standardized criteria set by a certifying organization and that it is deemed a sustainable option in its product category. The focus of this study will center-on well-known and established eco-labels in the Swedish market, namely the Swan, Bra Miljöval, KRAV, EU-Ecolabel and the Marine Stewardship Council eco-labels. Eco-labels are tools for communication which can be used to facilitate the practice of sustainable consumption. However, there are many factors that influence the consumer’s ability to understand the message of the eco-label which in turn can affect their capacity to adopt the sustainable behavior. The purpose of this study is to determine if Swedish consumers understand the eco-label’s message and if this message affects their green purchasing. These results were related to message quality as defined by the International Standards Organization 14063 standard for environmental communication (2004 cited in Strömdahl, 2005, p. 15; Von Ahn & Wikström, 2005, p. 33-34) and other notable factors found from a literature review. The following research questions were answered: • Do consumers understand the message of an eco-label?      o What are the factors related to understanding the eco-label? • Do awareness and understanding affect purchase behavior of and eco-label?      o What are the factors related to the purchase of eco-labeled products? A quantitative approach has been used in this research project and a survey has been administered at supermarkets in the Umeå area. To confirm the message of the eco-labels, a semi-structured interview was conducted with the issuing organizations prior to designing the questionnaire. A total of 152 responses were collected from the survey and analyzed with frequency distributions, independent sample t-tests and contingency tables where a significance level of chi-square of .05 or lower was required. The results of the study indicate that customer understanding and purchase behavior varied by each eco-label. Message quality can have a significant impact on understanding of the eco-label. Also, other personal factors were related to understanding and purchase behavior with nationality giving evidence of the strongest relationship.

Background: The Internet has created new efficient channels of doing business. For this nontraditional market, a business strategy that is both effective and efficient needs to be employed. The Long Tail business strategy was developed by Chris Anderson in 2006. It is possible that the Long Tail strategy not only can increase revenue by offering more “niche” products, but also can enhance customers’ loyalty toward the company. However, in order to achieve the latter, companies need to communicate with customers in more effective and more efficient ways. Therefore, communication is inevitably the fundamental element for companies’ efforts to build customer relationships. The Long-Tail, suggested by Anderson and Sugaya, to be an effective strategy for enhancing customer loyalty. But can it fit in the case of Swedish Apple Premium Resellers?   Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to test if the Long-Tail strategy can enhance e-loyalty by adding value to online marketing communications in the case of Apple Premium Resellers’ customers in Sweden. Method: The data collection was mainly through questionnaires -- a quantitative approach. The target group was Apple Premium Resellers’ customers in Sweden. The questionnaire was distributed in Stockholm and Jönköping. Various statistical techniques as well as theories and models were used for data analysis. Conclusion:It can be concluded that the Long Tail strategy can add value to the online marketing communications, and improved online marketing communications can enhance customer loyalty in e-commerce. Therefore, the Long-Tail strategy can enhance e-loyalty by adding value to online marketing communications in the case of Swedish Apple Premium Resellers.

With the social progress in Taiwan, people have a wider choice of forms of recreation. Many changes have taken place in Taiwan's theaters since 1980 when theaters set up sequentially. Although some theaters have grown up and some vanished, as a form of recreation, the role of theater art has become more and more important. A theater has to count on box office to survive. In Taiwan, a main income of theater is the box office, which is chiefly concerned with its marketing strategies. In the past few years, performing arts groups have gradually adopted the business concepts of administration and marketing. It is impossible for the audience to perceive the full content and quality of a performance before making a purchase decision. Instead, the audience has to depend on past experiences, praises from others, or the promotional messages to support the decision. Among those, a theater can have a large control over the promotional messages sent out through their marketing channels. The traditional marketing strategies emphasized on delivering messages to target markets, but neglected their consistency. Thus, the communications elements, such as advertising, direct marketing, sale promotion, public relations, etc., were executed respectively, and could not approach the optimal effectiveness. Hence, Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) rose up in 1990s and brought a new trend in marketing. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the IMC application in Ping-Fong Action Troupe by case study and in-depth interview. In the end, the researcher summarizes the IMC application in Ping-Fong Action Troupe on each tool, exams the consistency, and states researcher's own advices.

In a highly dynamic and complex environment, brand marketing is arduous but crucial to any enterprise which seeks to succeed in the global market place. How does a brand overcome numerous challenges to become rooted in the minds of the target audiences, and how is strong brand equity built? A new marketing concept, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), emerged in the 1990s to answer this question. The theory highlights ¡§integration¡¨ by harmonizing various marketing messages to create ¡§synergy¡¨ for a brand and is based on an outside-in database to build relationships with target audiences to advance brand value. This study applies IMC to brand marketing, using BenQ as a case study. In a comprehensive probe into BenQ¡¦s brand marketing, most of IMC¡¦s important concepts are incorporated in the analytical framework of this research. The first element is that IMC depends on cross-functional design with support from the top and senior managers. The second element, outside-in databases are at the center of IMC and act as an engine for the sequential various marketing communication activities. A company should establish its integrated database and statistically analyze the database regularly to determine market trends. Following on an understanding of target audiences, obtained from the database, multiple marketing communication tools (the third element) should support brand marketing in a coherent and synergistic way. Messages and activities must follow principles of consistency, integration, clarity, systematization, economics, and concentration. The fourth element shows that IMC¡¦s target audiences are not confined just to customers, prospects or end customers but include all selected target audience groups. Differences among these target audiences must be considered. The fifth element emphasizes that a successful brand is nothing more than a special relationship underpinned by two-way communications. These five elements of IMC must be considered interactively, without focusing on an individual factor in isolation. A successful integrated marketing communications program is a circular system. Results in this study indicate that BenQ reflects IMC concepts on brand marketing. BenQ¡¦s Marcom team is a cross-functional design with support from the top and senior managers to undertake brand marketing. With clear outside-in thought, BenQ integrates various marketing communication tools to solicit actively target audiences¡¦ data for inclusion in a database, and to mold a brand image consistent with the brand mission. Efforts made to understand comprehensive target audiences through distinct channels lead to mutual relationships between BenQ and target audiences. Some disadvantages as follows arise when IMC is applied to brand marketing. Many data concerning target audiences are dispersed in various databases of BenQ without an integrated linkage. BenQ does not regularly analyze or utilize a database for brand marketing, but sometimes relies on purchasing data from external sources. In addition, marketing communication tools are not typically derived from a database and the data in the database are not very detailed. Also, the tracking of post-purchase results and responses could be reinforced. The evaluation of performances can be more tightly connected to BenQ¡¦s core mission in brand marketing. Removing these gaps between what BenQ has done, and the ideal IMC framework, will yield great brand equity.

School-based health promotions targeted at improving nutrition and increasing physical activity are seen by governments and public health experts as integral to reducing obesity among children even though such promotions often produce disappointing results. This mixed methods research involving six case schools explored the application of marketing theory in educational settings and postulates that marketing communications processes are relevant when facilitating school-based health promotions. The research intention was to determine the impact of communication processes on the implementation of school-based health promotions by investigating children‘s exposure to promotions and outcomes of promotions. Hence stakeholder perceptions and expectations of promotions were analysed. Additionally, communication enhancers and inhibitors for promotions were identified and communication approaches used by Health Promoting Schools (HPS) were compared with those used by non-HPS. Principals and teachers were interviewed to discover selection, implementation and health promotion outcomes while parents were surveyed about the influence of school-based health promotions on their children‘s eating and exercise behaviours. Children participated in focus groups to determine their perceptions of health promotions, issues and behaviours. Data were analysed using a blended models framework combining best practice principles from marketing communications theory and behavioural theory. The framework was used to explore communication processes within school-based health promotions and behavioural outcomes of those promotions. It was discovered, first, that government policy and community priorities impact upon which health messages are promoted and why. Second, it was found stakeholder roles and relationships impact upon when and where health is promoted and by whom. Third, the extent to which health concepts are integrated into school life highlighted the importance of how health is promoted. Finally, it was established that communication processes and related behaviours, which take place within different environmental contexts, are influenced by communication noise, the skills and abilities of parents and children, and environmental conditions. Future research directions include examining how health priorities of school communities can be combined into a shared vision for health promotions. Clarifying stakeholder roles and examining formation, strength and success characteristics of stakeholder relationships in health promotions is a possibility too. Exploring the HPS initiative and environmental influences on healthy behaviours also warrants further investigation.

Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2008.