Brand Co-creation Research Articles

Branding governance in international recurring sports events: the World Rugby ‘Sevens’ Series

ABSTRACT Research question In response to calls for additional research on strategic brand management in sports, we examine brand governance practices in the novel and under-researched context of the World Rugby Sevens Series. In doing so, we expand the discourse on rugby in the twenty-first century and provide fresh insights concerning brand governance practices in an international recurring sporting event. Research methods Our qualitative case study design utilises in-depth interviews with eight rugby senior executives representing World Rugby and seven rugby unions. Using the constant comparison technique and reflexive thematic analysis, we identify 10 key themes to illustrate brand governance as it relates to the World Rugby Sevens Series. Results and findings The first three themes, which serve as a prelude to a deeper exposition of brand governance practices depict the World Rugby Sevens Series as a distinct, co-created sportainment brand, headlined by rugby matches as the primary consumption object. Fostering beneficial exchanges with brand partners, developing strong collaborative ties with host cities and venues, commitment to athlete welfare, adoption of scripted brand enhancing initiatives, championing brand co-creation, activating social media use, and providing a 360-degree feedback loop are the brand governance practices on which the World Rugby Sevens Series is built. Implications We depict branding from the brand owner’s perspective and underline how the World Rugby Sevens Series incorporates global partners, local sponsors, rugby unions, host cities and venues, athletes, and fans in brand governance practices.

Branding through visitors: how cultural differences affect brand co-creation in independent hotels in Iran

PurposeIn most countries, independent hotels are a major contributor to both national economy and the hospitality sector, but to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is a lack of any study on brand co-creation (BCC) in independent hotels. This study aims to examine the interrelationship of moral judgement (MJ), self–brand connection, customer–brand engagement (CBE), electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and how BCC occurs in independent hotels and contrasts visitors’ perspectives between two different Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness clusters in independent hotels. Furthermore, this study also examines the moderating impact of privacy concern (PC) on the relationship between eWOM and brand co-creation.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from two groups of tourists, Iranian (290) and European (224), who visited and stayed in independent hotels in some major cities in Iran. The structural equation modelling using AMOS 22 was adopted to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe study’s findings revealed that there are significant differences between two culturally different travellers in terms of selected variables, suggesting that MJ is a main antecedent of CBE, which leads to eWOM among Iranian travellers, which consequently leads to BCC. Moreover, the study’s data indicates that European travellers show a high level of PCs while staying in independent hotels in Iran, which prevents them from sharing and getting engaged in the social media, which could delay the BCC process especially in international level.Originality/valueThis study contributes to literature by providing new insights on the differences in the concept of brand co-creation between two culturally different groups in the context of independent hotels, which require special attention of independent hotel managers.

The Effects of Task Service Fit on Brand Loyalty

Motivated by the role that branded apps play in enhancing customer perceptions of brands, this paper is developed to provide a better understanding of the extent to which task-service fit associated with branded apps influences brand attitudes. The primary research objective is to determine how perceptions of task-service fit associated with branded apps enhances branded app experience and to explore brand co-creation and ultimately brand loyalty. Using data from 573 branded app users we were able to identify the following relationships: Perceptions of task-service fit and o-creation were found to influence brand loyalty. Also, task-service fit and randed app experience influenced co-creation. Finally, results also confirm that branded app experience and brand co-creation are mediators of the relationship between task-service fit and brand loyalty.

Gastronomy offer in a function of creation and co-creation of a recognized hotel brand: Illustrations from hotel Crni vrh

The aim of the paper is to point out the possibility of the influence of the quality of the gastronomic offer in the restaurant of the hotel Crni vrh, on the creation or cocreation of the hotel brand. The quality items of the hotel's complete catering offer were analyzed and grouped by exploratory factor analysis into three factors (Food, Space and Personality). The results of the multiple regression analysis determined the contribution of two quality factors to the creation of the hotel brand. Also, the research came to the conclusion that the majority of visitors, after the experience gained, decide to come again to the rural and mountainous areas, and a smaller percentage to the urban environment. The importance of the research is reflected in the contribution of the existing literature, in the contribution to future more important research, as well as in finding strategic solutions for better hotel operations.

Co-creacion del valor de la marca con la ayuda de inmigrantes voluntarios

Co-creacion del valor de la marca con la ayuda de inmigrantes voluntarios

Place Brand Co-Creation through Storytelling: Benefits, Risks and Preconditions

Co-creation in place branding is used as an umbrella term for the complex brand meaning emerging through stakeholders’ participation in place activities, their contribution, collaborations and interchange of ideas and resources. Co-creation is often an aspiration for places to create and promote their brands collectively. In this context, storytelling—an old technique used in corporate marketing to instigate brand stakeholders’ participation—serves as a method which facilitates place brand co-creation through shared place stories. With the rise of online interactions, the chances of place stakeholders’ participation in brand meaning creation increase, and place stories are effective in allowing diverse place meanings to emerge from various stakeholders. However, when storytelling emerges as a marketing tactic, mostly from a top-down campaign, the stories are not always accepted by all place stakeholders, and they create contrasting brand meanings. The paper aims to investigate the benefits and risks of participation in “Many Voices One Town” (2018), a top-down campaign from Luton, UK, which used storytelling to instigate place brand co-creation. The campaign was created by the Luton Council with an external advertising agency. The campaign attempted to tackle the town’s segregation issues and foster community cohesion through the promotion of seven selected Lutonians’ stories about their diverse and multicultural experiences of living in Luton. The study employs a qualitative methodology to analyse the MVOT case study. Interviews with the council and participants in the campaign and netnographic data from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram were used to gain an insight into residents’ participation in a top-down approach and examine the outcomes of co-creation. Residents’ participation in such a campaign shows numerous benefits but also risks for the place brand. The findings show that participation can sometimes intensify disputes about the town if people’s needs are not properly addressed. The study highlights the importance of open communication between all parties involved in the process, bringing into focus the need for careful coordination of top-down initiatives in line with stakeholders’ needs. It also demonstrates the ‘power of the people’ in the sense that stakeholder engagement with the shared stories led to negative outcomes that were not predicted by the Council.

The Effects of Task Service Fit on Brand Loyalty

Motivated by the role that branded apps play in enhancing customer perceptions of brands, this paper is developed to provide a better understanding of the extent to which task-service fit associated with branded apps influences brand attitudes. The primary research objective is to determine how perceptions of task-service fit associated with branded apps enhances branded app experience and to explore brand co-creation and ultimately brand loyalty. Using data from 573 branded app users we were able to identify the following relationships: Perceptions of task-service fit and o-creation were found to influence brand loyalty. Also, task-service fit and randed app experience influenced co-creation. Finally, results also confirm that branded app experience and brand co-creation are mediators of the relationship between task-service fit and brand loyalty.

Brand co-creation in tourism industry: The role of guide-tourist interaction

Brand co-creation in the tourism industry involves multiple stakeholders, including tourists, tour guides, and travel agencies. However, extant tourism literature has paid limited attention to the effect of guide-tourist interaction on brand advocacy for tour guides and travel agencies. This research explores the role of tour guide interaction with tourists in brand co-creation. Based on data collected from 358 group tour participants, our study reveals that the functional, social, and ethical interactions between tour guides and tourists play a critical role in co-creating corporate brands and employee brands. These three types of interactions influence brand advocacy for the tour guide and travel agency, via customer perception of experiential quality and value.

Exploring emergent co-creative narrative in a strategy video game brand

ABSTRACT This research examines the concept of emergent narrative, located in Game Studies, and brand co-creation, located in Brand Management to bring together both disciplines to produce new understandings about both concepts, video games and their players. Two stages of research were conducted. It was found that players were taking part in brand co-creation behaviours by creating emergent narratives, some of which were quite elaborate. Although these emergent narratives provided no gameplay advantages, creators and other players reading them online derived enjoyment from them which enhanced their consumption of the video game brand. By innovatively bringing together two synergistic disciplines this research extends knowledge about video game media branding demonstrating how examining video game brands using concepts from multiple disciplines can provide rich and useful insights.

Are you engaged? The influence of brand schematicity on online brand engagement and brand purchase

PurposeConsumers’ engagement with brands online is increasingly important for marketers for both promotion of their brand’s message and sales. The purpose of this paper is to examine if consumers’ brand schematicity, a generalized consumer disposition to process information using brand schema, influenced their proclivity to engage with brands online through consuming and co-creating brand-related content, and the influence of online brand engagement on actual purchase of brands.Design/methodology/approachTwo experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses.FindingsStudy 1 shows that brand schematicity increases online brand consumption and online brand co-creation and Study 2 shows that this online brand engagement is not always beneficial to brands in terms of sales. Specifically, because of resource depletion, consumers who co-create brand content online may purchase brands less while those that consume online brand content purchase more brands.Originality/valueThere is a lack of previous research addressing individual differences in consumers’ online brand engagement that this paper investigates. Further, a generalized, dispositional variable such as brand schematicity has not been hitherto investigated in the context of consumers’ online behavior. Finally, this paper shows counter-intuitive effects of online brand engagement on brand purchase.

Redefining brand hijacking from a non-collaborative brand co-creation perspective

PurposeIn the democratic digital environment, brand managers frequently deal with the unauthorized use of the brand by third parties. The phenomenon, known as brand hijacking, has been treated in different and sometimes conflicting ways in the academic and professional literature. The aim of this paper is to clarify the meaning of brand hijacking and to shed light on the various motivations and intentions underpinning the phenomenon.Design/methodology/approachA Delphi-based survey among both academic and professional experts was conducted to explore the key features of brand hijacking and expand existing theories.FindingsThe results of the Delphi survey enable the main brand hijacking actions to be mapped, based on two motivational axes (utilitarian–idealistic and destructive–constructive) and on the various intentions that guide the hijackers. The results help re-define the key elements of brand hijacking, through the lens of non-collaborative brand co-creation.Practical implicationsManagerial implications are presented in terms of the corporate response to the two main effects of hijacking, namely, brand reputational damage and brand repositioning.Originality/valueThe paper helps to shed light on the main components of brand hijacking, thus gaining expert consensus in refining the existent conceptualization in relation to a rapidly changing brand management scenario because of the gradual loss by brand managers of their traditional control.

The Role of Online Brand Community Engagement on the Consumer–Brand Relationship

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of online brand community (OBC) engagement on strategic aspects for the brand supporting the community. A total of 628 valid responses were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. The authors tested the proposed model using structural equation modeling. The results show that OBC engagement directly favors participation in the community, willingness to co-create with the brand, and positive sord-of-mouth (WOM); it also has an indirect positive influence on brand loyalty. At the same time, OBC engagement is directly influenced by OBC identification and, through this, indirectly influenced by brand identification. Likewise, brand trust directly influences brand co-creation, loyalty, and positive WOM. However, OBC participation has been shown to have no significant effect on brand co-creation and positive WOM.

Brand cocreation and immersion: the link between sense of brand community and attitude toward a brand

PurposeThe current study aims to develop a comprehensive model of cocreation and immersion/engagement for café brands as well as their antecedent and consequences in a café brand context. Inherently involving highly socially involving consumption settings, cafés are particularly conducive to brand cocreation.Design/methodology/approachThe current study tested a model of these relationships by analyzing data from customers of a local café and those of a global café, Starbucks, situated in the same town, Karakoy, in Istanbul, Turkey. Data from 241 respondents were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the model of the study.FindingsResults show that sense of brand community is a powerful predictor of cocreation and brand immersion, which are also important antecedents of attitude toward a brand including, cognitive, affective and conative dimensions. Results also revealed slight differences between the local and global brands in terms of brand cocreation's influence on brand trust and loyalty.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is conducted with a limited number of customers of two cafés in a city in Turkey. Future research with the customers from other locations of these cafés, especially the multinational customers of the international café brand is needed to retest the model for its validity.Practical implicationsThe significant differences between ratings of local and global café brands are positive news for local and traditional cafés that are losing considerable market share to their global competitors. Strategic cocreation implementations can be used to instill special and robust relationships with consumers.Originality/valueThe study provides evidence that in highly socially dynamic brand contexts, such as café brands, brand community is a critical predictor of cocreation and brand immersion, which then affect attitude toward a brand with cognitive, affective and conative dimensions, reflected in brand trust, brand love, satisfaction with the brand, brand commitment and brand loyalty.

Building brands through internal stakeholder engagement and co-creation

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to better understand the voice of the internal stakeholder in a way that emphasizes the internal stakeholder as an active force and decision maker in brand co-creation, as part of the new emerging paradigm of internal branding. The main aim is to understand the active role of volunteers in internal branding that is in the co-creation of value. A subsidiary aim is to understand why some volunteers engage deeply and seriously in a nonprofit organization while other volunteers seem less connected?Design/methodology/approachA conceptual framework incorporates several motivators to volunteer-led co-creation. A quantitative, co-variance-based structural equation modelling approach is used on survey data of a sample of 357 volunteers from 14 organizations in the Australian nonprofit sector.FindingsThe research findings contribute to the newly emerging internal branding literature focusing on the active co-creation role of internal stakeholders. The main drivers of volunteer co-creation are volunteer engagement, commitment, altruism, values-congruency and brand reputation. Different explanatory mechanisms/motivators apply to each type of volunteer-led co-creation. In a major initiative, the paper demonstrates linkages across the different types of co-creation, with a foundation/pivotal role for one particular type of co-creation, namely, enhanced client-based solutions.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is restricted to the public sector and further research is needed to test applicability to the private sector. Future studies could continue the initiative in the current study to explore the linkages across co-creation types.Practical implicationsImplications depend on which type of co-creation is targeted. Enhancing client-based solutions co-creation requires a very strong role for engaged volunteers. Innovation co-creation requires both engaged volunteers and a propensity to co-create by enhancing client-based solutions. Brand advocacy co-creation is driven by volunteer commitment, altruism and a propensity to co-create innovation.Social implicationsA non-profit context ensures major social implications.Originality/valueThe study operationalizes the Saleem and Iglesias (2016) new internal branding paradigm framework by demonstrating that brands are built organically by interacting and engaging with internal stakeholders (volunteers in this instance), which, in turn, inter alia, motivates co-creation by such internal stakeholders.

Brand gestalt scale development and validation: A takeoff from tourism destination branding

This study aims to develop and validate a multidimensional measurement scale for brand gestalt. Following a systematic scale development procedure, a highly representative pool of scale items describing brand gestalt of tourism destinations was derived from relevant literature, on-site interviews, and website analyses. The dimensionality of the brand gestalt scale was confirmed using data from a sample of 366 tourists of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The resulting brand gestalt scale is a product of the synergy of four interrelated dimensions, namely: stories, experiences, environments, and stakeholders. The scale was validated using an independent sample of 343 respondents. The proposed 19–item brand gestalt scale demonstrated good fit, reliability, and validity. Implications on collective and multi-dimensional co-creative brand scale were discussed. • Brand gestalt is brand multi-dimensionality described holistically and perceptually. • Brand gestalt consists of stories, experiences, environments, and stakeholders. • Brand gestalt assesses the extent of co-creation of a destination brand by stakeholders.

Examining How Brand Co-Creation and Virtual Brand Community Affect Brand Commitment

The significance of brand co-creation in virtual brand communities has been recognized in academia and practice. The existing literature has investigated the impact of customer participation in virtual brand community on brand performance and its mechanism, but the prospective impact of types of virtual brand community on types of brand commitment is not examined. Based on the survey of 229 members in virtual brand communities of two popular games of Tencent, this research empirically examines how different types of brand co-creation and virtual brand communities influence brand commitment. This research confirms that customers participating in autonomous brand co-creation in the autonomous virtual brand community have a significantly higher degree of brand experience, and those who participate in both sponsored and autonomous virtual brand community have a comparatively lower degree of brand experience. Meanwhile, sub-brand brand commitment plays the role of mediator between brand experience and corporate brand commitment. Theoretical and managerial implications are offered with limitations and future research.

品牌共创研究述评及未来展望

品牌共创研究述评及未来展望

Academic Process Oriented to the Reputational Capital of Brazilian HEI Brands

The reputation of a university must be positive, whether it is private or public, given the competitiveness of its environment. Reputation is an indicator of organizational success and can be monitored by the brand's reputational capital, which corresponds to the harmony between the characteristics established by the managers - brand identity, and the perception defined by its stakeholders - brand image. In a complementary way, business processes are useful tools for optimizing the roles and outcome of organizations. The objective of this work was to model an academic business process, to increase the efficacy of higher education training, guided by the reputational capital of the brands of universities in Brazil. A quasi-systematic review was carried out to investigate academic business processes - identity; bibliographic review to understand reputation and competitiveness – image; and was elaborated a diagram of the academic business process model with UML resources, SIPOC approach, relating identity and image through guidelines: elaboration and evaluation of student work individual plan, student self-efficacy stimulus, individual teaching advice, positive university culture, interaction with society and co-creation of brands by students from Brazilian HEIs - reputational capital.

Social brand engagement and brand positioning for higher educational institutions: an empirical study in Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT The widespread popularity of social media facilitates many changes in the higher education sector including the branding activities of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in developing countries. Drawing from the uses and gratifications theory, this paper examines the influence of social brand engagement among prospective students on brand positioning of HEIs taking into consideration brand co-creation, and brand trust as mediators and brand usage experience as a moderator. The quantitative findings from 384 undergraduates from Sri Lanka indicated that undergraduates’ social engagement with HEIs via social media develops a distinctive HEI brand positioning among the students. Brand co-creation and brand trust were found to mediate the effect of social brand engagement on brand positioning. In addition, brand usage experience mediates the effect of brand co-creation and brand trust on brand positioning.

Brand co-creation through participation of organization, consumers, and suppliers: an empirical validation

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically validate the role of different stakeholders in a co-creation context. In this paper, a new triadic brand co-creation concept has been presented highlighting why consumers participate in brand co-creation, what is the role of the organizing company and what is the role of suppliers in such event and what are the benefits each of these three stakeholders receives in-turn of participating in such an event.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach has been adopted in this study using structural equation modeling to verify brand co-creation from the triadic stakeholder participation standpoint.FindingsThe empirical study validates that consumer’s perceived psychological benefits, brand self-connection and participation in brand communities all have a positive impact on the brand co-creation process. The results also suggest co-creating organizations should create an environment of trust and openness in such a brand co-creation event and they should show participatory leadership and provide proper tools and training to the participating consumers. The participating suppliers should show higher levels of professionalism, they should be willing to invest in research and development (R&D) and collaborate with organizations in their R&D effort. The results also validate that the brand co-creation event ensures increased brand knowledge and value of consumers. Also, brand co-creation is positively related to purchasing, helping others and consumers’ feedback intention. Through brand co-creation sponsoring organizations creates innovation and reduces resource issues and marketing costs. The results also show that brand co-creation can lead to better brand loyalty among consumers. Suppliers should also be actively engaged in brand co-creation as it leads to a better performance in terms of greater revenue, market offerings and reputation.Research limitations/implicationsThe research investigates all aspects of inputs and benefits of the three different stakeholders – consumers, organizations and suppliers. It gives a comprehensive framework to validate the roles and benefits of each of the stakeholders from a consumer’s viewpoint. It conceptualizes and validates the constructs to provide the holistic concept and its associated framework.Practical implicationsThe findings offer new insights to brand managers, Chief Experience Officers of how a brand co-creation event can be organized successfully, what should be the role of them, how they should involve suppliers in this kind of an event and finally how this kind of event can have a long-term impact on the brand in question.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical research on brand co-creation which investigates the roles and benefits from a triadic stakeholders’ standpoint. This study also analyzes and validates the comprehensive framework of brand co-creation proposed.