A study of the role of heritage in brand affinity of south African millennials for iconic South African beer brands

Abstract

Hollis (2007) states that iconic brands address acute contradictions in society by tapping into a collective desire and that they develop a status that transcends functional benefits. According to Holt (2004) iconic brands hold strong appeal because of their reputation, as told by their brand story, their identity-value or resonance with the consumer and their culture or intense relationship that takes the consumer from merely consuming the brand to sharing the branded lifestyle with like-minded consumers. The reason iconic brands have managed to create seamless integration in consumers’ lives is because they have managed to build a foundation of brand resonance (Carruthers, 2012). Iconic brands in the 21st century have achieved brand saliency, which represents the depth and breadth of brand awareness that goes beyond basic recognition and recall. They have developed not only brand loyalty, but brand affinity in the minds of consumers. Recent years have demonstrated a shift in consumer behaviour. Brand loyalty is on the decrease (Scheuer, 2015), as there are increasing considerations for consumers to make in their purchase decision process. Not only are there more factors to consider, but the number of brands competing has grown exponentially. According to Raynor (2007), iconic brands are forced to remain flexible in this turbulent, consumer empowered environment. The myth of adaptability has seen brands fail as they have been unable to match the pace of these environmental changes. This has bought about the need for iconic brands to become more flexible, allowing them to anticipate future scenarios, formulate optimal strategies and operate effectively by knowing when and where to meet their consumer’s functional and emotional needs (Raynor, 2007)