Branded House Research Articles

Societal impact of Brand Public Relations on gender equality: evidence for a mediation-type mechanism

PurposeThe purpose of the project was to identify a mechanism of causal relationship between Brand Public Relations (BPR) and societal change in the perception of women gender roles.Design/methodology/approachExperimental evidence was obtained in three countries (N = 378) to examine the mechanism of societal impact of BPR. Effects of spillover of evaluations between two sub-brands of a house of brands company, caused by positive publicity about communication co-created by Public Relations (PR), were analysed.FindingsFindings supported the existence of a positive spillover of evaluations. A mechanism of the societal impact of PR was also captured: an indirect effect of news stories about a non-objectifying portrayal of women in the male reference brand on the typicality of a non-stereotypical women role in society was demonstrated.Research limitations/implicationsExperiments were conducted over a period of three years, during which publics perception of brands' communication about gender portrayal might have changed.Practical implicationsThe paper argues for greater recognition of brand public relations professionals as co-creators of promotional brand communication. It gives evidence that one of the unique competencies of BPR is insight into publics and predicting long-term consequences of brand communication.Social implicationsThe findings of the research project suggest a mediated nature of influence of BPR on the perception of typicality of gender (women) roles in society. PR communicators should learn what areas of practice of PR require specific skills for the function of PR to develop the new competence.Originality/valueThis paper is the first one that aimed at establishing a common terminological framework of the societal impact of public relations.

Enhancing Social Sustainability via Branding Strategies among Personal Care and Cosmetics Customers: The Moderating Role of Brand Visibility

Sustainability has existed since the day it was originated by the Brundtland Commission in the year of 1987. The term sustainability has been vaguely defined and it creates different interpretations. In line with today’s economic situation, organizations increasingly perceive sustainability as an opportunity for them to gain a competitive advantage. In the current era, most of the powerful brands aspire to achieve the same social goal; hence business leaders and marketers are now facing a problem in maintaining its social sustainability. Most studies investigate social sustainability goals from the perspective of business operations. Results from the field study involving 420 customers from six (6) premier shopping malls across Kuala Lumpur demonstrated evidence for construct validity and reliability based on the multiple regression analysis, the result of the study of this study shows that only the Branded House strategy and Halal strategy were proven to have significant relationship with social sustainability. In terms of testing the hypotheses involving the moderating roles of the relationship between independent variable and dependent variable, 2 out of 4 hypotheses were supported in which brand visibility moderates the relationship between Halal branding and social sustainability, whereas brand visibility moderates the relationship between stand-alone strategy and social sustainability The implications of this research are, the organization needs to consider corporate dominant strategy and Halal strategy to ensure long-term business operation and this research also provides additional insight on social sustainability model by investigating the branding strategies namely corporate dominant, brand dominant, mixed branding and Halal branding.

A comparative study of umbrella branding approach versus house of brands approach and their influence on market share

The current study aims at examining the differences between umbrella branding and house of brands on organizational market share. Various variables are adopted including reach, efficiency, image and ambiguity. A sample of 98 marketing managers or their representatives within the chemical industry sector in Jordan, SPSS is employed to screen and analyze gathered data. Results of study indicate that umbrella branding has a bigger and much deeper influence on market share compared to house of brands which is attributed to many factors including that umbrella branding has a wider reach, it is more efficient and more able to shed the light and increase the focus on organization's image, meaning that in umbrella marketing the focus is more on the marketing organization more than manufacturing organization which increases its reputation and market share. The study recommends the necessity for each brand to have a specific purpose to avoid overlapping or disintegration of brands.

Inverroche: Maintaining brand equity in craft gin through brand acquisition

Subject area of the teaching case: It is well suited for short courses focussed on brand equity or marketing. Student level: This teaching case is specifically aimed at postgraduate students completing a management diploma or a professional development course. Brief overview of the teaching case: Inverroche, one of South Africa’s first artisianl gins, faces an interesting brand dilemma. By the end of 2016 through a distribution agreement with a large wholesaler, it secures a national footprint and becomes available at all leading retailers, resturants, and bars. The product’s immense growth trajectory attracts the attention of the global drinks conglomerates who see an opportunity to secure market share in the lucrative craft gin segment of the market. Founder Lorna Scott grapples with whether she has made the right choice to sell a majority share of her beloved brand to the global house of brands, Pernod Ricard. In this case, she meets with her sales team to debrief the situation as well as have a heart-to-heart with Alex Farnell, general manager of sales and marketing. The case looks at the Inverroche brand in detail, what it represents, and why it resonates so intrinsically with consumers. However, Scott and Farnell differ in opinion on the strategic objectives of the brand. Farnell seems to think that the sale to Pernod will not harm the brand, but Scott is torn. How does a niche artisinal brand scale? Can a brand remain authentic when it does scale? Is there any commercial sense in remaining artisinal? Is an artisinal brand’s brand equity compromised when it is sold to a corporate house of brands? All of these questions relate to whether a brand can remain authenthically artisinal amidst a corporate acquisition. Expected learning outcomes: To identify the challenges of growing an artisinal brand To identify the challenges of achieving scale as well as the marketing and commercial costs and profits scale represents To identify how to build a brand that resonates with consumers To critically assess the link between brand building, distribution, and availability To analyse the impact of brand architecture on brand equity

Modernising the company Edison built: Applying innovation and digitisation at GE Appliances

GE Appliances (GEA), a Haier company, has implemented new, innovative strategies as part of its five-year transformation goal of knowing and serving consumers better and creating a winning culture where employee entrepreneurs thrive. Through implementing a new microenterprise business model with a ‘Zero Distance’ philosophy and creating a digital supply chain, GEA has become the fastest growing appliance company in the US. A summary of the company’s new business model, including details on the microenterprise structure and new House of Brands, is presented in this paper, as well as several key components of the digital supply chain implementation. In addition, the company has a bold philosophy on upskilling its workforce, and this paper shares several examples of talent development programmes GEA has implemented to develop the digital supply chain leaders of tomorrow.

Brand portfolio strategies effects on consumers' attitude

PurposeThe aim of this study is to determine the effects of brand components (CBBE, brand fit, brand image, brand reputation, brand familiarity) on consumers brand portfolio attitude via perceived risk (for two main portfolio strategies).Design/methodology/approachThe study used a structured questionnaire to collect primary data from 636 consumers who made purchases from companies using house of brand (318) and branded house strategy (318). By conducting reliability and validity analysis, the model of this study was tested with confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis methods, using structural equation modeling.FindingsAccording to the results of the path analysis, the effects of CBBE and brand reputation on brand attitude were confirmed for both house of brand and branded house strategy. Moreover, the full and partial mediating effect of perceived risk was proven in the relationships.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the limitations of the study is determining a portfolio of brands for each strategy and collecting data for these brands. In addition, since the number of consumers using brand portfolios could not be reached in the study, data could be collected using the purposeful convenience sampling method. For this reason, it is thought that research conducted with the data obtained through systematic sampling methods can yield more reliable results.Practical implicationsManagers of companies with a brand portfolio should work on a main strategy that enhances CBBE and brand reputation regardless of the strategy they use. After these two variables, the variable that portfolio managers need to address is brand fit.Originality/valueIt will offer different perspectives in terms of understanding which portfolio strategy is needed, and which predecessors and outputs can be produced. Also, the findings of the research will produce important results to reduce the perceived risks of consumers and increase their positive attitudes toward brand portfolios.

Growth through repositioning – the case of IHCL

Theoretical basis This case highlights repositioning strategies that change a product’s position in the minds of the consumer in response to changes in market conditions. These changes should be balanced with a certain amount of brand authenticity and continuity. Brand identity is the vision, core values and key beliefs of the brand. There are four main branding strategies as follows: house of brands, endorsed brands, sub-brands and branded house. These options can be placed in a continuum and the position on the branding relationship spectrum reflects the degree to which brands are separated in strategy execution and in the customer’s minds. Research methodology This case is based on secondary data, mainly from interviews of industry leaders in business journals, newspapers, research articles and industry reports, including from international organizations. Case overview/synopsis The case examines the frequent revisions in branding strategies by India’s second largest group of hotels – Indian Hotels Company Limited. Repositioning involves changing the market’s perceptions of an offering to compete more effectively in its target segments. However, a certain amount of continuity is also essential to the brand’s development over time. The case helps students to view the brand from two angles as follows: the angle of brand identity and the disruptive angle of new developments. They will examine the rationale for the frequent repositioning strategies using the brand relationship spectrum and whether these will affect the brand identity of the iconic brand Taj. Complexity academic level This case has been effectively used with MBA Marketing students in Product and Brand Management and Services Marketing classes to demonstrate how companies use repositioning strategies as a considered response to the market conditions. As competitive conditions and consumers evolve, changes in branding strategy will be necessitated. The students are expected to have basic knowledge of brand architecture and brand strategies. The case can be used to illustrate the brand relationship spectrum and the differences among branding strategies in brand architecture. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

City profile: Tackling prolonged negative images in Esbjerg, Denmark

Located on the west coast of Denmark, the port of Esbjerg inadvertently grew into a city and has undergone significant transformations in its 153-year existence. From agricultural produce export and fishery powerhouse to an oil & gas offshore hub and finally, a centre for energy technology, Esbjerg has shown a remarkable ability to adapt to survive and grow. Yet Esbjerg has struggled as an undesirable place with prolonged negative images as the wild west of Denmark, on the periphery of civilization with foul smells. Through a historical approach, this city profile paper discusses the evolution of Esbjerg and its images, and how the city has attempted to overcome its negative images them by means of establishing a place brand. In doing so, the paper emphasises how the self-styled “Energy Metropolis” has used its place brand as a catalyst for aligning branding activities with urban governance strategies, highlighting the importance of including residents when establishing a place brand, defining the brands (geographical) territory and the need for a branded house strategy. The case of Esbjerg demonstrates the necessity of avoiding myopia and introducing collaborative partnerships to overcome negative images.

A Model of Brand Architecture Choice: A House of Brands vs. A Branded House

This research investigates a multiproduct firm’s decision of whether to use the same brand or different brands in different product markets, and in particular how this decision depends on the relatedness between the product markets.

Vis-à-vis: pampering the sophisticated and satisfying the simple

Learning outcomes Learning objectives of this case is to understand the hairdressing industry and develop the sub-branding strategy. After reading this case and practicing in class, students should be able to understand this business and marketing terminology and apply them in the real world. Students will learn the branding strategies: brand extension, brand architecture and brand portfolio. Students will design (DS) the brand name for the new store. Case overview/synopsis Case synopsis Mr. Tai-Hua Teng (aka TR) was a hair artist and opened his first hair salon, vis-à-vis (VS), in 1989 using a high-end positioning strategy. VS focused on offering superb and diverse services to keep ahead of the competition rather than trying to undercut prices. VS hair salon had a solid foundation based mainly on the elite, celebrities and high-salary customers. In 2017, TR owned 16 stores (including one in Canada and two intern salons), 1 academy, 265 employees and 3 brand names. The three brand names were VS, DS and concept (CC). DS and CC were less known to the public, so now these two brands had been carried the parent name and were known as VS DS and VS CC. Quick cut hairdressing businesses were thriving because customers needed quick and cheap hairdressing services. Acknowledging the benefits of entering the highly competitive quick haircut market, TR began to contemplate the new brand name and services to offer. VS had adopted the brand house strategy but TR wondered if it was better to have an individual brand name when entering the quick haircut market. The sub-branding strategy carried the established quality assurance of VS but there was possible brand overlap. An individual new brand name might lack the well-established values from VS but it also showed the potential to reach different segments of customers. TR’s decision to make: a branded house or hybrid? This case showed a high-end hair salon facing the need for simplicity in the market and considered how to expand its business to the lower-end market. Keywords: hairdressing, brand extension and sub-branding strategy. Complexity academic level Level of difficulty: easy/middle level to undergraduate courses specific prerequisites: it is not necessary for students to prepare or read any marketing theory or chapters of the textbook. However, it would help a more in-depth discussion if students know the CCs of brand architecture, brand portfolio, brand extension and line extension. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing.

Unveiling the corporate brand: the role of portfolio composition

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the effects on corporate brand equity when a company moves from a house of brand strategy to a branded house. In fact, recently, most of large companies (Procter & Gamble, Unilever) are managing this swift in order to simplify and optimize their efforts.Design/methodology/approachA total of 433 consumers participated in a between-subject experimental design completing a questionnaire. Each respondent was exposed to one of eight hypothetical scenarios with real-existing brands. A moderated-mediation model was tested.FindingsThe number of individual brands interacts with the variety of product categories within the portfolio to define its internal consistency which, in turn, exerts a significant mediation effect on corporate brand equity.Research limitations/implicationsThe study supports the mental accounting process (subtyping vs bookkeeping), demonstrating how this psychological framework is applicable within brand management.Practical implicationsThe study unveils a strong dichotomy: consumers award very small portfolios focused on a single product category or, conversely, they appreciate a wide and highly diversified brand portfolio. No chances for intermediate and hybrid solutions. Findings demonstrate that a brand architecture shift might be a flexible opportunity to manage an on-going diversification strategy.Originality/valueThe study is the first to analyse the importance of internal consistency within a brand portfolio in case of a shift in the portfolio strategy. Moreover, it investigates the effects since the first announcement of a linkage between the individual brands and the corporate one.

Branding Vertically Differentiated Product Lines: Branded House vs. House of Brands

The decision whether a multi-product firm offers its goods under a joint or separate brands is essential for its success. When selling vertically differentiated products, it needs to consider pricing, cannibalization, and---when branding jointly---product confusion, i.e., consumers associating characteristics with the wrong product. The extent of product confusion crucially depends on the accuracy of available information. In this paper, we study the branding and pricing problem of a firm selling vertically differentiated products to a mix of naive and sophisticated consumers. The analysis accounts for the spillover arising from product confusion. Our findings suggest that joint branding is optimal when the spillover is either high or low but not in between. When low, firms jointly brand to save the cost of erecting a second brand. In contrast, when spillover effects are high, the firm brands jointly since it is inherently more profitable even if building additional brands is free. In between, firms opt for separate branding despite the additional cost of building more brands. We also find that a higher fraction of sophisticated consumers does not necessarily push the firm towards joint branding. Moreover, firms are inclined to jointly brand more similar products, and, if doing so, decrease price dispersion. Similarly vertically differentiated firms choose different branding regimes under competition, while low-end (high-end) strategic competition pushes a multi-product line firm towards joint branding. Finally, we investigate when firms want to provide consumers voluntarily with accurate information about the quality of its products.

Optimal image mix cues and their impacts on consumers’ purchase intention

This study strives to find the different possible combinations of three relevant image cues (i.e., country-of-origin image, corporate image, and brand image) which optimally predict the purchase intention of a foreign-made product. A sample of 314 Canadian participants was used to assess their image perceptions and purchase intention of a Chinese product. Data were analysed using the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results reveal that there are two configurations. The first one represents consumers whose purchase intention is shaped by the country-of-origin-image, the corporate image, but excluding the brand image. The second configuration combines the country-of-origin image and the brand image, but excludes the corporate image. Because the country-of-origin image continues to play an important role in influencing consumers' behavioural intention, international marketers need to meticulously assess consumers’ perceptions of countries from which the product originates. Also, companies should consider the hybrid approach with respect to their branding strategy. Accordingly, they can consider a branded house strategy in some cases, while considering a house of brands strategy in other cases. This study contributes to the literature by attempting to close the debate on the relationships among the three image cues (i.e., which variable is the precursor of the other), but opens new perspectives for marketing scholars and invites them to delve into the topic by investigating the possible combinations of different marketing information cues (e.g., image cues) that may lead to an optimal outcome for the consumer and the firm.

Kent Markalaşması Faaliyetleri Üzerine Bir Araştırma: Karşıyaka/İzmir Örneği

The aim of this study is to investigate how branding activities of Karsiyaka County of Izmir, Turkey are shaped in terms of social, cultural and economic characteristics; to make assessments about the county and to offer suggestions for urban branding efforts. In this study in which case study was implemented data was collected through face-to-face interviews conducted with participants selected by judgment sampling technique. The current status, structure in terms of brand components, current branding strategies and branding process of Karsiyaka County were analyzed in light of branding efforts and strategies. According to the results, Karsiyaka is in the process or being a branded city. However, the process needs to be integrated into the branded house model, to reveal Karsiyaka’s potential success on the fields of cultre, art and sports. It is believed that branding activities should be carried out by a holistic and institutional committee established under the umbrella of Karsiyaka Municipality bringing all NGOs and the related economic, cultural and social actors together.

A day at the university fair: ‘hot’ brands, ‘house of brands’ and promotional tactics in higher education

ABSTRACTResearch on promotional behavior within higher education has exploded over the last two decades, spurred on by the intensification of student recruitment. To date, studies have focused on mapping the content of conventional promotional texts (e.g. viewbooks, web sites), to identify how institutions depict themselves through them. By comparison, recruitment events, such as exhibitions or fairs, have received limited scholarly attention. This study aims to ameliorate this gap within the present literature, using observational methods and collaborative auto-ethnography to analyze branding strategies and broader social dynamics within a prominent Canadian university fair. Using such methods, this study identifies (i) variance in the uptake of ‘house of brands’ and ‘branded house’ strategies, (ii) diverging degrees of student interest across institutional types, along with (iii) ‘niche’-oriented marketing tactics across information booths. Observed patterns are theorized from the standpoint of contemporary research within the field of organizational sociology and higher education marketing.

Brand line extensions: creating new loyalties or internal variety-seeking?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether line extensions (modified brands) create their own loyalties or induce variety-seeking within the brand. Prior research has explored how the branded house strategy (i.e. multiple products bearing the same brand name) retains customers from competing brands. However, this research investigates loyalty within the brand by comparing loyalty and variety-seeking rates of modified brands.Design/methodology/approachMarkov chains examine behavioral loyalty and switching rates of panel households in the USA over several quarters for two family brands of carbonated beverages. Emphasis is placed on the consumers who purchase the upper median of volume (heavy half) and constitute a disproportionate amount of brand’s sales (86 per cent of the volume).FindingsThree propositions find that loyalty rates are high among modified brands with little switching to other lines within the brand. Further, loyalty and switch to rates are highest for the flagship branded product (the master modified brand).Practical implicationsManagers segment the market using the branded house strategy, yet loyalty rates vary for each product line. The switching rates can guide managers as to which products have established a loyal consumer base.Originality/valueWhile brand switching is a considerable research stream, this research is believed to be the first to explore loyalty versus variety-seeking in the branded house strategy.

Place branding: Are we any wiser?

Located on the west coast of Denmark, the port of Esbjerg inadvertently grew into a city and has undergone significant transformations in its 153-year existence. From agricultural produce export and fishery powerhouse to an oil & gas offshore hub and finally, a centre for energy technology, Esbjerg has shown a remarkable ability to adapt to survive and grow. Yet Esbjerg has struggled as an undesirable place with prolonged negative images as the wild west of Denmark, on the periphery of civilization with foul smells. Through a historical approach, this city profile paper discusses the evolution of Esbjerg and its images, and how the city has attempted to overcome its negative images them by means of establishing a place brand. In doing so, the paper emphasises how the self-styled “Energy Metropolis” has used its place brand as a catalyst for aligning branding activities with urban governance strategies, highlighting the importance of including residents when establishing a place brand, defining the brands (geographical) territory and the need for a branded house strategy. The case of Esbjerg demonstrates the necessity of avoiding myopia and introducing collaborative partnerships to overcome negative images.

Brand architecture in higher education

With increased competition and other market forces affecting higher education, branding has emerged as a strategic imperative for colleges and universities. Brand strategy in academia faces many inherent challenges, however, including institutions’ wide-ranging missions and a seemingly inevitable ‘house of brands’ scenario across complex organisations. The larger the institution is, the more complicated these challenges become. The traditional ‘house of brands’ and ‘branded house’ approaches to brand architecture developed for the corporate sector do not translate seamlessly to academia. In response to the multipronged missions of colleges and universities, this paper proposes a new concept for higher education brand architecture: a multidimensional branded municipality, using cities as a more appropriate parallel for higher education institutions.

Brand gender-bending

PurposeMixed-target brands with strong gender identities, whether it be feminine or masculine, are not always successful at targeting both men and women, particularly in symbolic product categories. While attempting to maximize their sales for both targets, managers often struggle to capitalize on a single brand, and they hesitate between different naming strategies. This paper aims to build on brand gender literature and understand these brands’ (i.e. brands targeting both men and women) potential to adopt an endorsed brand strategy rather than a branded house strategy.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a before/after experimental design to examine the effect that introducing a gender-incongruent endorsed brand (i.e. feminine endorsed brand name of masculine master brands and masculine endorsed brand name of feminine master brands) can have on consumers’ brand attitude.FindingsFirst, adopting an endorsed brand strategy increases the perceived brand femininity of masculine master brands, but there is no increase in feminine master brands’ perceived brand masculinity. Second, this strategy has a negative impact on consumer attitude toward the master brand, with a stronger negative effect for feminine master brands than for masculine master brands, which is mediated by the brand gender perception change. Third, a negative feedback effect on the brand’s gender-congruent users is revealed.Research limitations/implicationsOne limitation of this work is that the focus is on one sole extrinsic brand characteristic (i.e. brand name) in our experimental design, which artificially influences the relative brand name importance for consumers. Moreover, the studies offered a short text to introduce the renaming. This may have made the respondents focus on the brand more than they would have in real-world conditions.Practical implicationsThis research provides many insights for masculine or feminine mixed-target brands managers in symbolic product categories, as it shows that changing from a branded house strategy to an endorsed brand strategy appears to be unsuccessful in the short run, regardless of master brand’s gender. Moreover, the study reveals negative feedback effects on the attitude toward the initial master brand, following its renaming, in the short run.Originality/valueThis research provides a warning to managers trying to gender-bend their existing brands because it can lead to brand dilution. It also emphasizes the asymmetrical evaluation of masculine vs feminine master brands, as manipulating a brand’s perceived masculinity appears very difficult to do successfully.

Koufu: Fortune of an Entrepreneurial Singapore Hawker

This case traces the rags-to-riches entrepreneurial journey of Mr Pang Lim in building his Koufu food court business empire over the past decades amidst the changing landscape of the food and beverages industry in Singapore. After dropping out of school at 13 years old, Mr Pang started work as a dishwasher in the 1960s. However, his entrepreneurial acumen enabled him to seize strategic opportunities and adapt to changing environmental forces to become the owner of Koufu, a leading food court chain in Singapore. When Koufu was founded in 2002, the food court business in Singapore was already dominated by other major players such as Food Junction and Kopitiam. Yet, through astute management, clearly defined market segmentation strategies, and a significant focus in brand-building, Koufu grew into an international food court empire. By 2012, it consisted of 54 food courts in Singapore, one food court in Macau, and annual revenue of $152.7 million. Koufu also grew to become one of Singapore’s most established F&B brands with many sub-brands in its stable. This case is suitable for use in Marketing Strategy and Strategic Marketing courses. Key marketing and branding theories and concepts illustrated in this case include macro-environment and micro-environment analysis; segmentation, targeting and positioning strategies; and branding architectures (i.e., house of brands, branded house, house brand).