Abstract
PurposeThe study aims to explore customer satisfaction towards the celebrated Tong Ren Tang (TRT) Chinese corporate heritage brand (established in 1669). This paper examines the multiple role identities of the corporate brand and, in particular, the enduring imperial identity (role identity) of the corporate brand. The study examines whether the corporate heritage brand’s imperial associations are still meaningful.Design/methodology/approachA indicative, survey-based case study methodology undertaken with Chinese customers informs this research.FindingsTRT’s corporate heritage brand identity and, moreover, its imperial role identity were salient in terms of customer satisfaction. TRT’s augmented imperial role identity not only was highly salient but also, moreover, meaningfully enhanced the organisation’s corporate reputation in terms of customer satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationThis study lends further support for the utility of the notion of corporate heritage/corporate heritage brands and in particular the saliency of the theoretical notion of augmented role identity within the corporate heritage marketing field.Practical implicationCorporate heritage brand managers should be appraised of which corporate role identities are meaningful for customers. At a practical level, senior corporate marketing managers of corporate heritage organisations should accorded importance to the additional P of Provenance apropos the corporate marketing mix.Social implicationAt a time, when China is reappraising its relationship with its past – including its imperial past (of which much has been destroyed) – this paper’s focus on TRT’s unsurpassed augmented role identity is pertinent and propitious. Seemingly, this corporate heritage brand’s imperial association provides a living and tangible link with China’s long and momentous imperial provenance and erstwhile imperial polity. In short, the corporate heritage brand is part of China’s patrimony and enjoys a unique place in this regard.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first empirical studies examining a Chinese corporate heritage brand entity. The study marks new ground in examining customer satisfaction from the theoretical perspectives of corporate heritage brand and augmented role identity. It is believed that this is the first study to consider corporate heritage in the pharmaceutical sector and marks new ground in considering the saliency of China’s imperial legacy on an extant, highly successful and high profile-Chinese corporate heritage brand.
Highlights
Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? This is the evocative title of Paul Gauguin’s (1848-1903) largest and most celebrated painting
Tong Ren Tang (TRT)’s corporate heritage brand identity and, its imperial role identity were salient in terms of customer satisfaction
The analysis followed the threestep regression procedure proposed by Baron and Kenny (1986) and as such examined the mediating role of TRT company heritage and augmented imperial heritage between corporate reputation and customer satisfaction
Summary
Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? This is the evocative title of Paul Gauguin’s (1848-1903) largest and most celebrated painting. Findings – TRT’s corporate heritage brand identity and, its imperial role identity were salient in terms of customer satisfaction. TRT’s augmented imperial role identity was highly salient and, meaningfully enhanced the organisation’s corporate reputation in terms of customer satisfaction.
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