The Impact of Brand Relationships on Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation—An Integrative Model

Teresa Barros,Nelson Duarte,Paula Rodrigues,F V Martins,Xiao-Guang Yue,Xue-Feng Shao,H Barandas-Karl

doi:10.3390/jrfm13060133

Abstract

The current literature focuses on the cocreation of brands in dynamic contexts, but the impact of the relationships among brands on branding is poorly documented. To address this gap a concept is proposed concerning the relationships between brands and a model is developed, showing the influence of the latter on the identity and reputation of brands. Therefore, the goal of this study is to develop a brand relationships concept and to build a framework relating it with corporate brand identity and reputation, in a higher consumer involvement context like higher education. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used for this purpose. In line with this, interviews, cooperatively developed by higher education lecturers and brand managers, were carried out with focus groups of higher education students, and questionnaires conducted, with 216 complete surveys obtained. Data are analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Results demonstrate that the concept of brand relationships comprises three dimensions: trust, commitment, and motivation. The structural model reveals robustness regarding the selected fit indicators, demonstrating that the relationships between brands influence brand identity and reputation. This suggests that managers must choose and promote brand relationships that gel with the identity and reputation of the primary brand they manage, to develop an integrated balanced product range.

Highlights

Consumer brand knowledge is multidimensional and needs to be understood and accounted for, in order to provide the right perspective and background for research on branding as it relates to consumers (Keller 2003)
Failing to find a scale characterizing the commitment among brands, we developed a scale procedure to select items for this dimension
Regarding the first construct—brand relationships—we found that it is formed by three dimensions: trust, commitment, and motivation

Summary

Introduction

Consumer brand knowledge is multidimensional and needs to be understood and accounted for, in order to provide the right perspective and background for research on branding as it relates to consumers (Keller 2003). This research aims at developing a concept that defines the relationships among brands and analyzes the influences on brand identity and the reputation of corporate brands. The context under study is higher education. We propose a model for higher education institutions which integrates the particularities of brand relationships in the management of corporate brand identity and reputation. The strength of reputation lies in the corporate brand’s promise, companies should keep it as a means of managing corporate reputation (Argenti and Druckenmiller 2004). The scientific community believe that brand reputation depends on brand identity, so a good brand reputation is the result of a good management of that identity

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