The investigation of relationship between brand personality and perceived quality

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1 Applied mathematics in Engineering, Management and Technology () 05:94-0 The investigation of relationship between brand personality and perceived quality Bonyadi Naeini, Ali, Bagheri Nasrabadi,Mahdi Iran University of science & technology, department of progress engineering, Tehran, Iran Iran University of science & technology, department of progress engineering, Tehran, Iran Abstract: Nowadays everyone knows the importance of branding for the organization s success. To build and maintain a strong brand, the brand concepts are well understood. For this reason, this research investigates the relationship between brand identity and brand equity.to achieves this goal, a questionnaire is designed and presented to some brand management experts. And after that questionnaires analyzed by spss software. Results showed that brand identity and perceived quality have direct relationship and that a strong brand identity will lead to strong brand equity.. Introduction A brand can be defined as name, terms, sign, symbol or design, or combination of them which is intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors (Kotler, 997, p.44). Brand play the main role for adding value similar to assets technology to this issue that was mentioned, firms can also take advantage from specific value for name of brands as a method for the achieving stable competitive advantages (Fledwich, 996,) one of the most important concepts of brand is brand equity. Brand equity create added value for favorableness that one product create it by means of brands name(aaker,004 ) in other hand, in recent years,across of brands concepts,brand identity is based on a whole understanding of the firm s customers, competitors and business environment.the brand identity needs to reflect the business strategy and the firm s Enthusiasm to invest in the programs needed for the brand to live up to its promised to customers (Aaker & joachimsthaler, 000).in terms of communication, this second interpretation of the word suggest brand identity is the common element sending a single message amid the wide variety of its products, actions and communications.(kapferer,008). brand identity may be a recent notion, but many researchers have already delved into the organizational identity of companies (Moingeon and soenen,00).there are some research about brand equity and brand identity alone, but a Few articles have examined these two issues together. This research tried to investigate the relationship between brand equity and brand identity and their dimensions.. Literature review Brand identity The today,most advanced marketing companies have specified the identity of their brand through proprietary models such as brand key (unilever) footprint (Johnson & Johnson), bulls eyes and brand stewardship, which organize in a specific from a list of concepts related to brand identity.(kapferer,008) According of (Csaba & bengstone, 006.p8) in the vast branding literature, there are many view of brand identity. Traditionally branding literature portrays brand identity as the uniqueness and essential idea of the brand (Aaker, 996).brand identity will be Cleary defined once the following questions are answered (Kapferer, 008): 94

2 Applied mathematics in Engineering, Management and Technology () 05:94-0 -what is the brand s particular vision and aim? -what makes it different? -what needs is the brand fulfilling? -what is the permanent nature? -what is its value of values? -what is its field of competence of legitimacy? -what are the signs which make the brand recognizable? Brand identity dimensions: Several explanations have been proposed so far about brand identity. Some of them are listed below (Burman & et al, 009): Table.. Brand identity explanations Author Year Conceptualization of brand identity Kapferer,J,-N 99 Aaker,D.A 996 De chernatony,l 999 Hexagonal brand identity prism reflecting the brand s physiques,personality,culture,relationship,reflection,self-image Entity based categorization with four dimensions: the brand as a product reflects the product-related associations; the brand as an organization focuses on organizational associations; the brand as person includes the brand personality; the brand as symbol includes the visual imagery, metaphors and brand heritage. Six brand identity dimensions :brand personality, culture and relationship,vision, brand positioning, the brand presentation Meffert,H.and Burmann 005 Six brand identity dimensions: heritage, organizational capabilities, values, personality, vision and core offering. This research use from kapferer dimensions. Brand equity: Aaker (99) defined brand equity as...a set of brand assets and liabilities linked to a brand,its name and symbol, that add to or subtract from the value provided by a product or service to a firm and/or to that firm s customers.aaker (99) also stated that a brand assets and liability contribute to its equity, may differ depending on context,and can be grouped into five categories: brand awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand association and other proprietary assets. The importance of understanding brand equity from the consumer s perspective is explained by Keller(99): though the eventually goal of any marketing program is to increase sales, it is first necessary to establish knowledge structures for the brand so that consumers respond favorably to marketing activities for the brand (p.8).. Brand equity dimensions: Brand awareness: Brand awareness is the ability of the potential buyer to recognize and recall that a brand is a member of a certain product category(aaker,99)awareness is argued as being a first and necessary step leading to trial and repeated purchases,because the effect of awareness results in product curiosity(konecnik & Gartner 007). Of customerbased brand equity perspective, marketing communications activities contribute to brand equity (Keller, 007). Brand loyalty: Brand loyalty is the attachment that a customer has to a brand (Aaker, 99). In fact, when a customer is loyal to the brand, He is willing to do the same quality products, more money to pay for his own brand. Brand loyalty is 95

3 Applied mathematics in Engineering, Management and Technology () 05:94-0 keeping existing customers, retaining old customers is much less expensive than obtaining new customers (Aaker, 996). Perceived quality: Brand Perceived quality is simply the overall Customer s assessment of the standard process of receiving customer services (Hellier,et al,00).perceived quality is consumer s judgement about a product s overall excellence or superiority, not the actual quality of the product (Zeithmal,988).basic functional characteristics of the product,perfection,sustainable performance,the economic life of the product, such as quality of services and their supporting elements are considered as determinates of perceived product quality(aaker,99).. Research Methodology This study is a descriptive qualitative research that uses expert panel views for suggesting and validating the provided model. For this purpose literature of brand management reviewed.. Primary conceptual model presented after modification and a questionnaire included of 4 questions designed for final model validation. Questionnaire validity confirmed by some experts. Questionnaire reliability considered based on in Cronbach's alpha method. Target population for questionnaire answering was experts of brand management. Answered questionnaires analyzed with SPSS version (9) software and results presented. Table.:Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items Discussion Based on brand Asker s brand equity model and Kapferer s brand identity,research model hypothesis would be organized as following: - Brand s physiques effects brand awareness dimension positively. - Brand s physiques effects brand loyalty dimension positively. - Brand s physiques effects brand perceived quality dimension positively. - Brand s physiques effects brand association dimension positively. - Brand personality effects brand awareness dimension positively. - Brand personality effects brand loyalty dimension positively. - Brand personality effects brand perceived quality dimension positively. - Brand personality effects brand association dimension positively. - Brand culture effects brand awareness dimension positively. - Brand culture effects brand loyalty dimension positively. - Brand culture effects brand perceived quality dimension positively. - Brand culture effects brand association dimension positively. - Brand relationship effects brand awareness dimension positively. - Brand relationship effects brand loyalty dimension positively. - Brand relationship effects brand perceived quality dimension positively. - Brand relationship effects brand association dimension positively. - Brand reflection effects brand awareness dimension positively. - Brand reflection effects brand loyalty dimension positively. - Brand reflection effects brand perceived quality dimension positively. 96

4 Applied mathematics in Engineering, Management and Technology () 05: Brand reflection effects brand association dimension positively. - Brand self-image effects brand awareness dimension positively. - Brand self-image effects brand loyalty dimension positively. - Brand self-image effects brand perceived quality dimension positively. - Brand self-image effects brand association dimension positively. 4.. Data Analysis Descriptive Statistics Demographic variables including age, gender, and education level, academic degree, level of work / research experience and field of Study. Summary of descriptive statistics illustrated in Table.. - Normality Testing Table..Summary of descriptive statistics Demographic variables Maximum Minimum Age Above 5 (%0) -5 (%75) Gender Male (%60) Female (%40) Education PhD (%.) MSc (%76.7) Field of Study Management (%66.6) Quality Engineering (%.) Work/Research experience More than 5 years (%.) -5 years (%76.7) In order to test data normality, K-S test was applied and results of this test illustrated in Table.5. Results indicated that data normality is not acceptable. Also descriptive statistics indicated in Table.4. 97

5 Applied mathematics in Engineering, Management and Technology () 05:94-0 Table.4.Descriptive Statistics N Mean Std. Deviation Minimum Maximum Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Table.5. One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test Q Q Q Q4 Q5 N Normal Parameters a,b Mean Std. Deviation Most Extreme Differences Absolute Positive Negative Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z Asymp. Sig. (-tailed)

6 Applied mathematics in Engineering, Management and Technology () 05:94-0 Table.5. One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q0 N Normal Parameters a,b Mean Std. Deviation Most Extreme Differences Absolute Positive Negative Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z Asymp. Sig. (-tailed) Table.5. One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test Q Q Q Q4 Q5 N Normal Parameters a,b Mean Std. Deviation Most Extreme Differences Absolute Positive Negative Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z Asymp. Sig. (-tailed) Table.5. One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q0 N Normal Parameters a,b Mean Std. Deviation Most Extreme Differences Absolute Positive Negative Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z Asymp. Sig. (-tailed) Table.5. One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test Q Q Q Q4 N Normal Parameters a,b Mean Std. Deviation Most Extreme Differences Absolute Positive Negative Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z Asymp. Sig. (-tailed) Because of sample quantity and also obtained significant value from K-S test, it s necessary to use none parametric tests. Binomial test was used in this research in order to hypothesis testing. Binomial test results shown in Table 6. 99

7 Applied mathematics in Engineering, Management and Technology () 05:94-0 Table.6. Binomial Test Category N Observed Prop. Test Prop. Exact Sig. (- tailed) Group <= Q Group >.88 Group <= Q Group > 0.8 Group <= Q Group > 5.96 Group <= Q4 Group > 6.00 Group <= Q5 Group > 5.96 Group <= Q6 Group >.88 Group <= Q7 Group >.85 Group <= Q8 Group > 8. Group <= Q9 Group > 8. Group <= Q0 Group > 5.96 Group <= Q Group >.88 Group <= Q Group >.88 Group <= Q Group > 6.00 Group <= Q4 Group > 5.96 Group <= Q5 Group > 4.9 Q6 Group <=

8 Applied mathematics in Engineering, Management and Technology () 05:94-0 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q0 Q Q Q Q4 Group > 0.8 Group <= Group >.88 Group <= Group >.88 Group <= Group > 4.9 Group <= Group >.4 Group <= Group >.85 Group <= Group >.88 Group <= Group > 4.9 Group <= Group >.04 And also frequency distribution needed for more exaction in results which is illustrated in Table. 7. 0

9 Applied mathematics in Engineering, Management and Technology () 05:94-0 Table.7. Frequency distribution Question Q Q Q Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q0 Q Q Q Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q0 Q Q Q Q4 Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree According to the results of the binomial test and frequency distribution table, the following hypotheses were rejecting: Q, Q8, Q9, Q6, Q9, Q6, and Q0.Q4 5. Conclusions To help find ways to keep and maintain a strong brand in organizations, this research investigate the relationship between brand identity and brand equity. This research showed that brand identity and brand equity have direct relationship and except the following dimensions, the impact of all dimensions proved: - Brand s physiques effects brand loyalty dimension positively - Brand personality effects brand association dimension positively. - Brand culture effects brand awareness dimension positively - Brand relationship effects brand association dimension positively - Brand reflection effects brand association dimension positively - Brand self-image effects brand association dimension positively The above results indicate that brand identity has little effect on brand associations. and also this study showed that a strong brand identity,will create strong brand equity. Future study may also examine brand identity impact on other brand concepts. References: 0

10 Applied mathematics in Engineering, Management and Technology () 05:94-0 Aaker,D.A(99):Managing Brand Equity,New York,Free Press. Aaker,D.A, Joachimisthaler,E (000):Brand Leadership,New York,Free Press. Aaker,D.A(004):Brand Portfolio Strategy:Creating,Relevance,Leverage and Crarity,Free Press. Burmann.C,Jost-Benz.M,Riley.N(009):Towards an Identity-heard Brand Equity Model,Journal of Business Research. Csaba.FF, Bengtsson.A(006):Rethinking Identity in Brand Management,Oxon, UK,P5-8 Feldwick.F(996):Do we Realy Need Brand Equity,Journal of Brand Management,vol 4 Hellier, P. K., Geursen, G. M., Carr, R. A., & Rickard, J. A. (00). Customer Repurchase Intention: a General Structural Equation Model. European Journal of Marketing, 7(/), Kapferer, J. N. (008). The new Strategic Brand Management: Advanced insights and Strategic Thinking. Kogan page publishers. Keller.K.L(99) :Conceptualizing,Measuring,and Managing Customer Based Brand Equity,Journal of Marketing,57() Keller,K.L(00):Brand synthesis:the Multidimensionality of Brand Knowledge,Journal of Consumer Research,9() Moingeon,B and Soenen,G(00): Corporate & organisational Identities,Routledge,London Uslu.A,Durmus.B, Kobak Kolivar.B(00):Analysing the Brand Equity of Turkish Airlines Services,Journal of Social & Behaviourial Research, Zeithaml, V. A. (988). Consumer Perceptions of Price, Quality, and Value: a Means-end Model and Synthesis of Evidence. The Journal of Marketing, -. 0