Exclusive Brand Research Articles

A Study on Exclusive Brand’s Marketing Optimization

This research walk-through the various methods used by exclusive and upscaled organizations that minimized its marketing Champaign and budgeting. Generally, posh products and service are not marketed through Integrated channels that are commonly available. As these companies differentiate themselves through unique innovative features they opt for specific single streamed path for marketing that directly reach-out its targeted customer group than spending on popularity promotions. In further discussions exclusive brand is categorized into known and Un-known, • Known Brands: Posh and exclusive brands that has a brand image among common customer base and spend on brand awareness and popularity promotion, such as Apple and Tesla. • Unknown Brands: Completely exclusive service or product which does not focus on brand awareness and also ensure they do not exist in common market, but strategically sustain stronger among its targeted customer segment. Study includes a market research analysis about the brand awareness and customer’s perceived knowledge about exclusive brands along their products and service that facilitate for its premium pricing.

Examining Customer Perception towards Private Label Brands within the grocery retail Sector in Ghaziabad City

The world’s fastest-growing retail sector is the Indian retail industry, and it stands at the fourth position in the world. Among various segments of the retail sector, grocery is one of India’s most significant retail segments. In addition, by concentrating on their exclusive brands, most grocery retailers have grown stronger and experienced success focusing on their private brands. Thus, the research article examines “customers’ perceptions” of “private label brands” in the retail sector concerning grocery items. Survey-based research is conducted to attain the research aims and objectives. 96 respondents out of 100 replied to questionnaire, hence the sample size of the study is 96 respondents. The data is analysed by frequency distribution technique using Microsoft Excel. The research findings indicated that most consumers have a favourable opinion towards private label goods and believe these brands are cheaper, offer higher quality, and provide attractive packaging than national brands. The research study also investigated that customers’ perceptions of private label products are influenced mainly by low pricing, better and nearly equal quality, and easy availability.

COVID Communications: Preferred Brand Tones for Consumers during Stressful Times

This study investigates consumer preferences for brand tone when they are under a stressful situation (i.e., lockdown during the covid-19 pandemic). Five mutually exclusive brand tone choices were presented to consumer respondents (informative, comforting, trustworthy, inspiring, and humorous). Consumer preferences for these were inspected and analyzed against demographics and self-reported items related to pandemic-induced stress and coping behaviors. The statistical relationships between stress and individual brand tone preferences varied from negligible to negative. No positive associations were noted. Gender and marital status showed significant associations with brand tone selections. Marketing managers should be aware that consumers continue to prioritize informative messages during uncertain times. However, the use of comfort is also helpful during turbulent times and may be particularly appropriate for female consumers seeking social connections. Regarding study limitations, this research focused on u.s. residents during a single pandemic crisis. Respondent stress was self-reported.

Fashion Benefaction: Luxury and Brand Heritage in the Eternal City

In 2011, the exclusive Italian shoe and accessory brand Tod’s pledged €25 million towards the cleaning and restoration of the Colosseum. They were the first among several luxury fashion companies who have recently lent major sponsorship support to the restoration and upkeep of Roman monuments. The list of patrons grew longer after 2014, when Italy’s Ministry of Culture introduced the ‘Art Bonus’ programme. The act invited would-be benefactors to contribute to the restoration and maintenance of any one of dozens of archaeological sites, theatres and concert halls in the country, in exchange for a generous tax break. Fendi took on the Trevi Fountain and several other urban water features, as well as the Temple of Venus and Roma; Bulgari shouldered the bill for the refurbishment of the Spanish Steps and mosaics in the Baths of Caracalla. This patronage of iconic cultural heritage sites permits luxury fashion firms to centre their brand narratives and identities on Italy, monumentalise their reputation for good craftsmanship, cultivate exclusivity and create tensile and dynamic relationships to the past.

Relationship between Brand Awareness and Competitive Advantage of Independent Petroleum Dealers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Consumers' value for a brand is known as "brand equity," and it is expressed in characteristics such as brand recognition, brand associations, perceived quality, brand loyalty, and other exclusive brand assets. The study's goal was to ascertain the connection between independent petroleum dealers' brand equity and competitive advantage in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. This paper examines the relationship between brand awareness and competitive advantage of independent petroleum dealers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The brand equity theory grounded the study. The research design was correlational. A stratified and simple random sampling procedure was used to choose 26 independent petroleum dealers from the target population, consisting of 28 independent petroleum dealers, and a sample size of 338 employees. The questionnaire was chosen as the method for gathering data. The collected data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The analysis and presentation of descriptive statistics took the form of frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviation. With the use of multiple regression analysis, the hypotheses were tested. From the study findings, majority of workers concurred, according to the study's findings, that branding had improved the gas station's visibility and raised its competitive edge. Additionally, majority of workers believed that strong branding had affected customers' buying decisions. Similarly, most of the customers found the petroleum brands easy to memorize. They also agreed that branding petroleum dealers would increase brand recognition of the gas station. The study found a significant and positive correlation between independent petroleum dealers' competitive advantage and brand awareness (p = 0.000). The study recommends that brand endorsement be given more weight in order to strengthen the competitive advantage of independent gasoline dealers in Uasin Gishu County.

Gilt Groupe: Desperately Seeking a New Business Model How Discount Luxury Sites Struggle in the Economic Recovery Era

Gilt Groupe is a favorite website for luxury bargain hunters spending their lunch breaks with style. The company, founded in 2007, already has a well-established reputation and is expected to generate close to $1 billion in annual sales by the end of 2012. Its online platform uses the “flash sales” method, offering limited-time availability of high fashion, travel, home décor, and culinary bargains to its members. Membership, originally by invitation only, is now open to all. The idea of moving “sample sales” online was first realized on a European website, Vente-Privee.com, which now has more than 13 million customers. Following Gilt’s introduction in the United States, flash sales skyrocketed and led to the launching of many new sites, which have proved popular both with consumers seeking impressive discounts on uber-luxury goods, and with exclusive brands wanting to unload their unsold stock quickly

Consumer Preference towards Choosing EBO vs. MBO with Special Reference to Apparel Retailing

This article has been written with a primary question: ‘With so many choices available in the apparel industry, what drives customers to a particular branded store?’ Although there are various reasons, the store format remains to be an important one, according to extant literature. When brands select their distribution channels, they face the dilemma of choosing a retail format. The study aims to find out which store format (Exclusive brand store or Multi-brand store) is preferable by the consumers and the factors affecting this choice. A survey of 155 people from Bangalore, who have access to branded stores, was conducted and various tests were performed. The results showed that most of the consumers prefer MBO over EBO. The 12 factors identified were reduced into two groups using factor analysis, out of which the attributes relating to the store have more impact on the consumer’s decision than attributes relating to the merchandise.

You've Got to Be Real: Authenticity, Performativity and Micro-Celebrity in South Africa.

For many young black South African women, the competitive arena of social media offers access to significant social and cultural capital, which can be invaluable in the unequal context in which they live. In order to succeed in this high stakes environment young women carefully construct the identities and idealised selves that they present on platforms like Instagram. They display a lifestyle of glamorous consumption, showcasing exclusive brands and fashionable items and modifying and modelling themselves to fit a beauty ideal that emphasises youth, light skin, slender bodies and straight hair. As well as these physical features, young women on Instagram are also hyper-aware of the need to appear “authentic”: to have their online lives and selves appear natural, easy and free of artifice in order to further enhance their status as role models to other women. This article draws from in-depth interviews with 10 black South African “micro-celebrities.” It reveals the central role of authenticity in these young women's online performances of self, and considers the contradictory impulses that require them to both “feel” and “appear” real. Within the framework of existing hegemonic structures, these women appear to be exercising their freedom as neoliberal citizens within a post-feminist setting. Despite the promises of freedom, however, this article reveals the way in which their performances of selfhood are powerfully constrained by normative ideas about aspiration and success.

The Evaluation of Lithuania’s Touristic Image Changes

The image formation and support, reputation-building and active marketing are vital for the existence of the nowadays modern country and its development. Today the country’s nature, history, people and traditions became the exclusive brands that strengthens the economy and cross-border relations, a competitive advantage is obtained. There are many image definitions and classifications, each author analyses it from own perspective. It was found that individual elements make a big influence for a general country’s image. In order to use it effectively systemic attitude is required. Country’s image in the international tourism market is explained by tourist behavioural characteristics: how a person behaves in respect of country, how he or she perceives the country – as a neighbour or distant, closed or open, acceptable or unacceptable, how much the person trusts the provided information, if he or she is ready to travel to the country. Personal characteristics has an influence for perceived location’s image. Despite Lithuania’s efforts to make the image better abroad and inside the country, it’s rank on the international agencies surveys, evaluating country’s political and economic situation in the world context and how famous it is, remains low. There are no innovative strategy for building Lithuania’s image. During the 2006–2015 period, there were no core changes in associations, created for foreigners by the word “Lithuania”. The research found that foreigners imagine Lithuania as underdeveloped, neglected agriculture country, people are closed, not willing to communicate – the same as was imagined in 2006. Lithuania’s touristic image was better after the visit. More facts about Lithuania was known by tourists from neighbouring countries. During the 9 years Lithuania’s touristic image has not changed.KEYWORDS: Lithuania’s touristic image, tourism economics.JEL CODES: L83, Z19

Recover from a service failure: The differential effects of brand betrayal and brand disappointment on an exclusive brand offering

Brand managers inevitably have to face service failures and respond to them. Undertaking brand recovery is essential as customers might desire to take revenge or spread negative word-of-mouth if they feel betrayed or disappointed by the brand following the service failure. Thus, it is necessary to understand customer responses to brand recovery, which depend on whether they feel betrayed or disappointed (while related, this paper distinguishes these feelings). This research challenges the conventional wisdom by demonstrating that, after presenting customers with an exclusive brand offering during the brand recovery, brand betrayal predicts a positive brand attitude and brand disappointment predicts a negative brand attitude with the service failure. Further, the brand attitude mediates the positive relationship between brand betrayal, positive word-of-mouth, and the likelihood of recommending the brand to others. Thus, the quick recovery that follows an exclusive brand offering positively impacts on the brand relationship among betrayed customers.

Exclusive Brand Outlet Expansion Framework for Lifestyle Brands in India (EBOE-LS)

Though EBOs’ (Exclusive Brand Outlet) risk-mitigation is a collective responsibility of lifestyle brand and the expansion partner (franchisee), a majority of lifestyle brands in India believe that the risk of capital investment/recurring expenses of EBOs and profit generated by EBOs has to be owned by the expansion partner. This belief and unbalanced business strategy of lifestyle brands though attract franchisees in the early stages of EBO expansion due to the brand’s reputation in the market or initial lucrative contract terms, it seriously fails to bring any long-term strategic and competitive advantages to the lifestyle brand as the drop-out rate of expansion partners increase significantly after one year of operation. This belief is also distracting lifestyle brands from understanding the long-term positive impact of EBO expansion frameworks that could balance the risk-mitigation and profits between the brand and the expansion partner. A single theory, model and framework of ‘Firm-Contracts’ and ‘Distribution Systems’ from the existing literature available across perspectives, paradigms, and areas of study (Economics, Business Law, Market Penetration, Business Strategy, Marketing and so on) is not entirely applicable that could be adopted to suit lifestyle brand’s EBO expansion plan in India and designing a framework without empirical pieces of evidence is also not appropriate. In this study, (i) we have studied existing theories, models and frameworks relevant to market penetration and expansion; (ii) analyzed 24 months’ of actual EBO data of a few select organized lifestyle brands in India across their existing expansion models; (iii) borrowed experimental findings and insights from previous studies relevant in this context, to identify key decision and investment-making areas that could result in a balanced business contract between a lifestyle brand and the expansion partner thereby designing an economical/effective framework that would be useful in deployment of appropriate tactics of deciding a right EBO type for every City Type and the Store Location by a lifestyle brand in India. The framework is named as EBOE-LS.

Contemporary Elitism in Higher Education in the United States: An Issue Scan

This paper outlined the competitive nature of the admissions process of elite schools of higher education in the United States. Highly selective colleges and universities perpetuate social elitism through legacy preferences in admissions, low acceptance rates, and keeping tuition rates steep. Students who attend selective schools for higher education predominately self-identify as being of high socioeconomic status. Admission angst has increased for non-legacy applicants, as fewer spots are available for admittance because of legacy preference. The affluent parent views selective schools as an exclusive brand to validate and perpetuate class status. Wealthier families can afford to send their children to elite K-12 schools, provide tutors and enrichment activities, all to better position their child to eventually attend a highly selective college or university. Elite schools use a meritocratic system to identify the brightest and most talented students, yet most applicants selected for admission are from well-off families.

Exclusive Brand Outlet Expansion Framework for Lifestyle Brands in India (EBOE-LS)

Though EBOs’ (Exclusive Brand Outlet) risk-mitigation is a collective responsibility of lifestyle brand and the expansion partner (franchisee), a majority of lifestyle brands in India believe that the risk of capital investment/recurring expenses of EBOs and profit generated by EBOs has to be owned by the expansion partner. This belief and unbalanced business strategy of lifestyle brands though attract franchisees in the early stages of EBO expansion due to the brand’s reputation in the market or initial lucrative contract terms, it seriously fails to bring any long-term strategic and competitive advantages to the lifestyle brand as the drop-out rate of expansion partners increase significantly after one year of operation. This belief is also distracting lifestyle brands from understanding the long-term positive impact of EBO expansion frameworks that could balance the risk-mitigation and profits between the brand and the expansion partner. A single theory, model and framework of ‘Firm-Contracts’ and ‘Distribution Systems’ from the existing literature available across perspectives, paradigms, and areas of study (Economics, Business Law, Market Penetration, Business Strategy, Marketing and so on) is not entirely applicable that could be adopted to suit lifestyle brand’s EBO expansion plan in India and designing a framework without empirical pieces of evidence is also not appropriate. In this study, i) we have studied existing theories, models and frameworks relevant to market penetration and expansion; ii) analyzed 24 months’ of actual EBO data of a few select organized lifestyle brands in India across their existing expansion models; iii) borrowed experimental findings and insights from previous studies relevant in this context, to identify key decision and investment-making areas that could result in a balanced business contract between a lifestyle brand and the expansion partner thereby designing an economical/effective framework that would be useful in deployment of appropriate tactics of deciding a right EBO type for every City Type and the Store Location by a lifestyle brand in India. The framework is named as EBOE-LS.

The dark side of salesperson brand identification in the luxury sector: When brand orientation generates management issues and negative customer perception

While there is extensive literature on the positive impact of salesperson brand identification, we have little understanding about its negative effects in the luxury context where brand aura can generate deviant behavior. To investigate the negative consequences of salesperson brand identification in the luxury sector, we conducted qualitative studies, including observations and interviews with retail managers, salespeople and consumers. On the one hand and according to managers, salespeople with brand identification present high resistance to change and generate brand distortion. On the other hand, salespeople with brand identification, in particular those with low self-confidence or low brand seniority, develop a selling approach with strong brand centricity but little customer orientation. Regarding consumers, salespeople with brand identification may generate negative perceptions, particularly for those customers with brand and product expertise and those engaging in exclusive brand relationships.

Evaluation of Factors Influencing Exclusive Brand Store Choice: An Investigation in the Indian Retail Sector

This research investigated the determinant factors of store choice. The study is an effort to understand the current positions of the organized exclusive brand outlets (EBOs) among shoppers in select cities of Madhya Pradesh (MP), India. In this view, the researcher approached shoppers of select EBOs and then identified the positions and effect of identified attributes on store choice. A total of 480 participants were approached, among which 328 respondents completely filled the questionnaire. This exploratory study used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) before the psychometric test (i.e., reliability and validity) of the instrument. Further, the multidimensional perceptual maps show the pictorial positions of the eight ready-to-wear EBOs operating in MP, the central Indian market. Further, it also revealed those attributes which shoppers perceived as important with respect to store selection. It found that organized retail stores must lay emphasis on customer service, promotion, physical aspects, return policies, assortment of merchandise, physical comforts, convenience facilities, perceived risk and purchase volume. The contribution of this study is that the outcomes are extremely useful to store managers and strategy makers in understanding the Indian retail market and tailoring their marketing tactics.

중국 소비자의 자동차 브랜드 인식 연구 - 중국 시안을 중심으로

So called BRICs(Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations and other newly industrialized countries are emerging as key international investment host countries. With low labor costs and market potential, these countries are drawing attention. This situation is the same in global automobile market. China in particular is widely perceived to be the most decisive market among global automobile companies. In most countries, automobile market is now saturated and manufacturers can only expect growth in newly industrialized countries such as China. Automobile brands in Chinese market can be categorized into three groups. First, there are indigenous Chinese local brands. Second, there are global brands that have entered Chinese market by forming joint ventures with local brands. Third, there are independent brands which are exclusive brands of foreign global makers which are introduced only for Chinese market. This study identifies differences of Chinese consumers’ cognition in local brands and global brands that are in various degree of brand positioning and in independent brands.

Buyer-Induced Exclusive Dealing

Large retailers may exercise buyer power in their interactions with manufacturers. This article explores the use of exclusive dealing arrangements by a monopoly retailer when purchasing a differentiated product from competing manufacturers. Interactions among the firms are modeled as a bargaining game. When consumers' brand preferences are weak and/or when one brand is preferred by a significant majority of consumers, it is more profitable for the retailer to negotiate an exclusive dealing arrangement with one of the manufacturers than to distribute both products. Also, it is more profitable for the retailer to induce exclusive dealing if the manufacturer of the excluded brand has a lot of bargaining power when negotiating with the retailer. If buyer-induced exclusive dealing reduces the retail price of the exclusive brand in order to encourage “brand switching” by consumers who favor the excluded brand, the practice may increase consumer welfare and even total welfare.

Ferrari: The 2015 Initial Public Offering

This case examines the October 2015 initial public offering pricing decision for legendary Italian sports car company Ferrari by Fiat Chrysler management. Students are invited to model the value of Ferrari in light of Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne's interest in expanding production despite the company's long standing tradition of severely limiting production strategy to maintain an exclusive brand image. The case is designed to showcase corporate valuation using discounted cash flow and peer-company market multiples for a company that exists in two sectors: automotive and luxury goods. Excerpt UVA-F-1775 Rev. Apr. 14, 2017 Ferrari: The 2015 Initial Public Offering The Ferrari is a dream—people dream of owning this special vehicle, and for most people it will remain a dream apart from those lucky few. -Enzo Ferrari, Founder, Ferrari . . .

REDEFINITION OF LUXURY FASHION BRANDING THROUGH SUSTAINABILITY RENAISSANCE: RE(F)USE CASE

The luxury fashion industry is a global multi-billion dollar industry including a wide array of brands with massive halo effect, brand heritage and high consumer relevance such as Fendi, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Hermes which are also among the most valuable and influential brands in the world. The established traditional methods of luxury marketing mostly focused on product innovation and exclusive brand advertising practices. With a perspective to built up a synergy between its historical heritage and the requirements of (post)modern business, the global luxury branding industry is at present facing an important challenge in consumer behavior and also going through several managerial shifts such as use of business concepts like brand equity, to e-business; and the evolution of the concepts of sustainability, recycling, provenance and fair trade applications on luxury brands. Expansion of the luxury consumer market toward a broader mass market; competition from accessible fashion brands; the redefinition of the luxury concept of the consumer society; the emergent luxury markets like China, Russia and India; and the increase and fluctuations in the world’s affluent markets and finally changing attitudes and consumption patterns in luxury pose a challenge for luxury fashion brand management. This study exemplifies this shift through an accessible luxury brand discovered on a business trip made to Rome in April 2016 by the author to study established Italian luxury brands. The new Renaissance in luxury branding idea dawned on the author through a brand named RE(f)USE founded by one of the daughters of Anna Fendi, Ilaria Venturini Fendi, the Italian luxury brand artisan. RE(f)USE is a luxury brand concept in accessories based upon the three R’s: Reduce, reuse and recycle. The three R’s have been making their way into the fashion world with new force in recent years. The story of this new off-Roman iconoclastic Italian brand as a strong and valid example that uses recycled and upcycled materials to keep waste to a minimum while creating beautifully unique luxury products the consumers find extremely inspiring and relevant will be depicted in the study. The evolution and redefinition of luxury idea from high-fashion looks to eco-conscious downshifting with upcycled stuff, made from recycled materials will be pinpointed. As a result in response to affluenza, we also see a new luxury consumer, the post-luxury consumer, willing to participate in the voluntary simplicity movement as socially conscious affluent people expressing a variety of concerns about environment, overconsumption, abuse of developing nations and extensive advertising and this deserves further analysis.

Branding Conspicuous Goods: An Analysis of the Effects of Social Influence and Competition

Branding decisions are critical for the success of new products. Prior research on branding and brand extension has primarily focused on how branding influences consumers’ perceptions of product quality. However, consumers of conspicuous goods care not only about product quality but also about the profile of its users. For example, high-end consumers prefer an exclusive brand. On the other hand, low-end consumers may find a brand more attractive if high-end consumers use it. In this paper, we analyze how social effects and market structure can influence the branding of conspicuous goods. Consistent with intuition, our theoretical analysis shows that a monopolist would prefer not to use umbrella branding when consumers’ desire for uniqueness is high. By contrast, in a competitive market, umbrella branding is more profitable than individual branding when consumers have a high level of desire for uniqueness. We also identify conditions in which it is optimal for marketers of conspicuous goods to adopt either an individual branding strategy or asymmetric branding strategies. Furthermore, competing firms may offer umbrella branding even when both firms may be better off if they could commit to using individual branding. Finally, we extend the model to consider a market where consumers’ product preference is not related to social status. Again, if consumers are sufficiently snobbish, competing firms earn more profits by adopting an umbrella branding strategy instead of an individual branding strategy. This paper was accepted by J. Miguel Villas-Boas, marketing.