In order to be successful in today’s competitive environment, brands must have well-established identities. Therefore, during the branding process it is necessary to attribute personality traits and visual elements that best represent the desired identity of the brand. With the recent advances in communication, scholars have analyzed how different visual elements (e.g., logo, typography, color) can visually represent the desired brand personality. However, these elements are typically analyzed separately, since few studies show the association of personality traits with the set of visual elements of the brand (the well-known “visual identity”). Therefore, this work aims to develop a methodological framework that allows the design of visual identity based on the Dimensions of Brand Personality, by assigning a set of visual elements (colors, typographies, and shapes) to each dimension (Sincerity, Excitement, Competence, Sophistication and Ruggedness) suggested by Aaker in 1997. Through a quanti-quali approach, the associations suggested in the proposed framework were duly tested through the application of a questionnaire to a sample of consumers, to gather information about their perceptions. Preliminary results suggest that the proposed framework can successfully generate the desired brand personality perception in consumers, according to the design elements used for the creation of the visual brand identity.
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The purpose of this article is to examine how brands are built in small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to develop a conceptual model of SME brand-building. The research design is based on an a priori conceptual framework that helped direct the fieldwork, data analysis and findings. A series of semi-structured interviews was conducted among 35 owner/managers from 30 firms. The results indicate that SME brands are built in a non-traditional manner and contrary to large firm brand building, with minimum brand planning and limited resources. SME brand-owner/managers and employees engage in brand exploration phases where they experiment in a spirit of trial and error based on risk-taking, commitment, creativity and willingness to learn. Based on these results, the article develops a model of the five phases of SME brand-building. The five-phase model represents an actionable framework for managers in an SME context. The model also presents scholars with a theoretical foundation upon which to construct further theory development.
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This study will examine how branded games in the LEGO Ninjago franchise communicate the brand narrative through their mechanical, semiotic and referential design. Digital games as communicative tools facilitate a new paradigm of marketing focusing on experience creation through integrated marketing communication plans. The LEGO brand creates highly successful games that communicate the brand effectively. To explore the possibilities and counteract the simplistic use of branded games, this study introduces an innovative framework to formally analyze branded games and their communication of a brand narrative through mechanical, semiotic and referential layers. This framework introduces formal game design to advertising studies, while dragging game studies into branded ecosystems. Using the framework, we analyze LEGO Ninjago the Movie – The Videogame, to identify how this paid digital game expands the Ninjago universe and fulfills specific marketing purposes oriented to LEGO toy sets. Our analysis shows that on a mechanical and semiotic layer, the game presents a standalone experience catering to the universe of the Ninjago movie and the values of the Ninjago brand narrative. However, by framing the whole game as LEGO – in its materiality and interactable objects – the LEGO brand narrative of creative construction informs the act of play. The referential design in these games makes use of playful disruption of rules to instill additive comprehension in the player related to purchasable sets and content.
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This paper aims to show how current insights on place branding are used to organize “green” entrepreneurship in the Dutch Utrechtse Heuvelrug region. The role of place is explored in establishing a differentiated meaning for green entrepreneurship and providing an inspirational source for innovations, resulting in a green economic value proposition designed and communicated through branding. Design/methodology/approach: From the literature, different perspectives on the role and function of the place were derived, which lead to the choice of an identity-based entrepreneurial brand. To define the regional identity, qualitative and quantitative research were conducted. In addition, co-creation sessions were organized to further develop the brand. Findings: Taking place branding as the starting point, a framework has been developed, introducing the regional identity as an open space, linking locally based sub-brands to enhance power. To deliver economical and social value in an area with no leading business to sustainability and well-developed business skills, cluster development has been introduced as a way to create new economic activity and sustainable impact. Practical implications: The strategy of separating stakeholders and position them as locally based brands enables place planners and marketers to manage place brand complexity, which generally delays the process, often limiting place branding to “logos and slogans”. Originality/value: This paper provides a case study, which offers new perspectives on the issue of managing complexity, which is inevitable in organizing a place brand.
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Recent marketing literature suggests that brand orientation is an alternative concept for the public health because it is believed to address the shortcomings of market orientation. Brand orientation is specifically of interest to the sector of healthcare, due to the complex nature of the sector. The purpose of the study described in this paper was to find out what the possibilities are of brand orientation for local healthcare providers. The study shows that brand orientation is relevant for physical therapy primary healthcare organizations (PTPHOs), but is not always adopted effectively. PTPHOs are strongly focused on the patient as the only stakeholder. A more powerful option would be to choose a brand positioning strategy for all relevant stakeholders. PTPHOs have to design integrated marketing activities to encourage consumers directly to use our products/services, and to encourage suppliers, distributors, and other key stakeholders to promote our products/services to consumers. In order to safeguard their role and position in the context of community care for the future, the PTPHO is challenged to become more active and more visible, and must collaborate more with other (healthcare) professionals in the community, broaden their services, and focus more on the (future) needs of the citizen.
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Hoewel consumenten aangeven duurzame aspecten van kleding belangrijk te vinden, vertaalt dit zich niet direct in de aankoop van meer duurzame kleding. Uit een enquête van TMO Fashion Business School onder de klanten van mkb multi-brand fashionretailers (steekproefgrootte= 363) blijkt dat 61% van de ondervraagden niet weet welke merken duurzaam zijn en behoefte hebben aan transparantie hierover. Daarnaast vindt 71% de communicatie van verkoopmedewerkers over duurzaamheid slecht (Van der Laan, 2022). Wat kunnen mkb multi-brand fashionretailers doen om hun assortiment duurzame kleding beter te verkopen? Om antwoord te geven op bovenstaande vraag is Next Fashion Retail (NFR) opgericht; een SIA onderzoeksproject van De Haagse Hogeschool, TMO Development Center, Cube Retail en branchepartners Modint, Inretail en Euretco. Next Fashion Retail onderzoekt hoe moderetailers de online en offline retailomgeving kunnen inzetten om de verkoop van duurzame kleding te stimuleren (Van der Laan, 2022). Het onderzoeksproject van NFR is gestart met de onderzoeksvraag: Hoe kunnen mkb multi-brand fashion retailers hun customer journey inrichten om de verkoop van duurzam(er)e kleding te vergroten? In het voorjaar van 2022 zijn op basis van deze eerste onderzoeksresultaten innovaties ontwikkeld door designstudenten, die retailers helpen hun duurzame mode-aanbod beter te verkopen (Van der Laan, 2022). Het winnende design idee van het NFR onderzoek zijn de informatieve hangers van Maaike Roos: Deze zogenaamde ‘conversation pieces’ stimuleren de dialoog tussen medewerkers en klanten over duurzaamheid en zorgen ervoor dat zowel medewerkers als klanten meer informatie over duurzamere keuzes krijgen. Er zijn 3 categorieën geformuleerd met 6 vragen, vijf op de hangers en éen op de ‘give away’ bij de kassa. De drie categorieën zijn: materialen, makers en care. De categorie materialen bestaat uit de materialen: katoen, polyester, viscose en wol. De categorie ‘ makers’ bestaat uit een shelftalker en een hanger eveneens de categorie ‘care’. Het onderzoek is zowel on- als offline: het offline gedeelte wordt uitgevoerd door studenten van TMO Fashion Business School en zal worden uitgevoerd bij negen retailers in de periode van 14 oktober tot 9 december 2022 (zie tabel 1.0). Het online gedeelte wordt uitgevoerd door studenten van de opleiding Ondernemerschap en Retailmanagement van de Haagse Hogeschool.
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Academic design research often fails to contribute to design practice. This dissertation explores how design research collaborations can provide knowledge that design professionals will use in practice. The research shows that design professionals are not addressed as an important audience between the many audiences of collaborative research projects. The research provides insight in the learning process by design professionals in design research collaborations and it identifies opportunities for even more learning. It shows that design professionals can learn about more than designing, but also about application domains or project organization.
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This publication by Kathryn Best accompanied the Lector’s inauguration as head of the research group Cross-media, Brand, Reputation & Design Management (CBRD) in January 2011. The book outlines current debates around the Creative Industries, business and design education and the place of ’well being’ in society, the environment and the economy, before focusing in on the place for design thinking in creative and innovation processes, and how this is driving new applied research agendas and initiatives in education and industry.
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The purpose of this study is to provide a better insight into the impact of rebranding on stakeholders; the case for this study is the rebranding of the Hotel Management School (HMS). This research has explored how the stakeholders have experienced rebranding and how the rebranding has affected the brand identity, image and loyalty. A qualitative research method was used and data was gathered conducting semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with the students, staff and industry partners. The data illustrates that due to effective internal communication the employees were not affected by the rebranding. Nevertheless, the brand identity, image and loyalty did not have the same effect on the students and industry partners. Thus, it is recommended that HMS pay more attention to improving the communication, rebuilding and expansion of the brand identity.
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Brand Positioning is an English translation of an exceptionally well-renowned Dutch textbook, which provides a practical approach to analysing, defining and developing a brand’s positioning and strategy.Divided into three key parts, the book works step-by-step through the creation of an effective marketing strategy, combining an academic approach with the strategic and operational guidelines, tools and techniques required. Unlike other textbooks, it has a unique focus on the relationship between branding, marketing and communications, exploring brand values, brand identity and brand image, and analysing how these can be transformed into a successful positioning strategy, using international case studies, examples and practical exercises.This textbook will be core reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of marketing strategy, branding, marketing communications and consumer behaviour. It will also be of great value to marketing and communications professionals looking to develop and maintain their company’s brand.Erik Kostelijk is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Amsterdam School of International Business of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands. He has teaching, research and professional experience in China, USA, Lithuania, France, Spain and Italy. He is the designer and author of the Value Compass, a method to assess the influence of values on branding.Karel Jan Alsem is Professor in Marketing at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, the Netherlands, and is Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. He is also a brand consultant. He has published in several academic journals and has written multiple marketing books, including Applied Strategic Marketing (Routledge, 2019).
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