International Brand Strategy Research Articles

Marketing Capabilities, Strategy, and Performance in International Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises

When expanding abroad, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) experience various constraints, especially the liabilities of small size and foreignness. In this study, the authors examine postures, capabilities, and strategies related to international brand marketing that help SMEs overcome such challenges, establish a brand presence, and attain superior performance in foreign markets. Framing the investigation in the internationalization and capabilities perspectives, the authors employ multimethod approaches in a two-phase study among internationalizing SMEs based in Taiwan. In the first phase, they undertake an extensive literature review and then conduct case studies to formulate a conceptual model. In the second phase, the authors validate the model and associated hypotheses using survey data from a large sample of SMEs that target their products to markets worldwide. Results point to critical roles for these key constructs—international entrepreneurial orientation, international social media capability, and international market knowledge capability—as key antecedents to international branding capability and international brand strategy, in SMEs’ international performance. The authors discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of these findings, highlighting the role of the critical constructs identified previously in driving superior international performance in resource-constrained SMEs.

Emerging trends and research patterns in international branding strategies: A bibliometric analysis

This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of emerging trends and research patterns in the field of international marketing, specifically on international branding strategies. With the ever-increasing globalization of markets, companies face unique challenges in effectively managing their brands across borders. A bibliometric approach analyzed a diverse range of scholarly publications from reputable sources to identify key themes, research areas, and influential works. The analysis covered a wide range of variables, including document types, source types, publication years, language, subject areas, authorship, institutions, countries, and citation metrics. By utilizing Scopus as the primary data source between the years 1989 to 2022, a comprehensive search was conducted using relevant keywords such as “international marketing,” “branding strategies,” and “global branding”. There were 153 documents selected for further analysis, and standard bibliometric indicators were used to report the documents’ profiles. The researcher used various analytical tools such as Microsoft Excel to calculate the frequency and percentage of published materials, OpenRefine software to standardize keywords, Harzing’s Publish and Perish software to calculate citation metrics, and VOSviewer and WordArt tools to create bibliometric networks and visualizations. The findings revealed several significant trends and patterns contributing to a deeper understanding of key themes, influential works, and emerging research areas. They provide decision makers, guide practitioners, and policymakers with valuable insights for advancing knowledge, making informed decisions, and addressing contemporary challenges in the dynamic realm of international branding strategies. Overall, this comprehensive analysis of emerging trends and research patterns in international marketing sheds light on the evolving landscape of the field.

Process of developing the international city branding strategy: Case study city of Kharkiv.

The purpose of the article is to determine the sequence of stages for the development of the city's international branding strategy. To achieve the goal, the world practice of forming well-known city brands was studied and city brand models were formed. Approbation of the procedure for developing an international brand strategy was carried out on the example of the city of Kharkiv, one of the largest cities in Ukraine. The combination of experiment and interview made it possible to evaluate the brand of the city of Kharkiv. Based on the SWOT-analysis, the strengths and weaknesses of the development of the city brand, as well as the prospects for brand positioning were revealed. Practical recommendations are given to improve the strategy for the development of international branding of the city based on the use of a spectrum of offline and online branding tools.

Ways to neutralize the country-of-origin effect in the emerging market firms international branding1

Abstract Paper’s objectives The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways in which to neutralize the country-of-origin (COO) effect (COE) in the emerging market of firms’ international branding. Design/methods applied/approach used A multiple-case study of five companies from European and Asian emerging markets – owners of household appliances brands, with data sourced from in-depth interviews and secondary sources. Findings Companies from emerging markets neutralize the genuine COO in their international branding in various ways, for example, by applying brand or sub-brand names that do not refer to the genuine country-of-brand-origin, using slogans in foreign languages or establishing brand alliances with partners from developed countries. Originality/value This study offers original insights fostering a better understanding of international branding strategies applied by emerging market companies by identifying the ways they neutralize the COE both at the brand concept level and brand marketing communication tools.

Developing strategies for international celebrity branding: a comparative analysis between Western and South Asian cultures

PurposeThis empirical research conceptualises the impact of celebrity effectiveness on consumer purchase intention, with customer perception and attitude as mediators. A cross-cultural approach is adopted to analyse consumer response to celebrity branding across Britain and Pakistan containing non-explicit and explicit sex appeals.Design/methodology/approachA within-subject experimental design (2 countries × 2 ad designs) is employed to test the research model across Western and South Asian cultures. Structural equation modelling (SEM) and multi-group analysis (MGA) are used to test proposed hypotheses.FindingsSEM results confirm the theoretical model: perception and attitude towards the advert and brand mediate the impact of celebrity effectiveness on purchase intention. Celebrity-endorsed advertising without explicit sex appeals elicited an overall favourable response across markets. British consumers respond to both adverts similarly. Yet, Pakistani consumers filter advert themes through salient cultural values and respond negatively to explicit sex appeals whilst, interestingly, accepting sexuality in associations of a celebrity endorser.Practical implicationsInternational celebrities can have cross-cultural appeal, and commonalities exist between the markets. A global or domestic marketing strategy can be utilised across the cultures based upon the environmental conditions and the themes and appeals incorporated within advert design.Originality/valueThe conceptual model is developed by consolidating existing models within celebrity endorsement and considering the mediating influence of both the advert and brand. The model is validated across theoretically different cultures. The comparative approach and selection of an underrepresented market provide novel insight into international branding strategies and global consumer culture.

Haier International Strategic Analysis

Haier is a Fortune Global 500 company. Its current reputation and huge market share are derived from its successful internationalization strategy. Its "first difficult then easy" international market expansion method, Brand strategy and Differentiation strategy are groundbreaking, which is deserved to learn for a company hoping to become a multinational enterprise. This article will analyze the environment of Haier’s implementation of its internationalization strategy (1998-2005) and its own development status, then study its strategic methods and ideas, as well as its impact and effects, and finally propose appropriate suggestions for its development in the next five years.

Social Media Ties Strategy in International Branding: An Application of Resource-Based Theory

Despite the prominence of social media (SM) in global branding, no prior studies have evaluated an international brand's strategy of establishing market-based relational ties with SM users in local markets. This study draws from the resource-based theory to conceptualize SM ties as latent relational resources and evaluate an international brand's SM ties strategy on the basis of three resource attributes: value, inimitability, and rarity. Whereas value is the initial basis for a relational resource in SM, inimitability and rarity are the foci of an international brand's strategy in local SM networks. The authors interviewed brand managers and SM users in China and New Zealand and conducted direct observations on brands’ SM sites. They develop two theoretical frameworks (one initial; one advanced) to offer insights into the development of brand–user ties as a relational resource in the context of an international brand's global or foreign consumer culture positioning in a host-country market. The authors conclude that combined incentives offered in SM must be tailored to the type of brand–user tie.

International Branding Strategies of Global Companies: A Case Study of SonyEricson

In order for a company to sustain its presence in the market and as well stay very competitive, it is very essential to adopt an effective brand strategy. However, depending on the structure of a global company and the products offered, global companies can adopt product branding, corporate branding or a mixture of the two. In order to reach economies of scale and scope, many global companies standardize their branding. However, global companies are often required to adapt to local preferences and cultures. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the international branding strategies of global companies. The research addressed the issue of how international branding strategies of global companies can be described. A qualitative case study of Sony Ericsson was conducted. The research showed that global companies use either product brand strategy, or corporate brand strategy. However, there may be mixtures of the two types, as it is in the case of Sony Ericson where the emphasis is on corporate brand. With product branding, a company offers multiple products within different business segments. On the other hand, with corporate brand strategy, the corporate name and the brand are the same.

International brand strategy: Case analysis according to the Moroccan Market

Consumers today are not looking for a simple consumption, but they are looking for sense. The brand strategy is situated at a higher level of closeness to the consumer. Indeed, the brand acts as a communication interface between the company and the market. The present article will discuss the topic of a brand as a principal communication interface between the company and the consumer. First, we will analyze the brand position in the marketing mix approach through a comparative study of strong international brands strategies that have retained their positions despite different trends and generations. The result shows that the coherence between the corporate, product and brand strategy leads to build strong international brands.

Beyond anger: A deeper look at consumer animosity

Grounded in cognitive-affective theories of emotion, an extended conceptual framework of consumer animosity is developed that (1) distinguishes between consumers’ cognitive appraisal of the international dispute and the resulting emotional response, (2) expands from a valence-based approach to consider the differential effects of agonistic (i.e., anger) and retreat emotions (i.e., fear), and (3) examines three distinct consumer coping processes (product avoidance, negative word of mouth (NWOM), product quality judgment). A cross-cultural test of the framework among Chinese (toward Japan) and American (toward Russia) consumers supports the mediational role of emotions, and finds that agonistic emotions are related to NWOM and product avoidance, but not product quality judgment. In contrast, retreat emotions are related to product avoidance and product quality judgment, but not NWOM. The findings provide guidance for international brand managers on recognizing and detecting adverse sentiments toward their country of origin and accordingly modify their international brand strategy.

How to use a sponsorship platform to support an international master brand strategy: The UniCredit UEFA champions league sponsorship

Managers need a better understanding of critical success factors in sponsorship. An excellent example how a multinational company successfully approached this challenge is the case study of UniCredit. This European Bank is one of the sponsors of the UEFA Champions League with an exclusive running from July 2009 until June 2015. This sponsorship is an essential element within the group-wide marketing communication strategy of UniCredit. It is also a good example of how a multinational company can use an international sports platform to support its master brand strategy and to enhance local rebranding processes. The case study illustrates the successful 360° activation on group and local level.

International brand strategy and mode of entry in the services sector: lessons from the financial crisis

A financial crisis can have severe implications for the long-term growth of financial institutions. We show that there are brand and mode of entry strategies that can help banks to survive under such difficult conditions. Research of country-of-origin (COO) effects is often very general and focused on tangible goods. Here we focus on how COO effects triggered by country-specific shocks impact the financial services sector during a financial crisis. We also investigate specific strategies that can help financial services organizations survive and grow. In particular, this study investigates how financial services organizations amplify or mitigate COO effects during a financial crisis in cases where country-specific shocks play a role. We show that brand strategy and mode of entry affect consumer evaluations of foreign banks. Two experiments were conducted among Dutch, German, Belgian, Swiss, Greek and American banking customers in the Dutch market. The use of a neutral brand name is generally preferable to using a country-related brand name. Greenfield investment can have a positive effect on bank performance compared to acquiring a local bank, especially when the country-of-origin image is more positive. Interestingly, the loss from a negative macroeconomic shock is limited for the greenfield strategy.

International branding strategies of developing countries: The case of Arçelik

The international branding process of firms from developing countries is an area of scarce research. This paper is an attempt at filling this research gap by looking at the internationalization of emerging market companies from a branding perspective. Our aim is to explore the possible link between international branding decisions and international expansion of the firm through an in-depth study of Arçelik, the market leader in Turkey's home appliances industry. Arçelik has adopted international expansion as a strategy for ten years, and it has aimed at branded growth in international markets for nearly that long. Through in-depth interviews with six senior company executives as well as two industry experts, we study the branding path adopted by a developing country firm.

Branding capability of technology born globals

Born globals – young, rapidly internationalising small and medium enterprises – face the signifi cant challenge of building an international brand with scarce resources. In this article, we study international brand strategy and implementation of such fi rms, and defi ne the components of brand value to customers in technology B2B markets, which many born globals operate in. On the basis of the fi ndings, we discuss specifi c branding capability of technology born globals. A longitudinal in-depth case study of a Danish technology born global has been undertaken. The richness of data collected over 2.5 years (25 per cent of the firm's history) allows for the observing of strategies, activities and discussing related organisational capabilities. We fi nd that superior technologies and the founder's strong brand vision are the enabling factors for building an international brand. Continuous technological leadership and focused marketing activities lead to customer pull for building an ingredient B2C brand. In our brand value model for technology B2B markets, tangible performance-, price- and distribution-related components have shown to be of the highest importance. The study provides evidence of the possibility of building an international technology brand based on technological excellence and without expensive marketing communication campaigns. (Less)

International brand strategy of Taiwanese hi-tech enterprises

This paper compares two Taiwanese high-tech enterprises, Acer and Trend Micro, which choose different international brand marketing strategies due to the diverse managing types and product characteristics. The hardware products and business software sold by Acer and Trend Micro are discussed to reveal their international brand development and marketing strategy. The research findings can be provided for different enterprises for decision-making when they consider their internationalization and brand strategy.

International Brand Management and Strategy – The Case of I Nuovi Cosmetics

The objective of this case study was to examine the success of I Nuovi Cosmetics Singapore Pte Ltd (INC). INC utilized a very international approach in its operations, from the portrayal of I Nuovi as an international brand to the outsourcing of production overseas. To better understand its international operations, the USA and Japan markets are discussed in greater detail. Marketing strategy adaptations have been made in each country due to economic, cultural and legislation differences.

Exploring the Relationships Between Colour and International Branding: A Cross Cultural Comparison of the UK and Taiwan

Non-verbal cues have taken on an increasingly prominent role in international brand strategy as companies strive to reach consumers on a deeper psychological level. This paper explores the relationships between colour and international branding in a cross-cultural context. Throughout a series of semi-structured focus group discussions the findings indicate that while perceptions of colour are in fact very similar across cultures, perceptions of international brands are often very different. Colour is found to be a useful and powerful tool in the creation of international brand identity and awareness, but to play only a very small, supporting role in the development of international brand image. These concepts are discussed with reference to the literature on the subject and conclusions are generated in the form of hypotheses.

Country-of-Origin Effects for Uni-National and Bi-National Products

This study examines the effects of country-of-origin and brand name cues on consumer evaluations of uni-national and bi-national products and estimates the perceived values of such cues. From personal interviews with a regional quota sample of household residents, the study found the salience of country-of-origin in product evaluations under within-subject experimental design. Finally, managerial implications are discussed in regards to international branding and sourcing strategies.