Category: Brand

What are the benefits of Market Segmentation?

Customers differ from each other in many ways, such as; the benefits they want from a product or service, the amount they are able or willing to pay, the amount they buy, when and where they buy it and the type of marketing they see that draws them to a product or service. This is why market segmentation is crucial to any business. Market segmentation is the process of dividing a market into parts that reflect different customer wants and needs. When dividing a market, there are four different segments that a business could use to enable them to accurately target customers and differentiate itself from competition.

Firstly, a business could use demographic segmentation. This is when a market is split up into age, gender and occupation to name a few. For example, Nivea segment their market via gender. They started over 100 years ago by producing skincare for women, until the 1980’s when they began branching out with skincare for men also, aptly titled ‘Nivea for men’ (Nivea, 2020). This means Nivea are now clearly segmenting their market and can advertise products accordingly. For example, Nivea products for women are advertised on day time TV and between programmes such as Loose Women and Coronation Street, where as Nivea for men products are advertised during the evening by using adverts between sporting events that are televised. The benefit of segmenting via demographic is that marketing communications can be targeted effectively and the marketing message can be delivered to the relevant audience. By successfully segmenting via gender, Nivea made sales of $5.2b in 2018 (Forbes, 2019) and are one of the market leaders in the consumer-packaged goods industry.

Psychographic segmentation is another way a business could segment their market. This type of segmentation is slightly more difficult as it is subjective and based on personality traits, motivations and values. Ferrari could be seen to segment psychograpgically as they specifically target wealthy customers who are image conscious. Ferrari price their cars between £200,000 and £300,000 meaning they are not aiming at the general public, so it is especially important to segment their market. Ferrari are aware that their customers are image conscious, who value quality and status and do not mind paying the expensive price tag. It’s extremely beneficial for Ferrari to segment their market because of the high price of their cars, they therefore need to meet their customer needs in order to make a sale.

While demographic and psychographic focus on who a customer is, behaviour segmentation focuses on how the customer acts. Behavioural segmentation can assess purchasing habits and brand loyalty. An example of a business who segment via behaviour are Nike. They clearly split their product portfolio into the benefits sought by the customer. For example, they released a whole campaign dedicated to ‘yogis’ (people who partake in yoga) in 2018 due to the fact that this leisure activity saw in increase in participation. By segmenting via behaviour, it meant that Nike could target a very specific market segment and increase their profits as they were specifically creating garments for yoga. Nike also did the same with their trainers and expanded their product portfolio to target niche markets such as ‘cross country runners’. Again, by releasing footwear specifically for this segment, it means that Nike were able to target more customers with direct marketing. This could lead to an overall increase in market share for a business such as Nike due to them meeting such a variety of customer needs.

Finally, a business could segment the market geographically. This is when a business can segment via a country, a post code, or climate. A business who conducts this segmentation successfully is KFC. They adopt various different menus based on where their restaurants are located. For example, in Egypt, due to it being a Muslim country, KFC serve halal meat in all restaurants so they are adhering to cultural regulations. By segmenting geographically, it means that KFC have better opportunities for growth. This is because they can start to expand in more countries, meeting customer needs along the way with their diverse menus in order to gain a competitive advantage against the likes of McDonalds and Burger King.

Overall, segmentation is extremely beneficial to any business considering releasing a new product or expanding their product portfolio. Markets are increasingly dynamic and fast paced so a business must take this into consideration when segmenting their target audience. A clear benefit of segmentation is the impact it has on the marketing mix. It not only means promotions can be targeted to a clear audience, rather than wasting resources on the wrong customers but segmentation can also give a clear indication of the product that needs to be released into the market, the price a business needs to set their product at and a place where they need to sell their product from, so that it is specifically tailored to meet customer needs and they can adopt a key position in customers minds.

How can Social Media be used effectively in marketing?

There are minimal marketing buzzwords that seem to elicit more attention than that of social media. That’s because when a social media campaign is creative and well-executed, it can prove a powerful addition to any companies marketing strategy.

But with so much competition for attention, ever-adapting algorithms and high costing marketing mistakes, many businesses face a difficult time generating a significant return on investment from social media. Yes, social media marketing may face some struggles, but it’s also packed with potential, and with 45 million social media users in the UK in 2019, equating to 67% of the population, (AvocadoSocial, 2019) if used effectively it can have hugely beneficial impacts to any business.

One primary benefit of social media in marketing is its cost effectiveness. With the average Brit spending one hour and 50 minutes of their day on some form of social media (TigerMobiles, 2020) it is more likely that whilst scrolling down their feed they will come across some form of advertisement, whether it be on Twitter, Face book or Instagram. The benefit this has to the business in question is that this account will have been free of charge to set up. In this day and age advertisement is becoming more expensive and difficult to get a hold of. A business can pay up to $5.6 million dollars for a 30 second TV advertisement slot (CNBC, 2019) during major TV ad breaks such as the likes of the Super Bowl. Obviously, not all businesses can afford this kind of cost, thus creating their social media campaigns online for free, and only being held at a fee is they choose to actively pay for their brand to be promoted. If used effectively, social media marketing can have a vast outreach and catch the attention of millions of social media users, making them aware of a campaign and increasing a business’ brand recognition.

An example of a business that uses social media marketing effectively is Missguided. Missguided use numerous social media platforms however their main platform in Instagram. They currently have 6.5 million followers just on that one individual platform. They often vary their content to keep users engaged by showing things such as tutorials, music and any offers or incentives. This is effective to Missguided as it means they are keeping up with the current trends and thus keeping followers engaged. In 2018, Instagram played a huge part in making Missguided’s financial and marketing success. Missguided used Love Island celebritites to promote their campaigns, using them to advestise and upload photos of their new clothes ranges. They posted stories on their Instagram page such as ‘shop the look’, which received a huge interaction with fans across the platform and resulted in sales increasing by a huge 40% (Newswhip, 2018). Missguided’s social media marketing was increasingly effective due to their understanding of the demographic wants of their consumers. Having a good understanding of social trends within society is a huge part of the steps to establishing a successful social media campaign.

Another way that social media can be used effectively in marketing for business is through them watching and keeping up with their main competitors. The benefit of social media is that it’s unrestricted. Although this can have its downfalls, it can also be used to a business’s advantage. If a brand wants to remain competitive in the digital marketplace, it is vital that they start working toward building a presence on social media, as it is incredible likely that in this day and age, that is what their competitors are doing. By watching their competitors’ social media, a business can have an increased insight on their following, their marketing techniques and sales tactics; a business can then take this information and use it to their own advantage. This technique is heavily taken onboard within the fast food industry. Rivals Dominos and Pizza Hut closely monitor each other’s marketing presence and analytics, and if they see a marketing technique that they like and has proven to be a success, they’ll take it, and use it on their platforms to help them achieve increased brand recognition in hope they can boost their sales and profit stream, giving them an increased market share.

In conclusion, the use of social media can be incredibly effective and increase sales when well executed. However, there are many factors which determine how successful a campaign is.

A business must have a good understanding of their target market, as without this the advertisement may not have the impact on customers that the business once hoped for, and they require a good understanding of current social trends, thus giving them an understanding of what their customers want to see and will engage with. If social media marketing is understood and pulled off, it can increase a business’s presence and brand recognition, encourage positive word of mouth and give them an edge over their competitors. This will lead to increased sales and thus profit, potentially expanding a company’s market share and giving them the opportunity for expansion.

Why is Branding Important to consumers and organisations?

The decade we’re in is an advancing one. The business industry is growing by the day and it’s more difficult than ever to come up with a unique, never been done before idea that will be new to its market. So what’s one of the main influences that can give your business a competitive advantage over all others? –Its branding. Branding goes way beyond just a logo or a graphic element, it considers a business’s vision, mission, language and many other factors, which when successfully combined together, can create a perception of your business that to consumers and organizations will give it that important edge over all others.

Branding promotes recognition. In an article published By Forbes in 2019, Apple topped the list of branding behemoths for the ninth year running, amassing an eye-watering brand value of $205.5 billion, a figure that had increased by 12% over the past year (Forbes, 2019). Although their branding may look simple, it takes a lot for a company to make their brand that recognizable to consumers. It isn’t just about the logo or slogan; a brand image encompasses both visual elements and brand associations like speed, reliability, ethics and quality. If a business doesn’t put the effort into maintaining a consistent brand image throughout every interaction a consumer has with their brand, they’ll find it very difficult to develop an easily recognizable one.

In addition to this, a company’s branding can help them to set themselves apart from the competition. In today’s global market, it is critical to stand out in the crowd. A business is no longer competing on a local stage; every organization now competes in the global economy. By having a strong and recognized brand image, a business is more likely to be purchased by both consumers and organizations. Take Coca Cola for example. Coca Cola are veterans in this area, and they have shown the world how consistent quality and outstanding marketing strategies can keep one and the same product on the throne for decades. This does however go without saying they have faced their fair share of competition. In 2017, Coca Cola achieved net operating revenue of $35.41 billion, and a gross profit of $22.15 Billion (NotesMatic, 2018). With this knowledge in mind, Coca Cola has become one of the most replicated grocery items in the UK. Thriving UK supermarket chains such as Tesco, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s have all created their ‘knock-off’ version of the drink, but despite being sold at 1/3 of the Coca Cola price, it doesn’t achieve anywhere near the sales volume of the real thing. This can be put down to Coca Cola’s strong brand image, setting them apart from any competitors. Their objective is to sell an experience, not just a product, and their $59.2 billion brand value in 2019 (Forbes, 2019) suggests that this is paying off.

Finally, a strong brand image creates a good first impression. In business, a positive first impression is everything. Whether it be in regards to the way employees are dressed, the businesses website, and the aesthetics of the business cards or the cleanliness of the store. It may seem superficial, but these minor details are the points of contact a business will have with potential customers. In this case, presentation is everything. Although these things alone don’t make a sale, they do create a good impression about the expected brand promise, and this may be the USP that gives one business the edge over another. Once a business has this strong brand image established, they have the ability to charge premium prices as their product is recognized, well associated and potentially considered the ‘go-to’ product within the market. A strong brand identity creates an image of an established business that’s been around long enough to become well-known. A branded business is far more likely to be seen as experienced, and generally be viewed as more reliable and trustworthy than an unbranded business.

To conclude, brand image is important for any business. When consumers or organizations choose to buy or invest in a product or service, they aren’t just buying the product or service; they’re buying what the brand itself stands for. That’s why it is important for every business, big or small, to establish a brand image that will convey exactly what they want it to say, and how it will be perceived throughout their business cycle.

References:

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3. Forbes Stats. (2019). Coca-Cola (KO). Available: https://www.forbes.com/companies/coca-cola/#561b2fe1438c. Last accessed 20th April 2020.
4. Forbes. (2019). The World’s Most Valuable Brands. Available: https://www.forbes.com/powerful-brands/list/#tab:rank. Last accessed 20th April 2020.
5. Hudderson, T. (2019). How much it cost to air a commercial at the Superbowl. Available: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/30/how-much-it-costs-to-air-a-commercial-during-super-bowl-liii.html. Last accessed 20th April 2020.
6. Nicholson, B. (2018 ). How Missguided won at e-commerce. Available: https://www.newswhip.com/2018/08/missguided-innovated-ecommerce-marketing/. Last accessed 20th April 2020.
7. Nivea. (2020). The History of Nivea. Available: https://www.nivea.co.uk/about-us/nivea-history. Last accessed 20th April 2020.
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Abstract

In order for organizations to be successful, consideration must be given to their brand identity. The intent of this individual research paper is to investigate the different techniques organizations can and do implement to strategically market their brand to the consumer. The techniques, strategies, risks, and rewards will be discussed in order to evaluate the efficacy of the various strategies organizations employ.

Introduction

The idea of strategic management in regards to marketing an organizations brand and creating an identity is to maximize the ROI and grow the organization. Kotler (2011) states that ‘to have low prices is not enough to build a feasible business, you need to add quality and services for the customer to feel that he is buying based on value”. Developing customer loyalty is done through perceived performance and the consumer’s resulting satisfaction. The previous mentioned quote points out the importance of developing a brand and identity because it indicates marketing activities by themselves are no sufficient enough to ensure success. Customers give preference to one brand over another and according to Aaker (1998) the consumer will not be as sensitive to prices which therefore results in brand loyalty creating a competitive advantage. It is through the understanding of brand identity, market position, image and brand equity that we can evaluate whether the “market uses and appreciates these actions, so they can bring results” according to Eduardo De Paula E Silva Chaves. (2017, pg. 1247).

Brand

Aaker (1998, pg. 7) defines ‘brand’ as “a distinct name and/or a symbol that aims to identify a seller’s goods or services and differentiate these goods and services from its competitors”. It can also include the name, packaging, logo, communication, etc. as a method further communicating the brand’s value and differentiation among its competitors (Tomiya, 2010, pg. 26). Essentially, a name is more than just a name, otherwise it is of little to no importance (Kotler; 2011, pg. 394).

Eduardo De Paula E Siva Chaves (2017, pg 1248) identifies a brands three main functions. 1) Navigation: helps consumers choose among different options, 2) Security: the brand communicates the quality of product or service, and 3) Engagement: aids the customer in identifying with the brand.

Brand Identity

Brand identity is explained by Wheeler (2012, pg. 58) as a strategic tool that assists in providing qualitative-quantitative results in reporting, recognition and competitive differences and is a way an organization can position and identify itself and its products. Strong brands have brand identities that are clear and represent the meaning of the brand. A organization’s brand identity also assist in differentiating it from their competitors through brand value, increase awareness, communicating strengths, developing awareness, and fostering consumer loyalty.

Brand Positioning

Eduardo De Paula E Siva Chaves (2017, pg 1248) identifies a brand’s positioning as the marketing mix which includes product, price mix, promotion, advertising, and place. These tools aid organizations in determining their position in the market in consideration of consumers and competitors while also providing a means to evaluate strengths and weaknesses.

Brand Image

Brand image is the impression of the brand in the consumers’ mind and is usually developed over a period of time through marketing initiatives, advertising, and the consumer’s experience. Thimothy (2017) states a company’s brand image the business’ identifier and is the culmination of every interaction with the organization. It is the impression consumers will generate through interactions with employees, services, products, websites, quality, etc.

Consumer Psychology

Organizations can develop their brand to meet certain customer needs in the market and use their brand to differentiate themselves among their competitors. This can be seen in the airline industry where airlines such as Frontier and Allegiant offer inexpensive flights, during seasonal time frames, and with limited amenities and service. Other airlines like Jetblue, American Airlines, and Southwest serve a different niche of the airline market that aims to provide services and amenities that simplify the costumers’ flying experience for a higher cost but with greater ease and comfort. Understanding consumer psychology can help organizations understand what satisfies customers, what the market expectations are, and how to build brand loyalty.

Tokhi (2009) explains four elements of service Airlines must consider in order to maximize growth and profitability through the use of strategic marketing. The four elements Tokhi identifies are 1) Intangibility: Immaterial services and goods, expectations such as comfort, on-time flights…etc., 2) Inconsistency: Rapidly changing prices and services, 3) Inseparability: Separating the brand from the service, 4) Inventory: Managing goods, services, and products. Tohki continues to explain organizations should market themselves as offering tangible services. By understanding the psychology of the consumer, marketing can then be directed to promoting the benefits of using their service. An examples of promoting intangible services is Delta’s branding message “Delta respect you and your time, and acknowledges the challenges of travel today.” This elicits a psychological response that says I will arrive on time to my destination with minimal challenges and obstacles. Similarly, American Airlines promotes amenities such as in-flight wifi so people can still travel and not have to put life on hold while in the air. With airlines facing rising costs and limited innovation, the challenge is differentiating yourself among the competitors in an industry where customers are increasingly becoming unsatisfied.

Applying Four Elements of Service

Intangible services, as previously mentioned, are immaterial items that can’t be evaluated or produced ahead of time and as a result it is difficult to communicate and sell the service to customers. In the airline industry, the core product is transportation. But in order to communicate the intangible services to distinguish themselves from the competitors, certain tangible cues can be presented such as staff dress code, appearance of facilities, food/beverages, seats/cushions, movies, wifi, logo, color/design, baggage…etc.

Inconsistency in the airline industry can lead to distrust, anger, and frustration with consumers. According to Silling (2013), organizations have a lot more tools at their disposal to inform customers and employees of brand-related information such as pricing, promotions, customer service and other important information. Utilizing an omni-channel communication strategy to provide customers and employees with adequate information in an easy to use and access format can be more important than price alone. Opportunities to obtain feedback from customers can help raise satisfaction and improve areas of inconsistencies with market expectations.

BMS (2013) states in many industries, services require the customer be actively participate and Airlines should consider the customers as an integral part of the company since they have to actually be present when the service is performed. BMS continues stating “The inseparability of services leads to: Customer being co-producer; Often customer being co-consumers with other customers and; Customer travelling to the point of service production.”

Inventory in the airline industry would primarily fall under the complex process of seat control (inventory) and pricing. The inventory is limited and highly perishable and a systematic approach is required to effectively manage the sale of the perishable assets while maximizing operating revenues (Centonze, pg. 33). This is a difficult process since travel habits and behaviors can vary based on individual/differentiated needs, economic conditions, and willingness-to-pay; however, profits are directly dependent on successful inventory management.

According to Bogaisky (2018) and research done by Atmosphere Research, “the average household income of travelers on American, United, Delta all top $105,000 a year, boosted by their first class and business passengers; JetBlue and Southwest passengers are at about $100,000. Budget airline travelers average $78,000, while the average household income in the U.S. is $55,000.” Additionally, over half of the people in the United States earning a ‘high income’ of $250,000 per year are under the age of 40, and the population of this group has grown up traveling, enjoy traveling, are well-educated, are high-tech and mobile, have the income to travel, and are loyal to brands the makes sense to form a relationship with according to Harteveldt (Terrero, 2015). Despite only making up 1% of the market in the United States, they are expected to spend over $1.5 billion dollars per year on travel.

Glaser (2015) provides a good comparison of different airlines serving different target audiences. JetBlue and Spirit airlines she describes as “Family Dollar versus Nordstrom in the skies”. JetBlue is known for outstanding customer service, comfort, and in-flight amenities; which understandably comes at a higher ticket price. Conversely, Spirit (and other budget airlines) target lower-income travelers, those travelers who are price-sensitive and those who otherwise might not have considered flying by being priced out of the market.

Developing Brand Loyalty

Brands are used to build up the image of the company in the customer’s mind in order to retain and attract new or unhappy customers from the competition. One method of increasing consumer loyalty is through rewards programs and promotions. Rewards programs are used to build up frequent flyer miles, receive upgraded seats, priority boarding, and waived fees. In the event of a bad experience on a flight using a particular airline brand that the consumer may have accrued thousands of frequent flyer miles accumulated on, it may prevent the consumer from hastily switching to a competitor.

Additionally, the perceived value of the reward program greatly adds to the psychological benefits. The sense of belonging to a community and the accumulation of points/miles can and often times will fall into consideration as a luxury reward by the customer according to Li, Zhao, and Ma (2006, pg. 616). Li continues by stating “seldom research focuses on the influence of perceived value of reward programs on customer retention behavior, but Yi and Jeon’s, [whose] research results show that involvement moderates the effects of reward programs on customer loyalty”. This can be interpreted by saying the more involved an organization can get the consumer in the rewards program, greater fostering of costumer loyalty can be achieved. Sumers (2018) reports analysts are attributing the massive revenues generated by airlines to loyalty programs with American Airlines reporting a 10% year-over-year increase in marketing revenue, reaching $1.15 billion. American Airlines is not alone in reaping the rewards from loyalty programs. Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue had seen significant growth in marketing revenue at 52% and 23% respectively (Sumers). Furthermore, through mergers and acquisitions, the airline companies are healthier financially and are partnering with banks and utilizing leverage to get banks to pay more for flyer miles.

Airline Networks and Alliances

“The network is a key strategic factor of airlines” according to Centonze (pg. 29). International alliances were developed after market deregulations took effect with the objective of adding as many destinations as possible through partnering with other airlines. It is a source for generating revenue/costs, it can be a differentiator among competitors, and is an integral strategy in the airline industry. Airlines have found great benefits of alliances as it helps increase capacity and reach through multi-hub operations and traffic through secondary and tertiary airports. However, Goh & Uncles (2003) point out that while most business travelers have access to the benefits of global alliances, a significant amount of them do not understand or are unsure of the benefits; specifically confusion over lounge access, transferability of priority status, and seamless travel.

Earning frequent flier miles on multiple airlines and a larger area of global network access are the two benefits most travelers are aware of. One area of discontent among customers though is the belief that the customer will travel on their preferred airline when in fact they are often placed on alliance/network aircraft without prior notice and this can lead to brand damage through consumer beliefs they’ve been deceived (Weber, 2005, pg. 258). Weber continues to state the benefits, as viewed from high-priority customers, which are global alliances’ primary targets, do no view or rate the benefits higher than low-status customers. Additionally, Goh and Uncles (2003) concluded that buyers saw the advantages offered by the major global alliances are practically indistinguishable thus questioning the viability of networks/alliances to ingrain dedication to specific carriers. While loyalty programs attract customers, the benefits associated with them are evidently confusing and off-putting to frequent and occasional travelers alike. It is therefore of obvious critical importance that communication is effectively used to target customers and customize the message globally (Weber, pg. 263).

Differentiating

Some examples of airlines differentiating themselves are presented by Selvaggio (2018) in which he states Southwest used peanuts and humor, Spirit used low-cost fares and fees for everything including toilet use, and Hooters utilized revealing clothing. An interesting differentiator was done by Song, which branded themselves as a “carrier within a carrier” and targeted 51% of the population, women (Vaz, 2012). It was discovered that 80% of women booked vacations and the brand was built specifically to attract women. Kate spade designed the uniforms and accessories, paint was chosen to appeal to women, hand-shaken martinis were available for $5, organic food was served, bigger tv’s to occupy children, and exercise bands to workout at your seat. Song intended to create a culture, or a lifestyle brand. Unfortunately, the product wasn’t marketed properly and customers were confused on what the brand was. Song airlines was focused too much on who they were and what they represented instead of the product and services they were selling.

Keys to Effective Airline Branding

Nigam (2008) presents 6 concepts to build an ideal airline brand which accounts for the reality of business and the volatile industry. The 6 concepts are brand expectations, brand experience, brand expression, brand externalities, brand extensibility, and brand x-factor. Expectations, experience, and expression focus primarily on customer engagement and involves generating brand awareness , brand preference, and pre/post purchase engagement. Externalities, extensibility, and x-factor deal with the airline industry and the unique environment in which they operate.

The idea is for airlines to make an authentic brand promise as a key to satisfying customers by setting clear and honest expectations. Additionally, a brand’s experience is a key factor in fostering brand loyalty through superior interaction and service with the airline ranging from booking, check-in, seats, etc. Engaging customers is important to build familiarity and through constant interaction, using improved technology such as social media or blogs, brand loyalty can be nurtured.

Externalities are something that airlines have to deal with continuously. These consist of new competitors, flight delays, and mechanical problems; all are items that need to be dealt with but handling these issues are key to differentiation. Consistency of service and staying true to brand values and vision, product offerings, and partner brand alignment are key extensibility goals. And finally, the x-factor are the nuances that elevate brands in a different strata (i.e. Apple, Harley Davidson, etc.)

Conclusion

In conclusion, Airlines need to effectively communicate an promote their brand, develop loyalty through rewards programs, and clearly communicate the benefits of the programs and alliances. Song airlines presented a unique perspective of a great idea for product and services, but fell flat promoting and marketing and eventually prompted their end in 2006 when they merged into Delta. Song operated for three years and did not generate and profits. Some consider the product and services the best in the industry, however they just couldn’t get their message to stand out in the market.

References

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Introduction

Marketing and brand management is the concern which requires a depth know how to assess the impact and the significance to be able to sell the enterprise and supply the desirable improvement to the corporation. It does not have the most effective simply regarding the product or maybe the emblem as an alternative that is extra immoderate than it is miles displayed as a whole, it’s far the tool that enables to apprehend the notion of the not unusual human beings in the direction of the products and display the cost of the products in vicinity of the organisation some of the loads. There are numerous questions associated with the concept of branding such as how the employer receives the reputation of a logo, what are the approaches to reinforce the brand picture, the logo has any capability to revert again from the situation of catastrophe and so others. as a result, the “Apple Inc.” commercial enterprise company has been chosen to analyse and expand the whole dialogue. is it far one of the world’s leading companies in the global and doing enterprise within the international market for numerous years and faces plenty of problems and difficult instances. that is the most ideal instance to talk about the entire. The report discusses all the vital factors and additives which might be crucial to become an emblem from a corporation.

Elements of Brand Targeting

The brand elements has positive definition which is discussing in brief approximately the goods, presents concept to the customers in addition to enables by allowing the clients understand whether their necessities are obliged or no longer and therefore allows in offering a significance to the logo. The additives of amiability allow in making the company understand that whether or no longer the emblem has supplied their aesthetic attraction to the customers. A representation of the brands would possibly every now and then be stronger as a visual or sound however may not usually relate the ones symbols to the actual symbols of the products. The additives of the portability come to a decision the effectiveness of the goods for the product range or category increase, and also allows in understanding the apprehended volume to where the product has the capability to go their environmental limitations of the company’s business. The function of flexibility through the years allows in searching for the modifiers within the values of the clients in addition to their opinions. There are positive elements that incredibly effect at the placement of the business enterprise. design, communication, distinctiveness, agree with, idea and significance are the most critical of those elements. The placing goods and the corporation is the guarantees. Making guarantees isn’t always sufficient, as well as essential to maintain the promises. Positioning of the organization notably relies upon on the efforts the corporation employees spend on marketing and promotions of the goods. The extra flexible and bendy is a logo, it is far a good deal less complicated to end up to date. The very last detail is the detail of protection, this suffice the quantity of safety an emblem is capable of offer each within the competitive in addition to legal sense.

As a result a business enterprise has to select the ones emblem factors that has the potential to offer a safety across the world, because of this the cultured values of the logo must companion with international marketplace requirements, the emblem must has formal registration with the local and national legal our bodies, and have to have the capability of significantly protecting emblems from the undesirable transgression of opposition.

There are numerous strategies and alternatives to facilitate brand factors. One need to constantly attempt to preserve logo names which might be easy and smooth to pronounce or spell. The emblem of path is a without difficulty recognizable call that at once tells humans approximately a positive company that manufactures certain merchandise or renders sure offerings. logo identification is the manner humans understand the emblem. it can be via the emblem or different related visuals. emblem image is the concept of the logo that humans broaden in their minds. It additionally dictates what they anticipate from the emblem. for example, Bentley has the photo of a luxurious vehicle maker. So, it cannot be creating a price range vehicle despite the fact that there is a marketplace. Its present top-class clients gained to take it kindly because it dilutes the stated image. It’s tough and occasionally not possible to alternate logo image. brand character is similar to the personality of human beings. it is sure emotional or non-public characteristics that we associate with a selected emblem. as an instance we are able to companion freshness with Coca-Cola. Each detail of the brand identification inclusive of the shade of the brand and the layout at the logo call provides to the persona.

Target consumer and positioning

Growing enterprise advertising is an essential component that performs an essential position in increasing the enterprise and control in the marketplace. The undertaking of marketing is divided into 3 components. those are separation, concentrated on clients and setting the goods.

Brand Positioning

The means of product placement is the way wherein the clients specifies a product relying on their capabilities that can be sufficient to the position of the product within the minds of the customers associated to numerous different products which are in opposition. at the same time as making plans a product positioning map to plot the site techniques a marketer has the dependency of making a notion positioning a map that has the capability to outline the notion of the purchaser approximately the enterprise’s product associated to their notion on the products that are in competition. The logo placing need to have the potential of providing the choices and the necessities of the goal marketplace. that is accomplished through the identity of diverse competitive advantages that may assist in developing a role. Then from the recognized competitive advantages one must select a capability gain that has the functionality of making the brand function. Then a normal positioning approach have to be built to maintain on the placement. competitive blessings are in particular acquired through gaining greater interest of the customers than the competition through imparting the patron large values, that is accomplished through presenting the products at decrease expenses or giving massive advantages that has the capability to validate the excessive expenses.

The brand positioning statements are frequently burdened with business enterprise catchphrases or sayings. Positioning statements are for inner use. those statements manual the advertising and running selections of your commercial enterprise. A positioning assertion enables you are making key choices that have an effect on your client’s perception of your brand. A tag line is an outside announcement used on your advertising and marketing efforts. Comprehensions out of your positioning statement may be became a tagline, however it is far critical to differentiate among both of the two.

The unfortunate fact is that no salesperson has the strength to place whatever within the consumer’s thoughts, which is the middle pledge of placing. The perception that positions are built via entrepreneurs must die. every consumer has their personal concept of what they are. Positioning is not always something you do, however instead, is the end result of your client’s notion of what you do. Positioning is not always something we are able to create in a vacuum the act of positioning is a coauthored experience with the clients. in the back of your positioning statement or tagline is your purpose the way your preference your enterprise to be represented to clients. as soon as the actual function of positioning is known, having a tagline or a positioning declaration may be beneficial by using clarifying your emblem’s essence within your corporation. through inspecting the essence of what you are and evaluating it with what your clients need, the doorways open to building a company with a sturdy positioning within the thoughts of the client. outstanding brands merge their passion with their positioning into one declaration that captures the essence of each.

Brand competitor and brand image

Apple corporation is a globally recognized brand for its innovation, innovative advertising, minimalistic layout, and technological upliftment. it’s far the business enterprise that can do near impossible. it’s far one of the pinnacle 4 era giants which can be regarded for its game converting pleasant. The logo loyalty is on the centre or middle of its worldwide achievement. it is the ionic call within the enterprise of computer, smart phones, and different amusement technology. it is a modern emblem as it is the father of the numerous extraordinary technological improvements like Macintosh, iPod, Mac and so others. it’s far the brand loyalty that renders the increase of the sales of the business enterprise. even though Apple is the popular technology brand, but it has confronted excessive opposition within the worldwide marketplace. The pinnacle opposition brands of Apple are Samsung, Microsoft, Sony, Asus, Lenovo, dell, Toshiba, Packard, Hewlett, Acer, pixel, Xiaomi, and others. most of these corporations have their very own consumer base within the worldwide exchange marketplace. The tagline of the organization is “suppose in another way”. The corporation itself sees the sector in one of a kind manner and additionally evokes the clients to do the equal. it’s far the satisfactory of maintaining guarantees that make the employees unswerving and enables to construct brand images.

Strategies for building brand equity

Designing marketing programs to build brand equity

There are some elements that consolidated forms the brand value of the objects or the organization. brand image, brand affiliation, brand individual, brand mindfulness, logo devotion, client discernment are the components. it is absolutely the enterprise esteem that an organization can choose up from making the top-notch view of the consequences of the business enterprise over the representatives. It is not just the value of the items as an alternative it’s far the image of the brand that allows the gadgets to have the choice to pick up notoriety. The methodologies that the Apple the innovation great makes use of are fast pointed out in the end.

• Product is the middle of brand price. it is the nature of the object that assists with picking up the consider in the clients.
• fee estimating is every other key. The clients are consistently prepared to pay excessive if the item is commendable. There need to be a parity in the centre of the nature of the items and its stamped value.
• The business enterprise employs an exceptional channel process that consists of all of the units of the flexibly chain the board like the distributer, retailer, and merchants.
• relationship advertising and marketing is primary to select up the maintain over the market as the clients are the point of interest of the agency, so achievement of the clients is essential to arrive on the business at that stage. Making stable client base desires to give a custom designed and all encompassing brand information.
• it’s far smarter to pick out the way of renting as opposed to following what the Apple corporation has achieved.
• It has assembled its personal locale of clients and their steadfastness closer to the brand is apparent.
• Apple comprehends the innovation which could overpower the clients. It reduces disarray of the customers by means of enhancing the technique of deals.

Concumer’s Based brand equity model

Leveraging secondary brand association and brand equity measurement

Marketing performs a good-sized position in building brand equity. The apple enterprise designs its advertising and marketing packages in a manner that facilitates the corporation to complement the level the 2 vital components of advertising programmes are the sturdy and precise advertising techniques and doing in element studies to recognize and study the thoughts of the customers. The essentiality of a logo lies within the learnings of the clients, their emotions, their observations, and the matters they have got heard approximately the brand as a final result of their experiences with the brand over the years. therefore, the fairness of an emblem on the idea of consumer lies inside the differential effect that an emblem has received at the responses of the clients at the advertising and marketing techniques of the brand. The fairness of a brand has the capacity of supplying or building a bridge for the emblem from them beyond to their destiny. The funding first-class of the brand is a critical issue while the amount funding is a minimum issue. The clients have the strength of choosing the premise in their emblem information that how will they understand the logo inside the destiny. therefore, at the very quiet the proper price of the logo is in dependent on the client’s information and belief approximately the brand.

Marketing communication strategy

Apple usually highlights the method of studies and improvement as it enables the organization to discover something exceptional and out of their comfort zone. communique is the fundamental device of advertising. There are numerous communique techniques which are used to sell the product. advertisement is the most acceptable way to speak with the human beings to sell the goods. An income commercial, direct advertising, private promoting are the most used strategies. Those are critical equipment to communicate with the goal marketplace. The enterprise gives loose presents to the clients on specific products and models. The enterprise additionally makes use of the quantum approach to expand the enterprise and get most advantages of the enterprise. The organization frequently runs loyalty programmes and cards to offer the more centres to growth income as those are important in attracting the clients. The organisation additionally gives praise factors on numerous sales substances. The corporation additionally plays income promotions within the unique events every 12 months, Christmas, wintry weather sale, summertime sales or on every other event primarily based on the geographic places. Social media is the maximum not unusual platform to promote the commercial enterprise and accumulating public reviews and sharing perspectives.

Capturing consumer mindset use techniques

There are numerous methods that the business enterprise makes use of to expand the brand equity. The maximum used and commonplace strategies or gear to seize purchaser mind-set and increase brand fairness are the free association, protecting strategies, brand image, brand awareness, brand responses brand relationships, and many more.

· Free association

It enables to recognize and study the subconscious thoughts. that is a method wherein someone can loosen up one and discover what the individual goals. This the method the apple organization makes use of via leveraging emotions that is important to build brand equity.

· Brand awareness

The branding awareness may want to be created via making the brand repetitively acquainted to the marketplace via non-stop publicity. The linkage within the memory is created and suitable categorization of the product via brand images, symbols, slogans trademarks. The mode of repletion enables in growing the popularity of the goods. The marketed slogans allow in developing the energy of the product links. sporting the footwear of the purchaser is the important key function to stay continuously growing and fulfilling the desires of the clients. With converting instances closing its function within the business marketplace isn’t always smooth. the group of nowadays is distinct of their desires from tomorrows.

Recommendation

Consistency is the basis method to encash achievement. obtaining a peak of achievement is straightforward however maintaining that function is absolutely hard. Apple can use the approach of remaining steady at its role and capable of expand new improvements that facilitates the business enterprise to keep its function within the international opposition market. Apple is understood to its technological upliftment and remarkable and useful discoveries. it is the depended-on organisation that allows the consumer to be loyal closer to the company. There are several giant agencies and massive industries which might be the clients of the company.

Conclusion

Apple has rendered remarkable technical improvements which sell the increase of the world. it is able to be completed close to impossible. The Apple has used the satisfactory of the best techniques to expand its brand and reach the placement in which it is far now. It takes its tag line complete heartedly that it thinks otherwise and implying it completely in its activities which displays in its performances. nevertheless, there’s scope to fix to loopholes and expand its brand techniques to get the very best gain of advertising and marketing and branding techniques.

Reference

1. Apple.com, 2020, official websites of apple, available at: www.apple.com
2. Brandongaille.com, 2020, target market, available at: https://brandongaille.com/18-appletarget-market-demographics/
3. Cnbc.com, 2020, apple business partners, available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2011/08/25/10-Significant-Apple-Business-Partners.html
4. Ft.com, 2020, top 100 company in the world, available at: https://www.ft.com/content/3a3419f4-78b1-11e9-be7d-6d846537acab
5. Gustafson, T. and Chabot, B., 2007. Brand awareness. Cornell Maple Bulletin, 105, pp.1-5.
6. Heracleous, L., 2013. Quantum strategy at apple inc. Organizational Dynamics, 42(2), pp.92-99.
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8. Marketing91.com, 2020, apple competitor, available at: https://www.marketing91.com/apple-competitors/
9. Methodology.net, 2020, targeting and positioning, available at: https://research-methodology.net/apple-segmentation-targeting-and-positioning/
10. Neilpatel.com, 2020, marketing strategies of apple company, available at: https://neilpatel.com/blog/7-key-strategies-that-you-must-learn-from-apples-marketing/
11. Silvestri, C., Cirilli, M., Zecchini, M., Muleo, R. and Ruggieri, A., 2018. Consumer acceptance of the new red-fleshed apple variety. Journal of Food Products Marketing, 24(1), pp.1-21.
12. Tang, X., 2009, February. Qualitative meta-synthesis techniques for analysis of public opinions for in-depth study. In International Conference on Complex Sciences (pp. 2338-2353). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

Luxury Market in India

Overview

Luxury adds to pleasure and comfort which is more than just necessity. Luxury provides satisfaction at two levels i.e. product and experiential. The products satisfy the functional aspects like craftsmanship, design, exceptional product capabilities, technology, etc while, experiential brings a reward of possessing a coveted item, association with hierarchical brand and status.

Currently, the luxury market in India is valued at $18.5 billion which is expected to grow to $100 billion in next the 7-8 years. As per reports, the economic growth leads to urbanization and high disposable income which has helped drive the growth of the luxury market.

The Tier I and Tier II cities account for 45% of the luxury market in India. The market which was earlier restricted to the top of the pyramid is witnessing a change in its consumer base – traveled and most informed middle class. The penetration of luxury brands in these markets is also because of the growing usage of internet and easy access to information with increasing Smartphone users.

The biggest change in the consumer trend is that because of travel and penetration of media, the people are becoming more aware and conscious and they want to consume the best of global brands. Also, there has been a significant increase in the aspirational class which adds to the number of consumers in the city.

Challenges faced by luxury brands

1. Lack of infrastructure
2. Counterfeit products
3. High tax rates
4. Rental costs

Top five trends in Luxury Market

1. Growth of Luxury in Non-Metro cities. While Mumbai and Delhi have the highest numbers of UHNWI, there are specific super rich segments such as diamond merchants in Surat, machine tool exporter in Punjab, etc that are the key growth drivers of the luxury market in India.
2. Growth of Affordable Luxury segment in India. With increasing internet penetration there has been an emergence of a new segment of first-time luxury buyers which has been exploited by the luxury car makers at the fullest by launching the entry-level models backed with attractive financial schemes. This segment has a taste and uses luxury goods to flaunt their success.
3. Innovation in premium Electronics gadgets & appliances. There has been an increase in the usage of wearable tech gadgets for leisure and health such as smartwatches, fitness bands, etc. Also, there has been an increase in the demand of high-end panel TV’s, multi-door refrigerator, etc
4. New age luxury Indian consumer. In additional to the traditional luxury buyers, there is an increase in the younger HNIs with high disposable income and high spenders in non-traditional avenues. Today luxury is shifting from ‘having’ to ‘being’ – from owning a luxury to experiencing a luxury. Today the young HNIs are looking for novel experience instead of owning a product.
5. Regulatory Mechanism. The opening of FDI in single brand retail and roll out of GST has minimized the traditional deterrents to certain extent

Consumer Trends

1. The consumer is more traveled hence more informed and aware of the brands
2. Demand for experience is more
3. Pertaining to the Indian culture, brands are launching tailor-made designs
4. Demand for customization is increasing
5. Consumers are moving towards self-indulgence
6. Today consumers are not logo driven, they give more preference to experiential value and product authenticity
7. Digitalization has brought a big change in the way consumers shop. Now, consumers explore products online hence it has become important for brands to provide experience value at online platforms also
8. Earlier consumers were influenced by what bollywood or Hollywood celebrities are wearing, but today they are more influenced by the social influencer. They follow the fashion bloggers to see new trends.
9. Mumbai and Delhi has the highest HNWI but tier 2 and tier costumers are outpacing their counterparts

Bags Luxury Market in India

The Brand Story

Customer Profile

Gucci’s target market has primarily included celebrities, fashionistas, the wealthy, and the upper class. The target audience has now been expanded to include upper-middle-class women. Their current customers are both male and female having age in 25-50. They have added a new target market with children’s collection. It distributes its products through owned stores, websites, distributors, and retailers. As of December 2016, it has 520 company-owned stores globally which is helping the company in generating 34% revenue from Asia Pacific and 21 % revenue from Western Europe. In the first three quarters of 2017, around 55 percent of Gucci’s sales were made to consumers younger than 35, according to a report by consultancy firm Bain & Company last October indicating that the wabi-sabi is obsessed with Gucci. Reflecting on their clothing choices it is believed that a typical Gucci customer is fond of bright colours and prints, with a retro/vintage feel

Brand Story and Inception

The first Gucci shop was founded in Florence in 1921, and it is from here that the legendary history of its founder Guccio Gucci and his company earned fame. Their designs were inspired by horseracing, and his company swiftly became known for its incredible level of craftsmanship. In 1932 Guccio created the first loafer shoe with a gilded snaffle, as well as a wonderful selection of luggage and the famous handbags with a bamboo handle, was seen mostly in the arms of high profile people. Boutiques started to gain attention everywhere, and the glamorous ‘GG’ symbol which is still being used, was created in the 1960

Business Strategy

Business Level strategy is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments, actions, used to gain a competitive advantage by exploiting core competencies in specific product markets. When the firm is able to satisfy a group of customers by using its competitive advantages to compete in markets we can say that Strategic competitiveness has given results. Therefore, Gucci’s management creates an effective relationship with customers by answering questions related to the issues of ‘who’, ‘what’, and ‘how’.

By considering the factors such as demographic factors (age and income), social economy (high- income), psychological (lifestyle, personality), and consumption pattern (heavy, moderate), Gucci tends to identify “who” the target customer is that it will be serving.

After deciding who it will serve, Gucci identifies the needs (“what”) of the targeted customer that is luxury goods. Gucci determines which of its products will have benefit on prestige and esteem of the consumers with the very best product features from the raw materials. That’s why; people who are Gucci’s loyal customers are willing to pay premium prices to get the value of Gucci’s products.

Gucci also uses its core competencies (“how”) to implement value-creating strategies and thereby satisfy customers’ needs. Gucci created sophisticated store consumption experience that was dramatic and highly recognizable and they ensured that all the products are presented to customers in a way that it capitalizes on the exclusivity and ultimate allure of the brand.

Focused differentiation strategy is chosen by Gucci group which helps them in differentiating their products in many ways. Gucci is also able to complete various primary and support activities of each brand consolidated in a competitively superior manner to develop and sustain a competitive advantage also to earn premium returns. The activities required used by Gucci are the six key dimensions that defined their brand stabilization strategy, which are:

• Re-established control of Gucci product design and manufacture
• Re-established control over Gucci product distribution
• Create a balanced product portfolio for a luxury brand
• Establish a luxury marketing communications platform
• Create a luxury brand consumption experience
• Hiring Tom Ford as a creative director – to design direction and control

Furthermore, this strategy also has the purpose of creating difference between the firm’s position and those of its competitors, by performing activity differently or performing different activities.

Brand Strategy

Gucci has been linked to ‘Made in Italy’ by customers which is a synonym of art & fashion and has for performance Gucci was high-quality craftsmanship with a unique design.

1. Expand Target Audience. To appeal to the younger audience and be regarded as a brand that has matured with aristocratic lines, in early 90’s Gucci incorporated a trendy brand in addition to its mature line. This strategy helped Gucci to accelerate its international appeal and reach out to wider audience.
2. Care about customers. The brand tailored its lines of products to ensure that it perfectly matches the taste and preferences of the customer. To achieve it, they performed in-depth market research about the client base to establish their ambitions, taste, and needs.
3. Adopt a range of marketing technique. Unlike other brands, Gucci has embraced all the technological changes and has been seen across a wide range of marketing platforms like social media, online ads, offline promotions, etc. While adopting all the techniques, Gucci ensured that traditional approaches remain effective.
4. Focus on brand positioning and strategic orientation. Focusing on the message and image the brand is creating in front of its customer, the brand has strategically oriented itself to appeal to its customers’ self-worth, prestige, status, and image.

In addition to the above, Marco Bizzarri, CEO and Alessandro Michele, the creative director decided that talking to millennial’ is important while preserving its loyal customer base. They created strong communities that indirectly and strongly promote the brand (Brand Resonance). They used influencers and celebrities to promote the renewal of the brand and its iconic logo (Brand Imagery and Salience).

Technology has been efficiently used by Gucci to make e-shop better which includes fastening the delivery and creating affordable products adorned with newly launched logo.

Brand Communication

Retail Strategy

Worldwide Boutique Network

Online Strategy

For Gucci, its digital strategy reflects:

• Gucci has a Brand First channel second mentality with a visually engaging, fully functioning e-commerce store with full product offerings on sale. Their social media strategy is to do what it needs to do without overreaching. The e-commerce store aims to put its most recent ready-to-wear collections on sale alongside its lower-priced items.
• Shopping Gucci online is an experience that reflects its runways: the ready-to-wear look is sold as pieces of the outfit that appeared on the catwalk. The site manages to sell the Gucci brand — through visually rich imagery, some video and its content page ‘The Agenda’ — where it doesn’t sacrifice its functionality while respecting quality.
• The site is designed to represent the life of a Gucci woman in a smart and subtle way.
• The website offers different benefits like free returns, find-in-store options, product information and gift wrapping. Gucci also places customer services options on each product page, so that customers can easily get in touch with salespersons- thus increasing customer convenience online.
• The visually rich imagery of Gucci has always projected an aura of elitism and luxury. The website features a plethora of high quality visual content which features the collection and campaigns of the brand. This is combined with features like viewing in multiple angles, zooming photos for further convenience.
• Gucci’s media include their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Google+ and Pinterest. Their website allows customers to shop the latest seasons and also has a feature called ‘stories’. This is essentially an online magazine entirely for Gucci; it is updated every few days with Gucci news such as new fragrance launches, new collection shoots or products and celebrities wearing Gucci. Gucci shoots its different bag products are taken fairly frequently so there are lots of different campaigns that are uploaded very often.

Gucci promotes its products exhaustively online while focusing on providing the information and lineage that the product carries with it.

Competition

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton established in 1984, headquartered in Paris, France is considered one of the most luxury brands in the world and has a brand value of $28.4 billion. Their products are majorly into the category of handbags, accessories, leather goods, ready to wear and fragrances. They operate in approximately 50 countries and products are sold through main chains of stores, retailers and online stores. Customers are fond of the luggage of LV as it has a great brand image. The design teams involved in the production of Louis Vuitton products are the top class in the world. Due to their strong connection with quality and their brand value, Louis Vuitton is one of the most liked brands in the world.

Prada

Prada is a luxury fashion company that is based out of Italy. This company produces various products that fall into categories like cosmetics, clothing, fashion, jewellery, leather handbags and many more. Their products are available both through various retail stores and online. It has about 620 stores worldwide so that they are easily available to their customers. It is a brand which lays great attention on luxury and is considered one of the most recognized brands worldwide. Each of their products is unique and produced with great quality. Prada is actively involved in various shows to market their products to widen the scope of the audience.

Versace

Versace is an Italian fashion company established in the year 1978 and headquartered in Milan, Italy. Their main collection of products is leather accessories and ready to wear. The logo of Versace is the head of a Greek mythological figure, Medusa which symbolises elegance. Versace sells their products through 200 retail outlets. The brand has great loyal customers as it provides great quality and designs

Chanel

Chanel is a private fashion company headquartered in France, established in the year 1909 by Coco Chanel. Its main production includes manufacturing of luxury goods, fashion accessories and ready to wear. This brand is majorly famous in countries like America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Their products are sold in about 120 boutiques, both through department stores and through online. The company’s brand value is approximately estimated $7 billion. They try to achieve customer satisfaction through their unique designs and quality

Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), founded in Paris in 1961, is known as an incredibly popular luxury fashion brand. They are known for timeless handbag designs that spell luxury as no other brand would do. Some of their most beloved pieces include the Muse Bag, costing $18,990 and is available in two sizes; the Classic Duffle 24 retailing for $2,990; and the Monogram SL Chain Wallet sold for $1,490. In their recent transformation, they gave up their first name “Yves”. YSL symbolises the confidence and elegance for feminine, self-assured and strong-minded woman.

Perceptual Mapping

Brand Prism

Gucci has a very strong brand identity and they communicate a perception of high-quality craftsmanship along with innovative and bold design. The brand’s personality is reflected in their customers who are eclectic, contemporary and romantic. Gucci through every communication portrays that its users get a feeling of confidence and internal pride while the brand also focuses on high quality, comfort and support. The Gucci brand of today is eclectic, romantic and above all contemporary.

They also very clearly depict their country of origin i.e. Italy in their identity, by evoking the feelings amongst customers that Gucci products represent the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship. Today more than ever, Gucci’s brand value is reflected in the perfect balance between its Florentine and Italian heritage and its reputation as a fashion leader.

This strong identity is the reason why their relationship with their customers is highly personal. When a customer looks in the mirror and sees Gucci they see that the brand is reflected back in them because of which the stereotypical consumer will feel influential, innovative and progressive- much like the brand itself.

The brand identity of prism can be analysed as:

Thus we can see that Gucci as a brand has reinvented itself by disrupting the fashion industry with its bold, eccentric, printed and embroidered collection of bags. The brand image shows the receiver to be a fashionable, modern, glamorous one only belonging to the ‘privileged’ few. The consumers get an image of being confident and successful while belonging to the modern world when they purchase the product of the brand.

Brand Report Card

Traditionally luxury has been associated with exclusivity, status and quality. But in present times, this definition of luxury has changed with ‘New Luxury’ been defined as products/services that possess high levels of quality, taste, and aspirations. They are not as out of reach to the new age consumer segments. Luxury today is the experience gathered from the ‘Intangibles’ rather than possessing a set of tangibles. The brand identity of Gucci bags is about: Hype, luxury, essence, Youth, ethics.

On analysis of Gucci on the different elements that a luxury brand must possess the following observations were noticed:

• Brand Values: Gucci values are deeply embedded in ethics. Quality remains the main priority but they try to elaborate upon this in lines of Sustainability: People and environment are a part of their Quality concept. The brand operates in a transparent, ethical manner and encourages its supply chain to adopt similar responsible business patterns.
• Brand Personality: Gucci through its bags has always focused to provide individualistic experience that empowers its users. They talk about how their customers are ‘fiery’ and successful just like their products. They have brought different range of products in their bag category and attached specific ‘empowering’ adjectives to each one that defines the user uniquely.
• Brand Image: On a survey conducted, Gucci bags were perceived by the users as products for the ‘exclusive young adults’. Gucci gives high importance to maintain its aura of exclusivity which is well embedded within the public. Gucci bags are known to represent the luxury, trendy, young and hype. It is perceived that Gucci is the brand celebrities use for their bags and hence is the ‘trend to follow’
• Brand Positioning: Gucci competes with LV, Prada, Versace, and Chanel with similar products and more or less similar target market. Gucci gives high focus on premium pricing as well as prominently displaying its brand logo and promote exclusivity.
• Brand Lineage: Gucci gives high importance to its brand story, where the consumers are given a feel of belonging to an age old lineage while at the same time consuming something ‘modern’. They have a well woven brand story and continue to take their legacy forward with every product in their bag category
• Use of technology: Gucci’s media include their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google+ and Pinterest. Their website allows customers to shop the latest seasons and also has a feature called ‘stories’. This is essentially an online magazine entirely for Gucci; it is updated every few days with Gucci news such as new fragrance launches, new collection shoots or products and celebrities wearing Gucci. Gucci shoots its different bag products are taken fairly frequently so there are lots of different campaigns that are uploaded very often.
• Brand Relevance and Consistency: Gucci has kept their famous GG logo and font for a long time marking consistency. However, the creative directors have used their personal ideas to structure the product design and ad campaigns to reflect the consumers at that time.

Road Map

References:

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The formation of personal value is subtle. It is related to the environment where he/she grows. It is also related to what he/she learned from the people she stayed with since he/she was a child. Moreover, what he/she learned from the book, video, and the experience. A good reputation is important for a company. A good reputation is a unique resource that a company has to enhance its competitiveness in all aspects of business operations. The truth from “Electronic Office Equipment in Malaysia” and the article “How do Company Reputation and Perceived Price Influence Customer Loyalty in the Chinese personal financial planning industry?” all proved that reputation can help companies make a profit.

Benevolence and hedonism are the two most important things for me. My grandmother is a very kind person. I grew up with her and she took care of me for a long time when I was a child. I think I learned benevolence from her. Benevolence would influence people’s perceptions and choices. It is also related to economic status (HONGXIA LI, & GUOQUAN CHEN, 2018). People who have better economic status prefer to do more kind behaviors. In another hand, people who are poor need to worry about money more when they want to do some benevolence things. “Further, the benevolence-dependability value of individuals of higher perceived socioeconomic status did not have a significant effect on intertemporal choice. In contrast, the benevolence-dependability value of those of lower perceived socioeconomic status significantly affected their intertemporal choice.” (HONGXIA LI, & GUOQUAN CHEN, 2018) People whose socioeconomic status is lower would more care about the result of the moment according to their benevolence-dependability value. Kindness is the foundation of being a human being and the inner essence of human beings.

I also learned hedonism from videos and books. Happiness is the purpose of life, the highest goodness born. However, different happiness should be distinguished. Unleash the fear of the gods and death, control the desires, stay away from politics, carefully measure and choose the things of happiness and pain, and achieve the health of the body and peace of mind. This is the purpose of life. I like hedonism because I don’t know death and the future which is coming early, so I need to enjoy it now. According to Feldman, “Truth-Adjusted Intrinsic Attitudinal Hedonism”. It indicated that the intrinsic value of life is the problem of the true adjustment of its inner attitude to happiness (Feldman, 2001). I am a satisfied guy. I do not require a lot of money and rights. I only want to get what I deserve; I won’t let them go. I would feel happy that I get what belongs to me and do not require more. In another hand, Hedonism makes people pursue material enjoyment and physical happiness, and it is easy for people to fall into a state of depression and lack of enterprising spirit. I would take care of it and avoid squandering money, material, and time, pursing material enjoyment as the sole purpose and fun of life.

Introduction:

With the development of the times, enterprises are facing more complicated economic, political, and cultural environments, and market competition is becoming more intense. Scholars have begun to look for competitive advantages in the field of intangible assets. Corporate reputation is an intangible asset that can bring sustainable competitive advantages and is valued by more and more companies. Studies have shown that corporate reputation has a certain impact on brand loyalty, and corporate reputation will enhance or weaken consumers’ brand loyalty to the company. Emphasis on corporate reputation building, cultivating consumer brand loyalty to corporate products/services, and adopting appropriate product strategies can enhance the competitiveness of enterprises in the market. More and more companies have recognized the importance of corporate reputation and brand loyalty, but when many issues are intertwined, they are often confused.

Corporate reputation and brand loyalty:

Corporate reputation is an overall evaluation of a company’s relevant interest groups based on their past, present, and future behaviors, based on their own experience and relevant information of their major competitors. After experiencing price competition, quality competition, and service competition, enterprises have reached the stage of reputation competition. Consumers are paying more and more attention to the responsibilities of companies in society, not just the products of enterprises. Consumers make purchasing decisions and are increasingly focusing on non-commercial factors such as corporate ethics, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility (The Economist, 1995). As markets and consumers become more complex, the value of intangible assets becomes more prominent, such as corporate reputation and brand loyalty. For some companies, corporate reputation is an important source of competitive advantage and is supported by shareholders. For others, corporate reputation is an important intangible asset that can effectively protect companies when they encounter difficulties (FombrunandvanRiel, 2004).

Reputation is one of the most important determinants of social behavior (Bromley, 1993). Enterprises have a reputation among different stakeholder groups, and their reputations will vary according to different groups (The Economist, 1995). At present, corporate reputation research mainly focuses on the definition and measurement of reputation, and the relationship between corporate reputation and other intangible assets of enterprises is less studied.

Brand loyalty is a deeply committed psychological commitment of consumers to consistently purchase a good product/service in the future, including consumer attitude loyalty and behavioral loyalty. Brand loyalty is another important intangible asset of a company. Through successful brands, companies can gain competitive advantages, including brand extension, brand association, resistance to competitors’ promotion pressure, and barriers to entry. From the perspective of consumers, brand loyalty is studied. When more than half of consumers consume, they show considerable enthusiasm for products with good reputations and negative attitudes toward products with bad reputations.

The impact of corporate reputation on brand loyalty

GrahamandHelen (2005) argues that for most consumers, the quality and price of a product are more important than reputation. BronnandVrioni (2001) also believes that when more than half of consumers make purchasing decisions, the first consideration is quality and price, then the actual behavior of the company, and this is a basis for the importance of corporate reputation.

In this paper, when we study the factors affecting brand loyalty, we focus on the impact of product quality and price and take the quality and price of products as adjustment variables. It is found that there is a close relationship between corporate reputation and brand equity. Regardless of product quality and price, corporate reputation has a significant impact on brand loyalty. Corporate reputation is significantly positively correlated with brand loyalty, indicating that corporate reputation is an important factor in brand loyalty.

In the case of better-quality products provided by enterprises, corporate reputation has a significant impact on brand loyalty. Corporate reputation and brand loyalty are significantly and positively correlated. This indicates that in this case, corporate reputation is an important factor in brand loyalty and corporate reputation is enhanced. After that, brand loyalty will be significantly enhanced accordingly. In the general quality of products provided by enterprises, corporate reputation has a certain impact on brand loyalty. Corporate reputation is positively related to brand loyalty, indicating that in this case, corporate reputation is one of the influencing factors of brand loyalty. Brand loyalty to the company will also increase, but companies should also consider other influencing factors. When the quality of products provided by enterprises is poor, the reputation of the company is not significantly related to brand loyalty. This shows that the reputation of the company has little influence on brand loyalty, and it also strongly explains the reasons why the brand loyalty of consumers is low when the reputation of the company is high.

Comparing the impact of corporate reputation on brand loyalty under different quality conditions, we can find that the better the quality, the higher the relevance of corporate reputation to brand loyalty, and the higher the impact. Therefore, product quality can be considered to have a significant regulatory effect on corporate reputation and brand loyalty.

When the price of products provided by enterprises is high, corporate reputation has a certain impact on brand loyalty. Corporate reputation is significantly related to brand loyalty, but the degree of correlation is not high, indicating that in this case, corporate reputation is only the influencing factor of brand loyalty. First, the enhancement of corporate reputation has a certain role in promoting brand loyalty, but companies should also consider other factors. When the price of enterprise products is moderate, corporate reputation has a significant impact on brand loyalty. Corporate reputation is significantly related to brand loyalty, indicating that in this case, corporate reputation is an important factor in brand loyalty, and the improvement of corporate reputation will lead to brand loyalty. Enhanced. When the price of enterprise products is low, corporate reputation has a more significant impact on brand loyalty. Corporate reputation is significantly related to brand loyalty, indicating that when product prices are low, corporate reputation is an important factor in brand loyalty, improving corporate reputation and consumption. Brand loyalty has a positive effect.

Compare the impact of corporate reputation on brand loyalty at different price points: the lower the price, the higher the relevance of corporate reputation to brand loyalty and the greater the impact. In other words, product prices have a significant regulatory effect on corporate reputation and brand loyalty.

Conclusion

Corporate reputation has an important impact on brand loyalty and is an intangible asset that is very important to enterprises. Brand loyalty is of great significance to enterprises. To gain an advantage in fierce market competition, enterprises must strengthen the cultivation of corporate reputation and brand loyalty. The improvement of corporate reputation has a significant impact on the strengthening of brand loyalty. For companies, fostering and maintaining a good corporate reputation is a strategic act.

For companies with poor reputations, consumers will hardly generate strong brand loyalty to the company; for companies with good reputations, the brand loyalty of consumers may be strong or weak. This means that it is difficult for consumers to establish strong brand loyalty to companies with poor reputations, but a good corporate reputation does not ensure that consumers have strong brand loyalty to the company. When a company has a good reputation, the quality and price of the product have an important impact on the strongness of brand loyalty. When the company’s products have a good price/performance ratio, such as excellent product quality and relatively low price, a good corporate reputation is an important guarantee for consumers’ strong brand loyalty.

Background

Consumer behavior & customer commitment both are the most discussed topic in the market from past few years. The purpose of this research is to seek out how consumer behavior & consumer commitment affects the brand loyalty of any product or service. The value the customer provides to the firm is the conclusion of his commitment and loyalty to the product and service. This study also helps in the concluding methodology, design, approach to describe the relationship between the customer loyalty and customer commitment. There is a little research on commitment and loyalty with respect to brand seeking behavior. Although the commitment and particular behavior of the consumer contract an experience due to growing competition in the market producer might face some of the advantages and disadvantages on the other end the marketer keeps on looking for the different ways to gain customers attention. Market tells us that sustaining the customer for the longer terms gives the advantage in competing in the market place. Loyal customer is created by opting different marketing techniques which does not only gains customers’ attention on the other end the customer also becomes loyal to the brand for longer term. Customer becomes loyal when the company gives the positive intention toward the customer and that is how the trust is gained which helps them competing in the market.

Recent researchers focus on brand experience, brand personality brand trust and brand attachment. The brand image and customer satisfaction are very powerful weapons in the field of marketing. Customer becomes loyal to the brand when the customers realize that they are given attention for example if the customer gets good attention from the salespersons than they become loyal to them. On the other end the customer’s satisfaction is another indicator of brand loyalty i.e. if a customer is satisfied the customer becomes loyal to the brand if the customers doesn’t gets the desired satisfaction the customer may never become loyal and may never visit the brand again which becomes the issue for the brand which in un-ignorable. The customer is committed towards the brand when the desire is completely fulfilled which puts a positive effect on the brand loyalty.

Objectives/hypothesis

The objective of the study is how to further the understanding of consumer behavior & consumer commitment with respect to the experience provided to the customer on the brand loyalty of any product or service.

• To check the relationship of commitment and behavior of consumer.
• To check and relate the relationship of commitment and behavior in seeking experience of brands.
• To check the direct effect of experience on brand loyalty.

Organization of Study

At first the introduction & Background of the study is discussed which tells us about how consumer behavior and consumer commitment affects the brand loyalty. At Second point the objectives of the study & hypotheses are described i.e. how to further the understanding. At third the literature view is described briefly, after that the theoretical trends, methods & materials, Data Analysis and Interpretation is done and at last the conclusion is made.

Literature Review

The examination inspected the connections among different develops identifying with the administration of an association’s clients. Specifically, the examination explored the multidimensional builds of duty and devotion and the impact of an unwaveringness program on these measurements and utilize the clear research plan Marshall, N. W. (2010). Measurably noteworthy contrasts were found in Income level by the diverse brand measurements like social, culture and there is no factually critical distinction in measurement of Personal and mental. Toward the finish of the investigation suggestions and end were given and utilized the factual Descriptive Statistics. Kumar, A. H., John, S. F., and Senith, S. (2014).

The existing exploration and writing encompassing the brand experience build is broad. Be that as it may, it isn’t completely clear in regards to this present build’s relationship to mark reliability. While a few creators guarantee that it influences brand dependability legitimately, others have discovered that it is a reliant variable, which alone does not have any quick impact on brand unwaveringness Maheshwari, V., Lodorfos, G., and Jacobsen, S. (2014). Client steadfastness is a theme of incredible enthusiasm for showcasing researchers because of its significance in increasing maintainable upper hands and financial results. Writing is prolific of works with respect to client steadfastness and brand the board. So as to improve the amount and nature of research productions, look into subjects mapping of distributed examinations is required Tartaglione, A. M., Cavacece, Y., Russo, G., and Granata, G. (2019).

The present article utilizes a hypothetical model from research on relational connections, the speculation display, to anticipate brand responsibility. The venture display utilizes three factors – fulfillment, options and speculation – to dimension of relationship responsibility Sung, Y., and Campbell, W. K. (2009). The target of this examination is to investigate the immediate and circuitous impact of brand involvement on brand reliability and brand frame of mind. The examination includes in choosing quick moving customer merchandise classification as the example item. The examination utilized advantageous testing strategies to gather the information Rajumesh, S. (2014). This examination exactly endeavors to talk about this specific issue by looking at the connection between brand mindfulness and brand faithfulness. Likewise, it tries to research the intervention job of brand duty in beginning relationship to handle the blended outcomes in the earlier endeavors. The information were gathered from clients of Islamic bank brand in Mafraq Governorate in Jordan. PLS-SEM systems were connected to an example of 90 clients to test speculated connections. The outcomes uncovered that brand mindfulness and brand duty have a huge and positive association with brand steadfastness Alkhawaldeh, An., Al-Salaymeh, M., Alshare, F., and Eneizan, B. M. (2017). The paper investigates the surviving writing on client unwaveringness and brings out seven factors which are in charge of arrangement of client dedication.

Further, the overall significance of these factors has been learned through Multiple Regression Analysis which uncovered that administration quality and responsibility are the most grounded indicators of client faithfulness in the Indian extra security industry Rai, A. K., and Medha, S. (2013). The Findings uncovered that brand experience legitimately and emphatically influenced buyer fulfillment, brand trust and brand unwaveringness. What’s more, it was discovered that brand experience indirectly affected brand reliability through both buyer fulfillment and brand trust. All the more explicitly, it was discovered that the impact of brand understanding on customer fulfillment and brand trust was considerably more dominant than its immediate impact on brand reliability BAŞER, I. U., CİNTAMÜR, I. G., and ARSLAN, F. M. (2015). Should mark faithfulness be considered as measurement of brand equity Oran result of brand value or as a directing element that goes about as a middle person between attitudinal steadfastness and social dependability should be affirmed? The present research is sought after to affirm such connections. A ‘complete example of300 respondents were chosen from Jammu city in India to accumulate information on brand dependability and brand value from the clients of Jammu human services administrations. Scale thing investigation, both EFA and CFA examination were connected for conclusion of scale and model testing separately. Chahal, H., and Bala, M. (2010). Consumer loyalty and brand dependability have been tended to as showcasing objectives for some organizations. Showcasing experts believe dependability to be a multidimensional marvel. Notwithstanding the discoveries of numerous inquiries about that fulfillment has a critical great effect on brand devotion and a genuine re-buy conduct of same brand prompts long haul business benefits Awan, A. G., and Rehman, A. U. (2014).

The consequences of SEM show that there is a solid connection between consumer loyalty and brand picture. The consequence of SEM likewise shows that there is a solid connection between Brand Image and Loyalty expectation and the connection between Customer fulfillment and Loyalty goal was discovered minimal feeble. While the roundabout connection between consumer loyalty and devotion goal by means of brand picture was observed to be extremely solid. The proportion of advantage of brand picture was comprised of Functional, Social, Symbolic, experiential and appearances improve. Auxiliary Equation Modeling was utilized in the present examination through AMOS 16 Upamannyu, N. K., and Bhakar, S. S. (2014). The paper manages the consequences of the essential research which design was to analyze the effect of brand on affecting shoppers to buy an item. The objective of the paper is to stretch the way that the brand affects client decision making process. Unique essential information inside the essential research were gathered by utilizing a quantitative technique for poll Chovanová, H. H., Korshunov, A. I., and Babčanová, D. (2015). The makeup goliaths have been enchanted by India in a hypnotizing way. Because of which the Indian Cosmetic Industry has seen fast development in the recent years. According to the reports of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the magnificence and restorative industry which is as of now esteemed at around $ 4.6 billion, is assessed to develop between 18-20 percent for each annum in the following couple of years (Dwarakanath, 2015), The present research goes for investigating how brand steadfastness impacts the purchasing conduct of female shoppers with reference to make-up makeup Srivastava, M. (2015). Brand learning is a critical factor. As the buyer is progressively mindful of the brand and he has all the information about its value, quality and so on, the more he will be pulled in towards that brand. The faithfulness level increments with the age. Family is the most powerful reference gathering. The buyers, who are increasingly social, are influenced by their companions like on Facebook. The customers who are more status cognizant are more status obvious than the individuals who are not status cognizant Sarwar, F., Aftab,M.,andIqbal,M.T.(2014).

Theoretical Trends

This study aims to find the direct impact of customer commitment & customer behavior on brand loyalty. The framework of the study is shown in the model. Strong competition and rapid technological developments in various sectors made the firms aiming to increase their market shares by gaining more customers protect their market shares. The way to protect their market shares is to create customer loyalty. The firms with loyal customer portfolios protect their existence for a long time by making their customers repeat purchases. Therefore, there are several studies in the literature about the investigation of variables affecting brand loyalty.

Determinants of Brand Loyalty

Brand loyalty is the tendency of consumers to continuously purchase one brand’s products over another. Consumer behavior patterns demonstrate that consumers will continue to buy products from a company that has fostered a trusting relationship. Loyalty is extremely beneficial to businesses as it leads to repeat purchases by consumers, higher revenues, and customer referrals.

Customer Lifetime Value

Customer lifetime value (CLV) is a marketing metric used to see how valuable repeat customers are to your business. In this lesson, we’ll define CLV, learn how to calculate it, and discuss how it could influence your customer loyalty program.

Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction indicates the fulfillment that customers derive from doing business with a firm. In other words, it’s how happy the customers are with their transaction and overall experience with the company.

Consumer Behavior

Consumer behavior is the study of how individual customers, groups or organizations select, buy, use, and dispose ideas, goods, and services to satisfy their needs and wants. It refers to the actions of the consumers in the marketplace and the underlying motives for those actions.

Brand loyalty

Brand loyalty is the tendency of consumers to continuously purchase one brand’s products over another. Consumer behavior patterns demonstrate that consumers will continue to buy products from a company that has fostered a trusting relationship.

References

1. Marshall, N. W. (2010). Commitment, loyalty and customer lifetime value: investigating the relationships among key determinants. Journal of Business & Economics Research, 8(8), 67-84.
2. Kumar, A. H., John, S. F., & Senith, S. (2014). A Study on factors influencing consumer buying behavior in cosmetic Products. International journal of scientific and research publications, 4(9), 1-6.
3. Maheshwari, V., Lodorfos, G., & Jacobsen, S. (2014). Determinants of brand loyalty: A study of the experience-commitment-loyalty constructs.
4. Tartaglione, A. M., Cavacece, Y., Russo, G., & Granata, G. (2019). A Systematic Mapping Study on Customer Loyalty and Brand Management. Administrative Sciences, 9(1), 1-21.
5. Sung, Y., & Campbell, W. K. (2009). Brand commitment in consumer–brand relationships: An investment model approach. Journal of Brand Management, 17(2), 97-113.
6. Rajumesh, S. (2014). The impact of consumer experience on brand loyalty: The mediating role of brand attitude. International Journal of Management and Social Sciences Research (IJMSSR), 3(1), 73-79.
7. Alkhawaldeh, A., Al-Salaymeh, M., Alshare, F., & Eneizan, B. M. (2017). The Effect of Brand Awareness on Brand Loyalty: Mediating Role of Brand Commitment. European Journal of Business and Management, 9(36).
8. Rai, A. K., & Medha, S. (2013). The antecedents of customer loyalty: An empirical investigation in life insurance context. Journal of Competitiveness, 5(2), 139-163.
9. BAŞER, İ. U., CİNTAMÜR, İ. G., & ARSLAN, F. M. (2015). EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF BRAND EXPERIENCE ON CONSUMER SATISFACTION, BRAND TRUST AND BRAND LOYALTY. Marmara University Journal of Economic & Administrative Sciences, 37(2).
10. Chahal, H., & Bala, M. (2010). Confirmatory study on brand equity and brand loyalty: a special look at the impact of attitudinal and behavioural

Car Audio system has undergone major revolution to become the most popular accessory in a car today. A good car audio system offers a moment of relaxation while a person is on the move. Depending on the mode, there are those who like it loud, while others prefer soothing music. It has become the most preferred mobile source for news and travel information and updates.

1930 saw the emergence of the first commercially fitted car audio, when two brothers, Joseph V. Galvin and Joseph E. Galvin, of Galvin Manufacturing Corporation, introduced the first car Audio system, Motorola 5T71. The radio was named Motorola, a name derived from two words, ‘Motor’ for motion and ‘Ola’ for sound. Other companies who joined the race for car audio manufacturing maintained the suffix “ola” in naming their car audio product. Forty years later, the first car audio amplifier was invented, with more and more refined devices and components being developed to meet the user demands and withstand vibrations and temperatures in the automobile.

Early cars Audio of the 30s were nothing more than a radio receiver system running on a 6.3 volts battery. Later development in-car electrical system which made cars run on 12 volts battery led to the development of audio systems that could run on 12 volts battery.

Blaupunkt is one of the car audio manufacturing companies credited with some of the major breakthroughs in-car audio systems. In 1952, this German-based company introduced the first Fm receiver car audio. Later advancement in the FM receiver shows the steeping in of the station ‘seek’ function, which allowed the car audio user to tune a station by simply pressing the tune button. With companies like Philips joining the growing car audio industry in the 80s, the first car audio with tape players was introduced.

The 1990s completely changed the face of car audio with the introduction of a compact disk (CD) player car audio system. The CD, for the first time, produced high-quality sound in cars. The demand for such an audio system made Automaker realize that consumers were after quality sound in quality Automobile. This led to the production of a fully integrated car audio system in the car. Various sound aspects of the audio system could now be controlled from the steering wheel and remote consoles.

Today, common car audio equipment will have a Radio, Tape player, and a CD player. Some CD players produced in the recent past have USB, WI-FI, and Bluetooth support. CD changer and CD recorder are other features common with the modern car audio CD player. DVD players with LCD touch screens are the most recent development in the car audio system. The screens are mounted on the roof and on the seat for viewing by the car passengers. The screens are also connected to the GPRS navigation system or parking camera to give the car occupant audio and visual guide.

Innovation in the Car audio field has led to the creation of car audio shows where people from all backgrounds, sharing the common love for car audio, meet and competes in all various aspects of the car audio system. International Auto Sound Challenge Association (IASCA) is one of the oldest organizations in-car audio competition, organizing various classes of competition for Car Audio enthusiasts from all over the world. In the US, the United States Competition International (USCA) has been organizing interstate car audio competitions on quality and innovation.

Car Audio Brands

Alpine is the leading and arguably the most famous worldwide brand of in-car audio. They have a reputation for offering cutting-edge audio performance from outputs to inputs. Alpine CD changers are the best as they are stylish and built to last. Most of their products are compatible with other car audio brands. Mercedes Benz, Land Rover, Ford, BMW, Porsche are some of the big names in the Automobile industry who fit Alpines products as their primary car audio system.

Kenwood Car audio leads in innovations, with the latest being a car radio with variable illumination colors that coordinate with the color of the dashboard. They have an excellent range of products which include amplifiers, subwoofer, speakers and CD changers. Other major brands of in-car audio are Philips, Panasonic, and Sony.

Car Audio Upgrade

Today, almost every car is sold with a CD player as a basic feature from the factory, but many people prefer to remove and upgrade the car audio in order to get better sound quality and other audio-related features. Some modern cars like the new range of Lexus and Acura TL have a great audio system, and as such most users of these cars prefer to retain the factory installation.

Analog to Digital

A common feature with modern car audio is in their operation. Modern car audio is designed to work with other electronics gadgets to offer the customer the best sound quality. Apple Company, for example, has teamed up with car audio manufacturers in customization to enable people to use their iPod with the car audio.

Another common feature is the provision of in-car audios to receive satellite radios. XM and Sirius Radio, for example, operate high-quality satellite radios which provide customers with endless entertainment, commercial, and censorship-free music and sports. These radios are replacing terrestrial FM radios at a very fast rate. Sirius also manufactures satellite capability car audio, backed by other manufacturers for other features.

The Navigation system is another common feature that has been integrated into the car audio system. This system has the capability to provide directions as well as the ability to link up with mobile phones via Bluetooth to display digitals screens to provide real-time data on important updates and traffic information. Bluetooth devices have been designed to provide a link between the phone and the car audio such that when calls come in, the Bluetooth is able to mute the Car Audio or instead of muting the radio, the caller ID is displayed on the Car Radio screen, and the call is transmitted through the speaker’s system of the car. At the moment, Panasonic Car Audio Division is in the process of developing a car audio system with the capability to provide real-time satellite imaging and mapping. Harman Kardon manufacturing company, on the other hand, has developed a device that will incorporate Sirius Radio, an iPod docking station, and Bluetooth that can be added to any audio system in a car.

Conclusion

The car audio systems have undergone major changes in terms of features and sound quality, from the 1930 Motorola car radio to today’s fully digital Alpine radio, complete with satellite receiving capability and navigation system. The automobile manufacturer has no option but to team up with major car audio manufacturers to give them a competitive edge as people become more interested in quality Car audio systems.

Reference

Andrew Yoder (1995) Auto Audio: Choosing, Installing and maintaining Car Stereo Systems, McGraw Publisher, United States.

Mark Rumreich (2002) The Car Stereo Cookbook: Design and Installation of Car audio, McGraw Publisher, United States.

Revolution in Car Audio System, Web.

Introduction

This report presents an analysis of seven different kinds of paints. The assessment was aimed at the selection of the most suitable paint for branding highway centerlines and lanes. The types of paints assessed are from six different manufacturers. The paints assessment was based on three characteristics. These include: Spraying characteristics, drying time, and visibility. Visibility was measured after three months and after six months.

Scope of work

As earlier stated, the purpose of this inspection was to assess and identify the most suitable paint for use in marking highway centerlines and lanes. White paint and yellow paints for each brand were assessed. To achieve this, Highway 17 (concrete surface) and highway 43 (asphalt surface) were used.PMA-02-28H paint manufacturing specifications and ASTM D-711 were used to gauge spraying characteristics and paint’s drying time respectively. The visibility rating was based on guidelines provided on the figure below.

Method of Testing

Testing has begun with the collection of samples of white and yellow paints from the six manufacturers for purposes of evaluation. The obtained samples were then coded as shown on Figure 2. To eliminate biased analysis, the coding list was sealed in an envelope and deposited at a local bank. Two regularly traveled highway stretches earlier mentioned were then painted with sample stripes.

The assessment was done based on three characteristics as earlier mentioned. Spraying characteristics were assessed during application based on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from excellent to poor while the drying time was measured in minutes. Visibility was measured after three months and after six months.

Testing protocol

Based on Paint Manufacturers’ Association specification PMA-02-2811, the spraying characteristics for fast drying highway should be at least “good” and preferably “very good.” The ASTM D-71 1 standard is used to establish the maximum acceptable paint drying time, which is 20 minutes. The acceptable visibility levels were set at a minimum of 7 and 6 for 3 months and 6 months respectively.

Summary of results

Based on results obtained from inspection, the following summary graphs are developed.

Table 1: Visibility (After 3 months).

Noting that the minimum visibility level after 3 months is rated at seven, WE and YQ fail to attain the desired threshold and as such are ruled out as unsuitable. Based on minimum visibility levels recorded, YR ranks highest followed by WD, WC, WF, YL, WA, YO, WB, YP, and YM in descending order.

After six months, YQ and YP fail to meet the set minimum threshold standards. Like before, YR tops the list followed by WC, WF, YL, WA, WB, WE, WG, YM, YN, AND YO in descending order.

Table 2: Visibility (after six months).

These results indicate that YR still is the best alternative followed by WC with WA, WD, WG, YL, YM, YN, and YO only managing to rich threshold limits. WB, WE, YP, and YQ fail to attain the minimum threshold limits.

YR and WC still present outstanding results as WA, WB, WF, YP, and YQ fail to attain the minimum threshold limits.

Other than showing good visibility properties, also records a “very good” rating in terms of spraying characteristics. Others recording outstanding characteristics are WA, WB. WC. WD, WE, YL, YR.

Table 3: Spraying characteristics.

Other than YM and WB, all the other paint types dry within the desired 20 minutes duration. Noting that YR and WC have so far displayed competing capability, it’s worth looking into their drying durations. While YR takes, 15 minutes, WC takes 18 minutes making YR the preferable choice among the two. WD records the shortest drying durations.

While generally, white paints show outstanding characteristics, YR displays superb results only rivaled by WC and as such, they are recommended as the best alternatives in marking highways.

Introduction: The Issues Learned

Among the issues that have been learned during the curriculum, I should mention the idea that the innovations in the sphere of hospitality industry depend considerably on the added value. Once creating the right strategy in the world where globalization is taking its toll, one should keep in mind that the innovations are the key to success; allowing people to adapt to the changes in the world, they provide certain stability at the same time.

It is also essential to mark that innovation is most likely to result in a superior process, which, in its turn, will contribute to the management of one of the 3 Ps, namely, people (out of people, process, and physical evidence). Once offering innovations into the modern world of hospitality industry, one is likely to attract more tourists, since the barriers for free trade and other limitations are eliminated with the help of globalization.

The Innovations in the Hospitality Industry

According to the researches conducted by a number of scientists, the most essential innovations in the sphere of hospitality industry concern mainly the issue of and are induced by such phenomenon as globalization. Among the most obvious changes in the sphere of hospitality industry, one should mark such phenomena as the radical innovation and the incremental innovation.

According to what Martinez-Roz & Orfila-Sintes (2009) claim, the former presuppose the use of the new attributes of hospitality industry, whereas the latter include the additional characteristic of the old, time-tested services (p. 632).

In addition, one should mark the emergence of such phenomenon as the global tourism (Peric, 2005), which is supposed to help people grow aware of the way the boundaries between countries merge with globalization.

The Positive Effects

Speaking of the positive effects of the changes induced by globalization and progress in the hotel industry, one must stress that the positive effects of the revolution in the tourism industry are obvious.

According to the results of Knowles, Diamantis & Bey El-Mourhabi’s (2004) calculations, the business sphere is going to prosper because of the surge of tourists and the decrease of the online advertising costs (p. 101). Moreover, it is essential that one of the most powerful tools, interactivity (p. 102) will be at the disposal of entrepreneurs. Hence, the business and, therefore, the state, will be prolific.

The Negative Effects

However, it cannot be doubted that with the advent of globalization, certain negative effects can also occur. According to the prognoses of the scientists, it must be admitted that the changes induced by globalization in the sphere of tourism and hospitality industry are going to result in massive job cuts and complexities in obtaining job proposal.

According to the evidence from Canada, the job opportunities in the sphere of hospitality industry are rather deplorable there already: “older people should now move on to create job opportunities for the young” (Welsh Affairs Committee, 2009, p. 278).

The Analysis of Current Hospitality Industry State

Judging from the above-mentioned, it can be concluded that the globalization effect on the changes in the hospitality industry is massive. However, it is worth noting that the negative effects of the changes must be eliminated. One of the solutions for the given problem can be attracting more tourists, which will demand more staff and, thus, reduce the job cuts (Wood & Brotherton, 2008, p. 139).

Conclusion: The Future Prospects of Hospitality Industry

There is no doubt that hospitality industry will face considerable challenges. However, with reasonable approaches, the most entangled complexities can be tackled. Therefore, the solutions offered above should be considered.

References

Knowles, T., Diamantis, D., & Bey El-Mourhabi, J., 2004. The globalization of tourism and hospitality: a strategic perspective. Stanford, CN: Cengage Learning EMEA.

Martinez-Roz, E., & Orfila-Sintes, F., 2009. Innovation activity in the hotel industry. Technovatioon, 29, pp. 632-641.

Peric, V., 2005. Tourism and globalization. Slovenia: Congress Center Bernadin. Welsh Affairs Committee, 2009. Globalization and its impact on Wales: second report of session 2008-09. Norwich, UK: The Stationery Office.

Wood, R. C., & Brotherton, B., 2008. The SAGE handbook of hospitality management. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Ltd.

Organisations use different strategies in order to attract tourists. The number of tourists positively correlates with the income that comes from tourist industry. Kapferer’s brand identity prism is an effective model for improving the image of Dubai as a tourist destination. Kapferer has suggested several critical considerations in developing a brand identity, which can be applied with regard to Dubai. The seven aspects of the prism are the physique, personality, relationship, culture, reflection, self-image, and rallying cry (Kapferer 82).

The model has a precise and simple explanation to develop a brand based on Dubai’s significance as a tourist centre. The approach helps create a self-understanding and shapes how people perceive Dubai with regard to tourism. Kapferer’s model supports Dubai’s positioning on the premises of its culture and the vision of economic diversification. In turn, this understanding determines the anticipated positioning and relationships, which are important to stakeholders in the tourism industry (Stephenson 2).

Using the seven aspects of the prism, the physique will form the basis of the brand, which will be Dubai’s attractiveness, its use of technology and trust that tourists would enjoy. The personality aspect is important for becoming the outcome of Dubai as a major destination for tourists from different parts of the world. The focus would be on the economic diversification in the long-term, which would contribute to a stable economy.

Culture is vital because it is the symbol of Dubai that is developed by its people and the way they interact with tourists and among themselves. The relationships are essential for determining the kind of experiences developed by tourists, with the focus on the case of Dubai being the promotion of safety and exceptional experience. The aspect of reflection is vital for understanding the significance of Dubai as a tourist destination and values that visitors associate with the place. Based on the level of loyalty, the self-image element is used to determine how often tourists visit the city.

Improved brand recognition focuses on ensuring that the visitors develop positive feelings after a visit to Dubai due to a number of exciting destinations and perfect services (Kapferer 67). The seventh element of the prism is the rallying cry, which is used to clarify the industrial development and uniqueness of the city in terms of tourist attractions. In fact, this element helps the tourist attraction centre to create memorable and vivid experiences in tourists.

Various developments in Dubai reflect Dubai’s fulfilment of the identity prism. First, the city planned and implemented several developmental and advancement projects through financial and economic modernisation. Second, developing an excellent brand, Dubai focuses on becoming a location of hyper-real experiences in many aspects through developing the best financial and tourist centres.

In its identity, Dubai looks beyond the borders while embracing de-colonial and social reality goals. Achieving goals is possible through investment in an image that meets international standards to attract the attention of the international community. A positive image begins with the city’s modern landscape. Cultural consistency is at the centre of Dubai’s identity as a city that is rich in traditional and national heritage, which contribute to telling the story of Dubai and the region (Stephenson 9).

In conclusion, the brand identity of Dubai as a tourist destination includes the importance of the city as a tourist centre as explained by Kapferer’s identity prism. The dimensions of Dubai’s image are a reflection of the values and strategies that would be used to achieve differentiation and encourage return and new tourists to visit the city. The success of the identity is based on capturing the basis of the tourist destination brand.

Works Cited

Kapferer, Jean-Noel. The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic thinking. London, United Kingdom: Kogan page publishers, 2012. Print.

Stephenson, Marcus L. “Tourism, development and ‘destination Dubai’: cultural dilemmas and future challenges.” Current Issues in Tourism 32.2 (2013): 1-16. Print.