1. The hierarchy of effects model

http://spindle-tree.co.uk/

http://blog.spindle-tree.co.uk/fascinating-aida-translating-theory-into-practice – AIDA is used to express how copywriting can work in a theory to practice kind of way.

2. The meaning of colour in branding

http://karenhaller.co.uk/blog/business-branding-colour-%E2%80%A6-meaning-of-purple/

http://karenhaller.co.uk/

3.Brand systems

http://www.bigbrandsystem.com/uncover-your-brand-personality-quiz/)

4.The unique selling proposition (USP)

http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/unique-selling-proposition-usp

http://www.cim.co.uk/files/usp.pdf). The reader should be able to see the commonalities in approach.

Case 7 - Harrods

The first three articles have been provided open access. Some links require journal subscription access which may be available through your university.

Ashton, A.S. and Scott, N. (2011), Hotel restaurant co-branding: the relationship of perceived brand fit with intention to purchase, Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol.17, No. 4, pp. 275–285.  http://jvm.sagepub.com/content/17/4/275

This article is based on a study that investigates perceptions of brand fit and purchase intentions in this co-branding context. Overall perceived fit and complementary fit in terms of product usage and goals were found to be positively related to purchase intention. The authors conclude that complementary fit can be found between two products which do not have the same attributes such as in this case accommodation and restaurant with the key aspect of influence being the synergy effect whereby the two brands representing the hotel (accommodation) and the restaurant (as part of a different branded chain) are complementary to each other.

Kaneva, N. and Popescu, D. (2011), National identity lite: nation branding in post-communist Romania and Bulgaria, International Journal of Cultural Studies, Vol.14, No. 2, pp.191–207.http://ics.sagepub.com/content/14/2/191

The article deals with the reinvention of national image through ‘nation branding’. This is effectively the development of a new image for external consumption. The article provides a comparative study of symbolism in the branding campaigns for the two countries. It deals with the politics of image creation and symbolic commodification in this particular political context. The study findings suggest that national identity can be used within neoliberal globalisation resulting in what the authors call a ‘national identity lite’.

Kemp, E., Williams, K.H. and Bordelon, B.M. (2012), The impact of marketing on internal stakeholders in destination branding: the case of a musical city, Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol.18, No. 2, pp.121–133.  http://jvm.sagepub.com/content/18/2/121

The authors discuss the importance of brand image in destination marketing. The needs of internal stakeholders (city residents), however, are the focus of this article which recognises that understanding of such needs is necessary for brand strategy success. The study suggests that if internal stakeholders are committed to the brand and branding efforts the brand strategy is likely to be more successful. Once committed, the brand becomes aligned with their self-concept and such stakeholders can become evangelists for the brand. They will actively promote the brand via word of mouth resulting in a civic consciousness that becomes part of the brand management system that deals with external constituents such as tourists.

O’Boyle, N. (2012), Managing indeterminacy: culture, Irishness and the advertising industry, Cultural Sociology, Vol. 6, No.3, pp.351–366.

http://cus.sagepub.com/content/6/3/351

The author looks at discursive practices involving Irishness of advertising people working in Ireland. Irishness can be seen as both fixed/essential and fluid. Practitioners can therefore shift between these two positions. Irishness is looked at as an old idea of culture which is seen as objective, knowable and actionable. The author looks at the work of John Fanning (the ‘grandfather of Irish advertising) as an advertising industry account of and response to cultural change and concludes that the tendency to objectify (Irish) culture makes it more measurable and actionable. At the same time the author maintains that if the practitioners are hesitant to define Irishness this does not prevent them from claiming ‘truths’ about it.

Rossiter, J.R. (2012), Advertising management principles are derived mostly from logic and very little from empirical generalisations, Marketing Theory, Vol.12, No. 2, pp.103–116.

http://mtq.sagepub.com/content/12/2/103

This article tackles the strategic principles of advertising management and the logical, deductive process upon which management frameworks are based as opposed to the inductive empirical approach which provides generalisations that are useful if translated into strategic principles. The author claims that this article comprehensively demonstrates that strategic principles in advertising depend on either entirely logical thinking or logical thinking about causality designed to ‘ungeneralise’ general empirical findings in order to be more specific and helpful to the brand by helping out in the area of strategic principles that allow managers to perform better.