Preferred Brand Research Articles

Smoking Through a Topography Device Diminishes Some of the Acute Rewarding Effects of Smoking.

Smoking topography (ST) devices are an important methodological tool for quantifying puffing behavior (eg, puff volume, puff velocity) as well as identifying puffing differences across individuals and situations. Available ST devices are designed such that the smoker's mouth and hands have direct contact with the device rather than the cigarette itself. Given the importance of the sensorimotor aspects of cigarette smoking in smoking reward, it is possible that ST devices may interfere with the acute rewarding effects of smoking. Despite the methodological importance of this issue, few studies have directly compared subjective reactions to smoking through a topography device to naturalistic smoking. Smokers (N = 58; 38% female) smoked their preferred brand of cigarettes one time through a portable topography device and one time naturalistically, in counterbalanced order across two laboratory sessions. Smoking behavior (eg, number of puffs) and subjective effects (eg, urge reduction, affect, smoking satisfaction) were assessed. Negative affect reduction was greater in the natural smoking condition relative to the topography condition, but differences were not significant on measures of urge, withdrawal, or positive affect. Self-reported smoking satisfaction, enjoyment of respiratory tract sensations, psychological reward, craving reduction, and other rewarding effects of smoking were also significantly greater in the naturalistic smoking condition. The effects of using a ST device on the smoking experience should be considered when it is used in research as it may diminish some of the rewarding effects of smoking. When considering the inclusion of a smoking topography device in one's research, it is important to know if use of that device will alter the smoker's experience. This study assessed affective and subjective reactions to smoking through a topography device compared to naturalistic smoking. We found that smoking satisfaction, psychological reward, enjoyment of respiratory tract sensations and other rewarding effects were all diminished when smoking through the topography device. The effects of using a smoking topography device on the smoking experience should be considered when it is used in future research.

Differences in Buying Behavior of Self-Lovers According to the Form of Self-Love

We assessed whether or not individuals high in narcissism and those with high self-efficacy showed different behaviors in buying situations, by collecting quantitative responses to scenarios using an online questionnaire. The Study 1 participants comprised 133 students at universities offering 4-year college courses and Study 2 participants were 83 workers and 15 university students. Results of Study 1 showed that narcissists depended more on visual information whereas people with high self-efficacy depended more on attribute information. In particular, covert, unlike overt, narcissists depended on visual information in private buying situations. In contrast, people with high self-efficacy were found to depend on attribute information in public buying situations in which they could display their ability to others. In Study 2, behavioral differences were verified between narcissists and people with high self-efficacy depending on display methods. Narcissists preferred brand displays, whereas people with high self-efficacy preferred product displays.

GLOBAL FASHION CONSUMPTION MOTIVES: A CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON OF APPAREL CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING CHARACTERISTICS IN THE USA, FRANCE, GERMANY AND AUSTRIA

GLOBAL FASHION CONSUMPTION MOTIVES: A CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON OF APPAREL CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING CHARACTERISTICS IN THE USA, FRANCE, GERMANY AND AUSTRIA

High-dose benzodiazepine dependence: a qualitative study of patients' perception on cessation and withdrawal.

BackgroundBenzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome has been reported following attempts to withdraw even from low or therapeutic doses and has been compared to barbiturate and alcohol withdrawal. This experience is known to deter patients from future cessation attempts. Research on other psychotropic substances shows that the reasons and motivations for withdrawal attempts – as well as the experiences surrounding those attempts – at least partially predict future efforts at discontinuation as well as relapse. We therefore aimed to qualitatively explore what motivates patients to discontinue this medication as well as to examine their experiences surrounding previous and current withdrawal attempts and treatment interventions in order to positively influence future help-seeking behavior and compliance.MethodsTo understand these patients better, we conducted a series of 41 unstructured, narrative, in-depth interviews among adult Swiss patients with a long-term dependent use of benzodiazepines in doses equivalent to more than 40 mg diazepam per day and/or otherwise problematic use (mixing benzodiazepines, escalating dosage, recreational use or illegal purchase). Mayring’s qualitative content analysis was used to evaluate findings.ResultsThese high-dose benzodiazepine-dependent patients decision to change consumption patterns were affected by health concerns, the feeling of being addicted and social factors. Discontinuation attempts were frequent and not very successful with fast relapse. Withdrawal was perceived to be a difficult, complicated, and highly unpredictable process. The first attempt at withdrawal occurred at home and typically felt better than at the clinic. Inpatient treatment was believed to be more effective with long term treatment (approaches) than short term.Patients preferred gradual reduction of usage to abrupt cessation (and had experienced both). While no clear preferences for withdrawal were found for benzodiazepines with specific pharmacokinetic properties, participants frequently based their decision to participate in treatment on the availability of their preferred brand name and furthermore discarding equivalent dosage rationales.ConclusionsOur findings provide greater understanding of the factors that motivate high-dose benzodiazepine-dependent individuals to stop taking these medications, and how they experience withdrawal and treatment strategies. They underscore how patients’ perceptions of treatment approaches contribute to compliant or non-compliant behavior.

PRS50 - Reimbursment and prescribing in exchange-based plans: how does formulary generosity differ from commercial plans and is indication a key factor?

Decisions regarding formulary generosity of exchange-based plans have undoubtedly affected uptake of specific therapies at a time of guaranteed-issue coverage and out-of-pocket maximums. This study examined formulary decisions made by managed care organizations for their exchange-based plans, and assessed the impact of these decisions on brand prescribing for asthma, bipolar disorder, and multiple sclerosis, to discern differences between indications. Surveys of 120 MCO pharmacy and medical directors, and 270 pulmonologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and primary care physicians were conducted in 2014 and 2015 to determine formulary coverage on exchange-based plans, and the impact of this coverage on brand prescribing to patients covered by such plans. Some 41% of surveyed MCOs reported the formularies of their exchange-based plan and largest commercial plan to be distinct; the exchange-based plans of 52% of these respondents covered fewer brands overall. Furthermore, increased tier 3+ (non-preferred) coverage and/or exclusion of some brands in/from their exchange-based plans versus their largest commercial plans were noted by an average of 8%, 10%, and 0% of MCOs for asthma, bipolar disorder, and multiple sclerosis drugs, respectively. In response, surveyed physicians reported decreased prescribing of specific drugs, particularly those competing versus generics, that were subject to less favorable/complete lack in exchange-based coverage versus traditional commercial coverage. The greatest impact of less favorable exchange-based plan coverage on uptake was on bipolar disorder, where, for example Seroquel XR was prescribed to 8% of exchange-based plan patients versus 5% of commercial plan patients. Less-generous reimbursement on exchange-based plans is evident, demonstrating desires by MCOs to limit costs on these plans. Consequently, there is increased prescribing of generics and preferred brands when available over higher-cost agents. Therapy areas with a number of cheaper options will be most affected, while specialty therapy areas will remain largely immune to this trend.

Cigarette brands with flavour capsules in the filter: trends in use and brand perceptions among smokers in the USA, Mexico and Australia, 2012–2014

ObjectiveTo describe trends, correlates of use and consumer perceptions related to the product design innovation of flavour capsules in cigarette filters.MethodsQuarterly surveys from 2012 to 2014 were analysed from an...

Взаимосвязь идентичности потребителя и индивидуальности бренда как фактор приверженности бренду

The article analyzes the relationship between consumer identity and brand personality as a factor of consumer commitment to the brand. We hypothesized that: a) there is a link between consumer identity and preferred brand’s personality; b) the higher the similarity between the consumer identity and preferred brand’s personality, the higher the brand commitment. The sample included 150 subjects aged 18—25. Methods: the method of J. Aaker was used to study brand personality, and its modification was used to study consumer identity. The questionnaire of J. Brovkina was used to study brand loyalty. Results: high correlations between consumer identity and brand personality were obtained on the scales Ruggedness, Sophistication, Excitement, and high correlations between brand loyalty and deltas of the values of consumer identity and brand personality on the same scales were also discovered. On the scales of Competence and Sincerity the correlations were lower, although important as well. Thus, the hypotheses were confirmed: a) it is shown that there is a correlation between consumer identity and brand personality; b) the higher this correlation is, the higher is the commitment to the preferred brand. The article was prepared within the framework of the Academic Fund Program at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE) in 2015 (grant №(№15-05-0052) and supported within the framework of a subsidy granted to the HSE by the Government of the Russian Federation for the implementation of the Global Competitiveness Program.

Consumer Behaviour for Household Appliances inLudhiana

Consumer is the king in the market. In today's competitive environment attracting, satisfying and maintaining consumer is more difficult than producing goods. For a single product a lot of brands are available in the market. In the case of home appliances a lot of foreign and national brands are there for customers to choose from. The objective of this study was to identify the factors influencing preference for a brand of home appliances and determine their consumption pattern. It also reveals the attitude and perception of consumers towards different brands. The study identified the most preferred brand by consumers in each category of home appliances. Primary data was collected through personal and telephone interview with the help of a structured interview schedule. The study investigates the factors considered by consumers before going out for a purchase of household appliance in Ludhiana. In the present study the brand preference of consumers regarding their purchase of household appliance in Ludhiana is also identified. The use of a structured questionnaire has been done to generate responses from the respondents who belonged to different parts of Ludhiana. The sample size taken for the study was 150. The use of the statistical tools such as frequencies and percentage has been used to show the opinion of consumers regarding their purchase of household appliances in Ludhiana.

Brand preferences of smart phone users in Tamil Nadu state of India

The main aim of this research paper is to analyse the brand preference of smartphone users, factors affecting the brand preference and the problems faced by the smartphone users in Gobichettipalayam town in Tamilnadu state of India. About 120 smartphone users were selected by applying Non-Probabilistic convenience sampling technique. Statistical tools such as Simple percentage analysis and Garrett Ranking analysis were employed for analysis. Findings show that Samsung is the most preferred smartphone brand. It also establishes that poor battery Life, heat problem and higher price are the major problems faced by the smartphone users in the study area.

Determinants Considered by Consumers for Brand Selection - with Reference to Laptops in Albania

Abstract Purpose of the article There is relatively a big number of brands in the market of laptops nowadays in Albania. It appears that the number of brands offered in this market could easily be compared to the number of brands in Europe and even broader. The purpose of this study is to help Albanian vendors understand the criteria that consumers take into consideration when they make the decision to purchase a laptop. Methodology/methods The research is based on the collection and the analyses of the primary data collected through interviews to people like managers or employees who work in the sector of trading laptops or in businesses like education where laptops are broadly used recently; then a survey is done through a questionnaire delivered to customers who already own and use a laptop and customers who are potential buyers of laptops. Scientific aim The aim of the research is to identify if there are any relationships between the demographics of the consumers and the criteria of buying a laptop; on the other hand, to find out how is the relationship between the demographics and the features of different brands. Findings The study found out that Albanian consumers have good knowledge of laptops and their brands, and they use different sources of information for making their decisions in buying a laptop; it is found that there are relationships between some demographics like age or gender and the appraisal for some attributes of the laptops like price, design and high graphics card; it is also found that some technical features and other attributes of using laptops are some of the determinants that influence the laptops’ purchases. Conclusions It is realized that one of the most important demographics of the consumers is their age. Some core features like RAM, ROM, battery life, processor quality, light weight or attributes that are connected to the purposes of using the laptop computers like practicality and mobility in using them, work and studying processes, quick access to the internet are determinant factors which influence the decision making process of purchasing a laptop. I would recommend that future researches be focused also on the relationship between the customers’ income and their preferred brand or ranking brands according to the customers’ preferences. Such studies should also extend outside the city of Tirana.

Caracterização do mercado consumidor de sucos prontos para o consumo

O mercado brasileiro de sucos prontos para beber está em franca expansão, acompanhando a tendência mundial de consumo de bebidas saudáveis e saborosas. O presente trabalho objetivou traçar o perfil dos consumidores de sucos industrializados da cidade de Viçosa, MG. A pesquisa foi exploratória, descritiva direta e estruturada por meio de uma amostragem aleatória simples com a aplicação de questionários estruturados com abordagem quantitativa, composta por 292 consumidores entrevistados; deles: 32% consomem algum tipo de suco de três a cinco vezes por semana; 72% preferem o suco tradicional ao light/diet; a primeira opção de sabor mais citada foi o de laranja. Sabor, qualidade e validade foram critérios considerados extremamente importantes na escolha de sucos industrializados pela maioria dos entrevistados. Cerca de 45% incluíram o preço nessa categoria, enquanto a embalagem e a praticidade foram consideradas muito importantes por 39% e 44%, respectivamente. Apenas 33% dos participantes consideraram o valor nutricional e a marca como muito importantes na aquisição de sucos. Metade dos consumidores afirma ler as informações nutricionais contidas nos rótulos. As marcas preferidas foram a Del Valle (22%; n = 63) e Tial (21%; n = 59). Sabor, qualidade e confiança foram os principais quesitos apontados para a preferência pela marca. Percebe-se que um fator comum aos consumidores de sucos prontos refere-se à saudabilidade, fator considerado fonte de satisfação unânime entre os pesquisados na etapa qualitativa. O mercado de sucos apresenta um enorme potencial a ser explorado.

Adherence to treatment to help quit smoking: effects of task performance and coping with withdrawal symptoms.

BackgroundCurrently the combined cognitive-behavioral and pharmacological treatment is the best option to quit smoking, although success rates remain moderate. This study aimed to identify predictors of continuous abstinence in an assisted smoking cessation program using combined treatment. In particular, we analyzed the effects of socio-demographic, smoking-, and treatment-related variables. In addition, we analyzed the effect of several risk factors on abstinence, and estimated a model of risk for smoking relapse.MethodsParticipants were 125 workers at the University of Granada (50 males), with an average age of 46.91 years (SD = 8.15). They were recruited between 2009 and 2013 at an occupational health clinic providing smoking cessation treatment. Baseline measures included socio-demographic data, preferred brand of cigarettes, number of years smoking, use of alcohol and/or tranquilizers, past attempts to quit, Fargerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, Smoking Processes of Change Scale, and Coping with Withdrawal Symptoms Interview. Participants were invited to a face-to-face assessment of smoking abstinence using self-report and cooximetry hemoglobin measures at 3, 6, and 12 months follow-up. The main outcome was smoking status coded as “relapse” versus “abstinence” at each follow-up. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to estimate the probability of continued abstinence during 12 months and log-rank tests were used to analyze differences in continued abstinence as a function of socio-demographic, smoking-, and treatment-related variables. Cox regression was used to analyze the simultaneous effect of several risk factors on abstinence.ResultsUsing alcohol and/or tranquilizers was related to shorter abstinence. Physical exercise, the number of treatment sessions, performance of treatment tasks, and coping with withdrawal symptoms were related to prolonged abstinence. In particular, failure to perform the treatment tasks tripled the risk of relapse, while lack of coping doubled it.ConclusionsOur results show that physical exercise, performance of treatment-related tasks, and effective coping with withdrawal symptoms can prolong abstinence from smoking. Programs designed to help quit smoking can benefit from the inclusion of these factors.

‘Branding’ explained: Defining and measuring brand awareness and brand attitude

Writing in the very first issue of this journal, the present author proposed a comprehensive model of ‘branding’, a managerial process that requires the marketer to establish, in the consumer’s mind, two essential communication effects: brand awareness and then brand attitude. In the present article, he expands this model from two to now three types of brand awareness (brand recognition, category-cued brand-name recall and brand recall-boosted recognition) and from three to now five levels of brand attitude (reject, unaware, acceptable if on special, one of my several preferred brands and my single preferred brand). Also, he shows how to most efficiently measure these two necessary components of branding.

Deep Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Smoking Cessation: Is Going Deeper Better?

In this issue of Biological Psychiatry, Dinur-Klein et al. (1) report on an impressive proof-of-concept study using a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial design that demonstrates 10-Hz deep repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) using H-coil methods administered bilaterally to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and insular cortex could reduce shortterm biochemically verified cigarette consumption and nicotine dependence levels and increase short-term and long-term smoking abstinence rates. The lack of observed effects on craving are not surprising in a clinical trial setting because subjects were at various stages of cigarette use (no change, reduced, abstinent), which would have produced significant intersubject variability in this measure. The effects of 10-Hz repetitive TMS on certain outcomes (e.g., nicotine dependence) may have been enhanced through cigarette cue exposure before the stimulation; however, these effects were underpowered. Nonetheless, this study is a fine example of a neuroscience-informed, hypothesis-driven addiction treatment trial that is certain to set the standard for future work in the field of brain stimulation methods for the treatment of tobacco dependence. A decade of research has suggested that superficial brain stimulation may transiently reduce cravings and consumption in tobacco-dependent individuals (2). In their timely study, DinurKlein et al. extended previous work and conducted the first smoking cessation trial employing the H-coil, which has been shown to target brain regions approximately 5–7 cm deep. This focal depth with the H-coil is very exciting given its potential to target the brain reward circuitry that mediates all drugs of addiction. However, is going deeper better for tobacco treatment outcomes? The findings from the study by Dinur-Klein et al. suggest that targeting the insular cortex rather than superficial brain regions such as the DLPFC may be the key to successful smoking cessation and possibly better long-term outcomes. It is unclear if cue exposure reduces nicotine dependence, reduces level of cravings, or improves abstinence rates. Borrowing from the posttraumatic stress disorder research conducted by the same group, this study evaluated if cue exposure—in this case, observing someone else lighting the subject’s preferred brand of cigarette—would enhance the effects of repetitive TMS. The authors suggested that cue exposure before repetitive TMS activates the neurocircuitry that mediates cue-induced craving and that repetitive TMS would subsequently disrupt drug-related memory consolidation. Although this study was underpowered to evaluate the effects of cue exposure on the outcome measures, it

Dynamic Pricing in a Distribution Channel in the Presence of Switching Costs

We advance the literature on dynamic oligopoly pricing models in the presence of switching costs by additionally modeling the strategic pricing role of the retailer within the distribution channel. In doing this, we study the relative dynamic pricing implications – representing the harvesting versus investing incentives of how current price for a brand must optimally take into account, respectively, past versus future demand for the brand – of inertial demand separately for brand manufacturers (who set wholesale prices) versus the retailer (who sets retail prices). We estimate our structural econometric model using brand-level demand and retail prices in the cola market. We find that in our data the retailer only has harvesting incentives. Among the manufacturers, however, the harvesting incentive dominates for the more preferred brand while the investing incentive dominates for the less preferred brand. We perform three counterfactual simulations by varying consumers’ price sensitivity, inertia and brand preferences.

BRAND LOYALTY & LOYALTY OF BRANDS: A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP

Brand loyalty has become a truism in trademark discourse. Consumers tend to formulate their purchasing decisions by the power of consumption-momentum. That is to say they buy what they have already bought in the past and opt for the brands that they have already had a positive experience with. Experienced consumers manifest devotion to their preferred brands. This is the essence of Brand Loyalty. But should this Brand Loyalty be reciprocated by the brand owner? Is there such loyalty by the brand towards the consumer? Should the brand owner sustain the quality of products covered by his brand? Even more so, should he maintain any other defining attribute of the product (or service) marketed under his brand? And are such demands from the brand owner still of relevance in an age of expanding outsourcing? This paper explains why all of these questions should be answered in the affirmative. This paper argues that just as there is Brand Loyalty, there is (or, at least, there should be) Loyalty of the Brand. My assertion is that Loyalty of the Brand constitutes a morally sound concept which is inherently compatible with the general philosophy underlying trademarks and brands, and which rests firmly on numerous legally accepted disciplines and doctrines that form the backbone of commercial-contractual law. Loyalty of the Brand, thus, constitutes the counterbalance to Brand Loyalty, and should exist on par; not only as a legal phenomenon but as a practical one as well. It is, in the context of brand-consumer relationship, the other side of the same coin.

Brand Search Benefits of Online Advertising: An Eye-Tracking Experiment

Can online display advertising help consumers to more successfully search for their preferred brands, and thus reduce the impact of competitive clutter on shopping sites? Moreover, if advertising indeed has such direct brand search benefits, which attentional mechanisms account for it? To answer these questions, this research investigates the short-term effect of exposure to online advertising on brand search performance in a controlled experiment. To provide detailed insights into the attentional mechanism of the effect of online advertising exposure, the authors develop a Hidden Markov model that is calibrated on eye-movement data collected during online brand search. The model contains three search states, namely a localization state and two states that capture identification of the brand and SKU, respectively, and allows online advertising exposure to influence how people switch from one state to the others. An experiment on online search for shower gels reveals the short-term effects of the background color, and of including an image of the product in the advertisement. The brand search process, as captured through eye tracking, is shown to mediate the effects of the advertising exposure on search performance.

The relationships between alcohol source, autonomy in brand selection, and brand preference among youth in the USA.

We aimed to describe the sources from which youth in the USA commonly obtain alcohol, their role in selecting the brands they drink and the relationship of these variables to their indicated alcohol brand preferences. We recruited 1031 underage drinkers in the age range of 13-20 through an internet panel managed by Knowledge Networks. Respondents completed an online survey assessing their recent brand-specific alcohol use, the source of their most recently consumed alcohol and whether the respondent or another person selected the brand they drank. Alcohol sources were more often passive than transactional. Nearly equal proportions of youth reported that they did versus did not choose the brand of their most recent drink. Analysis revealed that the brand preferences of passive versus active source drinkers were highly similar, as were the brand preferences of respondent versus non-respondent choice drinkers. Stratification of respondents by age did not significantly change these results. Our findings suggest that youth are consuming a homogenous list of preferred brands regardless of the source of their most recently obtained alcohol or who selected the brand they drank.

THE VALUE OF IT HABIT IN MICROBLOGS ON BRAND LOYALTY

With the prevalence and potential value of microblogs, many marketers have leveraged this technology to build brand community for broadcasting products and attracting consumers. However, from a marketing point of view, few studies address how practitioners can benefit from microblogs in terms of building brand loyalty. This study investigates the effects of IT habit on brand loyalty within microblogs. We develop a research model and empirically test it using data collected from a survey on a Chinese microblog site. The findings suggest that consumers’ habit of using microblogs to follow their preferred brands can significantly affect their brand loyalty. Satisfaction, importance, and social interaction are found to be important antecedents of IT habit. Theoretical and practical implications are offered. To cite this document: Hong Zhang, Kem Z.K. Zhang, Matthew K.O. Lee, and Feng Feng, "The value of it habit in microblogs on brand loyalty", International Journal of Electronic Commerce Studies, Vol.5, No.1, pp. 63-80, 2014. Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.7903/ijecs.1069

Factors associated with e-cigarette use: a national population survey of current and former smokers.

Few national surveys document the prevalence of e-cigarette use in the U.S. The existing metric to assess current use likely identifies individuals who have recently tried an e-cigarette but do not continue to use the product. To document the prevalence of e-cigarette ever use, current use, and established use in a nationally representative survey of current and former cigarette smokers in the U.S. A random sample of current and former cigarette smokers completed a web-based survey in June 2013 (n=2,136). Data were analyzed in November 2013. Multivariate logistic regression identified demographic and smoking-related factors associated with each use category. Point estimates with 95% CIs described e-cigarette use behaviors (e.g., preferred brand, purchasing patterns) for each group. Almost half of respondents had tried e-cigarettes (46.8%), but prevalence of established use remained low (3.8%). Although trial of e-cigarettes was highest among daily smokers, the odds of being an established e-cigarette user were greater for former smokers (OR=3.24, 95% CI=1.13, 9.30, p<0.05). Furthermore, e-cigarette preference and use patterns varied among ever, current, and established users. Established users reported using rechargeable e-cigarettes, having a regular brand, and using e-cigarettes at home and in the workplace at much higher levels than the "current use" metric captures. Improved survey measures for e-cigarette use are needed. The identification of established e-cigarette users may provide insight to product features or other individual factors that are associated with sustained use of e-cigarettes.