Consumer values of corporate and celebrity brand associations

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmina Ilicic ◽  
Cynthia M. Webster
Keyword(s):  
Concept Maps ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Personal Meaning ◽  
Brand Associations ◽  
Corporate Brand ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Authenticity ◽  
Brand Concept ◽  
Brand Concept Maps ◽  
Corporate Brands

Purpose – This study aims to explore consumer brand associations and values derived from a corporate brand and a celebrity brand endorser prior to their endorsement. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses both hierarchical value mapping and brand concept mapping (BCM) to identify brand attributes that translate to personal meaning for consumers and then to identify whether these attributes are encompassed by a specific brand. Findings – Results from brand concept maps and hierarchical value maps show consumers value accessibility and customer service in financial corporate brands. Consumers value expertise in celebrity brands and respect success in both corporate and celebrity brands. A central finding is the importance of brand authenticity. Corporate brand authenticity establishes a sense of security and assists in the development of brand relationships. Celebrity brand authenticity creates consumer attention and enhances celebrity trustworthiness aiding in the development of a consumer – celebrity brand relationship. Research limitations/implications – The findings have implications for corporate brands utilizing celebrity endorsers. In terms of strategic positioning, corporate brands need to center their marketing communications on desired brand associations at the core of both the corporate and celebrity brand that translate to personal meaning for consumers. Originality/value – This study uses a combined theoretical and methodological approach, drawing on associative network theory and means-end chain theory, and BCM and hierarchical value mapping methods, respectively, to understand and uncover personal meaning or value derived from brand associations.

scholarly journals Advances in corporate brand, corporate heritage, corporate identity and corporate marketing scholarship

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1462-1471 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M.T. Balmer
Keyword(s):  
Practical Implication ◽  
Corporate Identity ◽  
Philosophical Approach ◽  
Corporate Brand ◽  
Corporate Marketing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Heritage ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Brand Concept ◽  
Corporate Brands

Purpose This article introduces the special symposium entitled “Advances in corporate brand, corporate heritage, corporate identity and corporate marketing scholarship” and provide a synopsis of the five articles constituting this symposium. By means of context, this article celebrates the anniversaries of four marketing milestones apropos the formal introduction of the corporate brand concept (1995), the formal introduction of the corporate heritage notion (2006), the first special edition (in this journal) devoted to corporate identity (1997) and the formal introduction of the corporate marketing philosophical approach (1998). The latter – corporate marketing – can be viewed as a revolution in marketing thought by noting that mutually beneficial company–stakeholder relationship can be based on corporate identities and corporate brands are not restricted to products and/or services. Design/methodology/approach Taking a retrospective, this paper explains the four marketing milestones detailed above and notes the revolutionary notion of corporate marketing. All of the aforementioned have meaningfully advanced marketing scholarship over the last 20 years. Findings This study provides 18 reflections of developments with the corporate brand and corporate identity fields. It also shows the seminal importance of European Journal of Marketing (EJM) special editions on the territory dating back to 1997. Practical implication This paper discusses how corporate identity, corporate branding, corporate heritage, corporate identity and corporate marketing have, increasingly, become mainstream marketing concerns. Originality/value In marking these milestones, this celebratory EJM symposium comprises cutting-edge scholarship on the aforementioned areas, penned by renowned and prominent scholars from Australia, England, Germany and the USA.

Investigating feedback effects in the field of brand extension using brand concept maps

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascal Kottemann ◽  
Anja Plumeyer ◽  
Reinhold Decker
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Concept Maps ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Brand Extension ◽  
Feedback Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Associative Network ◽  
Brand Concept ◽  
Brand Concept Maps

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to apply the (advanced) brand concept maps (BCM) approach to reinvestigate previous findings on feedback effects resulting from brand extension information (BEI) and to explore whether this information affects the structure of a brand’s associative network. Design/methodology/approach This research builds on the associative network memory model, as well as Keller’s conceptualization of customer-based brand equity, and uses a series of empirical studies with a total of 839 respondents in two different countries. Findings The findings reveal that BEI has no significant impact on the structure of the parent brand’s associative network at the individual level. Furthermore, key brand image dimensions (i.e. favorability, strength, and uniqueness of brand associations) are not affected. Research limitations/implications By applying the (advanced) BCM approach, this paper is able to address shortcomings that are incorporated with the use of Likert scales for measuring a brand’s image and for investigating feedback effects in the field of brand extension. As the results indicate that the identification of feedback effects might be influenced by the approach used to measure a brand’s image, this paper calls for further investigations of feedback effects on a brand’s image. Originality/value Data from three empirical studies provide insights into the cognitive processing of BEI and their impact on a brand’s associative network.

Developing and testing a typology of brand benefit differentiation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Farestvedt Hem ◽  
Magne Supphellen
Keyword(s):  
Concept Maps ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Brand Attachment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Benefit Evaluation ◽  
Brand Concept ◽  
Brand Concept Maps ◽  
First Time

Purpose The purpose of this study is to expand the notion of differentiation by developing and testing a typology of brand benefit differentiation. Design/methodology/approach Brand concept maps were used to identify three types of differentiation. The effects of the types of differentiation on benefit evaluation and brand attachment were tested in two follow-up studies using path analysis. Findings A comparison of the association maps of four international brands showed instances of all three types of benefit differentiation – categorical, graded and structural benefit differentiation. The tests of effects revealed that categorical benefit differentiation had negative effects, whereas structural and graded differentiation had positive effects on benefit evaluation and brand attachment, respectively. Research limitations/implications The findings suggest that other types of benefit differentiation are more important than uniqueness. Future research should test the relevance and usefulness of the typology for other brands and consumer segments. Practical implications The new typology opens new opportunities for the differentiation of brands. Brand managers should avoid a myopic focus on uniqueness. Rather, they should analyze networks of benefit associations in detail for all three types of differentiation identified in this research and strengthen the level of structural and/or graded differentiation. Originality/value This research demonstrates, for the first time, the importance of two types of differentiation other than uniqueness. It also supports previous studies showing the negative effects of uniqueness on variables related to brand equity.

Consumers’ identification with corporate brands: Brand prestige, anthropomorphism and engagement in social media

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Urška Tuškej ◽  
Klement Podnar
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Identity Management ◽  
Brand Management ◽  
Active Engagement ◽  
Brand Identification ◽  
Corporate Brand ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Brands ◽  
Brand Prestige

Purpose This paper aims to examine relationships between consumer-brand identification (CBI), brand prestige (BP), brand anthropomorphism (BA) and consumers’ active engagement in brand activities on social media in corporate brand settings. Design/methodology/approach Data collected with an online survey on a sample randomly drawn from an online panel of consumers were used to test the proposed theoretical model. Findings Anthropomorphism and prestige of corporate brands were found to positively influence consumer-brand identification. Also, CBI positively affects consumers’ active engagement and fully mediates the effect of BP and BA on consumers-brand engagement (CBE) with corporate brands. Research limitations/implications Further research in other markets and on a broader set of corporate brands would additionally validate results and enable comparisons of impacts among different brand categories. The data were gathered in one country, so further research in other markets would additionally validate results of this study. Practical implications Chief executives responsible for corporate brand management are provided with some insights on how appropriate corporate brand identity management can strengthen CBI and stimulate CBE on social media. Originality/value This paper provides some novel insights into the research on consumer-brand identification. It is the first study (to the authors’ knowledge) that empirically supports the positive influence of brand anthropomorphism on CBI in corporate brand settings. It also contributes to the clarification of previously inconsistent results of the influence of BP on CBI. By showing that consumers’ identification with a corporate brand plays a vital role in increasing consumers’ active engagement on social media, the study contributes to the relatively sparse body of research on CBE.

Impression management for corporate brands over mobile media

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dara G. Schniederjans ◽  
Stephen A. Atlas ◽  
Christopher M. Starkey
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Impression Management ◽  
Purchase Intentions ◽  
Consumer Perception ◽  
Mobile Media ◽  
Corporate Brand ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Impression Management Tactics ◽  
Corporate Brands ◽  
Management Tactics

Purpose As organizations increasingly engage with consumers over mobile devices, there is a growing need to understand how consumers react to impression management over platforms with limited textual content. The purpose of this paper is to empirically assess how different impression management tactics can be used in mobile media to enhance consumer perception-attitude-intentions toward a corporate brand. Design/methodology/approach We surveyed 670 consumers and estimate structural equation models and repeated-measures ANOVAs to determine how short passages employing alternate impression management tactics influence consumers’ perceptions, attitudes and purchase intentions. Findings Results reveal that each impressions management tactic (i.e. ingratiation, intimidation, organizational promotion, supplication and exemplification) influences consumer perceptions, attitudes and intentions. The authors compare differences in how the impressions management tactics influence each stage of the perception-attitude-intentions model and find evidence that initial differences in perceptions favoring ingratiation and exemplification appeals become magnified for purchase intentions. Research limitations/implications Recent calls for research focus on an understanding of how consumers process information on reduced-content platforms of small-screened mobile devices. These results provide empirical evidence of the use of impression management and the difference between five impression management tactics on enhancing consumer perception-attitude-intentions model. Practical implications The results of this study will provide marketers with insights to optimize communications and corporate brands with consumers over mobile media. Originality/value This paper adds to the nascent yet vital literature on mobile marketing by focusing on how impression management tactics influence perceptions, attitudes and intentions through the short message characteristic of mobile platforms. The authors develop a framework for how corporate brand management can strategically use impressions management tactics in this novel domain.

Brand Concept Maps: A Methodology for Identifying Brand Association Networks

2006 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Roedder John ◽  
Barbara Loken ◽  
Kyeongheui Kim ◽  
Alokparna Basu Monga
Keyword(s):  
Concept Maps ◽  
Brand Association ◽  
Brand Concept ◽  
Brand Concept Maps

Corporate brand transgression and punishing the transgressor: moderation of religious orientation

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elif Karaosmanoglu ◽  
Didem Gamze Isiksal ◽  
Nesenur Altinigne
Keyword(s):  
Religious Orientation ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Corporate Brand ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Religious People ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Liberal Economy ◽  
Brand Transgression ◽  
Scenario Technique ◽  
Corporate Brands

Purpose With the aim of developing a better understanding of why some consumers still excuse corporate brands that engage in transgressions, this study tests whether extrinsically religious people tolerate corporate brands more than intrinsically religious individuals at different transgression levels (severe and mild) and punish them less than the latter. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a 2 × 2 experimental design to manipulate corporate brand transgression levels (mild vs severe) and religiosity orientations (intrinsically religious vs extrinsically religious) on a convenience sample of 134 subjects who live in Turkey, a country where Islam shapes religious context. It uses a scenario technique and projective approach. Findings While the main effect of corporate brand transgression on punishing behaviour does not appear in the analysis, religiosity’s main effect on the latter does. Unexpectedly, extrinsically religious consumers punish corporate brand transgressors more than their intrinsically religious counterparts regardless of the transgression severity levels. Research limitation/implications Although the study does not refer to any religion in particular, countries predominated by religions other than Islam may yield different consumer reactions. Future studies should focus on transgressions in such different settings. Practical implications Corporate brand transgressors should immediately take up good causes to attract the attention of intrinsically religious consumers. Otherwise, for the sake of showing off, extrinsically religious people may punish the transgressor for its intentional mistakes, which may harm corporate brand associations. Originality/value This study examines the link between religiosity and corporate branding. Unique in this way, it introduces religiosity as a valid contributor that can explain why some consumers do not punish corporate brand transgressors, especially in countries like Turkey where religiosity is intertwined with the developments in the liberal economy which led to the emergence of a new middle class.

Corporate brands as brand allies

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayoor Mohan ◽  
Kevin E. Voss ◽  
Fernando R. Jiménez ◽  
Bashar S. Gammoh
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Support ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Brand Name ◽  
Corporate Brand ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Alliance ◽  
Three Stage Least Squares ◽  
Category Knowledge ◽  
Corporate Brands

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of the corporate brand in a brand alliance that includes one of the corporation’s product brands. Design/methodology/approach Using a scenario-based study, 899 participants were randomly assigned to one of 84 unique brand alliance scenarios involving a corporate brand, a product brand ally and a focal product brand; a total of 33 corporate brands were represented. Results were estimated using a three-stage least squares model. Findings Consumers’ evaluations of a focal brand were enhanced when a corporate brand name associated with a product brand ally was included in the brand alliance. The effect was mediated by attitude toward the product brand ally. The indirect effect of the corporate brand was stronger when consumers had low product category knowledge (PCK). Research limitations/implications Consistent with competitive cue theory, the findings suggest that a corporate brand can provide superior, consistent and unique information in a brand alliance. Practical implications Practitioners should note that the effectiveness of adding a corporate brand name into a product brand alliance is contingent on the extent of consumers’ PCK. Originality/value This paper examines when and why corporate brands are effective endorsers in product brand alliances. This paper adds empirical support to previous assertions that, if managed effectively, corporate brands can be valuable assets that convey unique valuable information to consumers.

The making of brand attachment and brand meanings: the case of a UK engineering services firm

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 887-907 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Sheikh ◽  
Ming Lim
Keyword(s):  
Academic Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Brand Associations ◽  
Corporate Brand ◽  
Brand Attachment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Dimensions ◽  
Consultancy Firm

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into how engineering employees perceive the functional, ethical and political dimensions of the corporate brand and its meaning(s) for other stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – The paper explores brand meaning and brand attachment in the case of employees in an engineering consultancy firm operating within the defense and artillery systems sector. In-depth interviews with managers and consultants at a cross-section of organizational levels along with thematic and reflexive interpretation of qualitative data have been carried out. Findings – Identity-based definitions of the brand, the definitions of a “strong engineering brand”, associations of the corporate brand with engineers’ personal brands, brand essence and integration and the meanings of a military brand have all been raised, explored and discussed from the engineer’s perspective. Research limitations/implications – This paper is among the first of its kind to pursue brand research in an engineering-intensive firm with military and defense brand associations. Future research is encouraged to add further detail and verification to the themes and findings of this paper. Practical implications – The military context is enmeshed with high levels of sensitivity and difficult research access particularly upon brand-related academic research. This has led in part to very limited marketing and branding knowledge into this setting despite its significance. Social implications – Given that the engineering consulting sectors are among the top drivers of employment and knowledge advancement, and given that brand associations have considerable impacts on employees’ identification, self-awareness and emotional well-being, understanding the dynamism and complexities of employee-brand associations is inevitable in these settings. Originality/value – The defense context has unique characteristics and has hitherto remained an under-researched context with respect to branding. This is despite that the defense sector deserves to be in the spotlight because professionals’ voices are rarely heard and acknowledged within the branding literature.

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