Concentration of the retail sector and trapped brands

This article explores how the growth in concentration of the retail trade has influenced both the strategies and performances of brands within the FMCG industry. Three mature markets within the FMCG industry—tea, toothpaste and dishwashing liquid—are examined over a 13-year period (1982–1993). The study compares the strategies of dominant brands in these markets against those of second tier brands. Four key brand strategies—advertising, distribution, number of brand variants and pricing—are closely examined. The study illustrates the increasing divergence in the strategic profile of dominant and second tier brands and the emergence of a group of brands, termed ‘trapped’ brands, which are particularly vulnerable as a consequence of consolidation of the retail trade.     

利用产品塑造品牌:品牌的产品意义及其理论发展

在品牌理论发展和品牌营销实践中,一直存在轻"实"重"虚"的取向,导致出现轻视乃至偏离产品这一核心的"空心化"现象,对品牌产品认知的研究和营销应用尤显得不足和落后。该文以社会认知理论和现象学访谈方法,发现和定义了消费者通过意义建构而形成的品牌产品知识体系,并从其知识内容、水平、结构、发生条件、性质、隐含价值、前后向变量等方面提出了初步的理论框架。研究结果扩展了对品牌产品认知的理解只限于品牌物理特征联想及品牌功能评价的传统边界,对重新理解、定义品牌产品的营销战略价值和管理体系,促进品牌理论和品牌营销的平衡发展提供了新的依据和启示。     

Consumer perceptions of luxury brands: An owner-based perspective

To deepen theoretical and practical understanding of consumers' perceptions of luxury brands, prior marketing literature has investigated the financial, functional, individual, and social dimensions of the luxury value construct. However, it has not considered the owners of luxury brands or detailed the moderated effects of luxury value on related attitudinal outcomes. To address this gap, this study draws on an existing second-order conceptualization of luxury value to introduce and empirically examine an extended conceptualization of the owner-based luxury value (OBLV) construct. The study draws on brand equity theory to offer a conceptual model of the attitudinal outcomes of OBLV in terms of brand loyalty, brand attachment, brand community behavior, and brand engagement. Using unique data from 452 actual owners of three luxury brands (Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Prada), the authors confirm the predicted attitudinal outcomes of OBLV and reveal moderating effects of awareness of counterfeit existence. Their findings provide new insights and implications for luxury brand research and luxury brand managers. The research provides a richer understanding of OBLV and yields important managerial insights into how to influence luxury-seeking consumers' perceptions of, and attitudes to, luxury brands.     

Theory of dogmatism,personality traits and shopping behavior

Drawing on the theory of dogmatism and personality traits, this research examines the consumers' shopping behavior and intentions. We propose a model, which incorporates the precepts of stubbornness and retail purchasing conduct. Data were gathered from 446 shoppers in India and analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that consumers' personality, purchaser conduct, narrowing conduct, and dependability influence their buying behavior. Moreover, consumers’ purchasing goals are influenced by assurance, customization, brand value, and social appeal. The study has practical implications for marketing managers who are focusing on customers with dogmatic behavior.     

有关品牌文化内涵及影响因素的探索性研究

随着商品经济的发展和市场竞争的日益激烈,品牌文化的建设已经成为一个品牌成功的关键.本研究基于扎根理论对品牌文化的概念模型进行了探索性研究.通过文献分析和质的研究(32个深度访谈、四组焦点团体访谈)相结合的方法,本研究认为品牌文化包括企业文化、产品与服务、品牌个性和理念以及品牌归属四个维度.品牌文化以企业文化为基础,以产品和服务为载体,通过理念、个性、声誉等品牌精神的塑造,最终使得用户对品牌产生归属感.在这一过程中,品牌文化的形成受到企业营销手段、社会潮流和消费者的共同影响.本研究为品牌文化的定量研究打下了坚实的基础,对品牌研究和营销实践都具有重要意义.     

Reflections on customers’ primary role in markets

Technology developments have transformed the business landscape by accelerating connectivity, transparency and unpredictability. We argue that the most dramatic consequence is not the possibilities created for companies but rather the challenges that emerge as a result of customer behaviour undergoing fundamental changes. Technology transformation has paved the way for empowered customers who are increasingly influencing businesses and markets, and the challenge for practitioners and researchers alike is to make sense of the role of these customers in such business environments. These developments have yielded a need to revise companies’ business models and to innovate new offerings. In scholarly research on marketing, this need has become evident and, beyond suggesting new concepts, completely new marketing management perspectives have been proposed, and each has its own core assumptions and focus. Broader views have emerged, and these stress the applicability of these perspectives not only to the top-level management of businesses but also to any non-commercial organisation.In this article, we reflect on the customer-dominant logic (CDL) of marketing, which stresses the customer's primary role in business. As such, CDL differs from approaches that focus on the provider's perspective. The CDL approach is an expression of the research ideals and goals that are based on the Nordic School of Service Management. We argue that CDL is well aligned with emerging challenges in most markets, both established and nascent, and that it is more managerially relevant than many other perspectives. This is also in line with the recent calls for a soul of relevance for European management research (Chia, 2014; Hernes, 2014).     

品牌权益及其测评体系分析

创建品牌权益是品牌建设的核心任务.品牌权益是企业以往营销努力的积淀,它反映了企业品牌建设的成效和品牌的价值.本文结合国外近年来的最新研究成果,对品牌权益的内涵进行了深入剖析,提出了品牌权益三维度模型,并据此探讨了对品牌权益的测评.     

品牌权益影响股东价值的实证研究

市场营销活动对企业股东价值的影响是品牌价值链研究的重要方面。近年来营销学者为了向企业经理证实营销活动能够为企业带来长远效益,不断探索各个营销环节和营销活动对企业股东价值的影响。从品牌的视角探讨营销活动对股东价值的影响,探索品牌权益对股东价值的影响途径和中介变量以及这些影响在不同行业之间的差异;以世界品牌实验室关于品牌价值评估的数据作为品牌权益的测量,以网易网站和东方财富网站的财务数据计算Tobin′sQ作为企业股东价值的测量,采用2005年～2007年的数据进行面板数据分析。研究结果表明,品牌权益能够正向影响股东价值,企业利润是品牌权益和股东价值的中介变量,品牌权益对股东价值的影响受企业所在行业的调节。     

The new marketing—Developing long-term interactive relationships

This article places emphasis on relationships and interaction in marketing, an emphasis which has developed out of new theories of services marketing and industrial marketing and also out of practical experience. Building and maintaining relationships have significant long-term implications and therefore affect the strategic and long-range planning of the firm's marketing. In the author's view, the present Marketing Concept, as it appears in research, textbooks and seminars, is unrealistic and needs to be replaced. One reason is its inability to absorb new developments in marketing and its rigid attachment to traditional consumer goods marketing. The conclusions can be seen as part of a progress report from an ongoing research project which aims at developing a New Marketing Concept, that draws both on theory and on the views of practitioners.     

Diagnosing Customer Value: Integrating the Value Process and Relationship Marketing

The concept of value and, more specifically, customer value is of increasing interest to both academics and practitioners. This paper undertakes a substantial review of past and current literature on value and categorizes this considerable body of research into nine streams of literature. Building on the emerging relationship marketing paradigm, it then proposes a framework for relationship value management. Nine core streams of value literature are identified and discussed: consumer values and consumer value; the augmented product concept; customer satisfaction and service quality; the value chain; creating and delivering superior customer value; the customer's value to the firm; customer‐perceived value; customer value and shareholder value; and relationship value. To date, the core focus of most of this literature has been on the nature of value from the perspective of the organization and its customers – the customer–supplier relationship. However, it is argued that the emergence of the relationship marketing paradigm has emphasized the role of other stakeholders in building relationships. An existing multiple stakeholder model of relationship marketing, the six markets model, is introduced and is integrated with key concepts from the value literature to produce a conceptual framework for relationship value management.     

基于模糊识别模型的品牌生命周期测评方法研究

品牌处于不同的生命周期阶段,其发展的战略侧重点不同,管理策略也相应不同。因此,准确划分品牌生命周期对于企业进行品牌管理、实现品牌可持续发展具有非常重要的指导意义。本文从品牌生命周期阶段的划分入手,选取反映品牌生命周期特征的指标,并建立模糊识别模型,对品牌生命周期阶段的测评方法进行研究,最后选取搜索引擎网站品牌对建立的品牌生命周期模糊识别模型进行了应用与验证。     

How can perceived consistency in marketing communications influence customer–brand relationship outcomes?

This paper examines the impact of perceived consistency in marketing communications on customer–brand relationship outcomes. The perception of consistent message and image through different marketing communication tools is one of the basic principles of the integrated marketing communications (IMC) approach. Although literature suggests that IMC might have an influence on customer–brand relationship outcomes, empirical evidence that supports this assumption is still weak and inconclusive. Three main brand relationship outcomes are established for the purpose of the study, i.e. trust, commitment, and loyalty. The relationships between perceived communication consistency and brand outcomes are examined in a hospitality context on a sample of 452 respondents who had to evaluate fast-food brands. Structural Equation Modelling was employed as the main technique for data analysis using Partial Least Squares (PLS). Results reveal that communication consistency has a strong direct impact on brand trust and brand loyalty. Although its influence on affective brand commitment is found to be positive, it is not statistically significant. The interrelationship between three brand relationship outcomes is also corroborated. The study contributes to our understanding of the role of IMC in the relationship marketing paradigm and provides deeper insights into the impact of communication consistency on different relationship outcomes with fast-food brands.     

The Digital Journey: Reflected Learnings and Emerging Challenges

This paper identifies and examines the four stages of marketing's digitalization journey to date and the points of interest along the way. The metaphor of a journey provides a narrative through which to understand the complex changes that are occurring within the digitalization of marketing. The digital journey has no final destination yet, but it is possible to identify an origin and chart its route thus far. In reflecting on this journey, insights emerge, which pose ongoing challenges for businesses and for the marketing discipline. The digitalization of marketing provides new options for routes to markets, communication, brand building, relationship development, trialling pricing, product development, sourcing insights, as well as a platform for innovation. But, only if businesses embark on this journey, and then keep up with the pace once en route. The implications for business stemming from marketing's digital journey are detailed along with avenues for future research, to develop further understanding of digitalization. The theoretical contributions made by this paper include both a novel mapping of the complex trajectory of marketing's digitalization through a visualization and an articulation of the main four gaps in current research and practice knowledge within marketing. The gaps include the need for a strategic view, the issue of technical silos, the changing conceptions of time, and the tension between empowered consumers and their reliance on pre‐filtered information. This paper provides a critical appraisal of the digital journey so far, resulting in a distilled conceptualization and route map, which should help guide future researchers.     

基于顾客的品牌资产构成研究述评与模型重构

在分析以往文献的基础上划分和理清品牌资产的不同研究视角及其关系,重点选择在根本上决定品牌资产价值、影响企业营销决策的顾客认知视角,对品牌资产的构成进行系统梳理;在此基础上,基于心理学态度理论重构出了一项整合的品牌资产逻辑模型;最后,提出了企业建立强势品牌资产的若干管理建议。     

Exploring the impact of sustainable value proposition on firm performance

Considering the immense potential of sustainable business models in tackling the broader challenge of corporate sustainability, this paper integrates the literature streams on sustainability practices and organizational business models to analyze the performance implications of a firm's sustainable value proposition. Based on the analysis of a large panel dataset across different industries, consistent with the proposed theory, a sustainable value proposition has been found to have a positive impact on a firm's market-based financial performance (namely, Tobin's Q). Yet, this impact turns out to be highly context-dependent. In particular, the findings reveal that a firm's R&D capabilities improve the positive effect of a sustainable value proposition on a firm's financial performance. At the same time, the marketing communication capabilities and sustainable practices regarding employee relations reduce the sustainable value proposition's financial performance effect, arguably due to the costs associated with marketing and the loss in employee interest during the process of adopting the sustainable business model elements.     

产业集群环境下的企业品牌纵向合作关系研究

揭示集群企业品牌纵向合作关系作用于企业品牌提升的内在机理,对指导集群内企业品牌提升实践具有重要意义。集群企业品牌纵向合作关系表现为基于产品供应、技术创新和营销协同三类合作关系。本文以需求供给模型为基础,构建了集群企业品牌纵向合作关系的数理模型,对集群企业品牌合作关系的形成及对品牌提升的作用机理进行了分析。模型分析表明:在产业集群环境下,上游品牌的行业地位越稳定,集群信任程度越高,纵向合作关系形成的可能性越大;在合作关系发生的情形下,集群信任程度越高,下游品牌产品价格竞争力越强,品牌合作绩效越高。     

Market segmentation: an integrated framework

Contrary to the narrow, demand-oriented approach to market segmentation taken in much of the marketing and planning literature, this article illustrates a broader, integrated framework which includes both the demand and supply sides of the competitive equation. The author argues that starting with ‘product’ characteristics is both an easier and more actionable way of segmenting markets than the traditional marketing approach that typically begins with the customer or ‘people’ characteristics. This approach can be employed by a business to make decisions about entering a market segment, differentiating a brand from its competition, positioning it in the market and communicating its quality to the customers. Customers, too, generally rely on product characteristics to perceive and evaluate the quality claims made by different competitors. Thus, the article bridges an important gap between strategy formulation and strategy implementation: an area often neglected in the strategy literature. The proposed approach focuses not only on customer benefits or needs, but also on the resources necessary to satisfy them and demonstrates this with examples from Apple, Church & Dwight and many other companies. To show a practical application, the article presents a price-quality-benefit segmentation profile of the US toothpaste market which revealed three strategic groups.     

自然科学知识的积累对电子元器件产业发展的影响

假设研究活动存在与产品生命周期中的市场扩大现象相似的活跃化现象,按照时间序列对电子元器件领域的评审论文篇数和注册专利件数的增减情况进行了分析。由分析结果可知:在市场真正产生前,评审论文篇数和注册专利件数剧增;同时,在这些剧增的论文和专利中,有很多研究给商品化和商业化带来了巨大影响。这些与商品化和商业化有关的信息,不仅包括对产品制造业有用的信息,而且还包括对支撑产品制造业的设备产业同样有用的信息。因此,将本分析法作为考量新事业进入机会的客观方法推荐给大家。     

Masstige model and measure for brand management

The purpose of this article is to reconceptualize the term “masstige” (Mass Prestige) marketing, develop a masstige model for brand management, and extend the use of the Masstige Mean Scale (MMS). The study was conducted based on the data from 600 individuals living in the United States, France, and India using a structured questionnaire consisting of different factors/sources of brand equity, such as mass prestige, brand knowledge, and perceived quality. On the basis of the findings, we establish that the greater the brand's Masstige Mean Index (MMI) value (“MMIV”), the higher the potential customers' top-of-mind brand awareness. Low MMIVs imply that firms have a long way to go to build their brands. We argue that MMI may allow firms to measure brand equity in different regions, within a country or in foreign countries, to derive insights into the popularity of their brands. We posit three theoretical propositions and develop two theoretical models (i) a hexagon model and (ii) a three-stage model for masstige marketing to define, reconceptualize, and explain the phenomenon.