Capturing the essence of a corporate brand personality: A Western brand in Eastern Europe

Abstract

This study focuses on the positioning of a Western brand (McDonald's) in an Eastern European market (Slovenia), and shows how corporate communication efforts can influence consumer perceptions of brand essence. In order to ensure the long-time viability of a brand's equity, preserving and reinforcing its essence is of primordial importance. A method is presented for identifying those characteristics of the personality of a corporate brand that make up its essence. Such a tool is suitable for refined corporate positioning, because it not only shows which corporate characteristics form the essence of the corporate brand, but also shows why they are so essential.