Brand Management Research Articles

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.

Bibliometric Analysis in Family Business Brands

Theoretical background: Family businesses are a key aspect of the Polish economy. These are businesses that remain under the control of the family or are managed by family members, often passed down from generation to generation. Their importance in Poland is particularly visible in the context of the numerous small and medium enterprises that form the core of the Polish economy. These businesses often have a rich history and heritage that can provide a solid foundation for building a strong brand. Purpose of the article: The aim of this article is to present a bibliometric analysis in the area of family business brands. This analysis will provide a better understanding of the current literature base and detect areas for further research. Research methods: The research method used was a bibliometric analysis, including citation and co-occurrence analysis of keywords using the VOSviewer programme, of articles from the Scopus international database. 58 publications from 1999 to 2023, focusing on the topic of family business brands, were selected and analysed. In order to conduct the most precise analysis, research questions such as the following were formulated: Who are the most influential authors publishing in the research field (in terms of citations) and who publishes the most? or What is a keyword network? Main findings: An increase in the number of publications on family business brands has been noticed, especially since 2018. The highest number of publications appeared in 2023. In total, publications were cited 1,456 times, with the highest number of citations (384) in 2018. The average number of citations per year was 112. The most cited article is “Concealing or revealing the family?: Corporate brand identity strategies in family firms” by Micelotta and Raynard (2011), with 173 citations. The largest number of publications comes from the category “Business, Management, and Accounting”. The most influential authors in this field are Prügl and Botero. Research emphasises the importance of integrating family values into marketing strategies and building customer trust, which can be the basis for further research and practical applications in brand management of family firms.

Meningkatkan Kapasitas Kelompok Tani Sejati Melalui Manejemen Branding dan Strategi Pemasaran Digital Produk Pupuk Organik

The conventional marketing system for agricultural products has not been able to increase sales of products produced by farmer groups. This community service activity intervention aims to empower the Sejati Farmers Group through the socialization of branding management and digital marketing strategies for organic fertilizer products. This activity was carried out in July 2024 at the Sejati Farmers Group, Lendang Nangka Utara Village, Masbagik District, East Lombok Regency, with 18 participants. The service method used participatory and personal communication. This training resulted in a 25% increase in knowledge and a 15% increase in organic fertilizer sales in the three months after the training. In addition, this activity provides alternative solutions to environmental and social problems, as well as improving the welfare of the local community.

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.

Anti-feminist branding: a case study of #JusticeForJohnnyDepp on Instagram

ABSTRACT Scholars have examined misogynistic and anti-feminist media. Since misogyny manifests in platform-specific ways, we add to this scholarship by discussing Instagram. Using the Depp-Heard trial on Instagram as a case study, we ask: How do misogyny and anti-feminism manifest through the specific branding culture and affordances of Instagram in the context of #JusticeForJohnnyDepp? What can this case study tell scholars about misogynistic and anti-feminist strategies more broadly? We outline five themes that characterized anti-feminist discourse on Instagram. Beyond Instagram, this work contributes by demonstrating how branding, which is often discussed as gendered labor that puts women at disproportionate risk, is also used by anti-feminist and misogynistic collectives. However, anti-feminists are rarely subject to those same risks.

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.

Halkla İlişkilerde Tüketici Aktivizminin Rolü: Şirketler için Yeni Bir Paradigma

Consumer activism refers to consumers collectively acting to create change in companies, and this phenomenon has been further strengthened by the new communication tools and social media brought by the digital age. In the past, companies largely controlled trends and consumer preferences with traditional advertising and marketing strategies. However, consumers’ increasing awareness and organizational skills have changed these power dynamics. Now, consumers can make their voices heard through social media platforms and digital tools and become an effective force for social change. However, consumer activism can also create a potential public relations crisis for companies. The public’s demand for policy and practice changes in an organization can threaten the reputation and financial performance of companies. Therefore, managing consumer activism has become a fundamental element of public relations strategies. Companies should use public relations tools to protect their brand reputation and maintain consumer trust by developing proactive and reactive strategies. While proactive public relations emphasizes brand values and transparency before crises, reactive public relations offers fast and effective responses during crises. Integrating consumer activism into brand strategy can provide significant benefits by aligning a company’s core values with the concerns and expectations of its consumers. Social media is an effective tool for engaging with activist consumers. Using social media platforms, companies can listen to consumer feedback, engage in relevant online conversations, and address concerns. Additionally, measuring the impact of consumer activism on brand perception is also critical for companies. Using analytics tools, companies can track consumer feedback and interactions. This provides important data to improve future strategies and better respond to the demands of activist consumers. Consumer activism is driving organizations toward excellence by creating a more engaged and responsive approach to public relations. Key Words: Public Relations, Consumer, Activism, Brand, Paradigm.

Options trading, managerial risk-taking, and brand development

This study examines how options trading influences brand development strategies by encouraging managerial risk-taking. We find that firms with higher levels of options trading tend to introduce more new trademarks, which exhibit lower citation rates from subsequent trademarks. These firms favor brand creation over extension, leading to increased brand riskiness, as evidenced by greater trademark diversity. Potential channels for these effects include increased institutional ownership by transient investors and enhanced managerial hedging opportunities. These effects are more pronounced in firms with weaker governance, managers with higher pay-risk sensitivity, younger managerial teams, and intense competition. Additionally, we observe a negative relation between unrelated brand diversification, driven by options trading, and firm value. Our findings support the notion that active options markets incentivize managers to pursue riskier brand strategies.

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.

Personal Branding Pimpinan SD Islam Al Ikhlas Dalam Mempertahankan Citra Sekolah

The purpose of this study is to see how the Personal Branding of the Principals of Al Ikhlas Islamic Elementary School maintains the school's image. This study will focus on the Personal Branding of the Principals of Al Ikhlas Islamic Elementary School starting from the Vice Principal to the Principal. A qualitative approach is used through interviews and holding group discussion forums with four participants who are the leaders mentioned above. Data analysis was carried out using a thematic approach to identify patterns in the Personal Branding strategies used, challenges faced, and strategies to maintain the integrity of the school's image. The results of the study show that the Principals of Al Ikhlas Islamic Elementary School in maintaining the school's image, consistently convey the advantages of policies by using open communication. As a form of education for teachers and employees so that the cons or issues that occur do not continue into a crisis.

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.