Branding Framework Research Articles

Events as a framework for tourist destination branding: Case studies of two cultural events in Croatia

Events have become an increasingly significant component of destination branding. Many destinations throughout the world have developed events portfolios as a strategic initiative to attract tourists and to reinforce their brand. In this paper, the focus of research will be on tourist destination branding by means of events. The relationship between events and destination branding is examined through six phases of the process of building a destination brand identity with the use of events. When it comes to destination branding, a need for an analysis of strategic documents of destination development imposes because event tourism strategies help destinations plan how to use events in a tourism role. The purpose of this study is to examine which factors are of the top priorities when using events as a marketing approach. The method of case study will be used, by which two cultural events which take place in the Republic of Croatia will be analyzed, namely, 'Spancirfest' in Varaždin and 'Trka na prstenac' in Barban. Varaždin and Barban are on different levels in their branding work. The different sizes and locations of the destinations naturally affect the operating procedures. This article may be of interest to destination marketers and event organizers, especially in developing destinations which intend to differentiate themselves from the competitive market. .

Italian wine firms: strategic branding and financial performance

PurposeOver the last few years, the wine industry has been undergoing a process of accelerated change, consequent to the constantly changing wine geography, both from the demand and the supply sides. This research is based on the 2011 work of Rossiet al.and aims to develop a preliminary prescriptive strategic branding framework for the Campania (Italy) wine firms.Design/methodology/approachThe research focuses on branding strategies and financial performance. It is based on extensive secondary data; the research is exploratory in nature, and it is a theoretical research.FindingsThe paper achieves four main objectives: to understand the industry's local and international competitive situation; to identify the role and potentialities of branding in competitive terms; to identify the underlying factors of consumer behavior in relation to wine branding; and to develop a preliminary prescriptive strategic branding framework for the Campania wine firms, with generic application and value.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of the paper are the result of its very nature: it is a largely conceptual paper. Empirical research is therefore needed to test and validate the essentially preliminary framework developed and the (well‐based) assumptions made towards its development.Originality/valueThe value of the paper stems from the fact that practically no research exists on the subject and this work provides a solid and comprehensive theoretical foundation for further research to build on. Additionally, this research studies the subject but also through the identification of true underlying consumer behavior factors.

Tourism branding and nation building in China

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework for nation branding based on the concepts of co‐branding and perceived fit, and to apply these concepts to discuss the type of nation brand that China may develop and how this brand relates to individual destinations through brand architecture.Design/methodology/approachBranding is a deliberate process applied to the shaping of a nation's image and reputation on the global stage, in the heightened global competition for ascendancy. The paper reviews selected literature of national identity and nation branding to identify models, techniques and prior research that informs nation branding. This paper examines national branding and nation building from the perspective of international tourism promotion and development.FindingsThe formation of the Chinese national identity is the result of a complicated historical progression, as well as current national aspirations, and the process of globalization and the introduction of the market system. Branding the nation in the globalised world is a strategy or tool in the competition for attention and wealth, as well as a tool of self‐affirmation. Nation brands are more complex to develop and less tangible than corporate brands.Originality/valueThe paper identifies that value of examining nation branding as a form of co‐branding, with the related concepts of perceived fit, brand architecture as well as existing techniques.

Place branding's role in sustainable development

PurposeThe aim of this research is to examine the place brand construct and to establish its role in the sustainable development of a place. This research reviews the evolution, development and effectiveness of the place branding concept from the perspectives of regeneration, growth and sustainability.Design/methodology/approachThe main research focus is on establishing key facets responsible for driving the brand of a place and examining the relationship between them in terms of achieving sustainability. A place‐specific branding campaign (using the Liverpool '08, European Capital of Culture status) was considered and data collected from the key stakeholders in Liverpool.FindingsThe findings suggest that place branding plays an important role in the sustainable development of a place, provided that the momentum of progress is maintained. In turn, these sustainable developments help promote the place and thereby create stronger place brands.Research limitations/implicationsWhilst some of the facets identified in this study are place‐specific (Liverpool is a port, for example), there is much of a generic nature here and the facets identified in this research could provide useful practical constructs for place branding practices and may therefore become the basis of a formal place brand framework which has a more generic application in terms of sustainable development.Originality/valueThis research paper provides better understanding of place branding and further explores its role into sustainable development through relationship framework.

From image management to relationship building: A public relations approach to nation branding

This article's aim is to contribute to the theoretical advancement of nation branding by focusing on public relations’ (PR) contribution to this fast developing field. Relationship building is proposed as a new framework for nation branding, which could replace image management – the current dominant view of place and nation branding. This article first undertakes a critical review of the definitions and conceptualisations of nation branding. The role of PR in the place branding literature is reviewed, followed by a synthesis of core models and concepts of PR with nation branding. Finally, image management and relationship management are contrasted in the context of nation branding.

Establishing human brands: determinants of placement success for first faculty positions in marketing

Based on primary data spanning 5 years, we examine factors that influence the entry-level placement of marketing doctoral candidates at U.S. universities and colleges. Contributing to the emerging research on human brands, we identify marketing doctoral candidates’ intrinsic and extrinsic brand cues that influence their number of AMA interviews, campus visit offers, and starting base salary. The strongest brand cue is the research productivity of candidates’ doctoral degree-granting departments. A related cue that also predicts initial salary is the candidates’ advisors’ research record. Further, when beginning the job search, doctoral students who have a top research publication, who have a dissertation proposal defended with data, and who have attended the AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium receive a substantial entry salary premium. Based on branding frameworks and theories of academic rewards, this study adds to the emerging knowledge on both the concept of human brands as well as the growing literature on issues relating to marketing academia.

Guided by the brand: from brand management to integrative corporate communications

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to develop a concept and framework of integrative brand management through a case analysis of the international Dove campaign.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents a conception of integrative brand management and a case analysis.FindingsThe paper presents a thorough case analysis of the Dove campaign, and a framework of integrative brand management.Originality/valueThe paper contributes a framework for organizational brand analysis and management that is applicable to corporate communications, and also contributes a thorough case analysis of the international Dove campaign.

Strategic branding of destinations: a framework

PurposeTravel and tourism is the second largest global industry with daily international revenues of approximately US$2 billion, and investments of 12 percent of world GDP. Though this is a highly competitive industry, there is a paucity of academic research on destination branding. This paper aims to present a branding framework for designing successful destination strategies. This exploratory study seeks to determine key factors that affect the strategic branding of destinations.Design/methodology/approachSimilar fields like place marketing, destination marketing, services, product and corporate branding were reviewed along with destination case studies. Based on this review and its extrapolation to the “destination context”, a framework for strategic branding of destinations was formulated.FindingsSuccessful strategic branding of destinations is dependent on several inter‐related components, which are discussed. The paper highlights key issues in destination branding and provides a platform for future research.Originality/valueThe value of the paper is high as it provides a practical framework for governing bodies to consider when investing time, money and effort when creating a global destination.

An approach on process of developing city brands - focused on branding frameworks of Hong Kong, Bristol and Seoul -

An approach on process of developing city brands - focused on branding frameworks of Hong Kong, Bristol and Seoul -

Can association methods reveal the effects of internal branding on tourism destination stakeholders?

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to employ the collage technique, an unstructured qualitative association instrument, with respect to place branding initiatives and to uncover internal stakeholders' perceptions of the region or destination.Design/methodology/approachThe first part presents a general framework of brand and destination branding in the field of tourism research. The empirical study was carried out in selected Alpine tourism destinations. In the first stage the authors identified the main representatives of stakeholders in two Austrian tourism destinations. In the second, the collage technique was used to obtain stakeholders' perceptions of the tourism destination brand.FindingsThe findings reveal that different internal stakeholders trace different perceptions of tourism places and illustrate the importance of using the collage as a technique to explore the various identities of a place.Research limitations/implicationsIt is argued that internal destination stakeholders do not share the same brand perception of the destination brand and they do not share a common identity, which is communicated through the destination management organisations (DMOs). However, more research is needed to support these findings as the study is limited by its sample size and focus on the Alpine region of Tyrol, Austria.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that DMOs should establish better identities within their destination. In particular, they must consider that the collage is a very important technique in communicating the desired brand identity to internal destination stakeholders.Originality/valueThis paper seeks to clarify the effectiveness of the collage method as a tool to measure stakeholders' identities of selected tourism destinations. The paper demonstrates the importance of employing different association methods (word or picture) in recognizing stakeholders' knowledge and opinions of destinations as a primary step in analyzing stakeholders' brand identity perception.

Cities and their brands: Lessons from corporate branding

First, this article attempts to clarify certain issues involved in treating cities as brands, which have significantly limited the application of city branding. Secondly, it draws from corporate-level marketing theories important lessons for cities, and, thirdly, it contributes towards a clear city branding framework that is evidently missing and required. The article directly addresses whether city brands should be treated as corporate brands. It then concentrates on the similarities between these two forms of branding and extracts major lessons from corporate-level marketing concepts. Essential similarities are identified, especially in their complex and multi-stakeholder character and their dependence on a wide cooperation that runs across a city or organisation. Corporate-level marketing is suggested as the closest that marketing theories have ever come to addressing the distinct demands of cities, not disregarding the need to fine-tune relevant tools. The article then compares several city branding frameworks found in the literature exploring their common ground, which leads to the identification of eight components of an integrated city brand-management framework. The paper substantially contributes to the academic discussion on city branding and fills a significant gap in the literature by bringing together the fragmented suggestions on how city branding should be implemented.

The Brand-ABLE Framework - Articulating and Implementing a Strategic Brand Framework for Sustainable Market Advantage

The Brand-ABLE Framework defines the fundamental elements of an organizations brand and asking the right questions to craft a compelling brand position. This is where the Brand-ABLE Framework comes in. Like many frameworks, the Brand-ABLE Framework is broken into four core modules. Each of these modules are query based, specifically designed to challenge you to ask very specific and difficult questions. These questions will help you gather the appropriate insight and data you need to build an effective brand strategy.

Brand Identities: A Framework for Successful Branding

A brand identity is an outward expression of the brand, including its name and visual appearance. The brand's identity is its fundamental means of consumer recognition and symbolizes the brand's differentiation from-competitors. It is important to note that a brand identity refers to the strategic goal for a brand; while brand image is what currently resides in the minds of consumers. How should a brand and marketing manager develop a set of successful brand identities? This paper ties together several extant researches in this area, and provides a comprehensive framework in terms of guidelines for creating and building successful brand identities.

A functional and symbolic perspective to branding Australian SME wineries

PurposeThis study proposes investigating the branding of small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME) wineries in an Australian context. By taking a qualitative approach, the theory building research seeks further to understand branding from the perspective of the SME winery, and in doing so, go some way in addressing the current deficit in the literature.Design/methodology/approachBhat and Reddy's conceptualisation of brand functionality and symbolism is used as a branding framework to underlie the research. A multiple case study design was adopted as a research method to provide case data on eight SME wineries. Data were collected through in‐depth interviews with the owner/manager of each winery, direct observation and document analysis.FindingsThe findings are presented in the form a model of SME winery branding, which, in addition to distinguishing two approaches to branding, highlights the functional and symbolic values inherent in the brand. The findings endorse the notion that brands can simultaneously have both functional and symbolic appeal. More radically, the emergent model suggests interdependence between the functional and symbolic properties of branding.Practical implicationsPractically, the findings highlight the importance of developing the symbolic values associated with the brand, which represent a more sustainable competitive advantage.Originality/valueBy establishing a tentative theory on SME winery branding, this study has begun to address the current deficit in wine marketing literature and has set a foundation for further research.

Determinants of the brand equity

PurposeThis research study aims to examine the practicality and application of a customer‐based brand equity model, based on Aaker's well‐known conceptual framework of brand equity.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed structural equation modelling to investigate the causal relationships between the dimensions of brand equity and brand equity itself. It specifically measured the way in which consumers’ perceptions of the dimensions of brand equity affected the overall brand equity evaluations. Data were collected from a sample of university students in Turkey.FindingsThe study concludes that brand loyalty is the most influential dimension of brand equity. Weak support is found for the brand awareness and perceived quality dimensions.Research limitations/implicationsWhile it is acknowledged that student samples are normally an unreliable basis for conclusions and predictions to be applied to consumers in general, it is considered that they were an appropriate group for this study, given that the subject was beverages.Practical implicationsImplications for brand managers and marketing planners are discussed. Marketing managers should consider the relative importance of brand equity dimensions in their overall brand equity evaluations.Originality/valueBranding plays an important role in contemporary marketing, and is the focus of much literature, both academic and professional. This study contributes to the body of knowledge.

A Conceputual Framework of Branding in Industrial Marketing

A Conceputual Framework of Branding in Industrial Marketing

Brand choice in gift‐giving: recipient influence

This research examines the impact of intended recipient on brand choice when purchasing a gift. Keller’s conceptualisation of consumer‐based brand equity, incorporating symbolic, experiential, and functional benefits, is used as a branding framework in combination with Belk’s characteristics of gifts, for measuring consumer behaviour differences occurring in alternative gift‐giving situations. The influence of gender, household income, and age are also examined. Findings suggest consumers vary in their choice of brands for different recipient groups. They also suggest that there are gender‐based differences in consumer’s brand choice for gifts, along with some income and age related distinctions. Finally, the findings suggest that overall consumers tend to look for brands with greater perceived symbolic benefits when purchasing gifts. Implications for the gift industry are offered along with future research possibilities.

Towards a branding framework for cause-, funding-and need-oriented charities

One of the authors recently developed a framework of strategic orientations that charities will typically move through during their life cycle; these were termed cause, funding and need. Another author also recently investigated appropriate branding strategies for charities. It was clear that as charities move through their life stages, their strategic branding needs will change. This paper presents a discussion of those needs using branding principles adapted from both the commercial and charity sectors, before concluding with a tentative model for consideration by a communications manager of a charity requiring guidance on branding strategy.

From Coca-colonization to copy-Cotting: The Cott corporation and retailer brand soft drinks in the UK and the US

Retail brand acceptance by consumers has been a function of the (spatially and temporally variable) power and trust relationships amongst manufacturers, retailers and consumers. While retailer brands have developed powerfully in some products and countries, in others manufacturer brands have been stronger and more dominant. Certain global brands however (e.g., Coca-Cola) have been preeminent in their markets, seemingly inviolate to any retailer brand challenge. The restructuring and re-organization of The Cott Corporation since 1989, emphasizing retailer brand soft drinks and relationship/partnership building has challenged this inalienable brand position in soft drinks. Cott's extensive (although recent) operations, developing proprietary retailer brand drinks has caused a reassessment of retailer branding status both specifically in the product sector and more generally. This paper reviews the Cott Corporation's operations, placing these within a framework of retail restructuring and retailer-manufacturer brand and power relationships. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.