Brand Management Research Articles

The Relationship Between Institutional Pedagogy and the Brand Identity Formation of Higher Education Institutions

This study sought to facilitate insight into the potential role of pedagogy in the brand identity formation of higher education institutions (HEIs) through a study of selected HEIs in The Gambia. Specifically, the study sought to address the following research question: What role do pedagogical practices play in building the brand identity of selected universities in The Gambia? The intra-paradigm qualitative mixed method of data collection underpinned the research design. This research design facilitated a preliminary analysis of the contents of institutional documents and social media postings. This process was followed by telephonic and virtually mediated in-depth interviews through which this researcher explored the interactionist interpretations, recollections, experiences, and opinions of 54 participants (students and staff) on the themes of institutional brand management practices, institutional pedagogical practices, institutional brand identity, and the links between pedagogical practices and institutional brand identity. The study used the Corporate Brand Identity Matrix as a supporting analysis framework. The findings show a relationship between pedagogical practices and institutional brand identity formation. The evidence suggests that the selected HEIs use hardly differentiated production-style portfolios of academic courses to pursue largely unengaged students, prospective students, and other stakeholders. Further findings indicate that teaching and learning practice is dominated by academic staff's discretionary use of transmissive pedagogy. This insight emerged against the background of additional evidence, which shows a link between pedagogy policy and practices of HEIs and stakeholder impressions. A synthesis of these findings culminated in the emergence of the pedagogy-based higher education brand identity matrix (P-HEBIM), which this study proposes as a novel framework for the branding of HEIs. The study sets out a practitioner guide on how higher education managers can pursue the institutional brand management priorities of branding strategy development, competitor intelligence, and brand communication using the P-HEBIM as a framework.

A strategic brand development framework for expanding cardiovascular and endocrinology treatments in emerging markets

This paper introduces a conceptual framework for strategic brand development in the pharmaceutical industry, specifically targeting the cardiovascular and endocrinology treatment sectors in emerging markets. The framework explores how stakeholder engagement, market segmentation, and brand positioning can enhance access to critical treatments, addressing growing public health challenges in these regions. Cardiovascular and endocrinological disorders, such as heart disease and diabetes, are rising rapidly in emerging markets due to lifestyle changes, urbanization, and increased life expectancy. Pharmaceutical companies face unique challenges in expanding their market presence in these regions, including varying healthcare infrastructure, economic disparities, and regulatory environments. The proposed framework emphasizes the importance of engaging key stakeholders—such as healthcare professionals, policymakers, and patients—through targeted educational campaigns, partnerships, and advocacy. Effective stakeholder engagement fosters trust and collaboration, which is essential for expanding access to life-saving treatments. In addition, market segmentation is a critical component of this strategy, allowing companies to tailor their marketing efforts to specific demographic groups, economic conditions, and healthcare needs in each region. By identifying the most relevant segments and understanding their unique needs, companies can ensure that their treatments reach the populations most at risk for cardiovascular and endocrinological diseases. Brand positioning is another cornerstone of this framework. By clearly defining and communicating the value of their treatments in terms of efficacy, affordability, and accessibility, pharmaceutical companies can differentiate themselves in increasingly competitive markets. Strategic positioning not only enhances brand visibility but also builds long-term customer loyalty, which is crucial for sustaining market growth in emerging economies. Overall, this conceptual framework provides a roadmap for pharmaceutical companies to strategically develop their brands in the cardiovascular and endocrinology sectors, ultimately contributing to improved public health outcomes in emerging markets.

Collaborating with external partners for student success at small institutions

AbstractSmall institutions must be agile and creative in successfully sustaining and expanding in today's higher education climate. Collaborating with external partners is an excellent choice for small institutions whose funding and staffing are limited. Our intention with this article is to focus on collaboration with external partners including parents/family, alumni, businesses, and others, sharing best practices, impact on student success, and additional information to help a wide variety of colleagues who work at small institutions. Our hope is that this article will give readers some practical ideas for implementing and expanding partnerships to benefit the small institution. Benefits may include marketing reach, brand management, revenue generation, and expanded opportunities for students, enhanced services, and more.

Sustainable Marketing Communication in the Digital Age of Advert Blocking: Implications for Telecommunication Service Providers in Nigeria

The advent of digital technologies has revolutionised marketing communication, offering unprecedented opportunities for brands to engage with their target audience. As consumers increasingly seek to control their online experiences and mitigate interruptions, the adoption of advert-blocking techniques has surged, posing significant challenges for organisations, thereby inhibiting their sustainable marketing communication plans. This paper explores the implications of advert blocking on sustainable marketing communication practices. It examines the factors driving the adoption of ad-blocking and the strategies organisations can employ to navigate this phenomenon for marketing communication sustainability. Anchored on the Selectivity Factor and the Uses and Gratification theories, the study deployed a mixed-method approach, incorporating qualitative analysis of service providers and consumer perceptions as well as quantitative data on advert-blocking trends from a sample size of 163 internet users in Southwest, Nigeria. Findings reveal the pervasive nature of intrusive advertising practices and the growing apprehensions surrounding privacy and data security, driving the widespread adoption of advert blocking. Moreover, analysis indicates a correlation between ad-blocking behaviour and heightened levels of brand scepticism and avoidance tendencies among consumers. Based on findings, organizations are advised to adopt sustainable brand communication strategies, Alternative approaches such as other below-the-line channels, native advertising, branded content, and influencer marketing emerge as promising avenues for engaging audiences while circumventing advert-blocking barriers. The research work accentuates the necessity of adjusting marketing communication strategies to align with evolving target audiences’ preferences, thereby promoting sustainability in the digital era's marketing landscape.

Strategic Communication and Socio-Ecological Imperatives for Re-Marketing the Nigerian Brand

The thrust of this paper is to examine select factors within the social and ecological realms that are attributed to the image crises of Nigeria and to proffer sustainable strategic communication solutions to re-marketing the nation as a brand. The de-marketing process of the brand Nigeria is a function of some obvious factors like corruption, bribery, ethnicity, communal and ethno-religious clashes. Consequently, almost everything ‘Nigerian’, whether human beings or products, is questioned or received with greater comparative scepticism, especially within the international community. Nigeria is no doubt in dire need of a corporate reformation and a review of the nation’s socio-ecological posture and experience will offer a headway for the re-marketing of the brand. This paper adopts the analytical methods for the review of strategic communication and the Socio-Ecological Model, using selected scenarios in Nigeria as units of analysis. Findings reveal that Nigeria’s albatross as an unattractive brand is the moral decadence of her citizens occasioned by a lack of adequate information of citizens, absence of motivation and ability to act, and the inherent norms that the people live with. This has thwarted the nation’s (re)branding management efforts. This paper recommends that the Federal government of Nigeria should re-orient her citizens from the now youngest generation and re-order her communication architecture to communicate a renewed Nigerian brand that will help the nation’s image to be attractive for a convincing patronage within the international market.

Building loyalty in the fast fashion market: The key role of customer brand identification

ABSTRACT This research proposes a novel conceptual model based on the Social Identity Theory (SIT) to identify the customer’s path to brand loyalty in the fast fashion industry. For this purpose, the following constructs are considered: customer brand identification (CBI), customer brand satisfaction (CBS), active brand word of mouth (ABWOM), passive brand word of mouth (PBWOM) and behavioural brand loyalty (BBL). To accomplish this research goal, a sample of 368 customer surveys was collected in Spain, and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results show that the main influences are, in this order: CBI on PBWOM, CBS on ABWOM and CBI on CBS. This study represents a pioneering effort in delving into the unexplored path leading from CBI to BBL in the dynamic fast fashion landscape. What is more, this research also introduces a highly novel perspective by differentiating between the active and passive components of customer word of mouth, a perspective that has thus far been under-researched. Several management guidelines are offered to improve the brand management strategies of operators in the industry through a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour.

Should Global Brands Engage in Brand Activism?

Brand activism, taking a stance on current and divisive sociopolitical issues, has emerged as a novel means of expressing a brand's values and engaging with the firm's customer base. Yet, globally, companies lack conclusive guidance on the consequences of taking a stance. This research asks a novel question: Should global brands engage in activism? Using varying activism manipulations (e.g., statements and actions), five studies reveal consumer preference for activist global brands. More importantly, guided by schema change theory, the authors find that the positive brand activism effect is particularly strong for global brands associated with negative brand origin, irrespective of consumers’ prior attitude valence. However, brands with positive origin associations benefit from activism only when consumers’ prior attitude valence is in alignment. The authors also identify the mediating effects of self–brand connection, which has downstream consequences for behavioral intentions. Taken together, this work sheds new light on consumer perceptions of brand activism across cultures, elucidates why consumers prefer global brands that engage in activism, and offers actionable insights for global brand managers.

Understanding the formation process of positive customer engagement behaviors: a quantitative and qualitative interpretation

PurposeTo investigate the impact of cognition, emotion and other factors on positive customer engagement behaviors and to identify the differential formation processes and dynamic changes in these behaviors.Design/methodology/approachWe used cognitive appraisals and coping theory as well as justice theory, to analyze comment data from the Xiaomi Community with natural language processing and binary logistic regression.FindingsOur results indicate that cognition and emotion are unnecessary for positive customer engagement. Users expressing different cognitions and emotions exhibit varied positive engagement behaviors. The behavioral dimension was the most frequently combined, followed by the affective and cognitive dimensions. Managers should adopt material or spiritual incentives to encourage users with positive emotions and cognition to become loyal. Additionally, addressing comments with distributive justice cognition can promote positive customer engagement.Originality/valueThis study clarifies the complex interplay between cognition, emotion and customer engagement behaviors, providing actionable insights for brand managers to foster customer loyalty and positive customer engagement.

Improving international brand performance: the implications of marketing capabilities, brand orientation and customer value cocreation

Purpose To thrive in today’s competitive market, international small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) recognize the importance of building strong brands. Choosing the right capabilities to effectively drive brand performance remains a key challenge for SMEs. This study aims to explore how marketing capabilities affect brand orientation and performance. Specifically, the study considered the mediating impact of value cocreation and the moderating effect of innovation capabilities on the association between brand orientation and performance. Design/methodology/approach The population of interest included SMEs exporting food and agricultural products. A sample of 296 managers and export executives completed the questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using Smart PLS3 was applied to analyze the data. Findings The findings revealed that export market planning capabilities positively affect brand orientation, but the impact of marketing information capabilities on brand orientation was not supported. The results showed that brand orientation was directly and indirectly associated with brand performance through the mediating effect of value cocreation, and that innovation capability adversely moderated the relationship between brand orientation and performance. Research limitations/implications This research focused only on two primary internal marketing capabilities affecting brand orientation, i.e. market information and product planning capabilities. Practical implications Explaining why some international SMEs adopt brand orientation activities, the results may help international firms increase their brand performance by emphasizing their marketing capabilities and creating covalue with their customers. Originality/value This research expands the existing knowledge of branding in international markets.

The Influence of a Regional Public Brand on Consumers’ Purchase Intention and Behavior Toward Eco-Agricultural Products: A Chinese National Park Case

Transforming ecological value into economic value is an important challenge regarding China’s protected natural areas. The key strategy is to develop a regional public brand and increase the premium of eco-products. A brand–quality–price model was proposed to analyze the factors influencing consumers’ purchase intention and behavior toward eco-agricultural products from China’s protected natural areas. The data came from a questionnaire survey sample of 300 consumers in Zhejiang Province. The results show that there is a gap between purchase intention and actual behavior: (1) For purchase intention, brand awareness, brand trust, perceived quality, and perceived price had significant positive influences. (2) For purchase behavior, brand awareness, and purchase intention had direct impacts. However, brand trust did not directly affect behavior. (3) Age, monthly income, and marital status had significant effects on purchase intention and behavior. However, purchase intention and behavior were not affected by gender, and the educational level had significant effects on purchase intention but had no significant effects on purchase behavior. (4) Consumers were willing to pay 17.13% more than the price of the ordinary products. This study provides important references for brand development and valuable experience for establishing ecological product value realization mechanisms in other protected natural areas.

Integrating resource-based and market-based views in the fisheries industry – CEO perspectives

Icelandic fisheries have been driven by access to natural resources, focused on fishing, processing, and selling products to wholesalers. The purpose of this study is to identify competitive advantage in the industry and find out how it is evolving within the perspective of resource-based view (RBV) and market-based view (MBV). In addition, this study is aimed at providing empirical evidence that can improve the understanding of competitive advantage in RBV and MBV perspectives in academic research. This study involves qualitative case studies based on in-depth elite interviews with chief executive officers (CEOs) of Icelandic fishing companies holding around 50% of the allowable national fishing quota. The findings suggest a transition from an RBV to an MBV to strengthen the competitive advantage of the industry. Key findings stress the significance of growth strategy, enhancing integration, value chain control, and brand development within the MBV perspective. Furthermore, the identified competitive advantage integrates strengths from the RBV with a market perspective for the fisheries industry. By considering these research views jointly, the understanding of companies' strategic behaviors and outcomes in a specific industry is expanded. This study offers, in addition, actionable insights and recommendation for top management and stakeholders in the Icelandic fishing industry, highlighting a shift from RBV to MBV strategies and underscoring the importance of internal resource integration for sustaining competitiveness. Moreover, the study proposes a model showing the prospective competitive advantage of the industry. Additionally, it contributes to the ongoing discussion on competitive advantage and provides valuable industry-specific insights. Limitation of this study is that it may not fully represent the entire fishing industry in Iceland and relies exclusively on the perspectives of CEOs.

Brand extension or co-branding: The consumer's attribution of responsibility to the crossover strategies of heritage brands

Cross-over brand extension and co-branding are effective innovation strategies for heritage brands to expand into new markets. This research compares consumers' responses to these two strategies, with the aim to address the gap in the literature and provide actionable insights for heritage brand managers. Based on the conceptual link between responsibility attribution and authenticity, and across four experimental studies, this research uncovers the advantage of brand extension over co-branding and its underlying mechanism: the serial mediation of responsibility attribution and new product authenticity. Meanwhile, the consumer's mindsets (fixed vs. growth) are identified as a boundary condition. Specifically, compared to brand extension, consumers attribute less responsibility to the heritage brand in co-branding; this in turn weakens the perception of new product authenticity, and leads to lower purchase intention for the new product. However, the disadvantage of co-branding will be neutralized when the consumer's growth mindset (vs. fixed mindset) is activated.

Art design interventions as a catalyst for sustainable development and infrastructure enhancement in intangible cultural heritage

This study explores the transformative role of art design interventions in the sustainable development and infrastructure enhancement of intangible cultural heritage, with a particular focus on honored brands. The research develops a framework that positions aesthetic and interactive art design interventions as pivotal components in revitalizing these brands. Aesthetic interventions translate the brand’s core philosophy, spirit, and values into compelling visual symbols, harmonizing cultural heritage with modern image design to elevate brand reputation and consumer preference. Interactive interventions enhance user experience, particularly among younger demographics, by integrating technological and entertainment-based engagement, thereby strengthening consumer loyalty and brand influence. The study further investigates how these art design interventions serve as catalysts for broader social development, contributing to the modern relevance and societal impact of time-honored brands. Additionally, it examines the impact of these interventions on sustainable development, societal support, and policy alignment. By weaving together these elements, the research underscores the critical importance of aligning brand strategies with societal goals, fostering environments where brands actively contribute to social welfare and sustainable growth. The findings offer valuable theoretical insights and practical strategies for the sustainable development of time-honored brands, providing clear directions for future research and practice.

Examining the Impact of Employer Branding on Employee Retention in Healthcare Sector: Unpacking the Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment

This research aims to investigate the relationship between employer branding and employee retention, with a particular focus on the mediating effect of organizational commitment in the healthcare sector of Pakistan. To validate the research findings, it employs theory of reasoned action as a fundamental framework, thereby addressing the existing theoretical voids. The structured questionnaires were administered to 468 nurses in the hospitals of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The findings suggested that employer branding has a positive impact on employee retention, with organizational commitment serving as a mediator in the proposed relationship. The presence of organizational commitment was discovered to increase the likelihood of employee retention in organizations with effective employer branding strategies. To the best of the author's knowledge, there is a dearth of research that investigates the proposed relationship in the context of the Pakistani healthcare sector. The research will be beneficial to top healthcare practitioners in order to improve the retention of healthcare personnel.

Брендинг в постмодернистском контексте: звуковые логотипы как культурные маркеры

The aim of the study is to identify the peculiarities of sound logos perception and their role in shaping brand cultural identity in the context of postmodern culture. The article analyzes the interaction between audio and visual brand elements and their impact on consumers’ emotional perception. The significance of cross-modal correspondences and sound symbolism in creating effective audio assets is examined. The scientific novelty lies in developing a multicultural cognitive theory of sound symbolism perception, integrating universal cognitive mechanisms and cultural specificities. As a result, the study reveals the complex role of sound in creating brand cultural identity in the era of globalization and proposes new approaches to developing sound strategies for international brands.

THE IMPACT OF LOCAL PRODUCT BRANDING ON THE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF AGRICULTURAL AND LIVESTOCK AGRO-PROCESSING INDUSTRIES IN VLORA

This study aims to examine the impact of local product branding on the economic performance of the agricultural and livestock agro-processing industries in the region of Vlora. Based on the data collected from local agro-processing and agro-tourism industries, the purpose of this research is to analyze how branding strategies contribute to increasing the level of sales, the level of income, creating a strong identity, and improving the performance of businesses and the territory where these businesses are concentrated. The study includes in the analysis the influence of the local brand in the creation of the identity, in the level of sales, in the income, the profit margins, and the improvement of the economic performance of the agricultural and livestock agro-processing industries. For this reason, the research was conducted with the inclusion of over 100 industries/agritourism, and the analysis of the questionnaire data was conducted with the STATA program. From the results of the research, it is clear that investment in the branding of products with local indicators is necessary to stimulate economic development and to strengthen the market positioning of businesses in the agricultural and livestock sectors. Also, this research provides important recommendations for improving branding practices as a strategic tool for the development and consolidation of agro-processing industries in the region.

Research on Influencing Factors of Brand Loyalty

One of the main subjects in todays research is brand loyalty. The researcher finds that as spending power continues to grow in the consumer market, brand loyalty is crucial for all stages of brand development. However, there is a lack of unified explanation for the issue of various factors influencing brand loyalty. Therefore, the research topic of this paper is to explore the influence of emotional factors, social factors and cognitive factors on brand loyalty. This papers research methodology is as follows. Firstly, this paper adopts the literature review method. Secondly, this paper analyzes the data collected from different literature on the influencing factors of brand loyalty. In conclusion, the study shows that good emotional factors like brand love are beneficial to brand loyalty. In addition, good social and cognitive factors like brand campaigns are also advantageous to brand loyalty. Good emotional, social and cognitive factors are significant in the loyalty that exists between brands and their customers As a result, brands need to manage every element and detail. Facilitating customer loyalty and brand loyalty should take emotional, social and cognitive factors in account.

Strategic philanthropy of athletes after transgression: examining the congruence effect of pre-transgression and transgression issues

PurposeThis study comprehensively explains how sports consumers evaluate athletes’ post-transgression philanthropic activities. We specifically focus on the congruence effect between the pre-transgression philanthropic endeavors and the transgression issue, shedding light on the effectiveness of these strategies in reinstating the positive image of athletes and associated entities.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a rigorous research design, replicating two studies using sports-related (n = 409) and non-sports-related (n = 404) transgression cases. Data were collected by the Amazon Mechanical Turk platform. A series of experimental studies aimed to investigate the congruence mechanism underlying athletes’ post-transgression philanthropic efforts.FindingsWhen the post-transgression philanthropic initiative is related to the transgression, sport consumers are less likely to view it skeptically and are more inclined to positively evaluate the brand attitude and purchase intention, especially when the transgression is unrelated to the pre-transgression philanthropic efforts.Research limitations/implicationsAs is the case with most research, this study has a limitation. This study used a fictitious athlete name to prevent any prior biases or preconceived notions about the athletes and to avoid any unforeseen influences of personal attitudes toward the athlete. However, designing this study around a fictitious athlete may pose construct validity issues because it may not reflect real-life interactions with the athletes. To increase the validity of findings, future research should aim to replicate the current findings using the names of actual athletes.Originality/valueThis unique approach provides valuable insights and equips sports marketers and brand managers with effective strategies to restore the positive image of athletes and associated entities after a transgression has been made public, empowering them to make informed decisions in challenging situations.

How does brand authenticity influence brand loyalty? Exploring the roles of brand attachment and brand trust

PurposeThe study aims to delve into the interactive relationships among brand authenticity, brand attachment, brand trust and brand loyalty using the ERC authenticity framework, exploring the potential mechanisms and different configurations affecting brand loyalty through brand authenticity.Design/methodology/approachAbout 446 valid samples were collected through an online survey of Chinese consumers of international sports brands. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) were employed to test the research hypotheses.FindingsSEM results indicate significant positive correlations among brand true-to-ideal authenticity, true-to-fact authenticity and true-to-self authenticity. All dimensions of brand authenticity exert notable positive impacts on brand attachment, brand trust and brand loyalty. Brand true-to-ideal authenticity, true-to-fact authenticity and true-to-self authenticity not only directly influence consumer brand loyalty but also indirectly affect it through brand attachment and brand trust; fsQCA results reveal five heterogeneous configurations to predict brand loyalty.Originality/valueThis study not only uses SEM to validate the structural relationships among the three dimensions of brand authenticity and their linear relationships with brand attachment, brand trust and brand loyalty but also uses fsQCA to identify nonlinear relationships between concepts. It extends complexity theory to the research field of brand authenticity–brand loyalty. Furthermore, based on the research results, this study provides management suggestions for brand managers and marketers.

Employer Branding and Its Relationship with Organizational Commitment: A Case Study in Peru

The study’s main purpose was to determine the association between employer branding and organizational commitment in a company specializing in technological solutions for payment systems in Peru. The research was characterized by having a quantitative approach, being basic and with a non-experimental – transversal design and a correlational scope. We worked with a census sample of 85 employees of the company studied, to which two questionnaires were applied, the first to measure the employer branding variable with 28 items, and the second to measure the organizational commitment variable with 26 items. Both instruments reported high reliability, evidenced by Cronbach’s coefficients of 0.967 and 0.925, respectively. The results showed a statistically significant association (r=0.690; p<0.001) between both variables, indicating a moderate-magnitude positive relationship. In conclusion, it is inferred that an adequate employer branding strategy is related to high levels of organizational commitment.