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High-profile instances of brands accused of cultural appropriation suggest that even the most prominent brands fail to fully understand the complexities of this phenomenon. This work experimentally unpacks consumer perceptions of cultural appropriation and its impact on brand attitudes and purchase interest. The authors begin by developing and validating a scale for measuring perceptions of cultural appropriation. Next, a series of studies demonstrates that viewing this phenomenon through a historical lens can help determine when and why the use of cultural elements is viewed as appropriative. Specifically, an emphasis on historical power imbalance explains why liberal consumers are more likely to recognize cultural appropriation and why commercializing disadvantaged cultures is considered appropriation, whereas using elements from advantaged cultures may be more acceptable. The conceptualization further identifies brand actions and interventions that influence perceptions of cultural appropriation, including externally emphasizing historical power imbalance, how brands obtain cultural elements, and how brands represent the culture in their product offerings and marketing. These findings help marketers (1) avoid launching products that can be damaging to the brand and offensive to consumers and (2) understand how to better promote products in a way that prevents rather than amplifies these negative perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic strongly influenced daily practices, and this manifested in social interactions, communications and consumption. This work addresses the relations between branding and cultural trends in strategic communication and advertising in different contexts of the pandemic. First, we reviewed the concepts of branding and cultural trends. From there, it was necessary to develop a methodological proposal to articulate a connotative semiotic analysis with the semiotic square and a cultural trend mapping. The analysis was carried out through an independent and comparative reading of two-time phases: confinement (2020) and end of constraints (2022). Three telecommunications brands in Portugal act as case studies in a random and probabilistic sample of two audiovisual texts from Christmas campaigns each. Finally, a theoretical-operational triangulation is obtained between branding, cultural trends and semiotic analysis in promoting local brands that redefine spaces, social relations, and identity expression during and after the COVID-19 pandemic confinements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firms from a variety of industries regularly partner with Formula One racing teams to achieve marketing objectives on an international scale. The sponsored properties offer signals of brand foreignness/localness, country of origin, and the potential for highly visible achievements. Firms enter and exit brand partnerships with some of the world's most famous athletes and iconic teams, yet the partnership decision-making process remains opaque, particularly concerning the impact of geographic origin and team performance among other criteria, including macroeconomic conditions and brand-related factors. This study contributes a quantitative model that analyzes 53 years of data encompassing more than 3,000 sponsorships across six continents. The findings improve understanding of brand partnership continuity/dissolution by explicating a shared nationality effect and a link with sponsored organizational performance that is robust across three distinct eras of Formula One. In doing so, the study contributes to theory by completing the sponsorship performance cycle and distilling partnership limits with regard to brand foreignness. The theory and quantitative analyses are buttressed by interviews with brand decision-makers, excerpts from which also shape the discussion of managerial applications. Implications include efficiencies in partner prospecting that enhance the likelihood of enduring brand relationships in sponsorship-linked international marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The current research examines how the knowledge that a product is made using a traditional method influences perceptions of its quality. We propose that consumers believe that a brand using traditional methods is beneficial for society because it is concerned about cultural preservation and this belief has a positive effect on perceived quality. Six experimental studies show that consumers evaluate products produced with a method described as traditional to be higher in quality than similar products that are not described as traditionally made and this effect is mediated by the belief that the brand is beneficial for society. Consistent with this theory, the positive effect of traditional production on perceived quality is attenuated when consumers view the brand to be unconcerned about cultural preservation, such as when the use of a traditional method is framed as a follower strategy (i.e. it imitates the actions of other brands) or when the brand is a multinational company. By showing that the mere mention of a traditional method can be another subtle way to position a brand as a moral actor, these findings contribute to the understanding of the link between perceived social responsibility and product evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research introduces behavioral labeling as the use of names or tags that reflect an associated activity, and it proposes that this can induce corresponding behavior. Contrary to the common intuition that descriptions of behaviors emerge as markings for popular actions (i.e., the label is a consequence of the behavior), the authors propose that a description itself might also induce the corresponding action (i.e., the label is an antecedent of the behavior). Building on linguistic relativity theory and based on five studies conducted in the lab and field, the authors show that merely attaching a fictitious name to a behavior can induce that very behavior. The authors also explore a potential explanation for this finding by showing that a behavioral label can evoke mental imagery regarding the associated behavior, which enhances the implementation of the behavior. The results contribute to marketing theory by introducing behavioral labeling and highlighting how language can shape behaviors. Marketers can use behavioral labels to promote their offerings based on the associated behaviors, while public policy makers can use behavioral labels to encourage prosocial and proenvironmental behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers differ in the extent to which brands drive their choices. The current research investigates the psychology underlying such decisions by using a cursor-tracking paradigm that captures consumers' decision-making processes in real time. Results indicate that while consumers typically process brand attributes relatively later than product attributes, the timing of this processing varies across individuals and affects choice. Specifically, when consumers trade off brand and product desirability (i.e., when deciding between a more [less] preferred product from a less [more] preferred brand), the earlier that brand attributes are considered, the more likely consumers are to choose the option from the preferred brand. Increasing the prominence of brand (vs. product) attributes leads to earlier brand attribute processing and a higher likelihood of choosing the preferred brand. These findings hold across a limited number of choice trials and for decisions involving three attributes (brand, product, and price). This research highlights the applicability of cursor tracking in revealing the psychological drivers of consumer choices in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the public's response to the digital brand launch of the Seattle Kraken. Informed by agenda-setting theory and through content and social media analyses, the study identified the initial digital sentiment around the brand and the reach of the virtual conversations. The Kraken were able to encourage favorable conversation about the team by setting the agenda and encouraging consumers to engage with content at specific times during launch. In the first hour after brand launch, consumers focused conversation on the team, the logo and color scheme, and the effectiveness of the launch video. In the following 24 hr, the conversation remained positive and focused on how the brand positively represented the city and region. Through agenda setting, the Seattle Kraken were able to effectively launch their new brand while also setting the stage for positive brand-association development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to advance the understanding of audio branding by investigating the effect of an understudied auditory attribute, timbre, in the context of brand audio logos. Specifically, the authors propose, and provide evidence in ten studies, that timbral sound quality in audio logos (i.e., roughness/smoothness) informs abstract judgments of brand personality (i.e., ruggedness/sophistication). Study 1 shows that the industry practice of altering instrumentation, and thus timbre, in audio logos can change personality perceptions of even well-known brands. This effect persists when the sound source is kept constant with various instruments (Studies 2a–2d), with a combination of instruments (Study 3), and in the absence of an identifiable sound source (Study 4). The authors test specific acoustic underpinnings of timbral sound quality perceptions (Study 4) and show that the effect on brand personality judgments is counteracted by incongruent sensory information from another modality (Study 5). The results of Study 6 suggest that the influence of timbral sound quality on brand personality perceptions is nonconscious, as consumers are unaware of the extent to which the stimulus affects their judgments. Study 7 shows downstream consequences for purchase intentions. Practical implications, theoretical contributions, and directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual marketing communications consist of two components: (1) semantic content (e.g., headings, images, copy) that communicates a brand's positioning, benefits, and personality and (2) visual design (e.g., font selection, image size, the organization of the content) that encourages inferences about brand claims. The authors investigate how visual design can be used to encourage inferences that support brand claims and improve brand performance. They find that brands with a utilitarian positioning perform better when the visual design of their marketing communications encourages structured perceptions, whereas brands with a hedonic positioning perform better when the visual design of their marketing communications encourages unstructured perceptions. In both cases, (un)structured perceptions encourage inferences that reinforce brand claims and, consequently, improve brand performance. This research offers actionable insights into how marketing communication specialists can coordinate logo design, product design, package design, visual merchandising, and retail environments to reinforce brand claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that management concepts tend to spread from corporate to public organizations. Branding is an example of such a concept, with suggestions that it can address not only economic but also social issues, often referred to as "inclusive branding." This ethnographic study explores how branding is received and spreads in a Swedish city, and analyzes efforts to use branding to tackle inequality and segregation. Our findings reveal that the initial focus on social problems was glossed over in favor of following corporate branding ideals, but also that city communicators expressed critique, confusion, and doubt regarding the relevance of branding to their work. Surprisingly, this did not slow down but rather energized the branding process. Through an interactionist analysis, we suggest that rather than addressing social problems, branding in cities may give rise to an Eigendynamik, signifying a self-energizing inner dynamic fueled by a tension between "frames," specifically between the branding frame and the civic frame of the city. This theorization lays the groundwork for contributions to the understanding of inclusive branding: it can start with good intentions to address civic issues but may get swept up in corporate branding concepts and activities that are ill equipped to deal with social issues. More generally, complementing established notions of translation and colonization, our study provides a novel understanding of how management concepts migrate from corporate to public organizations through what we call frame-induced Eigendynamik. Overall, we contribute by shedding light on the role of self-energizing processes as reasons why organizational members engage with management concepts even when they struggle to see their relevance to their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological innovations, including artificial intelligence (AI), are progressively being integrated into marketing and branding. However, the novel nature of these technologies often shrouds their potential benefits and associated risks. This holds also true for the implementation of AI in the domain of brand voices. Brand voices may play a crucial role in fostering human-like brand perception (brand anthropomorphism), potentially offering competitive advantages for companies. However, the integration of AI in shaping brand voices in an advertising context remains a relatively unexplored area. This study addresses this gap by examining the impact of pre-recorded and AI-generated synthetic brand voices on brand anthropomorphism and brand equity. Conducted through a 3 × 2 online experiment the study shows that both pre-recorded and synthetic brand voices positively influence brand anthropomorphism. Additionally, brand anthropomorphism emerges as a strong mediator between brand voices and brand equity. Notably, the positive effects persist even when the synthetic brand voice is disclosed as being AI-generated. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability has become the top priority for many businesses in the current era, and green marketing strategies are used to encourage the purchase of environmentally friendly goods. The research aims to analyze green marketing strategies and their impact on consumer behavior toward the environment in China. The study uses a logistic regression approach for data analysis. We found that environmental concerns and beliefs (ECB), Eco Labeling (EL), green packaging and branding (GPB), and green product, premium, and pricing (GPPP) have positive associations with consumers' attitudes and behaviors toward the environment. This study concludes that EL, ECB, EL, GBP, and GPPP are significant tools of green marketing strategies that considerably improve customers' environmental attitudes. The firm managers may adopt these green marketing strategies to achieve revenue and sustainable environmental goals. Furthermore, the government may provide incentives such as lower cooperate tax on green products industries, while private and public banks may provide subsidized loans to the green marking industries in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous scholarship has identified three levels of journalists' brand identity: individual, organizational, and institutional. Based on an exploration of Israeli journalists on the Hebrew-speaking Twittersphere during three consecutive election campaigns (2019–2021), this paper wishes to offer an additional level: Ideological Branding. Such branding is based on journalists' ideological, political, social, economic, and religious viewpoints as well as their biography and networks of friends. It functions as a bridge that connects and integrates the professional and personal levels. The study employed a mixed-method approach, including in-depth interviews and quantitative and qualitative content analysis of 10 prominent Israeli journalists' Twitter profiles and political tweets (N = 2,758). The findings reveal that journalists, in general, and conservative ones in particular, are normalizing their political messages as legitimate journalistic narratives within mainstream media by effectively leveraging their ideological standpoint on Twitter to ignite online viral activity, thereby enhancing their brand recognition, career prospects, and celebrity status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars have examined misogynistic and anti-feminist media. Since misogyny manifests in platform-specific ways, we add to this scholarship by discussing Instagram. Using the Depp-Heard trial on Instagram as a case study, we ask: How do misogyny and anti-feminism manifest through the specific branding culture and affordances of Instagram in the context of #JusticeForJohnnyDepp? What can this case study tell scholars about misogynistic and anti-feminist strategies more broadly? We outline five themes that characterized anti-feminist discourse on Instagram. Beyond Instagram, this work contributes by demonstrating how branding, which is often discussed as gendered labor that puts women at disproportionate risk, is also used by anti-feminist and misogynistic collectives. However, anti-feminists are rarely subject to those same risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A brand name is a fundamental component of a brand's identity. This research introduces a novel linguistic tool for brand name creation: phonesthemes—sound and spelling letter clusters that are associated with one dominant meaning. For instance, sn, one of over 140 phonesthemes in English, consistently appears in words related to the nose or breathing (sneeze, sniff, snort). Six experiments reveal positive effects of phonesthemic non‐word brand names (e.g., Glif; gl‐; e.g., glow, glimmer; meaning "light") on consumer preference, attitude, purchase intent, and choice when the dominant meaning activated by the phonestheme is semantically congruent with the product category or product attribute (e.g., luminant car wax), due to enhanced processing fluency. Phonological (sound) and orthographic (spelling) priming are eliminated as alternative explanations for the phenomenon. This research advances psycholinguistic research in marketing and the emerging area of brand linguistics by broadening the focus beyond brand name phonology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer‐brand relationships are important predictors of consumption, but the psychology surrounding the different roles brands occupy within these relationships is not fully understood. Three experiments and one field study investigate how preferences for two of these brand roles, partner and servant, depend on consumers' implicit theories of self‐change. Counter to what prior literature might suggest, findings show that consumers who believe that self‐traits are relatively malleable (incremental theorists) and fixed (entity theorists) prefer partner and servant brands, respectively. Results demonstrate that a partner brand signals an equal effort by both the consumer and the brand, whereas a servant brand signals less effort by the consumer and more effort by the brand. The relatively greater consumer effort signals by partner (vs. servant) brands align with the effort beliefs associated with consumers' implicit theories, thereby mediating preferences. Findings are demonstrated across different product categories and samples (Taiwan and US). The focus on dyadic effort signals of brand roles in consumer‐brand relationships, and the resulting interactive effect with implicit theories, provide novel contributions to theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine how universities worldwide use TikTok, 7,880 TikTok posts from 118 institutional university profiles were reviewed and categorized through a systematic review. The results show an initial effort by universities to search for institutional content, although from 2021 onwards an increase in playful content focused on the university community is reported, making evident the need to exploit the platform with the corresponding narrative style, aesthetics, and particular times, thus connecting more efficiently with its target audience and betting on consolidating this community both in the real and digital terrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates how university students define and perceive success, an area that is increasingly important to ensuring that a university's brand remains aligned to the expectations of future students. Over the next decade, university students will comprise members of Generation Z (Gen Z), and by recognizing this group of students' preferences and aspirations, universities can tailor their branding, educational portfolio, and overall campus experiences to ensure that together they resonate and satisfy evolving needs and demands. Using data based on a sample of Gen Z undergraduate students undertaking their degrees at three case study UK post-1992 universities, this research adopted an exploratory, interpretivist methodology. Data collected from semi-structured interviews were analyzed using recursive abstraction to identify underlying patterns and trends within the data. The research identified five key themes that Gen Z are using to define success, and these are the following: (1) being objective and task-driven; (2) embracing fluidity and subjectivity; (3) being ethically and morally responsible; (4) having resilience; and (5) accepting and learning from failure. Recommendations were made for actions that universities should start to take to enable them to work toward achieving this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brands play an important role in shaping the impact of a company's marketing activities on its customers. The key concept Of customer-based brand equity in brand research suggests that the ellects of different brands differ, even for identical marketing activities. However, empirical analyses that have confirmed the differences in marketing effectiveness across brands are scarce and even fewer studies have compared the effectiveness of multiple marketing activities simultaneously. As a comparison of marketing eflectiveness relative to competing brands is important for brand management, this paper presents a method tbr measuring the differences in marketing e#ectiveness across brands. The paper employs a hierarchical Bayesian model to compare the effects of pricing and promotional strategies across six makeup cosmetics brands on customers' responses in japan, The results reveal that: (a) there are differences in marketing effectiveness between brands for both pricing and promotional strategies, (b) the extent of marketing effectiveness differs between brands for each marketing activity and (c) the effects of pricing and promotional strategies on customers' responses differ between brands. These results indicate that the hierarchical Bayesian model-based measure for assessing marketing effectiveness proposed in this paper is effective for comparing brands, which highlights the need for different brands to adopt distinct marketing strategies. As the dominant strategy varies by brand, marketers should consider this aspect carefully. Future studies should examine whether purchase intention is directly linked to actual purchases as well as consider alternative independent variables (eg comparisons between promotional strategies) and dependent variables (eg willingness to pay and brand choice). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the meanings of cheese production and consumption in the geographical branding of the Orkney Islands. Based on both traditional and innovative techniques, the making of cheese in the Orkney Islands is rooted in the historical farming role of its inhabitants but also in its strategic position in the North-Atlantic Ocean. This article explains the origins and evolution of the production of cheese on the islands and connects it to the contemporary consumption on the islands’ restaurants, that award tourism value to cheese people, places and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definition: "Brand" is a term relating to organizational activities designed to synthesize and manage various complementary elements, such as visual identity, online presence, and reputation, in order to create a tangible sense of value to which people can make emotional attachments. "Higher education" refers to universities and other similar organizations that offer qualifications at degree level and above, and it represents the upper-most level of formal education in most countries. "Students" in this context are individuals attending university to study degree-level qualifications at bachelor's, master's, and doctorate levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retro jerseys across many sports have grown increasingly popular in recent years and previous research has given credence to their use by sport organizations. Specifically, recent research has found the freshness and outdatedness of retro jerseys to impact consumer attitudes (Dwyer et al., 2020). Although nostalgia is at the core of literature on retro merchandise, scholars have yet to examine various types of nostalgia and their impact on retro merchandise. Therefore, the current study sought to assess the influence of nostalgia -- and specifically its three dimensions personal, historical, and collective -- on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions. An online sample of 434 participants were surveyed and results exhibited mixed findings, with the three dimensions of nostalgia varying in impact toward the outcomes of team attitude and purchase intentions. Also, examination of the role of age, income, and length of time as a fan were also explored with results exhibiting differences based upon consumer income and length of time as a fan. Although the results varied based on type of nostalgia and consumer outcome, it was clear that nostalgia plays a role in consumers' feelings toward their favorite team's merchandise. Further examination of these results are provided and suggestions for future research on the topic of sport retro apparel are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propagandistic machine of the military dictatorship that ruled Greece between 1967 and 1974 has provided a focal point of scholarly inquiry in recent years. However, research has focused on the domestic front—the role of radio, television, and cinema—and has completely neglected the issue of public relations in the foreign policy arena. Nothing is known about how the dictatorship, which held an exceedingly weak reputational hand, strove to remake its image to the outside world. This article addresses this historiographical lacuna, exploring the Greek junta's attempts to improve its international reputation by enlisting the services of foreign public relations (PR) firms. By demonstrating the interplay of nation branding and foreign policy in this way, this article highlights the underappreciated role of transnational non-governmental actors such as PR firms in the 'nation branding' of authoritarian regimes. In the process, it reveals how the lobbying activities of a London-based PR firm enlisted by the junta vitiated UK–Greek relations during Harold Wilson's Labour government, and culminated in an important, and underexplored, flashpoint in political discourse concerning the outside interests of parliamentarians and standards of integrity in British public life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Nowadays, place branding is a powerful tool which has the ability to create emotional attractions and brand image as well as an essential key to create differetiation among numerous tourism markets. This research aims to design a model of place branding for Kish Island due to compete among other tourism destinations in southwest Asia. This study has been done by a mixed method.The qualitative part of research has been done by grounded theory (Systematic GTM) approach by theoretical sampling. Qualitative data were analyzed by Maxqda software. Using extracted Variables for designing the questionnaire and gathering data from tourism by Simple Random Sample and quantitative data analyzed by Structural Equation Modeling by SMART-PLS. Finally, the model confirms by modelling indexes and used as an innovative pattern for branding Kish Island. Investigating research hypotheses reveals the process of branding formed by affecting casual condition, which is called strategic brand management. Place branding through place attachment strategies is strengened by contextual condition, which leads to outcomes like place attachment, place value, social-economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brand architecture decisions have important performance implications but have seen little quantitative research. In particular, there is little empirical evidence on how the strength of the link established among clusters of products within the company's portfolio impact the sales effects of typical marketing actions such as line extensions. This paper quantifies the effect of different brand architecture choices and product feature similarity in moderating the impact of line extensions on brand sales. Based on categorization theory, the authors hypothesize that brand name similarity and feature similarity, both independently, and in interaction, increase brand cannibalization. The empirical analysis in three consumer packaged-goods categories shows that it is more critical to minimize the feature similarity than brand name similarity to limit cannibalization and generate higher incremental sales from line extensions. Controlling for feature similarity, line extensions introduced under sub-brands cause greater cannibalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve a more sustainable agricultural production system, the focus should extend beyond solely promoting the adoption of organic farming to include an emphasis on extensification. A synergistic approach involving Branding/informal certification, price premiums for organic produce, and government subsidies holds the potential to drive higher levels of organic farming extensification among smallholder producers. This study encompassed 415 organic growers engaged in varying degrees of organic farming. These participants were drawn from the Southeast region of Nigeria. Employing a multi-endogenous instrumental variable regression, the research uncovered compelling insights. Notably, it revealed that providing premiums for organic products and utilizing Branding or informal certification significantly supported growers' inclination to expanding the land area under organic agriculture. Conversely, government subsidies exhibited a negative influence on extensification rates. In light of these findings, it becomes imperative to envision a more robust future for organic farming in Nigeria that hinges on strategic investments in formal certifications, thereby facilitating enhanced integration of organic producers into larger domestic and global markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to present a communication model of customer participation and competitive business with social media based on brand (case study: manufacturing and trading companies of Ahvaz). The statistical population of the research was formed by the experts of manufacturing and trading companies in Ahvaz city. In this research, the considered variables were identified by using interviews and examining the opinions of experts of the investigated companies. 10 experts have been selected using the saturation sampling method. This research, using the foundation’s data analysis method, is a type of cross-sectional research in which the data was collected for several weeks. In the quantitative part, the research community is the customers of food manufacturing and trading companies in the industrial towns of Ahvaz city which have been selected to fit the model. Due to the unlimitedness of the statistical population, 384 samples have been considered, and finally, 312 questionnaires have been analyzed. Using Maxqda software, interviews and Coding is done. Smart PLS 2.0 and SPSS 22 software were used in the validation section. In this research, to check the validity, the findings of the research were presented to the participants and the text of the theory was studied by them and their points of view were applied. The reliability of the model was evaluated using the Kappa index. Kappa index value equal to 0.788. Calculated and placed at the valid agreement level. 58 open codes have been identified among 256 concepts. 58 primary codes in the form of 18 categories, including company performance, electronic services, customer value, customer attitude, social responsibility, competitive advantage, customer loyalty, customer desire, advertising and marketing, brand awareness, customer trust, social media, validation, sharing Content, customer participation, service innovation, organizational factors, branding. Validation of the model showed that the overall index of fit (GOF) is equal to 0.661, which is a strong index and shows the overall high quality of the model. The identified factors have had a significant impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brands play an important role in shaping the impact of a company's marketing activities on its customers. The key concept of customer-based brand equity in brand research suggests that the effects of different brands differ, even for identical marketing activities. However, empirical analyses that have confirmed the differences in marketing effectiveness across brands are scarce and even fewer studies have compared the effectiveness of multiple marketing activities simultaneously. As a comparison of marketing effectiveness relative to competing brands is important for brand management, this paper presents a method for measuring the differences in marketing effectiveness across brands. The paper employs a hierarchical Bayesian model to compare the effects of pricing and promotional strategies across six makeup cosmetics brands on customers' responses in Japan. The results reveal that: (a) there are differences in marketing effectiveness between brands for both pricing and promotional strategies, (b) the extent of marketing effectiveness differs between brands for each marketing activity and (c) the effects of pricing and promotional strategies on customers' responses differ between brands. These results indicate that the hierarchical Bayesian model-based measure for assessing marketing effectiveness proposed in this paper is effective for comparing brands, which highlights the need for different brands to adopt distinct marketing strategies. As the dominant strategy varies by brand, marketers should consider this aspect carefully. Future studies should examine whether purchase intention is directly linked to actual purchases as well as consider alternative independent variables (eg comparisons between promotional strategies) and dependent variables (eg willingness to pay and brand choice). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This community service activity aims to help ecotourism business actors to increase visits through destination branding strategies. The problem faced by ecotourism business players is that business income has barely developed, especially after the pandemic. One of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise sectors affected is hand-written batik. This assistance and training was provided to the Malang Mangrove Batik MSME Group, which consists of 40 members of Batik entrepreneurs throughout Malang City Regency. The lack of visitors and purchasing power which is still only starting to increase after the pandemic also has an impact on the income of MSMEs. Apart from that, several problems with mangrove tourism are caused by not optimal social media branding, lack of cooperation from local communities for branding, lack of information on tourist destinations in mass media, lack of massive campaigns on social media, lack of understanding of the potential and uniqueness of mangrove tourism, etc. have a mangrove tourism promotion strategy plan. This activity seeks to restore income for MSMEs through a destination branding strategy for mangrove batik ecotourism. One of the efforts made is branding mangrove batik. This activity includes 5 stages starting from market analysis, brand identity, brand launch and introduction, brand implementation, and monitoring/evaluation. The results of branding activities show a significant increase in awareness of mangrove batik both in terms of brand, engagement and market segmentation.

The article is dedicated to the reasons and process of choosing a company name in Xiaomi Corporation, whicn can be translated as “A small grain of rice”. Unlike many Chinese companies, Xiaomi Corporation’s choice of name was associated not only with a marketing move that would allow the company to successfully enter the international market and stand out from other brands, but also with the desire to demonstrate “its history”, which, by using certain symbols, would reflect such significant aspects of Chinese culture as respect for traditions, connection with historical memory, etc. The experience of Xiaomi Corporation shows how strongly traditions and history can influence modern ideas about the creation and development of a brand.

In 2021, the Houston Cole Library (HCL) at Jacksonville State University (Jacksonville, AL) added a mascot to enhance social media posts, and the result has been successful. HCL’s simple low-cost mascot has consistently stimulated positive interactions between the library staff/faculty and students, community members and university officials. HCL’s library mascot has created a cult-like following that watches and comments on his adventures. This current discussion indicates how any library can create their own mascot regardless of budget restrictions and time commitments.

Brand acquisitions are a popular growth strategy. However, both anecdotal evidence and initial empirical evidence suggest that acquisitions can harm the acquired brand. This article proposes and tests a theoretical framework that aims to explain when and why consumers react negatively to acquired brands. Across ten studies using different methods, research designs, product categories, and brands, the authors demonstrate that these negative brand reactions can be explained by the perceived loss of a brand's unique values. Building on this values authenticity account, they document that the negative effect of acquisitions depends on the acquired brand's values, brand age, leadership continuity, and the alignment between acquiring and acquired brands. The findings offer important theoretical and managerial implications, helping managers predict and mitigate the negative effects of acquisitions for brands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online platforms aggregating brands, such as Amazon and Alibaba's Tmall, have emerged as powerful intermediaries for brands. Although these platforms offer unprecedented access to consumers, the platform controls this access. Thus, concerns are raised about how these platforms interfere with the brand experience and, ultimately, performance. The question of how brands can govern their platform operations more effectively thus arises. There are essentially two types of governance models: a one-party (1P) marketplace (wholesaling to the platform) and a third-party (3P) marketplace (selling directly to the consumer on the platform). However, it is unclear how 1P or 3P operations affect brand performance. To that extent, the authors study the market share implications of operations on JD.com, a 1P platform, and Tmall, a 3P platform, for almost 2,000 brands. On average, 1P operations decrease shares, whereas 3P operations lift shares. These changes depend on different brand-specific moderators. For 1P operations, share drops are more substantial for brands that are unable to elicit a trustworthy consumer relationship, when alternative brands abound and rogue-seller activities are severe in the product category. The 3P share lifts, in contrast, are more substantial for premium-priced, nonleading brands with prior direct-to-consumer experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“Brand” is a term relating to organizational activities designed to synthesize and manage various complementary elements, such as visual identity, online presence, and reputation, in order to create a tangible sense of value to which people can make emotional attachments. “Higher education” refers to universities and other similar organizations that offer qualifications at degree level and above, and it represents the upper-most level of formal education in most countries. “Students” in this context are individuals attending university to study degree-level qualifications at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate levels.

This article examines the production of musical nostalgia in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019–23), one of the first series created for Disney’s streaming platform. On one level, the series serves as a nostalgic extension of the High School Musical franchise in its setting and narrative construction, and a nostalgic continuation of the teen-musical genre in its idealised depiction of high-school life mediated through song. At the same time, this nostalgia is coupled with an emphasis on the show’s newness: the series transposes the original film to a new format—a self-referential, multi-episodic mockumentary—and occupies a different temporal world, in which nostalgia is technologically mediated and constructed as part of the diegesis. Focusing on music, as a primary sensory input for the evocation of nostalgia, this study explores how The Series capitalises upon this nostalgia/modernity dichotomy to structure its narrative and engender brand affinity. Drawing together textual analyses of audiovisual sequences and practitioner testimony from the show’s creatives, it demonstrates how The Series uses music to develop Disney’s brand, harnessing the technological and creative promise of the Company’s proprietary streaming service, whilst simultaneously employing nostalgic strategies to reaffirm the status quo in aspects of its narrative.

The current research was conducted to identify the drivers of creative tourism development with an emphasis on the role of urban branding in Kermanshah province.The dominant approach of the research was mixed(qualitative-quantitative)in which theme analysis and survey methods were used in the qualitative and quantitative parts,respectively.The population studied in the qualitative section comprised of managers and experts of cultural heritage and tourism,municipalities and urban affairs,marketing/tourism activists,university faculty members,and entrepreneurs in Kermanshah province.The purposeful sampling and snowball methods were used by which 22 interviews were conducted with the participants,and theoretical saturation was achieved.In the quantitative part of the research,the statistical population included all the managers active in the field of tourism businesses of Kermanshah province.There were 284 people,of which163 were selected as the samples by using the table of Morgan.Three procedures of open coding,secondary coding, and categories were used in inductive content analysis leading to the identification of153primary codes,17conceptual codes,and5factors.

The article substantiates the relevance of the formation and development of the university brand in the context of political branding of the front-line territory, using the example of the city of Kherson, in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The role of brands is studied, the creation and promotion of which are urgent tasks for scientists of various fields, as well as for practitioners, since it is brands that are designed to ensure a high level of competitiveness of goods and services in modern markets, in particular - educational services. It has been established that a brand is a product of human imagination and creative activity - it is a kind of mental construct, a mental image, a symbolic model, the activation of which will serve to specify the orientation of the consumer of goods and/or services in the relevant market. The essence of the political brand of the territory, which primarily performs ideological, cultural, patriotic, political and other functions, is revealed. The role of territory branding (geobranding) is shown as a process of brand creation, which aims to promote local, regional and national projects, in particular - political ones, focused on the progressive development of a specific territory; under favorable socio-political conditions, a promising brand will provide an opportunity to effectively invest a regional resource in the political capital of society. Key positions of foreign and domestic researchers regarding the political brand and branding in their constructive connotation are highlighted. The role of unpredictable factors in the development of society is shown, in particular - military actions, which play the role of powerful activators of the process of forming the political branding of a territory or settlement. Emphasized: among the scientific and educational brands of the Kherson region and the regional center, Kherson State University (KSU) occupies a prominent place - a scientific, educational, cultural institution that forms the socio-spiritual and political-economic landscape of southern Ukraine. It is emphasized that during the full-scale invasion of the Russian army on the territory of Ukraine, the brand of Kherson State University acquired new qualitative features, the educational institution became a university of invincible patriots, forming a powerful and bright sub-brand of Kherson - a hero city. It was concluded that the brand of the university, simultaneously with the internal one, demonstrates an external effect aimed at the development of the political brand of a specific territory, actualizing and manifesting feelings of civic cohesion, justice, social responsibility and patriotism.

The article researches the theoretical aspects of brand- and PR-management of enterprises in the hotel and restaurant industry as one of the tools for increasing the competitiveness of tourist enterprises. The authors singled out such main characteristics of the brand as brand awareness, brand identity, brand penetration, brand associations, brand loyalty, and others; determined the theoretical aspects of the formation and functioning of branding, PR management and marketing communications in the hotel and tourism business in general. Research has shown that brand management and PR management are the most effective means of market promotion of services that contribute to increasing the profitability and volume of sales of goods or services, expanding the range and knowledge of consumers about their uniqueness and specialness. It has been proven that the effectiveness of branding management includes the formation, adjustment, strengthening and activation of the development of relationships between potential buyers of the product and the brand due to the creation and actualization of its individual, functional, social and communicative characteristics, as well as ensuring the recognition and identification of the trademark due to the management of its constituent components (graphics, colors, sounds, logo, advertising slogan and name). The concept of "brand" is identified as a system of combined elements that summarize the opinions, positions and perceptions of consumers about a certain product or service, organization or person. At the same time, the process of brand management is provided through the creation of a brand concept, its formation and promotion to the market thanks to branding. Five main stages (phases) within brand management are defined, the most important of which is the formation of a brand vision, because it is this stage that combines the development of the name and advertising slogan or slogan of a service or product, identification of the most basic means and tools of its promotion on the market, as well as the formation of a brand portrait, which is reproduced through the creation and strengthening of a positive image of the product in the perception of existing and potential customers and society in general. The components of the brand were determined, the factors of branding formation were considered, the "brand pyramid" was formed, and the brand management scheme was built. The task of PR is singled out as one of the functions of management.

The aim of this research is to assess the existence or absence of differences in brand perceptions of users of an esports mobile app according to gender. In addition, it intends to discover the explanatory capacity of brand variables for the prediction of user loyalty, to understand how these variables influence perceptions according to gender, and to contribute to the creation of strategies more aligned with the interests and needs of each target audience.

The present article is part of a larger research that investigates the public/cultural diplomacy through branding, how to build external prestige, what are and how are constructed the "identity markers" that individualize a nation, how they have evolved and how they adapt today to the new realities, the way in which Romanianness, Hungarianness, Finishness, Sweedisnes, are transposed into recognizable identity markers. Brands operate as effective cultural agents. Most of the brands are technological products that can be associated with the act of culture in the conditions where culture includes material and immaterial values (gastronomy, technological culture, design, the lifestyle attached to the use of certain products, etc.)

Abstract The purpose of this research is to present the fintech market development model with an emphasis on existing challenges and strategies. The research method is applicable in terms of purpose, thematic analysis type in terms of execution method (qualitative-quantitative), fundamental in terms of its nature, and exploratory-correlative in terms of data collection method. The statistical population of the research includes 20 managers and experts of fintech companies active in the field of payment with the license of Shaperk, including Zarinpal, Asan-Dariaft, Balle Financial Messenger, EasyPay, Iranian credit and point cards. The sampling method is done in a judgmental manner, and the interviews continued until reaching theoretical saturation. The method of data collection and analysis is interview and thematic analysis in the qualitative part, and questionnaire and content validity technique (CVR) and semi-structured interview data collection tool in the quantitative part. The results of the research showed that the challenges of fintech market development include insufficient infrastructure, regulatory and legislative barriers, difficulty of working with public/general customers, mistrust of technology and fintech, low levels of income and product pricing challenges, and cultural barriers. Also, fintech market development strategies include community participation in the marketing process, use of social networks, smart and optimal advertising, useful and valuable content production, branding, adaptation of communication strategies to the nature of the fintech market, geographic and cultural segmentation of the market, and also training to the customer. Extended Abstract Introduction Every day, people see a lot of advertisements everywhere; from bus stop, street banner, shopping mall to magazine, TV, computer, mobile etc. However, more often than not, these ads feel like annoying information that the general public is forced to see. For this reason, professional marketers need to redefine their marketing idea. They should understand that marketing is not only about sales and advertising, but also fulfills customer needs in order to overcome constraints (Sheth & Parvatiyar, 2021). On the other hand; with the digital trend, the financial sector has started to apply and implement technology in its workflow. More and more start-ups have formed to provide digital financial services. Some of the companies that provide online payment gateway are pioneers in this field which is widely used all over the world. In addition, more and more investors are spending on new technologies; they are competing with each other in an effort to improve security and user convenience. Financial technology companies are trying to attract users with new mobile phone features, capabilities and technologies. Recently, the blockchain concept has also opened new solutions for security issues; therefore, fintech tools have become the most popular digital services and have the largest share of fintech stocks worldwide (Fernandez-Vazquez et al, 2019). In the meantime, financial technology (Fintech) as a technological innovation has been considered especially important for the development path of countries. This is due to its potential to promote financial inclusion so that more people can access financial services (Demirguc-Kunt et al, 2018). Based on this, the current research is looking for an answer to this question: What is the fintech market development model with an emphasis on existing challenges and strategies? Theoretical Framework marketing strategy When companies enter a new market, they will most likely face thousands of challenges and risks related to establishing their operations and acceptance of their offers by new customers, and the company will compete for market share with other companies that already have supply chains, distribution channels and already established customer bases (Luo, 2022). Foreignness, geographic distance, and characteristics of the home market all contribute to these challenges in new markets. This issue applies more in emerging markets such as fintech (Khan & Khan, 2021). In this regard, Gaur et al, (2011) argue that emerging market challenges lead to higher external liability. These challenges include large heterogeneous populations with low incomes, inadequate infrastructure, lack of resources, corruption, and in general, with structural flaws (Barnard & Luiz, 2018). From the point of view of marketing strategy, companies adapt their marketing strategies to achieve a competitive advantage when entering a new market. Once a company has decided to expand into a new market and adopt its marketing strategy, the question of what changes will be necessary for this particular context will arise. In this regard, Sharmelly & Klarin (2021) described implicit concepts for segmentation, product variety, pricing, distribution, and communication methods of the company. They argue that segmentation costs are high, and that mass media marketing is not well adapted to emerging markets. Also, the offered products need to be functional and also made to not become obsolete quickly. Shadbakhsh (2023) investigated the impact of using sustainable marketing strategies on the performance of digital businesses with the mediation of information technology in the country's real estate industry. The results showed that marketing trends and sustainable marketing experiences have a positive effect on the performance of the studied companies. Also, marketing trends, sustainable marketing experiences, and sustainable marketing strategies have a positive effect on the performance of selected companies. Barrio Oton (2021) in a research investigated the social media marketing in the fintech ecosystem in Monfer Startup Company. For this purpose, a detailed study of the fintech private equity industry was conducted through Porter's 5 forces model, along with an explanation of the Monfer startup case through the blue ocean strategy canvas. Then, secondary data including statistical insights were collected directly from the company. This study was further designed by analyzing the internal and external situation and concluded with a strategic planning model and setting goals through the framework of smart goals. Research methodology The research method is applicable in terms of purpose, thematic analysis type in terms of execution method (qualitative-quantitative), fundamental in terms of its nature, and exploratory-correlative in terms of data collection method. The statistical population of the research includes 20 managers and experts of fintech companies active in the field of payment with the license of Shaperk, including Zarinpal, Asan-Dariaft, Balle Financial Messenger, EasyPay, Iranian credit and point cards. The sampling method is done in a judgmental manner, and the interviews continued until reaching theoretical saturation. The data collection tool is a semi-structured interview. Research findings For data analysis, thematic analysis was used in the qualitative part, and content validity technique (CVR) was used in the quantitative part. The results of the research showed that the challenges of fintech market development include insufficient infrastructure, regulatory and legislative barriers, difficulty working with public/general customers, mistrust of technology and fintech, low levels of income and product pricing challenges, and cultural barriers. Also, fintech market development strategies include community participation in the marketing process, use of social networks, smart and optimal advertising, useful and valuable content production, branding, adaptation of communication strategies to the nature of the fintech market, geographic and cultural segmentation of the market, and training to the customer. Conclusion The current research has been carried out with the aim of presenting the fintech market development model with an emphasis on existing challenges and strategies. The results of the present research is aligned with the results of Shadbakhsh (2023), Barrio Oton (2021), Pazhoheshfar & Biabani (2021), Hammerschlag et al, (2020), Nurjanah et al, (2020), and Noami et al, (2019). The results of Shadbakhsh (2023) showed that marketing trends and sustainable marketing experiences have a positive effect on the performance of the studied companies. Also, marketing trends, sustainable marketing experiences and sustainable marketing strategies have a positive effect on the performance of selected companies. According to the results of the research, the following suggestions were presented: Effective market development strategies often require local community involvement in marketing, product distribution and product awareness. In general, using local people to distribute products is important to the success of a marketing strategy. Local people understand the nuances of the market and can help distribute products in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Finding local people often has to be done through field research, but can also be achieved through networking. The reason for this is that the community plays a major role in Iranian culture and people are more likely to use a product if it is approved by a member of the community. In creating consumer awareness, community participation can be in the form of in-person or online campaigns (for example through social media). When talking about the development of the fintech market, it means that it should be possible to identify that part of the target market and, according to the knowledge that is found, convert the audience of social networks into customers of your market. Fintech companies can advertise their products or services with an optimized website or a standard page according to the Instagram algorithm. The cost of such advertisements is much lower and the efficiency of advertisements is high. Therefore, producing valuable content helps clarify the topic in the audience's mind. For example, producing content that is according to the taste and interest of the young generation can have a great impact on the success of the company. If you can start producing content according to the type of audience that exists, you will get a lot of success and fame in business.