Marketing Strategy in the Age of the ‘Omni-Moment of Truth’ by Ramadan Zahy

Marketing Strategy in the Age of the ‘Omni-Moment of Truth’ by Ramadan Zahy

Author:Ramadan, Zahy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-04-30T00:00:00+00:00


Engaging with the Brand

It is argued that a consumer-brand relationship develops as a result of the development of a strong brand identity (Blackston 1992; 1993; Aaker and Fournier, 1995). When the brand is viewed and related to as a person, the identity of a brand becomes the key influencer in the brand-consumer relationship (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2009; Stokburger-Sauer et al., 2012). In this respect, brands are perceived as having their own personality which the customer can relate to (Blackston 1992; 1993; Aaker, 1997; Fournier, 1998; Stokburger-Sauer et al., 2012). This concept is inspired by the actions and behaviors of a brand which fosters a brand personality (Fournier, 1998). The different behaviors entail on that basis specific drawn personality traits that consumers associate themselves with (Fournier and Yao, 1997; Veloutsou, 2007). Through this, brand personality is not only based on consumer perception but rather on the attitude and behavior of the brand and their consistency (Aaker, 1996). Here, the brand is linked to the consumer’s self-concept and living patterns which will determine the consumers’ interests, values and beliefs, and drive their long-term commitment to the brand (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2009).

The brand identity with which consumers relate consists of a core and extended identity. The core identity is based on the constant association and meaning the brand is tied with and on the values it stands for. The extended identity includes mainly the brand personality, brand scope, logo and slogan (Aaker, 1996). The brand identity system is based on four perspectives; a product, an organization, a person, and a symbol (Aaker, 1996; Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2009).

The brand from an organization perspective draws on the attributes of the organization itself rather than of the product (Dukerich et al. 2002). It is based on the organizational culture and values which could trickle down on a product level if the organization owns a specific strong attribute in the minds of its consumers (Aaker, 1996). The brand as a product is linked to a product class and a set of product attributes. These attributes provide consumers with emotional (Park et al., 2010) and functional benefits and are sometimes solely linked to differentiation strategies (Aaker, 1996). Quality and value are also a product related differentiation element where brands can be classified accordingly in the minds of the consumers.

The brand as a product can be also associated to the actual usage (owning a particular claim) and users (mostly linked to brand personality) (Aaker, 1996; Walker, 2008). Product identities can also be linked to a country or region based on the heritage of the location. Nonetheless, a high dependency of the country-of-origin effect could be in some cases detrimental on the brand in the case of related boycotts.

The brand as a person identity is based on a developed brand personality and advanced person-like attributes (Blackston, 1992; 1993). Brand personality is defined as “the set of human characteristics associated with a brand” (Aaker, 1997, p. 347) where consumers relate their own selves with (Fournier, 1994). One of the most important



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