Service Branding and Performance of Insurance Firms in Ekiti State, Nigeria (Published)
The apparent poor performance in the insurance sector occasioned by poor service branding is the major factor that triggers this study. The study examined the influence of brand meaning, brand awareness, brand image and external brand communication on performance of Insurance firms in Ekiti State. Survey research design was adopted in executing the study with a population of 257 Insurance employees in Ekiti State. Since the population was relatively small, the entire population was used as a census. Primary data were collected using self-administered questionnaire distributed to employees of insurance companies in Ekiti State. The data generated from the questionnaire were subjected to statistical analysis and the hypotheses were tested using Correlation Coefficient with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The findings revealed that all the independent variables (brand meaning, brand awareness, brand image and external brand communication) have significant influence on performance of insurance firms in Ekiti State. Hence, the study concluded that a statistically significant and positive association exists between service branding and performance of Insurance firms in Ekiti State. Hence the study recommended that management of insurance companies should put strong policies on service branding in place so as to improve profitability and market share of insurance firms operating in Ekiti State.
Keywords: Branding, Organizational Performance, Service, insurance firms, service branding
New Normal Chief Marketing Officer (CMO): Branding Cybersecurity as a Return on Trust Beyond Pandemic? (Published)
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the business world and Cyberattacks are becoming diversified and sophisticated. With widespread digitally remote-work phenomena and lack of an organization-wide comprehensive Cyber risk strategy, the data protection, trust, and brand reputation are at risk. The purpose of the study is to explore Cybersecurity as a Return on Trust and part of the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) responsibility as corporations confront the New Normal (NN) opportunities. And does this research offer insight by addressing three main questions? (1) How to address cyber risks from a marketing perspective? (2) How to scale customer trust and best engage with customers without sacrificing sensitive information? (3) How to maximize the role of empathy in an economic downturn while maintaining a brand reputation? This study examined the CMO’s new normal strategy for an extraordinary audience reaches with creativity to re-introduce the brand’s value for all the stakeholders. The results of the study revealed stand-out brand delivery and maintenance of striking motivated employees for competitive advantage requires empathy and innovative marketing plans, shifting channel strategies, budget, and resources while passionately connecting with customers. Findings offer guidance to the CMO’s in cyber risk mitigation for robust business value, customer satisfaction, and the strengthening interconnections with public health, economy, and government. The study concludes that the new normal CMO act as a hub of collaboration to help advance brand delivery preparedness for future disasters by actively responding to customers’ voices and changing behavior for a sustainable future. Key implications for academics, practitioners, and policymakers are discussed.
Keywords: Branding, Chief Marketing Officer, Cybersecurity, Empathy, Trust, new normal
A Study of Branding Strategy Influencing Brand Equity for Youth in the Pakistan’s Domestic New Luxury Apparel Industry (Published)
This paper aims to explore the key branding strategies influencing the young customers of Pakistan to buy a new domestic new luxury apparel brand and results in strong brand equity. Further, the current study also provides an in depth understanding between the old and new luxury branding. This study has employed quantitative research analysis with the help of a deductive approach. For collecting quantitative data, Likert Scale Based questionnaire were distributed among 125 young customers who had experience of buying domestic new luxury apparel brand in Pakistan. The results of this study depict that branding strategies like store image, brand elements, influencers and web advertising have positive effects on brand equity as it influences young consumer to buy a domestic new luxury apparel in Pakistan. The study is limited to young consumers of Karachi, Pakistan. Marketers have adopted different strategies for attracting the customers towards their products and to develop strong brand equity. With the emergence of new luxury, brands are experimenting various strategies to attract young consumers. In Pakistan, few studies have investigated traditional luxury however, no studies were conducted in terms of new luxury. This study has revealed four branding strategies influencing young consumers in Pakistan to buy a domestic new luxury apparel and also building strong brand equity for apparel brands.
Keywords: Brand Equity, Branding, Youth, apparel, brand elements, influencers, luxury, new luxury, store image, web advertising
The Relationship between Premium Beer Brand Attributes and Brand Loyalty – An Exploratory South African Study (Published)
This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study conducted among a convenience sample of 300 premium beer consumers selected from two major cities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. South African Breweries (SAB), the largest brewery in South Africa has been struggling to compete in the premium beer market as a result of more brands competing in the premium beer market which is the most attractive segment of the beer market. This paper aimed at exploring the factors that attract consumers to premium beer brands. It was ascertained that the crispiness of the beer, superior, unique taste and, the price of the beer brand ate important factors.The implications of the above for the SAB, is that premium beer market is a highly competitive market hence, marketing strategies should take into consideration the factors which attract the consumers to a brand. For the SAB to gain a competitive advantage, it needs to design marketing strategies that will differentiate its premium beer brands on the basis of the important factors that attract consumers, namely price, beer quality, crispiness and taste.
Keywords: Branding, Competitive Advantage, Consumer Behaviour, Premium Beers, South African Breweries.
CONTRIBUTION OF BRANDING IN ENHANCING PERFORMANCE OF TOURISM SECTOR IN RWANDA (Published)
Strong branding has become a very important factor that influences consumer’s perceptions of a brand. Success in branding can enhance the performance of Tourism. This arises from understanding and managing the brand correctly to produce strong attributes that influence consumers when making their choices. Considering the increasing competition in the tourism industry, more governments have realized that branding can enhance Tourism and become a powerful tool to differentiate their countries and obtain competitive advantages by improving their image in tourism. The results have shown that the branding campaign in tourism is generally well developed and the image promoted corresponds in great measure with the one perceived by consumers. The value of this research concentrates on the fact that branding can enhance the performance of tourism in any Country. As a relatively new concept, branding still lacks empirical academic research. This study offers an original insight into branding as a tool in enhancing Tourism performance through image analysis. This research focuses on the importance of these dimensions (brand awareness, Tourism brand loyalty, Tourism brand image and perceived quality in enhancing the performance of the tourism sector in Rwanda ) of customer-based brand equity on consumer’s perceptions of a Tourism brand. This is based on the assumption that all these dimensions of customer based-Tourism brand equity have had influence on consumer’s perceptions of the Tourism brand. However, this project aimed to find out which among these three dimensions (brand image, brand loyalty and perceived quality) appears to have the least brand equity in Tourism with respect to Tourism brand awareness, Tourism brand image, and perceived quality and Tourism brand loyalty. A structured questionnaire was constructed to provide answers to research questions. In this study, over fifty questionnaires were distributed, and all of the questionnaires were realized. Despite the academic attention to branding in Tourism, there seems to be no clear path for authorities to follow in establishing their destinations as distinctive and strategic brands, A comprehensive research framework with both qualitative and quantitative methods was used to suggest and assess these brand elements, meanings, and assets for both supply and demand sides of the market.
Keywords: Branding, Development, Marketing, Performance, Tourism
CONTRIBUTION OF BRANDING IN ENHANCING PERFORMANCE OF TOURISM SECTOR IN RWANDA (Published)
Strong branding has become a very important factor that influences consumer’s perceptions of a brand. Success in branding can enhance the performance of Tourism. This arises from understanding and managing the brand correctly to produce strong attributes that influence consumers when making their choices. Considering the increasing competition in the tourism industry, more governments have realized that branding can enhance Tourism and become a powerful tool to differentiate their countries and obtain competitive advantages by improving their image in tourism. The results have shown that the branding campaign in tourism is generally well developed and the image promoted corresponds in great measure with the one perceived by consumers. The value of this research concentrates on the fact that branding can enhance the performance of tourism in any Country. As a relatively new concept, branding still lacks empirical academic research. This study offers an original insight into branding as a tool in enhancing Tourism performance through image analysis. This research focuses on the importance of these dimensions (brand awareness, Tourism brand loyalty, Tourism brand image and perceived quality in enhancing the performance of the tourism sector in Rwanda ) of customer-based brand equity on consumer’s perceptions of a Tourism brand. This is based on the assumption that all these dimensions of customer based-Tourism brand equity have had influence on consumer’s perceptions of the Tourism brand. However, this project aimed to find out which among these three dimensions (brand image, brand loyalty and perceived quality) appears to have the least brand equity in Tourism with respect to Tourism brand awareness, Tourism brand image, and perceived quality and Tourism brand loyalty. A structured questionnaire was constructed to provide answers to research questions. In this study, over fifty questionnaires were distributed, and all of the questionnaires were realized. Despite the academic attention to branding in Tourism, there seems to be no clear path for authorities to follow in establishing their destinations as distinctive and strategic brands, A comprehensive research framework with both qualitative and quantitative methods was used to suggest and assess these brand elements, meanings, and assets for both supply and demand sides of the market.
Keywords: Branding, Development, Marketing, Performance, Tourism
AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING, SO SHALL IT BE, WORLD WITHOUT END”RETRO-MARKETING: THE ART OF BRINGING BACK TO LIFE/REVITALIZING AN OLD BRAND (PRODUCT) – THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE (Published)
Retro-marketing revolution, revitalising, revivals, remakes, rejuvenating, returns, re-enactments, reissues and recreations are all around us in Nigeria and worldwide. From the simple wigs and high heel shoes worn by university, polytechnic, and college girls, to the re-launch of macleans close up appeal adverts. Retro and rejuvenating is one of the most pervasive marketing trends of our time. Branding is the process by which companies distinguish their product offerings from the competition. Doyle (1989). By developing a distinctive name, packaging, and design, a brand is created. Some brands are supported by logos. By developing an individual identity, branding permits customers to develop association with the brand, (e.g. prestige economy) and eases the purchase decision of the product. The American Marketing Association defines a brand as ‘a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers as to differentiate them from those of competitors (AMA in Kotler, P. and Keller, K, 2010). A brand adds dimensions that differentiate the offering in some way from other offerings designed to satisfy the same need. These differences may be functional, rational or tangible, related to the brand’s product performance. They may also be more symbolic, emotional or intangible related to what the brand represents. (Kotler 2007). Brand encompass not only consumer goods, but other offerings such as people (e.g. politicians, pop-stars e.g. Michael Jackson, Sunny Ade), places (e.g. Nigeria, Lagos, South Africa, Durban), companies (e.g. Coca Cola, Nigerian Breweries), industrial products, services, products, etc. A brand is more than just the sum of its component parts. It embodies for the purchaser or user additional attributes which are intangible but real (deChernatony and McDonald 2006). This paper which is a literature review, conceptual reflection and research observation of some revitalised brands, products and services in Nigeria, it examines the rapid rise of Retro-marketing/Rejuvenating of old brands, it will explain the historical evolution of brands, the extend to which consumers search for brand information, issues associated with effective brand name and building successful brands. It will explain the demographic, socio-economic, cultural and organisational factors that have precipitated the latter day retro-rejuvenating outbreak in Nigeria. It will also look at how companies can manage brands. Why do companies rejuvenate? Rejuvenating “has been” brands is a systematic approach for revitalizing brands. It offers managerial causes and solutions on the best ways to revitalise old products. It concludes that retro/rejuvenating involves searching for authenticity in an inauthentic world, and present some basic factors that companies and managers bent on brand revival needs to consider
Keywords: Branding, Brands, Netnography, Nostalgia, Rejuvenating, Retro-marketing, Retro-products., Revitalizing