Global Brand Image Research Articles

Standardization versus adaptation of marketing mix in international markets: A systematic literature review

This study examined standardization versus adaptation of marketing mix in international markets. It was carried out to explore the scholarly arguments for both standardization versus adaptation of marketing mix in international markets. It also explored the position of extant scholars on the choice between standardization versus adaptation of marketing mix in international markets. The study adopted systematic literature review methodology. The population of the study comprised 4,128 relevant articles obtained from five credible research databases. The article selection procedure was facilitated by a set of inclusion-exclusion criteria and the PRISMA framework. This resulted in the inclusion of 79 relevant articles published between 2017-2023 for the review. The articles were reviewed using in-depth content analysis method. The first finding of the study revealed that the major scholarly arguments for standardization can be grouped into 16 categories, including: economies of scale and cost efficiency; global brand image and recognition; among others. It was also found that the major scholarly arguments for adaptation can be grouped into 13 categories, including: cultural differences; legal and regulatory environment; among others. The last finding is that majority of extant scholars proposed a hybrid approach (glocalization), which combines elements of both standardization and adaptation to create a strategy that is globally consistent yet locally relevant. Therefore, the study advises international marketers to conduct comprehensive market research before adopting a glocalization strategy. This entails understanding local consumer behaviours, preferences, cultural nuances, and economic conditions in order to craft marketing campaigns that align with local culture, values, and traditions of the target market.

Optimizing Social Media as a Global Marketing Tool: Qualitative Analysis of Different Approaches in Enhancing the Image and Sales of Exported Products

Research Aims: This research aims to explore the role of social media in global marketing, particularly in shaping brand image and increasing sales of exported products. It seeks to analyze how social media platforms are utilized to capture global market shares, foster sustained relationships with consumers, and develop positive brand perceptions. Additionally, it aims to investigate the intrinsic relationship between brand image and sales volume, focusing on the impact of a positive image on consumer interest and exported product sales. Design/Methodology/Approach: Utilizing a descriptive qualitative approach, this study delves into consumers' preferences, behaviors, and perspectives regarding exported products while analyzing factors influencing brand image and sales through social media platforms. The methodology involves a thorough literature review, drawing insights from academic sources and scholarly works related to social media's role in global marketing, exporting products, and brand image enhancement. Research Findings: The research findings emphasize prevalent social media approaches in global marketing, including targeting specific markets, leveraging appropriate platforms, content-centric strategies, and engagement-oriented approaches. Despite notable benefits, around 30% of companies appeared to underutilize these strategies. Furthermore, a clear correlation between effective social media strategies and the positive image of exported products was identified. Successful social media applications, illustrated through case studies, highlighted the significance of internal understanding of target markets, crafting tailored content, and awareness of external factors like social media trends and cultural nuances. conclusion: This study underscores the pivotal role of social media in global marketing strategies, emphasizing the need for companies to adapt and align their approaches with internal and external market dynamics. The findings suggest that harnessing the potential of social media involves a comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior, market trends, and effective content strategies

The impact of digital marketing on global brand image: A customer segmentation approach

The impact of digital marketing on global brand image is an intriguing topic that has caught the attention of many marketers worldwide. Digital marketing has revolutionized how businesses communicate with their customers and has become an integral part of their marketing strategy. In this blog, we will explore the impact of digital marketing on global brand image using a customer segmentation approach. We aim to help businesses better understand how digital marketing affects their brand image and how they can use this knowledge to improve their marketing strategies. Over the past few years, digital marketing has grown tremendously and become a dominant player in the marketing industry. The emergence of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, has given businesses a new way to reach out to their customers and engage with them. Digital marketing has allowed companies to target specific segments of customers, measure the impact of their marketing campaigns in real time, and engage with customers on a more personalized level. Global brand image is essential for businesses expanding their reach beyond their borders. It refers to how customers perceive a company and its products or services worldwide.

The Impact of Social Compliance Practices on the Ready-Made Garment Industry in Bangladesh

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of social compliance in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh. Methodology: Using a qualitative methodological approach, the research employed convenient sampling to gather data from various RMG factories situated in Chandra, Gazipur, Joydebpur, Ashulia, Dhaka, and Narayanganj. Researchers conducted in-depth face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) using semi-structured questionnaires to explore social compliance issues and their implications for the RMG sector. A total of 24 in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives from multiple RMG industries, government agencies, and buyers, complemented by two focus group discussions. Analysis of the interview and FGD data identified four key themes that illuminate social compliance practices in Bangladesh's RMG industry. Findings: The study reveals that RMG factory owners feel compelled to adhere to regulatory frameworks and social compliance standards to ensure sustainability and maintain international orders. Compliance efforts are largely motivated by stakeholder pressures, contributing to improved global reputation and brand image. Implication: This research fills a significant gap in existing literature by examining the impact of social compliance on industry and society specifically from the perspective of Bangladesh's RMG sector. Notably, it represents the first comprehensive evaluation of social compliance practices in Bangladesh's RMG industry. The study was conducted in RMG factories located in Dhaka and nearby areas like Gazipur, Ashulia, and Baipail. Limitation: It acknowledges limitations such as a small sample size and the use of non-probability sampling methods.

The role of advertising, distribution intensity and store image in achieving global brand loyalty in an emerging market

PurposeScholars have paid considerable attention to the importance of brand loyalty of durable consumer products in developed markets. However, no study has investigated the simultaneous impact of advertising efforts, distribution intensity and store image on global brand loyalty (GBL) of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in emerging markets. This study aims to fill this gap.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts (1) established theoretical lenses: brand equity, marketing mix and cue utilization theories, (2) a mixed-methods approach: a focus group and two surveys and (3) structural equation modeling on two samples of consumers (one homogeneous and one heterogeneous) of global soft drink brands in Vietnam.FindingsThe study reveals significant and nonsignificant relationships among the selected marketing mix elements and brand loyalty and its antecedents of global FMCG. Slight differences in these relationships among the two samples are found. The existing scales are also reconciled with more suitable indicators. The results significantly contribute to the existing knowledge on marketing mix, brand equity and GBL, and global consumer culture.Originality/valueThis is the first study to investigate the simultaneous effects of advertising efforts, distribution intensity, and store image on brand loyalty and its antecedents of global FMCG in an emerging market. The findings will help practitioners develop suitable global branding strategies to manage global brand image and achieve consumer loyalty across emerging markets.

Polymedia Model on the Information-Seeking of Young Urban Indonesian on Fashion and Their Perception on Japanese and Indonesian Brands.

In the digital era, urban youth face various media – including conventional media – to seek information related to fashion. Fashion items are one of the top three things Indonesian people buy, and Japanese fashion is one of the foreign brands they can mention. The media and information exposure affect their reaction and response toward the information. This study explored and compared Indonesian urban youth's information-seeking behavior about fashion and their perceptions of Japanese and Indonesian fashion brands. Data were collected through paper and pencil questionnaires administered to 291 students at four educational institutions in two major cities, with a diversity of age, gender, place of residence, religion, and education level. This study suggested that (1) young people used various media (polymedia), both conventional and new media. Digging up information directly to fashion brand outlets was a crucial choice, (2) information-seeking behavior was related to fashion brand perceptions. Perceptions of Japanese brands were better than their Indonesian counterparts, although it varied on different demographic characteristics and diversity of information-seeking patterns. This research has several implications: (1) fashion information must be conveyed to consumers as a unique person rather than as a collective person; (2) fashion information must be delivered either through conventional media – including direct shop visits, as well as new media, (3) Need to build a product as a global brand image.

Endorsement of Global Product Brands by Global Corporate Brands \u2013 A Consumer Perspective Across Nations

Many multinational corporations use their corporate brand to endorse their products but thereby attract international consumers differently. Therefore, it is important to analyze whether corporations profit from endorsed branding strategies across nations or whether they must rely on country-specific factors. The authors propose a theory-based framework and apply multilevel mediation structural equation modeling with cross-level interactions to analyze the typical direct and indirect effects of global corporate brand image and global product brand image on product purchase intention across nations. The authors rely on hierarchical data from 7660 consumer evaluations of a multinational corporation’s global corporate and product brands in 35 countries. Importantly, the results provide insights into country-specific moderators, i.e., the degree of country development and national culture, and the respective country portfolio. They further contribute to the application of theory and show a positive indirect effect of global corporate brand image on product purchase intention via global product brand image across nations. Additionally, a positive, although weaker, direct effect of global corporate brand image on product purchase intention is found. However, the degree of country development and national culture moderate both effects differently. This study provides new theoretical implications and shows that a country portfolio offers concrete hints for managers.

How to Measure and Manage Perceived Quality of Higher Education by International Degree Students at Two Case Universities in Finland

The study deals with the quality of higher education and the policy of measuring it from the point of view of the students’ and educational institutions' external reputation. The results of the study will help to better manage and develop universities in the future. The study is limited to the two universities used as a case study, and to past and present students of their international master’s degree programs. The sample size of the research was limited. In the student experience survey, the work did not consider factors such as the effect of number of semesters, the education success, level of students or the students’ study programs in the perceived educational quality of the services. Therefore, the findings cannot be used to generalize about the educational quality of all Finnish universities.The research’s findings and suggestions should help university administrators and relevant government agencies to develop strategies to improve student experience now as Finland has taken into use tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students. Furthermore, the student experience survey introduced in this research is a valuable tool, which can be used in benchmarking universities in Finland so that the public can have information to make judgements about the perceived level of quality of the educational services of each university. Researchers suggest that all universities and universities of applied sciences should make regular use of the survey. This will ensure that Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences will have a favorable education environment, which would lead to improved global brand image.

Exploring international atmospherics

PurposePrevious research has demonstrated that, in retail settings, music has some of the largest effects on consumer behavior. However, it is still unknown how the language of the lyrics (native vs foreign) affects consumer behavior. In order to address this gap in retail atmospherics, the purpose of this paper is to examine the differential effects of the language of the lyrics of the music played and explain the interactions between the music language and volume.Design/methodology/approachThe data were obtained from a field study conducted in an apparel store and from 241 shoppers speaking Spanish as their native language. The study involved the manipulation of language of the lyrics of music played in the store (native vs foreign).FindingsResults indicate that customers in a non-English speaking country are more likely to make purchases when music is played in English, which fits with the store’s global image. This effect is mediated by time spent in the store.Practical implicationsFor managers of global apparel brands, the results suggest that English music may be a good option to increase time spent in the store and subsequent purchases. This is especially attractive as music is an atmospheric cue that can be easily modified at less expense than other atmospheric cues.Originality/valueThis work is the first to demonstrate that fitting the language of the lyrics of music in an international retail store to a global brand image affects consumer behavior. Furthermore, it demonstrates that atmospherics research may not directly transfer to non-English speaking countries.

Factors affecting late adoption of digital innovations

Despite extensive research on diffusion and adoption of innovations, late adoption of digitized products has received little attention. This study explores the determinants of late adoption of digital innovations and selects five variables: a) attitude toward a technology, b) negative word of mouth about the technology, c) global brand image, d) consumer innovativeness, and e) lead-user profile.The results of a binary logistic regression with late adopter as the target variable show that with exception of negative word of mouth, all the variables have a negative effect on the probability of moving on the adoption scale from late to early adopter. Furthermore, increasing the positive attitude of consumers toward a technology (i.e. reducing consumers' skepticism) could be more effective to accelerate the rate of adoption than projecting the global image of the company. Understanding the determinants of late adoption will allow companies to develop technologies that diffuse faster and will help them to follow NPD, marketing, and sales strategies, which could accelerate the rate of adoption of digital innovations.

The role of human capital, psychological capital, social capital and leadership capital in building an athlete's global brand image

This conceptual paper offers a new perspective on developing an athlete's global brand image. In addition to human capital, the framework considers the theoretical lenses of psychological capital, social capital and leadership capital. Human capital is based on the dimensions of an athlete's physical attributes, performance and marketable lifestyle. Psychological capital is illustrated as an athlete's self-efficacy, hope, optimism and resilience. Athletes also need to utilise their social capital, exploiting the brokerage opportunities in linking the networks of sponsors and fans and developing trust in their networks. Leadership capital is illustrated through the provision of opportunities and resources arising from the relationship between athletes and sports leaders. The proposed framework extends studies on brand management of sports celebrities by holistically considering the various forms of capital in building an athlete's global brand image. The implications for the theory and practice of sports marketing and branding are discussed.

The role of human capital, psychological capital, social capital and leadership capital in building an athletes global brand image

The role of human capital, psychological capital, social capital and leadership capital in building an athletes global brand image

Allure of the Abroad: Tiffany & Co., Its Cultural Influence, and Consumers

Allure of the Abroad: Tiffany & Co., Its Cultural Influence, and Consumers

Global vs local brands: how home country bias and price differences impact brand evaluations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to re-conceptualize the distinction between global and local brands, providing a more comprehensive framework, which considers both geographical distribution and ownership. It examines main and interactive effects of consumers’ perceptions of these factors, and studies how ethnocentrism (CET) and price affect brand evaluations, considering a range of price difference thresholds. Design/methodology/approach – A preliminary study (n=243) examined main and interaction effects of brand globalness and ownership on consumers’ brand quality attitudes and purchase intentions in four different product categories. The main study (n=558) further explored brand ownership effects by examining the interaction of CET and price differences. Findings – The preliminary study confirmed the distinctiveness of brand globalness and ownership. Consumers evaluated global (vs non-global) brands more positively, regardless of brand ownership (local vs foreign). The main study found that effects of price and CET varied considerably across product categories. Research limitations/implications – Limitations include the use of student samples from a single country (Thailand), and of scenarios instead of real life purchase decisions. Practical implications – The findings suggest that perceived brand globalness positively impacts brand evaluations. Companies may cultivate a global brand image by emphasizing global cues. Local origin allows (global) brands to command a price premium, although this varies across product categories. An emphasis on globalness seems valuable, especially for local brands. Originality/value – This research offers a refined conceptualization of brand globalness, a key construct in international marketing. Additional value is provided by studying price effects, which have received limited attention in international marketing, and substantial data collection (total N>800) in an understudied yet important economy (Thailand).

Brand names and global positioning

PurposeThere is little in the literature on branding that considers how a brand name may affect a brand and its global positioning. Similarly, there is little research on brand dissonance and the paradoxes that occur in a globalised world. This research aims to examine the impact of country of origin image on consumer perceptions of a successful tea brand dissonance between the country of origin and the brand name.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach, using qualitative data collection, has been applied in this study. In‐depth interviews were conducted with 22 experienced tea distributors and managers of Ahmad Tea in the Confederation of Independent States.FindingsThe findings show that a positive country of origin effect can have a positive impact on a global brand image transcending any negative connotations that a brand name may have.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provide useful insights for academics and practitioners regarding the success factors of branding strategy in international markets.Originality/valueThis paper attempts to respond to a call by Keller for more empirical research into the ways in which the images of country of origin change or supplement the image of a brand. In doing so, this paper shows that successful associations with positive country of origin images can overcome problems with a problematic brand name in a global context.

Halonix Limited – the product portfolio dilemma

Subject area Strategy, strategic management, market and product analysis. Study level/applicability The case is intended for a business strategy course in management. The target participants are MBA students specializing in strategy area as well as middle level and senior level managers from the industry, who come for an executive programme in management science. Case overview Year 2009, Mr Pawan Kumar (General Manager, Halonix Limited) was facing a decision-making situation in the organization. Being one of the most experienced and oldest employees of Halonix (incorporated as Phoenix Lamps Ltd in 1991), he had witnessed the tremendous growth of the company since its inception in 1991. The company was having a global brand image in automotive halogen lamps and became a dominant player in compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) market in India by 2007. With the increasing competition and change in market dynamics, the company needed to decide upon the future product portfolio mix and strategy to be adopted to gain the maximum benefit and win over the competition in both the product segments. The automotive halogen product segment was generating higher margins but having relatively slow growth. The CFL product segment was a growing market but was generating low margins due to increasing competition from entry of large number of players. Expected learning outcomes The theoretical concepts, which will be explored in this case, involve the following: the importance of industry structure analysis in understanding the basis of competition. The importance of value-chain analysis in strategic planning. The importance of Boston Consulting Group growth-share matrix in evaluating the product portfolio mix having different growth drivers and target segments? Supplementary materials Teaching notes.

Cultural value, consumption value, and global brand image: A cross‐national study

AbstractIn expanding their market to the global level with clear and consistent global brand images across nations, marketers are ever confronting the issue of how to deal with different cultural values. Cultural value is identified as an influential factor on brand image and is widely accepted as one of the crucial concepts in understanding consumer consumption value, which determines choices of consuming everyday products and services. Most firms endeavoring to establish and maintain consistent global brand images, however, adopt a standardized brand image strategy that usually does not consider individual target markets” characteristics, including the concepts of cultural value and consumption value. This study developed a conceptual framework which incorporated cultural value not only as a direct antecedent of brand image, but also as an indirect antecedent of brand image through consumption value, and empirically tested it using the category of apparel. Following this framework, this study hypothesized the differences in brand image, cultural value, and consumption value between the U.S. and South Korea. Data were gathered through surveying university students residing in the San Francisco and Seoul metropolitan areas using a convenience sampling method. A total of 329 completed questionnaires were used in factor analysis, discriminant analysis, and structural equation modeling. The results provide insights into standardized brand image strategies and suggest some implementable tools that might prove effective in both countries. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An Exploratory Study on the Regional Development through the Global Brand Image Strategy of Culture and Tourism Project

An Exploratory Study on the Regional Development through the Global Brand Image Strategy of Culture and Tourism Project

Managing Change of Hotel Brand Name: Managerial Roles and Employees' Concerns

With the re-branding and renaming, the two hotels at the heart of Raffles City are now known as STS and RTP. The new names are not as recognized as the old Westin name, thus posing a problem for employees, customers, suppliers, travel agents, taxi drivers and the local community. Several studies showed that the change process involved three distinct phases and also emphasized the involvement of employees. The re-branding and re-positioning in the hospitality industry highlighted the importance of the management–employees' involvement in building a positive global brand image of the corporation. This study aims first to examine the roles of management and their approaches undertaken in managing the change of hotel brand; and second, to investigate the employees' concerns and perceptions consequential to the brand changing process.

Promoting Responsibility and Accountability

It is the official position of Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) that the best way to ensure Canadian corporate social responsibility (CSR) abroad, particularly with respect to human security, is to workin partnership with the private and non-governmental sectors to promote the reflection of internationally agreed norms and standards in the overseas operations of Canadian companies. Our efforts to promote CSR domestically facilitate private sector dialogue on the issues, including the development and implementation of voluntary codes of conduct involving, where possible, a role for labour and non-government organizations (NGOs).1While private-public partnerships and adherence to international norms are certainly essential aspects of an effective approach to CSR, relying on corporations voluntarily to self-regulate generates a deficit in accountability that could have significant consequences for the human security agenda and national interests. Corporate activities that contribute to human security may not yet register as an enduring issue with the Canadian public and the overall damage that has occurred thus far to Canada's reputation remains manageable. However, ill-will generated in hotspots will grow over time and circulate into new domains, altering the generally positive perceptions of Canada as a global actor.Canada is a country that relies heavily on its expertise in public diplomacy in order to cultivate a positive global brand image that greatly contributes to its soft power capabilities. It is Canada's soft power expertise that is the primary facilitator for conducting a style of foreign policy that brings significant prestige in proportion to its material strength, by seeking to address pressing issues facing the global community in creative ways, while satisfying national interests. Thus, preserving and augmenting its image as an upstanding global citizen through the promotion of Canadian values should be the priority of FAC's policy posture with respect to CSR, as all other interests are contingent on meeting this objective.It is a generally positive image of Canada held by other actors in global politics that forms the essential foundation of trust that makes possible Canadian foreign policy directions in areas from trade to human security. Therefore, damage to Canada's positive global brand image that can result when glaring disconnects are identified between publicly stated goals and actual practice will eventually proliferate beyond the issue at hand and undermine Canadian credibility writ large, hindering FAC's ability to pursue broader national interests in various sectors.2 This becomes particularly acute in current circumstances when hard power capabilities are lacking or often inappropriate for one's diplomatic style and goals.FAC's current approach to CSR is placing Canadian credibility in jeopardy with the general public, other states, and global civil society as voluntary self-regulation continues to fail to adequately address actions by leading Canadian commercial enterprises that are contributing to human insecurity. Unfortunately, both within the narrow confines of the human security agenda and the broader contours of Canadian foreign policy, this is not the first time that there has been a disjunctive between rhetoric and action and/or the co-existence of incompatible aims.1But what makes the issue of CSR and corporate accountability with respect to human security different from other incidents, such as the decline of foreign assistance throughout the 19905, is the potential for the Canadian government to be seen as complicit in these activities through commission rather than through omission by providing loans and insurance resources to some of these corporations through grants given by the Export Development Corporation (EDC). This is a risk that needs to be eliminated.Given that operations in weak states and conflict zones often offer the largest potential profits, the risks would multiply exponentially for Canada if an E DC-funded corporation were found to be aiding and abetting war crimes in such an environment, and were brought before the International Criminal Court of Justice, or faced trial in another legal jurisdiction. …