The national image of global brands

As the Chinese use characters based on ideograms, international brands have to choose a proper Chinese name for the market. This paper presents the findings from a detailed study of the Chinese names of 100 international brands along three dimensions: translation methods, cultural values and brand positioning. The main findings are: a) in choosing a new name the meaning is given more emphasis than its sound though it is still desirable to maintain phonetic links to the original; b) after linguistic issues, the three most important factors affecting renaming are: reflecting product benefits, brand positioning and cultural values. The translation gives an international brand not just a Chinese name, but also a distinctive local image; c) global brand and local image is a paradox to be addressed. In the previous studies localising an international brand is largely viewed as a passive translation process. This study has shown that renaming can be a value-added process. It provides an opportunity to re-cast the brand in the new market, creating a unique global-local image that enhances the original’s brand equity

Moderating effect of the type of brand on the belief-attitude-behaviour model

Drawing from the Signaling theory we built a model of the moderating effects of the type of brand in a belief-attitude-behaviour model, namely brand evaluation, brand attitude and purchase intention. We empirically test this model with 400 consumers in Mexico. Previously we had conducted another survey with also 400 Mexican consumers to classify brands into global, local and glocal. Our results suggest that brand quality, brand familiarity and brand image are common factors that positively influence brand attitude for the three brand categories. In addition, brand attitude is closely linked to brand purchase intention. Moreover, the type of brand moderates the relationship between brand quality and brand attitude, and between brand attitude and brand purchase intention, the relationship being weaker for glocal brands than for local or global

'TV Format Protection through Marketing Strategies?'

Commercially successful programme ideas are often imitated or adapted. Television formats, in particular, are routinely copied. Starting from radio formats in the 1950s to game shows and reality programme formats of today, producers have accused others of “stealing”. Although formats constitute one of the most important exports for British TV producers, there is still no certainty about the legal protection of TV formats from copycat versions. Since TV formats fail to fall neatly within the definitions of protected material under international copyright and trade mark regimes, producers have been trying to devise innovative means to protect their formats from plagiarism. The globalization of cultural and entertainment markets may itself have contributed to the rise of TV formats, interconnecting programming industries in a world of multiplying channels. This paper theorizes that global broadcasting and programme marketing strategies can also be used by TV format producers to protect their formats. Specifically, eight different strategies may be used: (a) trade show infrastructure and dynamics; (b) visual brand identity and channel fit; (c) brand extension and merchandising; (d) corporate branding; (e) national branding; (f) genre branding; (g) constant brand innovation; (h) fan communities. The paper develops a methodology for capturing the use and effectiveness of these eight strategies in preventing the copying of formats

Can Brazilian Firms Survive the Chinese Challenge: Effects of Globalization on Markets, Strategies, and Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to apply the structure-conduct-performance theory and the strategic fit concept to examine the effects of globalization on markets, strategies, and performance of business-to-consumer firms in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes a qualitative approach to answer the research questions. Top decision makers such as president, chief executive officer, chairman of the board, vice president, and director of the companies were interviewed. The elite approach to in-depth interviewing was followed to obtain reliable information from the decision makers. Findings – Findings indicate that globalization and especially the entry of Chinese firms significantly changed market contexts in Brazil. Brazilian executives responded to changes in market contexts by shifting from production to customer orientation, building brand equity, developing new products, and differentiating offerings. Overall, marketing performance of Brazilian firms was positive, but profitability suffered. Originality/value – The study contributes to the literature by showing that globalization has changed market contexts in Brazil by developing a new form of competition in which firms from emerging economies are now competing against each other. Findings from this study can provide useful theoretical and strategic insights into the behavior and performance of firms in other emerging markets

Event sponsorship in China

Event marketing is currently at the infant stage in China, but holds a great potential in future. This is concluded from an Internet-based survey. The respondents believe that event marketing provides international companies with a viable alternative to the increasingly cluttered mass media, and plays a key role in the integrated marketing communications (IMC). Sponsoring sports and music events is found particularly effective in reaching the opinion leaders and innovators, and establishing favourable links between the audience and the sponsor’s brand image

Interdependence of Personality Traits and Brand Identity in Measuring Brand Performance

Brand personality is an attractive and appealing concept in the marketing of today. Consumers perceive the brand on dimensions that typically capture a person’s personality, and extend that to the domain of brands. The discussions in the paper are woven around the issues concerning brand strength, brand identity and cognitive relationship between the consumer personality attributes and brand perceptions. Human personality traits that affect the brand performance are critically examined and role of emotions and attitudes including personality, image, reputation and trust (PIRT) in measuring the performance of brand is argued in the paper. An emerging brand strategy concept in context to bottom of pyramid market segment is also discussed illustratively in this paper.Cognitive behavior, brand identity, personality traits, bottom of the pyramid market, brand image, trust, corporate reputation, mass market, brand performance, customer value

“TV Format Protection through Marketing Strategies?”

Commercially successful programme ideas are often imitated or adapted. Television formats, in particular, are routinely copied. Starting from radio formats in the 1950s to game shows and reality programme formats of today, producers have accused others of “stealing”. Although formats constitute one of the most important exports for British TV producers, there is still no certainty about the legal protection of TV formats from copycat versions. Since TV formats fail to fall neatly within the definitions of protected material under international copyright and trade mark regimes, producers have been trying to devise innovative means to protect their formats from plagiarism. The globalization of cultural and entertainment markets may itself have contributed to the rise of TV formats, interconnecting programming industries in a world of multiplying channels. This paper theorizes that global broadcasting and programme marketing strategies can also be used by TV format producers to protect their formats. Specifically, eight different strategies may be used: (a) trade show infrastructure and dynamics; (b) visual brand identity and channel fit; (c) brand extension and merchandising; (d) corporate branding; (e) national branding; (f) genre branding; (g) constant brand innovation; (h) fan communities. The paper develops a methodology for capturing the use and effectiveness of these eight strategies in preventing the copying of formats

Conational Drivers Influencing Brand Preference among Consumers

Consumers recognize brands by building favorable attitude towards them and through the purchase decision process. Brand preference is understood as a measure of brand loyalty in which a consumer exercises his decision to choose a particular brand in presence of competing brands. This study aims at discussing the cognitive factors that determine brand preference among consumers based on empirical research. Brand attributes including emotions, attitudes, personality, image, reputation and trust which influence consumer perceptions and temporal association with brands are critically examined in the study. The study reveals that higher brand relevance and trust build strong the association of consumers with brand in long-run.Cognitive behavior, brand identity, personality traits, brand association, brand image, trust, corporate reputation, mass market, brand preference, consumer value

« Retail Brand Equity: A PLS Approach

In large retail stores, France is characterized by market saturation and even a decline of several retail concepts such as variety stores, or even supermarkets and hypermarkets (Cliquet, 2000). This situation leads to a fierce competition and raises questions which affect marketing strategies of French retail companies. Given the legal context, the French retailers can increase sales through retail brands which appear to be henceforth among the most effective marketing tools. Indeed, product innovation, sophisticated packaging and retail brands - from generic products to premium retail brands (Kumar and Steenkamp, 2007) - could create consumer value. There are thus today real retail branding strategies consisting in creating consumer value leading to the idea of retail brand equity.This paper focuses on retail brand equity to understand where this retail brand value stems from and how to measure it in the French retail context. Adapting the brand equity literature to the retail brand opens large perspectives in the way of considering this type of brands helping managers to examine the importance of components in the shaping of their brand value and finally to develop better strategic and tactical decisions concerning retail brand positioning.Keller's contributions (Keller, 1993), qualitative methodology and confirmatory analysis are used to first conceptualise and measure a model of retail brand equity. All measures of the model built here are validated. The model is validated through a Path-PLS modelling process. This methodological choice is recommended when formative and reflective variables are integrated in the model (Jarvis et al., 2003). A replication is made to confirm the model validity.Retail brand equity is composed of two components: awareness, and retail brand image (which is measured by perceived quality, price image, personality, brand name and store service). All of these components influence positively and significantly the retail brand purchase (except the store service which influence negatively the retail brand purchase). Retail brand awareness and perceived quality are the two main components which determine the retail brand purchase. Results show also that the retail brand image is a partial mediator on the relation between retail brand awareness and its purchase. This research reveals finally that the retail brand equity can be moderated by the product category and the retail brand strategy. The retail brand equity is higher on basic products than on symbolic ones. The strategy of service brand applied to retail brands seems to be more favorable than classical private label strategy.retail brands, brand equity, retailers' strategies, confirmatory analysis, Path-

Branding Romania: A PESTEL framework based on a comparative analysis of two country brand indexes

Branding Romania is an oft-told story within national public debates. During the past years, the urgency of promoting a coherent Romanian brand to international audiences has been spurred by various factors. Amongst these factors we note general pressures caused by globalization and information abundance, pressures of delivering a European Union congruent brand and nevertheless internal pressures related to social changes. The present paper employs a comparative analysis of two widely used country brand indexes, in order to reveal the dimensions upon which a complex branding strategy could be developed. In light of our findings, we use an adapted model of the PESTEL analysis in order to evaluate Romania’s stance in the strategic branding process. The main emphasis lies on the interdependent and mutually-reinforcing spheres that could constitute the foundation of a consistent, long-term brand management.brand, country brand indexes, country branding, PESTEL analysis.