Original Brand Research Articles

Availability, pricing, and affordability of antithrombotic medicines in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: implications for health policy

BackgroundAntithrombotic medications are essential for the management of abnormal clot formation. However, their availability, pricing, and affordability in Ethiopia, particularly in Addis Ababa, have not been comprehensively studied.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to assess the availability, pricing, and affordability of essential antithrombotic medicines. This study utilized the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Health Action Organization methodology. Five public hospital outpatient pharmacies, four private hospitals, ten private pharmacies, four Kenema pharmacies, and two Red Cross pharmacies in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, were included in the study. All essential antithrombotic medicines in the 6th edition of Ethiopia’s Essential Medicines List were included in this study. Data were collected for originator brands and the lowest-priced generic medicines available at each medicine outlet.ResultsThe availability of low-priced generic (LPG) antithrombotic medicines was 31%, with private hospitals having the highest availability (52%). Original-brand antithrombotic medicines were rarely available, averaging only 3%, with private pharmacies showing a slightly higher availability (10%). The median price of LPG antithrombotic medicines is higher in private settings. Original-brand (OB) antithrombotic medicines in private hospitals and pharmacies were unaffordable, costing between 256.14 and 3,418 days of wages.ConclusionThe availability of most antithrombotic medicines was low across all sectors compared with the WHO target. Private hospitals showed relatively higher availability of LPG medicines than other pharmacy outlets included in the study. There is a significant disparity between the availability and affordability of LPG and OB medicines. To address these issues, the national drug procurement and distribution systems must be strengthened. Exploring local production and financial assistance programs, implementing effective stock management, regulating medicine prices, promoting high-quality generic medicines, and conducting further research to understand the national landscape are all essential.

Examining consumer preferences for basic foodstuffs in a highly inflationary economic environment: The case of price-capped chicken breast fillet in Hungary.

In recent months, the European Union has experienced inflation that has not been seen for decades. Inflation and inflation expectations are crucial in economic and purchasing behaviour, as they influence consumption. Hungary had the highest inflation among the Member States of the European Union. To deal with this, the Hungarian government introduced price caps on certain basic foodstuffs. Chicken breast fillets are classified among these officially priced products, and based on per capita consumption in Hungary, poultry can be considered the most popular meat. The research aims to examine the preferences of Hungarian meat consumers regarding chicken breast fillets, considering their inflation expectations. Based on an online survey conducted in Hungary (n=500), a latent profile analysis and an object case best-worst scaling approach were applied. Two-thirds of respondents are largely pessimistic about the future economic environment and the development of consumer prices. Best-Worst scores reveal that freshness, health impact and price are among the most significant considerations, while brand and place of origin are among the attributes considered least important. However, among the clusters distinguished based on inflation expectations, there are notable differences in assessing the importance of these attributes, which serve as the basis for managerial and policy implications.

Outsourcing Strategy Selection of Original Brand Manufacturers in the Fashion Industry Under the Influence of Brand Spillover

Outsourcing Strategy Selection of Original Brand Manufacturers in the Fashion Industry Under the Influence of Brand Spillover

Relationship between Prices and Quality of Essential Medicines from Different Manufacturers Collected in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria.

Achieving universal access to affordable medicines and at the same time ensuring the quality of medicines presents a challenge, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Here, the relationship between medicine prices and medicine quality was investigated in three African countries. From different types of health facilities and medicine vendors, 711 samples of 18 different essential medicines were purchased and analyzed for quality (assay and dissolution) according to the United States Pharmacopeia. Without exception, all originator brand medicines and all SRA generics (generic medicines manufactured in countries with stringent regulatory authorities [SRAs]) complied with pharmacopeial specifications. In contrast, 21.1% of the non-SRA generics (manufactured in countries without SRAs) were substandard. The median prices of originator brands and SRA generics were three times and two times higher than those of non-SRA generics, respectively. Within the non-SRA generics, no positive correlation was observed between medicine quality and medicine price. Medicines manufactured in India, China, or African countries showed similar quality and similar prices. Only a single WHO-prequalified medicine sample was found among the 711 samples. Non-SRA generic medicines produced by manufacturers for which WHO had published Public Inspection Reports showed a significantly lower rate of substandard medicines (7.3%) and, at the same time, significantly lower prices (by 33%) than other non-SRA generics. Falsified medicines (total 2.0%) were found among all categories of medicines and had prices similar to those of non-SRA generics. Our findings indicate that adequate quality assurance does not necessarily imply an increase in medicine prices.

Cyclic and torsional fatigue resistance of two replicalike and original brand reciprocating system

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cyclic and torsional fatigue resistance of two replicalike in comparison of the original brand reciprocating system. Material and methods: A total of 60 reciprocating instruments were used to perform the cyclic and torsional fatigue test of following systems: Reciproc Blue 25.08 (RB 25.08), Only One File Blue (OFB 25.08) and RC Blue 25.08 (RCB 25.08) (n=20). The cyclic fatigue test was performed using an artificial stainless steel canal with 60º angle of curvature and a 5-mm radius of curvature. The instruments were activated until failure occurred. The time to failure (TF) and number of Cycles to failure (NCF) were evaluated. The torsional test was performed following the ISO 3630-1. Three millimeters of the instrument tip was fastened to a small load cell and the maximum torsional strength and angular deflection were recorded using the torsion testing machine software. The fractured surface of each instrument was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance ANOVA and Tukey’s test for Multiple comparisons at a significance level of 5%. Results: The cyclic fatigue tests demonstrated that OFB 25.08 had the highest TF and NCF than among the groups (P<0.05). RCB 25.08 exhibited lowest TF and NCF (P>0.05). Regarding the torsional test, the RCB 25.08 and OFB 25.08 had the highest torque than the other groups (P<0.05). Additionally, RB 25.08 and OFB 25.08 exhibited highest angular deflection values than the other groups (P><0.05). Conclusion: The OFB 25.08 demonstrated highest TF and NCF than the instruments tested. The RCB 25.08 exhibited lowest cyclic fatigue resistance and angular deflection.> P<0.05). RCB 25.08 exhibited lowest TF and NCF (P>0.05). Regarding the torsional test, the RCB 25.08 and OFB 25.08 had the highest torque than the other groups (P<0.05). Additionally, RB 25.08 and OFB 25.08 exhibited highest angular deflection values than the other groups (P><0.05). Conclusion: The OFB 25.08 demonstrated highest TF and NCF than the instruments tested. The RCB 25.08 exhibited lowest cyclic fatigue resistance and angular deflection.> P<0.05). Conclusion: The OFB 25.08 demonstrated highest TF and NCF than the instruments tested. The RCB 25.08 exhibited lowest cyclic fatigue resistance and angular deflection.

A STUDY ON THE INFLUENCE OF XM BRAND IMAGE ON XM NEW ENERGY VEHICLE CONSUMERS' PURCHASE INTENTION

Nowadays, the new energy vehicle market is developing rapidly, and many companies that were originally not in the automotive industry have also entered it. This study takes XM as an example to construct a research model and refine multiple dimensions of perceived value. Three dimensions divide the mediating variables of brand image's influence on purchase intention in cross-domain sales, along with perceived gain and loss. From brand image to perceived value to the path of consumers' purchase intentions, they are interlocking. Brand image has a strong influence on consumers' purchase intention, has a significant positive impact on perceptual gain, and has a significant negative impact on perceived loss. Perceptual gain has a significant positive impact on purchase intention, while perceived loss has a significant negative impact. Ultimately, the conclusions suggest that at the enterprise level, companies should implement the following strategies: 1) Pay attention to the original brand's image in cross-field sales; 2) convey a positive brand image to consumers, actively interact, and pay attention to their inner perceptions; 3) leverage brand popularity and strengthen brand building; and 4) enhance the social value of the brand and reduce the customers' perception of financial risk. From the consumers' perspective, they should consider the following points: 1) Acknowledge the distinction between the original company's brand image and the brand image of new energy vehicles; 2) Focus on the core of the new energy vehicle brand and contribute to its development and construction.

Should Global Brands Engage in Brand Activism?

Brand activism, taking a stance on current and divisive sociopolitical issues, has emerged as a novel means of expressing a brand's values and engaging with the firm's customer base. Yet, globally, companies lack conclusive guidance on the consequences of taking a stance. This research asks a novel question: Should global brands engage in activism? Using varying activism manipulations (e.g., statements and actions), five studies reveal consumer preference for activist global brands. More importantly, guided by schema change theory, the authors find that the positive brand activism effect is particularly strong for global brands associated with negative brand origin, irrespective of consumers’ prior attitude valence. However, brands with positive origin associations benefit from activism only when consumers’ prior attitude valence is in alignment. The authors also identify the mediating effects of self–brand connection, which has downstream consequences for behavioral intentions. Taken together, this work sheds new light on consumer perceptions of brand activism across cultures, elucidates why consumers prefer global brands that engage in activism, and offers actionable insights for global brand managers.

Cooperation mode selection strategies in platform ecosystems: analyzing brand value, cross-selling, and platform empowerment

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the vertical cooperative relationship between the core enterprise and the manufacturer within the platform ecosystem, specifically analyzing the optimal decision-making processes of both parties under the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and original brand manufacturer (OBM) modes. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses game theory to analyze the problem, considering factors such as brand value difference, cross-selling and platform empowerment. It constructs the game models for both OEM and OBM modes and discusses the selection strategies for the cooperation mode. Findings The results indicate that the choice of cooperation mode by the manufacturer and the core enterprise depends on the relative size of their brand values. In cases of inconsistent choices, cooperation can be improved by designing a transfer payment contract. When the brand value is constant, the product price is comprehensively affected by cross-selling revenue, price elasticity coefficient, cost coefficient of sales effort and cost coefficient of platform empowerment. The enterprise reduces the price only when the potential revenue brought by increasing product sales exceeds the marginal profit brought by increasing product pricing; otherwise, it raises the sales price. Originality/value The platform ecosystem is emerging as a future direction for business mode development. However, there is a paucity of research on the cooperation modes between manufacturers and core enterprises within the platform ecosystem.

HR-brand: features of formation and development

Relevance. The development of HR management stems from the need for organizations to attract and retain highly qualified employees in the competitive environment of the modern labor market. HR branding is a strategy based on the formation and support of a positive image of the company in the eyes of employees, as well as the company's commitment to the principles and values that bind employees and the organization. Positive evaluations of the organization's employees and their recommendations can attract new specialists and strengthen the company's reputation as a reliable and attractive employer.The purpose of the article is to study a special category of reputation and perception of the company – the HR brand.Objectives: to study the conditions for building an HR brand, its structure and key elements; to consider the history of the origin of the idea of HR branding; to assess the interest in creating a special reputation in the field of human resource management; to justify why it is impossible to build an EVP (employer's value proposition) without HR branding.Methodology. In the course of scientific research, empirical, theoretical, statistical methods and methods of graphical representation were used.Results: the theoretical aspects of building a company's HR brand were studied; the popularity of this topic in science and business was shown. A set of knowledge about the features of HR branding in the Russian and foreign markets has been formed and the prospects for the development of this area are shown. It shows why it is important to work on an HR brand and how to start forming a positive image of the company, its reputation and prestige.Conclusions. The article emphasizes the relevance and importance of the topic under consideration, taking into account the latest trends, prerequisites and prospects for new companies. The possibilities that open up for an employer when forming an original and popular HR brand are considered.

Comparison of the efficacy of a generic plerixafor versus Mozobil as adjunct peripheral blood stem cell mobilization agents in multiple myeloma patients.

Plerixafor is an adjunct peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) mobilization agent with well-demonstrated safety and efficacy. The routine use of the originator brand drug (Mozobil) has been limited by cost. This retrospective study was conducted to compare the mobilization efficacy of a lower-cost generic plerixafor and Mozobil in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. The study included two near-concurrent cohorts of MM patients mobilized with brand (n = 64) or generic (n = 61) plerixafor in addition to filgrastim. Collection and early engraftment outcomes were compared. The two cohorts had comparable distributions of sex, age, and weight. Previous treatment histories and proportions of upfront versus just-in-time plerixafor use were similar. There was no significant difference in their median overall cumulative total yield (106 CD34+ cells/kg) (brand, 5.91; generic, 5.80; p = .51). However, the generic cohort had a significantly higher median yield after the first dose (4.79 vs. 3.78, p = .03), and consequently lower median numbers of plerixafor doses (p = .001) and collection days (p = .002). Only 31.1% of patients in the generic arm required more than one dose versus 59.4% of patients in the brand arm (p = .006). All transplanted patients in the brand and generic arms (90.6% and 85.2% respectively, p = .42) achieved engraftment. There was no significant difference in their median times to platelet and neutrophil engraftment, nor their transfusion requirements during the first 30 days post-transplant. The generic plerixafor produced comparable cumulative collection yields and early engraftment outcomes as Mozobil, but fewer doses and collection days were needed to reach collection goal.

Availability and affordability of selected medicines in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

There is a standard methodology for measuring and evaluating the availability and affordability of selected medicines in the healthcare system, especially in low- and middle-income countries. To investigate availability, affordability and accessibility of medicines in the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2021 and compare the results with those from 2019. This descriptive cross-sectional study investigated the availability and affordability of 60 selected medicines in Islamic Republic of Iran. Availability and affordability were measured using the WHO/Health Action International methodology. The availability rates for originator brands in the public, private and other sectors were 6.4%, 8.6% and 6.8%, respectively. In contrast, availability rates for lowest-priced and most-sold generics were 44.7% and 63.6% in the public sector, 45.4% and 66.4% in the private sector, and 39.6% and 58.6% in other sectors. Only 20.0% of originator brands in the Islamic Republic of Iran were affordable, while 96.6% of the lowest priced and 95.0% of the most sold generics were affordable. Most medicines in the Islamic Republic of Iran were affordable and the pharmaceutical supply chain was acceptable.

Brand and Country of Origin Towards Consumer Attitudes in Choosing Smartphones

As technology advances, smartphone devices become a fascinating topic for conversation. The growth of multiple smartphone brands as choices appears to be inextricably linked to the relevance of customer attitudes in deciding which smartphone to use. The growth of multiple smartphone brands as choices appears to be inextricably linked to the relevance of customer attitudes in deciding which smartphone to use. Furthermore, when choosing a smartphone, shoppers consider the product's nation of origin. This study uses a quantitative approach method. Involving the 100-person Dumai City community. The findings of the partial analysis indicate that brands have a positive and significant effect on consumer attitudes and country of origin variables have a positive but not significant effect on consumer attitudes. Brand and country of origin together have a positive and significant effect on consumer attitudes in the Dumai City community. The result of the Determination Coefficient is 21.3%, with the remaining 78.7% impacted by other variables.

Preferences for Japanese Baby Powdered Milk in Vietnam

In recent years, the Vietnamese market has seen a significant influx of Japanese baby powdered milk. Understanding the position of Japanese baby powdered milk compared to domestic and other imported brands is crucial. This study explores key product attributes perceived by Vietnamese consumers and examines how the Japanese brand origin influences purchase intentions. While consumer behavior studies are common, research focusing on Japanese baby powdered milk in Vietnam is limited. This research reviews past findings and formulates hypotheses on factors leading to the purchase of Japanese powdered milk. Key attributes like brand origin, nutrition labels, safety certificates, and price are analyzed in scenarios reflecting real-life choices by Vietnamese parents. Data from 109 social media responses were analyzed using Choice Experiment and Structural Equation Modeling to reveal relationships between Japanese brand origin and purchase intention. The results show a preference for Japanese powdered milk over domestic and other imported brands, highlighting the critical role of nutrition labels and safety certificates. This study suggests Japanese companies should leverage their brand origin in marketing strategies in Vietnam.

Rapid discriminant analysis for the origin of specialty yam based on multispectral data fusion strategies

In order to achieve rapid and effective identification of Hebei yam, a qualitative discrimination model was constructed based on near infrared (NIR), mid infrared (MIR), and microscopic Raman spectra in combination with individual spectra and multispectral data fusion strategies. The results showed that the gray wolf optimizer-support vector machine (GWO-SVM) model constructed by mid-level fusion using the three feature spectra performed the best in distinguishing the geographic origin of the yam, with a prediction accuracy of 100.00% in both the training set and the test set, and an F1 score of 1.00. The results indicated that due to spectral complementarity, NIR, MIR and Raman combined with feature-level fusion can be used as a powerful, non-destructive, fast and feasible tool for geographic origin classification and brand protection of Hebei yam. This work is expected to be a potential method for origin identification analysis and quality monitoring in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Comparative Ocular Pharmacokinetics of Dexamethasone Implants in Rabbits.

Purpose: Dexamethasone eye implant has been used to treat macular edema and non-infectious uveitis. To date, its ocular pharmacokinetics are not fully characterized, and the development of generic preparations is in progress, as the patent of the original brand expires soon. Therefore, this work was designed to 1) determine the time course of vitreous dexamethasone concentrations following intravitreal implantation in rabbits and 2) explore the alternative use of NDF-SI01 from a pharmacokinetic point of view compared to Ozurdex®, which is currentlyused in the market. Methods: Ozurdex® and NDF-SI01 were implanted into the right and left eyes of the rabbit, respectively. A serial vitreous collection was performed to minimize the sacrifice of animals, and dexamethasone concentrations were measured by HP LC-MS/MS. Results: After implantation, dexamethasone concentration reaches the maximum concentration (3.1 μg/mL) in 19.5 days and decreases with a half-life of 40.3 h. AUC and clearance are 683.9 μg·h/mL and 1.29 mL/h, respectively. There is no significant difference in pharmacokinetic parameters between NDF-SI01 and Ozurdex®. The overall patterns of the cumulative release of both implants are similar. Conclusions: NDF-SI01 could alternate Ozurdex® in clinics based on the in vivo comparative pharmacokinetic study and in vitro dissolution test.

Being a member of global community: the effect of Chinese brand origin salience on global identity perceptions and brand evaluations

PurposeGiven that Chinese brands and products are widespread in the global market, this paper aims to examine the effect of Chinese brand origin salience (vs not) on brand evaluations by increasing global identity perceptions, and figuring out the moderating role of uncertainty avoidance.Design/methodology/approachThree experiments were conducted in different product categories to test the effect of Chinese brand origin salience. Study 1 and Study 2 collected data from different countries (i.e. Japan and the USA) with varying levels of uncertainty avoidance. In Study 3, the data were collected from the single-country sample, including participants from cultural backgrounds with high (Asian Americans) and low (Caucasian Americans) uncertainty avoidance.FindingsChinese brand origin salience positively influences brand evaluations via increased global identity perceptions. In addition, uncertainty avoidance plays a moderating role in the process. Specifically, the favorable effect of Chinese brand origin salience on brand evaluations will be attenuated among consumers with high (vs low) uncertainty avoidance.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates that Chinese brand origin salience can enhance brand evaluations beyond prior work focusing on the negative stereotypes of Chinese brands and their imitation of Western brands. Importantly, Chinese brands have become an important part of the global community as Chinese brand origin salience can evoke consumers’ global identity.

Access to essential and innovative anti-cancer medicines: a longitudinal study in Nanjing, China

PurposeTo evaluate the availability, cost, affordability of anti-cancer medicines in Nanjing, Jiangsu.MethodsA longitudinal tracking investigation study was performed to collect information about 24 essential anti-cancer medicines (EAMs) and 17 innovative anti-cancer medicines (IAMs) in 26 healthcare institutions in Nanjing from 2016 to 2020. The availability, cost, drug utilization and affordability of EAMs and IAMs were investigated.ResultsThe availability of EAMs showed no significant changes in Nanjing, but the availability of IAMs showed a significant increase in 2018 and 2019 and tended to stabilize in 2020. For EAMs, the DDDc(Defined Daily Dose cost) of LPGs (Lowest-Priced Generics) showed no significant changes, and the DDDc of OBs (Originator Brands) and IAMs significantly decreased. The DDDs(Defined Daily Doses) of EAMs (LPGs) showed a decreasing trend since 2016 and rose again in 2019. Overall, the DDDs of EAMs (LPGs) decreased by 25.18% between 2016 and 2020, but the proportion selected for clinical treatment remained at 67.35% in 2020. The DDDs of EAMs (OBs) and IAMs both showed an increasing trend year by year, with a proportional increase of 207.72% and 652.68%, respectively; but the proportion selected for clinical treatment was only 16.09% and 16.56% respectively in 2020. EAMs (LPGs) had good affordability for urban residents but poor affordability for rural residents; the affordability of EAMs (OBs) and IAMs was poor for both urban and rural residents.ConclusionsThere were no significant changes in the availability and cost of EAMs (LPGs), whose lower prices showed better affordability. Although their relative change in drug utilization showed a decreasing trend, they still dominated clinical treatment. Driven by the national drug price negotiation (NDPN) policy, the availability of IAMs was on the rise. It is necessary to further develop and strengthen policies for essential medicines procurement assessment to improve the accessibility of EAMs.

P-765 Minding the sweet spot in birth weight: Metformin and insulin versus no treatment

Abstract Study question Is the use of metformin or insulin associated with an increased risk of large or small for gestational age birth in comparison to drug-naïve GDM? Summary answer No difference in SGA / LGA odds with drug-naïve mothers versus metformin-exposed, but higher odds of SGA and lover odds of LGA compared to insulin-exposed. What is known already In Europe, the originator brand of metformin has received a label update allowing the use during pregnancy. Use of metformin during pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of LGA, but increased risk of SGA birth compared to insulin. In CLUE, metformin only exposure demonstrated a reduced odds of LGA birth (weighted OR (wOR) 0.82, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.99), but increased risk for SGA (wOR 1.65, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.34). Insulin use during a hyperglycemic pregnancy is discussed to increase birth weight. Study design, size, duration This was a follow-up study performed on our previously published population-based register data cohort study CLUE with maternal exposure to metformin, insulin or diagnosed with GDM but drug-naïve until birth. The follow-up study included 3,964 subjects in the metformin only cohort, 5,273 in the insulin only cohort and 82,675 women diagnosed with GDM but without drug treatment during the respective pregnancy (naïve cohort). Participants/materials, setting, methods The study population included singleton children born to 18-45 year old women from Finland during 2004–2016. Exclusion criteria were maternal type 1 diabetes, exposure to glucocorticoids and antidiabetic medications except metformin and insulin during the respective pregnancy. Analyses of SGA and LGA used logistic regression to estimate ORs with 95%CIs, with naïve cohort as the reference. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) with stabilized weights based on propensity scores (PS) was used to control for confounding. Main results and the role of chance The odds of SGA birth were significantly higher in the naïve cohort (wOR 1.41, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.79) compared to those exposed to insulin, and the odds for LGA birth were significantly lower (wOR 0.72, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.82). No difference was found in the odds for SGA or LGA when the metformin cohort was compared with naïve cohort (wOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.27 and wOR 0.91, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.11, respectively). Limitations, reasons for caution Drug exposure was assessed on the dispensed drug only. and not intake, also prohibiting dose and treatment duration stratification. Although IPTW methods were used to account for many characteristics, the prevalence of underlying diseases differed across treatment cohorts, the naïve cohort which was defined by indication and absence of treatment. Wider implications of the findings This analysis adds to the growing evidence that insulin exposure in pregnancy may increase the risk of LGA, which is associated with increased adult obesity. Metformin did not increase the odds of SGA or LGA. Metformin may be considered a reasonable treatment during pregnancy, e.g. at risk for LGA birth. Trial registration number not applicable

Combating lookalike product through adapting advertising appeals to consumer value: Strategic implications to brand imitation management

Abstract“Lookalike” products, including counterfeits and copycats, are increasingly common in today's global marketplace. Four lab experiments were conducted involving 653 participants, and data were analyzed through SPSS 26. Based on social representation (SR) theory and self‐construal theory, this research examines how advertising for original brands impacts purchase intent for counterfeits and copycats differently. The results suggest that ads for the original product using value‐expressive (vs. utilitarian) appeals result in lower intent to purchase copycat versions. However, ads for the original product using utilitarian (vs. value‐expressive) appeals lead to lower purchase intent for counterfeit versions. The results also show that consumer need fulfillment mediates the interactive effect between ad appeal type and product type. The current research provides useful insights for marketers or retailers grappling with ongoing competitive threats posed by lookalike products and underscores the strategic utilization of various advertising tactics to reduce the demand for copycats and counterfeits.

Impact of Brand on Consumer Psychology: A Case Study

The paper deals with the results of the primary research which purpose was to examine the impact of brand on influencing consumers to purchase a product. The goal of the paper is to stress the fact that the brand has an impact on customer decision-making process. Original primary data within the primary research were collected by using a quantitative method of questionnaire. Into the quantitative research was involved selected group of 1,250 respondents. Partial results of the complex research conducted between 2009 and 2014 are subject to the content of the paper. Primary research was conducted continuously during the period of six months in 2014 in Slovakia. An established questionnaire was pilot tested and revised before it was used. As the statistical method was used chi-square test. Based on above stated subject area of research have been formulated two hypotheses focused on relationship between the age of respondents and purchasing branded products and between the age of respondents and brand preference. We have found that purchasing of branded products and preference of brand origin depends on the age of consumers. Keywords: Consumer psychology, brand image, Consumer behaviour toward product, brand image in consumer mind.