Master Thesis Final A4

Karlstad Business School
Karlstad University SE-651 88 Karlstad Sweden
T: +46 54 700 10 00 F: +46 54 700 14 97
Email: handels@kau.se www.hhk.kau.se
Superbrand: a new concept or not,
and how does a brand become super?
Course Code: FEAE03
Course Title: Industrial Management – Degree Project
Date Submitted: August 1, 2011
Supervisor: Peter Magnusson
Name: Michael Monteclaro

Michael Monteclaro Superbrand: a new concept or not, August 1, 2011
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Abstract
Brands are everywhere. They are the calling cards of companies that tell the public of their presence and
capabilities. The most well-known brands are called superbrands. However, there seems to be a lack of
hard evidence within academia that explicitly demarcates the meaning of a “superbrand.” The term will
be researched, where help from both academic and professional sources are attained through readings,
emailed surveys, and interviews. Based on the attained data, a generalized definition and framework are
proposed, which answer the following questions:
1. Is the word “superbrand” just another name for a top-performing brand?
2. Are there any academic writings explaining what a superbrand is, and what are the professionals
within the branding industry saying about them?
3. Is there a general template framework to become a superbrand in any industry, and what are the
constituents for such a framework?
Microsoft, BMW, and IKEA are observed in their market performances, and are also used to verify the
proposed general framework. As a result the research revealed that the word “superbrand” is just
another coined term, and no specific instances exist within academia that defines the term specifically.
Becoming “super” takes time, money, and good market strategy. The information herein asserts the
concepts of branding adding to the current body of knowledge, and is perhaps an interest for growing
businesses.

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Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I would like to give thanks to my teachers at Karlstad Universitet whose knowledge
they have bestowed has created intrigue for me in the world of business. This acknowledgment
especially extends to Peter Magnusson who has inspired me to “dig in the trenches” of academia in
search of my answer. His patience, time, and knowledge have helped me greatly along the way. I would
also like to thank Interbrand Inc. and Superbrands Ltd. for helping me attain my needed information; in
particular, upper level management who diligently gave feedback on my surveys. Without their abundant
marketing knowledge I would have never found the information needed. I would also like to thank the
various authors encountered in my readings for producing the information on marketing, branding, and
business in general. They have enlightened me on the topic of branding, and have further inspired me to
“dig” some more. I would also like to thank the people close to me: Mom, Dad, Michelle, and my special
someone, Katarina, for pushing me to “finish.” Their constant reminding helped motivate me when I
needed it the most. Last but not least, I would like to thank God for giving me the opportunity to study
abroad and learn about a topic that has become fascinating to me. 

Karlstad Business School
Karlstad University SE-651 88 Karlstad Sweden
T: +46 54 700 10 00 F: +46 54 700 14 97
Email: handels@kau.se www.hhk.kau.se
Table of Contents
An Introduction............................................................................................................................... 1
Premise .....................................................................................................................................................1
Questions to be Answered ........................................................................................................................1
Outline of Information............................................................................................................................. 2
Purpose of this Thesis.............................................................................................................................. 3
Methodology Used................................................................................................................................... 3
Theory of Branding .........................................................................................................................6
Brief History of Branding ........................................................................................................................ 6
What is Branding?...................................................................................................................................10
What does Branding Create? ..................................................................................................................14
Awareness of Brands ......................................................................................................................................................14
Emotional Connections to Brands...............................................................................................................................15
Brand Loyalty...................................................................................................................................................................19
What are Characteristics of Successful Brands? .....................................................................................20
Advertising for Big and Small Brands..........................................................................................................................21
Alliances between Brands ..............................................................................................................................................24
Brand Barriers..................................................................................................................................................................25
Brand Public Relations ...................................................................................................................................................27
Case of the Superbrand ................................................................................................................. 30
Investigation of Brand Literature ...........................................................................................................30
Professional Point of View......................................................................................................................32
Interbrand Incorporated ................................................................................................................................................32
Superbrands Limited.......................................................................................................................................................34
Branded Organizations...................................................................................................................................................37
Discussion about Superbrands ..................................................................................................... 39
Recap on Branding .................................................................................................................................39
Searching for the Answers.......................................................................................................................40
A Process Brands Undertake ..................................................................................................................41
Proposal of a Framework........................................................................................................................43
Checking the Framework .......................................................................................................................47
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... 49
Works Cited....................................................................................................................................51
Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 53

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An Introduction
Premise
Many organizations in our world have products and offer services that enhance our daily lives. The
world as we know it has become saturated with these organizations, and they are constantly battling for
our attention. Each organization fights to be the best. The organizations that are the best succeed in
creating customers who are loyal; who are willing to re-invest over and over. They have succeeded in
identifying our needs, and they use their brands to captivate and entice us. These brands are weapons in
the marketing battlefield; weapons that create awareness and cause us to make investments in the hope
that somehow our lives will become better. Organizations that succeed in doing this are deemed the best
because of these weapons - these weapons that are superbrands.
What is a superbrand? Although this question is not common to ask, one must stop and think. Looking
at the word one can maybe derive its meaning and speculate as to what it is. In today’s global society,
brands reside in every aspect of our lives; therefore, it shouldn’t be a challenge to the average person
what the term could mean. Even the nomenclature of the word appears to have been derived from
urban language where people, particularly English speaking societies, denote something that is “great” as
“super.” Superbrands are everyday brands that come into our daily activities, and therefore are well
known. In addition, it also seems that our society is bombarded daily by these brands, so much so that
we have become complacent. When they are recognized however, the viewer notices them all the time.
This recognition that perpetuates within the minds of consumers is perhaps why they are super.
Questions to be Answered
In this investigation several questions have to be proposed to clarify the purpose of this paper. Not only
will this aid in defining the focus of this dissertation, but also allow the reader to critically think upon the
suggested answer. The reader must first stop and reflect by asking, “Is the word ‘superbrand’ just another name
for a top-performing brand?” Readers who skim over the word could speculate that it is a label that when
attained allows for “bragging rights.” The reader could further inquire, “Are there any academic writings
explaining what a superbrand is, and what are the professionals saying about them?” Surely it must be written
somewhere within the confines of academia what a superbrand means, and the professional sector must
have some evidence of the term in action. In an attempt to answer these questions, the halls of academia
are searched for any books or articles written on the topic. From the professional segment, two major
firms that rate brands around the globe, Interbrand Inc. and Superbrands Ltd., are approached and

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interviewed. Both groups help other organizations identify the needed constituents for becoming a
strong competitor in their respective industries. In addition, these two professional firms have the same
ideologies about branding in general. It is therefore only right to interview them. On a side note, one
firm is named after the topic of this thesis, which leads to the primary assumption that maybe this
organization is responsible for creating the term “superbrand.”
With this in mind, it is only appropriate for completeness sake to further this research and propose a
process to become superbrand along with a generalized framework. This will answer the question, “Is
there a template framework to become a superbrand in any industry, and what are the constituents for such a framework?”
Derivatives from literature, surveys from emails, as well as, real world instances will be used to construct
the framework. As verification three global businesses that produce superbrands will be used. These
three corporations are Microsoft, BMW, and IKEA. With evidence from the aforesaid sources and
interpretations on the topic a definitive conclusion will be stated accordingly.
Outline of Information
For a clearer understanding, the reader will follow the outline below.
I. Introduction
II. Theory
III. Case presentation and analysis
a. Questions that need to be answered
b. Academic sources
i. Books/articles on branding
c. Introduction to professional sources
i. Superbrand Ltd.
ii. Interbrand, Inc.
d. Introduction to real world organizations
i.
ii.
iii.
IV. Discussion
a. References to observed organizations
b. Proposal of process

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c. Proposal of framework
V. Conclusion
a. Findings
i. Generalized discoveries
ii. Reference to companies observed
iii. Restatement of proposed framework
b. A derived meaning of a superbrand
c. Closing statement
Purpose of this Thesis
With the aforementioned in mind, one could speculate as to why such trouble is created in attempting to
research the topic of a superbrand. It has been seen that the practice of branding is a fundamental part
of human psychology. In our daily lives from the dawn of time it has been a part of humanity, and only
in today’s modern age has it been used to provoke and instigate us. From markets to trends or even in
personal activities, how “something” is branded that ultimately causes some kind of an investment is
truly fascinating. For example, when a person wakes up in the morning and prepares for the day’s
activities, it is a preparation in branding. How a person conducts themselves during interactions with
people is branding. How countries convey themselves through culture is branding. A way to gain trust
with others relegates itself to branding. Branding is at the core of our thinking, and therefore stretches
beyond the theories and practical uses in marketing. It is therefore seen as a practical way to better
oneself. This word is “guesstimated” to have been around for only twenty years or so, and it deserves a
primary investigation to see if it is a new concept or perhaps is just another adjective for branding. If one
were so inclined, it could also spark further investigations to broaden academia’s knowledge base, which
would undoubtedly widen its practical usage in the field.
Methodology Used
To assure the reader is aware of the upcoming topic of branding, a theoretical briefing will be
undertaken. This will ensure that the reader will comprehend the extrapolated idea, and give a sense of
meaning as to why there is branding. The reader must remember that the topic of branding is a vast
subject that can be enumerated through various explanations and supporting sub-topics. Therefore, this
thesis is a miniscule interpretation that hopes to enlighten those who are interested in strong brands,
why they are strong, and what it takes to be strong in their respective industries.

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The information of branding is based on academic research drawn from numerous sources. Two virtual
databases, Emerald and Business Source Premier, located online via the Karlstad Universitet Bibliotek
website were used to delve into many articles and journals on the subject. Although the advent of
database virtualization offers an easy interface for probing information, the abundance of this
information presented an arduous task of searching. During the search, keywords such as “Superbrand”
and “brand” were researched. However, since the specific topic of “Superbrand” seems fairly new, very
little information was found - at first. Other keywords that were used were “trademark,” “logo,”
“insignia,” “brand representation,” “brand meaning,” “strong brands,” “dominant brands,” and “global
brands” to name a few. Over 180 articles were perused, and pertinent information was pulled to support
the theory. However, many articles will not be cited due to several reasons. For one, there are too many
articles to cite. Second, many of the articles only proposed supporting ideas of the branding philosophy
and did not specifically speak of this thesis’ topic. Third, the abundance of information would lead to a
disarray of ideas that would steer the focus of this thesis off course. Lastly, although articles and journals
are a good source of information, it is hard to gain a solid theoretical understanding when compared to
books.
An analysis of current literature then commenced to see if there were any resources that existed on the
topic of Superbrands. The lists of books examined and referenced can be seen within the following
section, Investigation of Brand Literature on p. 29. It must be noted that many of the books used were not
read in their entirety; only the sections that were deemed pertinent were read. These books were
produced by renowned authors on branding that are academic authorities on the subject. The theoretical
information that was extrapolated from these sources is therefore assumed valid. The number of books
used was deliberately narrowed to twenty, again due to their abundance. These twenty were thought to
contain information that pertained to Superbrands, and were a good source for much of the theoretical
background outlined.
However, the theoretical side must always be backed by real-world instances. Professionals within the
field of branding were also asked in the form of a survey what they thought about the topic. C-level
management of two organizations that ranked global brands were approached, Superbrands Ltd and
Interbrand Inc. These two companies are viewed as prime sources for branding information since both
are world renowned. This survey can be found in the Appendix. It varied in questions that aided in
creating a clearer understanding of how these organizations rated brands around the world, and what
according to them was considered a strong brand. The information attained was used to extrapolate how
brands appeared to a professional, while allowing for a glimpse into the mechanics of a brand. Various
branches from both organizations in America, Asia, and Europe were sent surveys. This was done to

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determine if any variance was detectable within societal spheres of thought. Of the six surveys sent, five
came back but only three were answered in its entirety. Interestingly, Superbrands Ltd (American,
Swedish, & Singaporean branches) replied, while only two of the surveys sent to Interbrand returned.
Interbrand in London, England stated that all information sought in the survey can be found on the
company database via the Interbrand website. On this note, the Interbrand survey sent to New York,
returned with a “Sorry I’m too busy,” while the other sent to Interbrand Singapore never returned. It is
surmised however, that the behavioral responses from Interbrand were primarily due to this thesis’ title.
A sense of enmity was inferred.
For completeness sake, the aforementioned three companies (BMW, IKEA, & Microsoft) will be
observed where their respective market share performances, earnings, and awareness statistics from
Superbrands Ltd and Interbrand Inc. will be added. The investigation will further progress by making
note of any evidence of existing frameworks within the databases or literature, which theoretically
identifies constituents to produce a superbrand. Based on database, literature, and real-world findings a
generalized framework is proposed.

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Theory of Branding
Brief History of Branding
Man has come to evolve from the primordial ape state that it once was to a highly evolved creature that
is inclined to create. From this creativity wonderful ideas and innovations have come to progress
civilization into what it is today. The accumulations of this growing knowledge and its byproducts have
created tools that help cater to every need imaginable. Humans have developed an ever growing
complexity of communication that has spawned an evolutionary way of assimilating with one another.
The natural need to become better than previous generations has helped it to become the dominant
species of planet Earth.
Yet from this complex ideology that has appeared, the inherent need for humans to have ownership, or
imbue the mentality of possession amongst one other, has created the psychology of ownership of
innovation which is advocated through many means of communication. This undoubtedly creates the
underlying thinking of recognition with either a positive or negative association that propagates
throughout society naturally, almost viral-like, and creates inclinations of thought that automatically
classifies the objective matter (Cruz & Fill 2008). Through such classifications, it is here that the dogma
of acknowledgment creates a sense of ownership and reconciliation that depicts social status of the
owners as well as the creators.
Through this incurred thought process of ownership and recognition, early tradesmen and producers
adhered to the idea of marking their goods mainly through the use of seals or insignias that have been
placed on the commodity that was traded. Archeological digs throughout the Middle East, a region
believed to be the birthplace of organized society, has revealed that such forms of labeling did exist.
Such a facet can be readily seen in the Mesopotamian region, also known as modern day Iraq. It is
believed primarily that sealing started as a way of reproducing psychological undertones associated with
the commodity. Pictures made their way into sealing in order to depict certain human psychologies that
the producer wanted to associate with the article of trade (Wengrow 2008).
It has been surmised that the onset of marking commodities started with the belief derived from
personal jewelry that was seen to hold magical powers. The ancients believed that wearing such jewelry,
which adorned the body in a fashionable as well as a fabled sense, would magnetize luck and repel any
negative implications toward them. This belief allegedly transferred into the commodities created that
were bought and sold. Amulets that were worn to adorn and protect the body were seen as a preliminary
means to imprint a mark on products created to excise any negative tendencies, i.e. lack of demand for

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the commodity. Such stampings or markings also had a social meaning that underlay the symbol.
Conveying ownership or personalizing a product was commonplace. These amulets also served as a
primitive stamping mechanism to easily engrave the item in a replicating manner. Wengrow (2008) stated
that these charms “…were perforated for suspension and bore complex linear patterns on the stamping
surface, which was applied to the clay sealings of mobile containers such as pots, baskets, and sacks.”
Since some of these adornments were worn as personal jewelry, the act of stamping also placed a sense
of ownership. Examples of these amulets are depicted in the figure below.
Figure 1: Halaf period amulets & stamps (Wengrow 2008)
As primitive as these adornments were, they upheld a significant credence, which satiated the human
need to feel comfortable in appearance, as well as, contend with psychological beliefs. This ideology was
instilled through the religious values of the society that played a major part of everyday lives, and
transferred itself onto the trade of commodities through the practice of sealing and labeling. One would
believe that sealing and labeling would be used in a physical context, such as in the preservation of food
and drink. However, early human psychological beliefs were strewn with mysticism due to the lack of
scientific understanding. It is from these attitudes that the associations to the unknown were made.
Associations to good and evil, or associations to gods and demigods were an encompassing theme. The
belief that the commodity was derived from the gods, or belonged to the gods, aided in correlating the
thought that the product was one of high value and should be cherished. In addition to this facet,
consumers who owned the products were seen to have high social status, since only the upper echelon
of society had possession of such commodities. The elite were also believed to be literate enough to
understand the connotations inscribed on the product. Therefore, owning such commodities was seen to
additionally advocate social status within early societies (Wengrow 2008).

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With such apparent recognition it would only be appropriate for the producer of the commodity to be
known. For that reason, many of the inscriptions portrayed information about who made the product
and where it was from. This undoubtedly rendered an emotional connection of value towards the
producer and the region of origin, and stated that the producer instilled the commodity with quality.
Such ideologies only buttressed the belief that those in ownership had the right to believe their
respective status was higher than the average layman. This also reinforced the basic human drive for
competition. Intuitions of quality and its respective associated region would also align to the same
thought pattern. Once these associations were in place, an irreprehensible manifestation would befall the
owner/consumer of the commodity thereby completing the thought process. In other words, if the
region was known to produce good products, the producer therefore would have a reputation for
making good products. This would ultimately indicate the product must also be of quality (Wengrow
2008).
Analyses of archeological findings have revealed that the aforesaid was the goal sought by the act of
sealing or marking. By allowing the consumer to form such psychological bindings to the commodity, it
would partially indicate that even in past archaic time sellers understood positive association worked to
enhance their trade. For those who were literate and understood the hieroglyphic symbols the
commodities were one that was of lasting value. This assured the ancient consumer had made the right
decision to invest in the product. This sort of reputation would pervade the trading network, as well as,
within their respective consumerist spheres. The need for identification and recognition therefore was
becoming an important aspect. Wengrow (2008) states in his edifying article Prehistories of Commodity
Branding that “…objects, including a wide range of domestic serving vessels the forms of which suggest
specialized roles in the presentation and consumption of food and drink” began spreading throughout
regions. Early tradesmen began spreading commodities that originated from private craftsmen to regions
beyond the sphere of their own society. Producers therefore found it fundamental for consumers to
identify themselves and their craftsmanship through seals or marks. The act of branding thus began.
Moving forward in time, the practice of sealing and labeling had begun to take hold in the context of
compartmentalization rather than identification. Imbuing product origins and content was still the
fundamental objective, but as societies became larger and transportation more accessible the usage of
sealing and labeling had been additionally identified as an accounting management tool. Moore & Reid
(2008) stated in their report, that societal spheres began entangling their networks of trade creating a
complex array of commodities that floated between. With this emergence of complexity, it was believed
that tradesmen needed a logical way of conveying information to regulate the influx of products. To
further buttress this facet, Moore & Reid (2008) further noted that relics of seals believed to originate

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from the Harrapan region (an area of what is now known as modern India) were found in Mesopotamia,
which further supports the theory. Therefore, it can be interpreted that using seals and/or labels with
imagery was needed to indicate not only content, but aid in categorization and origin as well.
The realization that sea routes were a faster method of transporting commodities took hold with
producers. Shipping by boat became a widespread practice, which made routes of trade more intricate
and influential. This shift in paradigm saw commodities that traversed a proto-intercontinental network.
The need for labeling and branding became even more apparent. Moore & Reid (2008) again state:
“Grain grown in Egypt or Babylonia was traded to the Cypriots and Hittites in return for their precious copper and
other metals which were processed in Phoenician workshops or shipped by caravan and Euphratean reed boat to
Babylon, Sippar, Ashur, and points east.”
This supports the statement that branding aided in identification and categorization. It was an inherent
characteristic the early traders sought since convoluted systems were beginning to form. The need for
commodities labeling consequently heightened to control received resources, which was expedited
towards becoming an end product, i.e., raw copper into ingots, ingots to weaponry or coins.
With seafaring, the Phoenicians began incorporating the logical thought of centralizing business through
palatial administration. This centralization led to the culmination of what was seen as the first
multinational enterprise in history. It spanned the globe from southern Europe to the Middle East
furthering the spread of Phoenician trade and power. With this expansion came the branding of the
Phoenician empire. Their famed red and black ceramics were readily traded for other resources in order
to gain profitability, thus becoming a signature. Their acquired profits were in turn reinvested into the
trade industry through shipbuilding. This reinvestment thus exacerbated the psychological undermining
of power for the Phoenicians. In turn, associations of an efficient merchant/mercantile system became
inherent with the Phoenician name, thus resulting in one of the first instances of branding a service. This
service, or rather conquest, spanned the globe and was the precursor to the global market that is in place
today.
As time passed, Greek influence (later becoming Roman influence) began changing the visage of
branding and how it was used. From a centralized imperial environment that generated trade within the
spheres of ancient society, a more capitalistic entrepreneurial form of trade began to cover the ancient
world. Based on the premise of city-states and community oneness brought on by the Greek culture,
branding turned into an assimilated approach geared towards a primitive form of consumerism. Moore
& Reid (2008) state in their report that “potters of Euboea began to label their work, and the practice
spread to Athens and Corinth in the following century,” which demonstrates the commencement of

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branding. The idea of recognition had again resurfaced, which correlates back to the basic human
necessity of ownership and recognition. Branding not only involved this attribute, but the instillation of
human emotion also was found to be a veritable means to gain attention and therefore sales. Moore &
Reid (2008) once again stated,
“Not only were images used to invoke power and portray value, but we see through the Aphrodite example another
foray into the use of image to sell using sex.”
It can be presumed that even the ancients knew of the magnetizing powers of carnal innuendoes and the
effect it has on human thought. By associations of sex, which promoted the thought of fertility to
commodities, primitive marketing managers therefore knew that it was one tactic to use to attract
attention and sales. From this example it is seen in that the start of branding by the use of psychological
association to influence an investment from the intrigued consumer began.
What is Branding?
It has been demonstrated that brands offer various forms of imagery to instill certain ideas about their
product or service. They introduce thoughts of lifestyle and status which personifies the owner. Brands
also show a glimpse of what the region of origin is like. However, looking at the definition of brands
from a theoretical point of view is a different story. Various articles and other publications within the
academic and professional fields have stated what branding means. However, there are an innumerable
amount of definitions, and it is deduced that branding is a subjective topic. Since these authors come
from diverse backgrounds, variations do exist in the explanation of a brand. Therefore, a derived
generalized definition from various sources would be the only way to properly define branding.
According to many authoritative figures in the field, a brand is a representation of a product or a service
that an organization communicates to the consumer. It conveys characteristics that illustrate the product,
create emotional connection, and persuade the consumer into purchase. However, other sources portray
brands and the act of branding as being something more. It has been researched that the recognition of
brands stems from the synaptic systems triggered within the biological foundations of the human mind.
Studies have found that branding and the recognition of a brand, trademark, or logo ignites neurons
within the brain, which causes the recollection of images and emotion, thereby creating a thought
process. This thought process evidently causes an infusion of natural stimulants into the blood stream
that make the consumer either feel good or bad about the brand (Walvis 2007).
Therefore, the concept of a brand is not only physical but also mental. Brands can be touched, smelled,
or tasted, but can also make people feel good or bad as a result. It is this perception by the consumer

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that is an important aspect to marketers. Kotler & Pfoertsch (2006) elaborate that branding enters a
higher form of conception where:
 “A brand is a promise.”
 “A brand is the totality of perceptions – everything you see, hear, read, know, feel think, etc. – about a
product, service, or business.”
 “A brand holds a distinctive position in customer’s minds based on past experiences, associations and
future expectations.”
 “A brand is a short-cut of attributes, benefits, beliefs and values that differentiate, reduce complexity, and
simplify the decision-making process.”
Branding within today’s hypercompetitive market also provides differentiation. This differentiation must
pique interests among consumers and win over their minds. They must stand out from a crowded
market where variety is prevalent and has made it hard for consumers to properly make a decision. As
Gobé (2001) explains, brands must achieve a sense of identity with their consumers on a level that drives
many humans – emotions. It is emotions that drive us to make rational or irrational actions and
ultimately conclusions. Gobé (2001) continues to state,
“The future of branding is listening carefully to people in order to be able to connect powerfully with them by
bringing pleasure, life-enhancing solutions to their world... Traditional companies will not be able to rely on their
brand history or dominance in classical distribution systems… but must …focus on providing brands with a
powerful emotional content.”
Furthering this note of perception, consumers also emanate thoughts about the organizations the
product originates from. Another form of branding, corporate brand image (CBI) is the inner
perceptions given off by organizations, which in turn are conveyed onto the consumer. With this
process, consumers see how organizations think of themselves and derive their own thoughts and
associations to the product from what they perceive. Therefore, it is understood that these internal
perceptions within the organization are imperative for success with its consumers. Alwi & Da Silva
(2007) declare that,
“CBI is the external stakeholders’ perceptions based on their cumulative experiences of an organization, where
corporate reputation represents the whole or collective representation of internal and also external stakeholders’
experiences (image and identity) with the organization.”
It can be construed that depending on how the organization views itself, will determine how consumers
identify with the brand(s) it produces. This form of branding encloses on the thought that smooth
internal operations will produce good products or services. Alwi & Da Silva (2007) further supports this
by stating that as long as stakeholders value the organization and its operations, it can remain

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competitive in its market and experience healthy sales. The perception within the organization reinforces
the perception consumers have about produced brands. CBI is regarded as a type of internal branding,
which is depicted in Figure 2 below.
Figure 2: Corporate reputation chain (Alwi & Da Silva 2007)
Another type of branding is elaborated by Auh & Shih (2007), which revolves around the idea that
branding is a form of designation in evolution. They state that many technological brands, such as
electronics and cars resort to this style of branding. Take for example BMW AG who brands in this
manner. Their numerical designation indicates the category of car, such as a sports car or a four-door
sedan, and also indicates the size of the engine. For example, a BMW 328i is a compact sedan with a
3.0L V6 engine. Branding in this way establishes a means to communicate the progression of the brand,
and demonstrates to the consumer that the current product is now better than last year’s. This act of
name branding is dubbed by Auh & Shih (2007) as PPD (perceived product differentiation) and PPU
(perceived product upgrade), and appends itself to the aforementioned definitions. Showing consumers
the advancement during product market runs inherently shows how far they’ve come since their
introduction. This also exhibits an underlying aspect of quality and performance. Consumers logically
see that the product has been upgraded, and therefore think that the product has been improved. This
also gives the consumer a sense of assurance even though they are most likely unaware of what has been
changed. Branding in this manner conveys psychological and emotional innuendoes toward consumers
to persuade them to reinvest.

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The goal of branding therefore is to not only impel the emotional side of the product or service onto
purchaser, but to also create and drive something more purposeful - business. During the early years of
branding the goal was recognition of ownership and origin. The goal of branding now is to create
awareness, which creates commerce and stimulates business. With today’s compelling marketing
strategies, the goal of branding is to depict quality and reliability, cause awareness, portray a status, and
characterize the purchaser. Of these characteristics awareness by far surpasses all other aspects and is the
fundamental goal, to make consumers and businesses attentive of their presence. It is obvious that if
consumers and businesses are aware of a product or service, the chances of purchase or partnership is
higher. Compare this to a brand that is not within the mainstream of the public or business arena. The
likelihood of investment from users is small. Obviously if something is not known it will easily be
overlooked.
With this in mind, various tools and campaigns have been created to promote brands. Through the
evolution of branding, numerous strategies have been implemented to create the needed end outcome of
awareness. One strategy would be the promotion of the brand through celebrity endorsements.
Celebrities create a massive amount of awareness and therefore branding along with celebrities goes
hand in hand. Within the business-to-business context branding through existing brands strengthens
market footholds. A good example would be processor chips that are marketed as cutting edge in
technology. Once paired with another brand, say the brand of a computer manufacturer, it is perceived
by the end-user as having increased value. By branding on top of another brand the joining of
perceptions from the viewer is enhanced and brought to a higher level. Such thinking permanently
resides within consumers since the logic is plain to see. One brand plus another brand equals twice the
value of the brands independently.
Other techniques of creating awareness play on the premise of the human psyche. Jingles, as they are
called within the marketing realm, are good examples of this. By introducing brands through variations
of catchy phrases or with captivating music, end users are forced to remember the brand. This occurs
many times to viewers who are unknowingly cognizant of the advertisement’s message. Marketing teams
are quite aware of this subliminal undertone and fully take advantage of it. An example would be a
company within the pet food industry who brands itself as Meow Mix. Del Monte Foods, the producer
of Meow Mix, introduced their line of cat food in the early 1990s (Del Monte Foods Company 2009).
Initially, the viewer is shown a cute feline that sings a song repeatedly with the distinctive sound that
every cat makes – a meow. The meow is repeated over and over to the rhythm of a catchy tune, which
aids in anchoring itself within the mind of the listener. The viewer primarily thinks the advertisement is
cute, but hours after the initial viewing of the commercial, the viewer realizes that the commercial

14
persistently stays along with the image of a cat. Thus, the end objective of creating awareness for the
product has been reached.
The process of branding is therefore also a strategy used to induce the feeling of remembrance and
“want” in customers. Strategies derived from the field of psychology have identified various techniques
to instill the sense of “want” within the consumer. The use of carnal innuendos for the promotion of
products for example is one way to induce this feeling. Sex sells and since humans are naturally drawn to
the pleasure associated with sex; a link can be made with a product or service to help it sell. The
cosmetics industry is a good example of this point. As we know, the cosmetics industry’s goal is to make
people look good, which naturally falls in line with the aforementioned. It is this undertone of looking
sexier and feeling good that appeals to the masses and therefore helps sell the product.
What does Branding Create?
The following are characteristics that all brands tend to create within the customer. They have come to
be the primary catalysts towards deciding and making an investment, and drive all processes surrounding
the brand. Without these three constituents, a brand wouldn’t be a brand.
Awareness of Brands
Recognition is an inherent trait that all humans possess. Wengrow (2008) elaborated in his findings that
early forms of branding were used to create awareness of origin, craftsmanship, and type of product.
With the incursion of technology creating awareness proliferates faster among members of society, even
creating knowledge of products beyond market borders. Marketing campaigns were normally centered
on media norms of television, radio broadcasts, and print. Today’s cyber age however, has additionally
created instant consciousness of products and services at light speed. The advent of the Internet has
created a direct channel for marketing agencies to pump in advertisements directly to computer screens
in front of consumers. Likewise, social networking has created closer knit groups, and similarly allowed
people to be aware instantaneously. Knowing this information about potential clientele, firms have
employed tactics that use the same technology to cunningly identify popular trends. Plus, with today’s
computing power organizations can now categorize these trends, and induce relevant content and
products.
Marketing firms also use a common technology that has pervaded the market and is now deemed as
personal as the wallet – the cell phone. Cell phones today have an array of options that allow the user to

15
connect to the internet directly. Cell phones are becoming more like mini-computers, since the newest of
these boast connection speeds that are as fast as a normal computer. Organizations are seeing the
viability of reaching potential customers directly through this new medium. They have found that
running advertising campaigns and depicting brands through these wireless mediums has a certain
personal and emotional effect. With this, marketing funds in this sector are growing for businesses that
want to brand themselves to end users on a personal basis (Chordas 2009).
Other methods to create awareness are now also used. As previously inscribed, the advent of online
social websites has made marketing easier. Using Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter has allowed
organizations to advertise at low cost. The Swedish retailer IKEA used such a method ingeniously to
achieve their marketing goals. Knowing that Facebook is a globally popular website for communication,
IKEA used this venue to create a virtual form of word-of-mouth communication, which generated
massive awareness. Everyone in the network of friends who subscribed to IKEA’s Facebook page
became aware of new IKEA products and new stores. Through the complexity of networked
connections, IKEA met their objective of marketing their brand image, but did so in true IKEA fashion
- cheap and efficient (Matyszczyk 2009).
Although such marketing tactics can be viewed as having an effect that portrays personal influence
towards users, it is not necessarily personal in the true sense. It is just a form of passive awareness, but is
still considered word-of-mouth. Viewers who obtain such knowledge psychologically perceive it as being
an experience their friends have gone through, which automatically justifies the value of the experience.
Today’s marketing motive is highly centered on the end-user or end-organization. Adding a personalized
touch makes the brand (product or service) extremely attractive and worthy of investment. Current
trends enhanced by technology allow users to have full control of their brand experience, that is, when
and how they want advertisements. Marketing firms are aware of this, and have made it an end point to
make the brand experience interactive. By doing so they create a tailored experience that allows
customers to be comfortable further increasing the likelihood of initial investment or reinvestment, as
well as, spreading awareness of the brand.
Emotional Connections to Brands
One could surmise that creating such awareness within targeted groups is the main objective. However,
when delved into deeper the primary driving force that brand managers are trying to convey is one that
drives all humans - emotions. It is the primary reason why actions are taken. Emotions can drive humans
to accomplish almost anything, and is the main differentiating factor from all other living species. The
ability to rationalize, contemplate actions, and commit to those actions through associated feelings gives

16
humans this ability. To buttress this fact, one can analyze the negative occurrences that happen either
from neglect or from irrational behavior. If a person suffers and experiences pain associated with an
episode, that person will not do the same action again.
Knowing this, organizations strive to associate their brands with emotions and create an identity that
people can relate to. Creating such a characteristic instigates the forming of a new façade within the
image of the brand. The brand in other words, is transformed and appears to have a life of its own. This
is the meaning of emotional branding, which is properly defined by Gobé (2001) as a,
“…methodology for connecting products to the consumer in an emotionally profound way. It focuses on the most
compelling aspect of the human character; the desire to transcend material satisfaction, and experience emotional
fulfillment.”
By personalizing the brand through characterizations that ultimately create its personality, consumer
tendencies of remembering are heightened.
The characteristic of a brand is first and foremost an extension of the source – the organization.
Consider the Harley Davidson brand motorcycle that has portrayed its products as rough and rebellious
for over one hundred years. The camaraderie that is involved within the corporate culture runs deep, and
shows itself through its corporate brand image. Designers and engineers alike highly pride themselves in
creating a true American icon, which seeks to solidify its brand-emotion not only through their
motorcycles, but through accessories such as clothing and sponsored nationwide rallies. Customers who
own a Harley Davidson portray themselves congruently with the brand’s image, and evidently become
the brand. This type of association was noted by Arvidsson (2006) who states,
“It is how you feel with the branded product, what kind of person it can make you become, that is what sets it apart
from other branded products or unbranded generics.”
Many customers who own a Harley Davidson depict nonconformity, which is the fundamental creed
that underscores the brand (Schembri 2008).
Emotional branding therefore is something that must be conveyed one person at a time. By piquing the
consumer’s mind into recognition and associating the image towards specific feelings a powerful method
of entrapment reveals itself. Organizations that emotionally brand themselves within the psyche of the
consumer achieve this. Prior to the 1930’s western society was bombarded with unorganized marketing
as Arvidsson (2006) writes. Illogical predications pervaded industries in hopes of gaining a decent
customer base. With the incursion of psychology however patterns were beginning to appear within
consumer behavior and a more structured methodology came forth.

17
Consumer behavior patterns brought forth strategic marketing ploys that were based on essential human
attributes – the five senses. Researchers eluded prior attitudes of marketing and began adopting a clever
and ingenious method. Since psychology has noted that human emotions are triggered by a specific
sense or a combination thereof, it was found that correlating products to these upwelled emotions
increases the likelihood of a purchase. Research to initiate these thought processes were then elicited so
that consumers may embark on a subjective journey of personalized thought where about the branded
product. Using the consumer’s thought, which was based on his/her senses, was viewed as viable to
cause intrigue ultimately leading to a purchase.
The sensory brand experience is found to have a profound effect on consumers. It primarily allows the
person to experience the brand on their own terms based on how they perceive it to be, and is therefore
a subjective experience. Speaking from a perspective of what must be done by organizations creating
brands, Gobé (2001) proposed several aspects on how to successfully create emotion for brands. He
states that,
 “Consumers as a whole must not be looked upon as an enemy that must be conquered, but rather a
partner that could be a source of insightful information.”
 “Emotional relevance must be made towards products through the use of interactive experiences that
highlight the attributes.”
 “Organizations must be honest towards customers, and earn their trust.”
 “Quality must be upheld in every product produced; buyers will recognize this and form their preferences
based on this.”
 “Notoriety will get a brand recognized, but conveying appropriate characteristics towards customer
aspirations will ultimately gain success.”
 “Brands must not only be recognized, but also convey personality to be remembered.”
 “Having functionality is only part of the equation of success; having experience that coincides with the
product creates memorable emotions.”
 “Being ubiquitous will result in being seen, but having a presence that is conveyed as lifestyle attribute will
have a lasting effect.”
 “Communication is a key factor that must not only be a one-way thoroughfare; it must be a two-way lane
where feedback can be given to gauge performance.”
 “Communication is sales but must form personal relationships to gain a repeat purchases.”
Invoking the five human senses will aid in sustaining lasting impressions on the consumer. Each sense:
smell, sight, sound, touch, and taste, will undoubtedly create a thought process where associated
memories are conjured. According to Gobé (2001) each sense is tied to a specific memory that aids in
solidifying the brand and its impression.

18
Smell
Smell is by far the most notable of the senses since it is found to have direct contact with the olfactory
nerves in the brain. Having the sense of smell is the reason why humans can taste food, and it is the
reason the why sensations of happiness overcome people when they smell something pleasant. Likewise,
it is responsible for making people feel repulsed when an unpleasant odor permeates the air. This fact by
and large is responsible for creating moods within consumers. Chances of remembering and the
likelihood of purchase are vastly increased when scent associations are place with a brand (Gobé 2001).
Sight
The sense of sight is another noticeable way a brand can be successful in its depiction. If consumers can
see the product such as how it is constructed, how it may mechanically work, or if it looks appealing,
consumers will obviously draw positive associations towards the brand. Additionally, studies have shown
that using appealing colors that instigate certain emotions are also beneficial to brands and how they are
portrayed (Gobé 2001).
Sound
Sound on the other hand, helps humans perceive spatial depths and gauge the tangibility of objects. The
most notable attribute of sound is the meaning it creates when it is arranged in a structured pattern that
is harmonious. Music is the outcome of human emotions, and embraces almost every expression from
happiness to sadness. It is what defines being human, and can portray metaphorical meanings simply by
carrying a certain rhythm or tune. The addition of lyrics to the rhythm makes it even more relatable and
personal, which is why music evokes emotions. Therefore, sound can aid in marketing a brand.
By associating a brand with a particular genre of music, a firm can contribute to the distinction of its identity, which
is vital for attracting consumers (Gobé 2001).
Touch
Humans are born with an uncanny need to play with whatever their hands can touch. The need for
exploration through this method starts from the moment of birth. Babies touch and play with everything
in sight, and in doing so explore and learn about the world. The sense of touch consequently is a way for
consumers to learn about brands and determine product characteristics. Holding a product and feeling
how heavy it is allows the consumer to determine for example quality. Identifying the shape of an object
can also aid in branding (Gobé 2001).
Taste
The sense of taste on the other hand is used to enhance an experience, such as when people celebrate
there is always food and drink involved. Or when visitors come to someone’s house they are generally
greeted with something to drink such as water, coffee, or alcohol. The act of offering to one’s sense of
taste creates a warm welcoming feeling that in the end boosts the experience. Similarly, brands that

19
associate a sense of taste boost the experience for the user. It is therefore appropriate for brands,
especially food and drink brands, to associate a positive palatable experience that will remain in the
consumer’s mind (Gobé 2001).
Brand Loyalty
One could construe that sole purpose of committing to such actions is to entertain the customer. From
a business perspective tying emotions to products and services is only a preliminary step towards the end
objective. Corporations ultimately search for a relationship that must be prolonged with the customer. A
long-term relationship where customers continually return to satiate their needs is the fuel that energizes
consumerism, which is the fuel behind branding. Repeat purchases as well as high return customers,
such as customers who hold large spending accounts in the business-to-business realm, is what every
organization is after. In a market where consumers are easy to gain due to marketing ploys, and hard to
retain due to the pervasiveness of substitutes, it is not easy to reach the goal of customer loyalty.
Customer loyalty has been found to be more lucrative in the long run compared to attaining new
customers. Studies have shown the incurred cost of attracting new customers is more than maintaining a
steady customer base. The same can be said for an organization’s employees. If the employee census is
well maintained, it will inherently lead to proper customer treatment. A stronger customer base will
follow and lead to better organizational performance. Griffin (1995) reports that on average
organizations experience a 15 to 20 percent reduction rate in customers annually. Spending less on
obtaining customers also allows for use of the saved money toward enhancing existing products and/or
services.
Analysis of markets has shown that most consumers purchase on-the-fly and are called “light buyers”
(Hallberg 1995). Differentiation therefore is a key aspect since it causes intrigue and fascination within
consumers. This is important since market crowding is evident in today’s economy and there are less
loyal buyers. In fact, most sales in the consumer world come from buyers who portray the light buyer
behavior. According to Kotler (1999) prior to the 1970s, marketing was mainly focused on light buyer
business. Times have changed and today marketing has pervaded society, and is at a level where it is easy
to reach people. Top performing brands that attain light buyers are successful in distinguishing
themselves through innovation and show that they can meet customer needs.
There are two main categories that describe how organizations approach customers through their brand
portrayals. There is the traditional tangible brick and mortar approach, or the more common and less
tangible advertising approach through media. In today’s modern terminology, they are dubbed the

20
offline method or online method of marketing. Both mediums create awareness, but the increase of
technological competence within organizations and consumers has created a deeper methodical need in
the latter approach. Stripp (2008) states that denying usage of both methods or even denying the usage
of one method to support the other will result in a decline of customers. Today’s technology has created
a closer knit community where online methods to reach customers are primarily used. The offline
method is considered the secondary supporting factor when consumers want to see the product in-hand.
The online method mainly uses today’s technology to create awareness through electronic means. Social
networking has pervaded society and is recognized as a form of “word of mouth.” In as much, the
phenomenon of “going viral” has created the spreading of information much more easily when
compared to previous methods. Wilson (2005) states that,
“Viral marketing describes any strategy that encourages individuals to pass on a marketing message to others,
creating the potential for exponential growth in the message's exposure and influence.”
Viral marketing can be seen for the promotion of Hotmail in 1995 to the
Blair Witch Project movie in 1999. Both, including many other marketing ploys, had exceeded in
generating massive awareness and have successfully branded their respective products.
What are Characteristics of Successful Brands?
Branding a product or service in the tangible sense is quite commonplace; however, branding extends
farther than that. It is the totality of perceptions that the viewer has wherein a subjective thought is
placed onto the product. It is therefore assumed that branding mainly involves human perception. These
perceivable aspects undoubtedly involve the experiences brought by the viewers. This act of insight
wholly depends on the underlying positive or negative psychological association. Anything or anyone can
be a brand. A person can be branded, a city can be branded, animals can be branded, and even simple
everyday household items that seem frivolous, if deemed important to the conceiver, can be branded.
Thus marketers in many organizations who are selling some kind of product must create a memorable
experience that is taken positively by the customer. Becoming a strong brand is the culmination of
various strategies and timings that have resulted in an everlasting persona for the organization and its
products. Sentiments about the brand must be tested and proven repeatedly, and the brand should never
fail. Strong brands therefore have successfully maintained this along with a positive perception in their
products. They have created loyal customers.
It must be noted that branding is not about proper depiction through advertising. Promoting one’s
brand is only one variable in the whole equation of brand success. It has been construed that building

21
strong brands involves innovation and uniqueness to solving customer problems. Strong dominant
brands have solidified their offerings. Customers undeniably view these brands as innovators that are
reliable. The products proposed by top brands help generate the needed momentum to push forward
and proliferate within their market segments. These brands have struck an emotional chord with
customers, and have generated revenue creating a funding resource that can be readily tapped. As a
result many “flagship” brands have created sub-brands that aid in depicting their main brand identities.
Not only does this allow good market share but also controls customer acuity toward the proposing
organization. The following “four pillars” from Aaker & Joachimsthaler (2000) summarize the
constituents strong brands generally possess.
Figure 3: Brand Leadership (Aaker & Joachimsthaler 2000)
Advertising for Big and Small Brands
As noted, advertising causes awareness. All marketers, whatever their respective industries, want to cause
awareness for their company’s product. They want to advertise what their organization is capable of, and
want to do it in a positive manner. This is true for the business-to-business sector, where creating long-
term relationships are more reliant upon the experience representatives receive from sellers. On a
consumer level, businesses tend to convey ideas. They want to convey emotions that instill ideas about
Brand
Leadership
Organization structure
and processes
• Responsibility for
brand strategy
• Management
processes
Brand architecture
• Brands/subbrands/en
dorsed brands
• Roles of
brands/subbrands
Brand-building programs
• Accessing multiple media
• Achieving brilliance
• Integrating the
communication
• Measuring the results
Branding
identity/position
• Aspiration image
• Positioning the brand

22
the product and simultaneously try to relate. These emotions psychologically undermine the consumer,
and direct them to make a purchase.
Advertising and its many forms have always been the platform for conveying ideas behind brands. The
conjectured thoughts invoke remembrances and/or create expectations that the brand will meet. This
process undoubtedly seeks justification within the buyer’s mind by provoking their feeling. What
advertising attempts to achieve in essence is the conveyance of emotion, or rather elicits emotion. These
emotions, which were defined by Gobé’s (2001) research, are the keys to success since they personalize
the brand for users. Through the medium of emotion, the self-realization and in turn personalization of
the brand creates a need and the essentiality of satiation of that need. Randall (2000) places it best by
saying,
“…how we think about a brand, what we feel about it and what we know about it from experience must all be built
into any model we develop.”
Good advertising also seeks to convey passion in brands, which is just an offshoot of an elicited
emotion. Leading brands depict a characteristic that tells purchasers about their meaning and purpose. It
tells of their company’s passion and in turn is implemented into the buyer who is subsequently seen as
also having that passion. Likewise, the advertising may also up-well any passions that a user may have,
such as a passion for driving, or a passion for animals. Through the systematic anchoring of senses to
emotion and ultimately to products, generally speaking, marketers who seek such attributes for their
brands do so in a positive manner. The power of associating the senses to brands creates a direct link to
users and their passions.
Reputation is another attribute good advertising is seen to display for brands. Top global brands
successfully communicate a worthy psychology surrounding their products. They relay information
about the brand that coincides with qualities that are congruent with reliability in performance, which
aims toward having a good image. This image is not only created by users of the brand, but also is
representative of how the organization sees itself within its industry. According to Herbig & Milewicz
(1997) reputation is,
“…an aggregate composite of all previous transactions over the life of the entity, a historical notion, and requires
consistency of an entity’s actions over a prolonged time. Reputation is established by the flow of information from one
user to another.”
Through repeated instances of performance, good or bad, reputation is created. However, Herbig &
Milewicz (1997) also state that these instances take time for the reputation to grow, and for credibility to

23
strengthen, which will only occur if the reputation is consistent. The aim of advertising then is to also
create awareness of the reputation and build good credibility.
Good advertising is a forum of sorts that allows brands to let the world know who they are. Morgan
(1999) says that this forum is a place where people meet and have conversations (to have small talk)
about the brand. Many top brands have already established their presence in their arenas and have
claimed their territory. They have conveyed their presence to the public and have done it well. These top
brands have displayed their attributes: who they are, what they do, where they’re from, and what they
have to offer. Their advertising has been unique, compelling, and relatable, which has intrigued buyers.
According to Morgan (1999) top brands have differentiated themselves through their advertising that
shows they are,
 “Innovative and leaders in their market”
 “Answering needs (business and consumer)”
 “Strong in buyer recognition”
 “Strong in their buyer psyche (have good association)”
 “Sensible and practical in their offerings”
 “Capable of producing products that perform”
 “Known throughout their industry and beyond”
Their product claims are further supported by verified in-field performance reviews that reinforce
reputation and credibility.
Top brands can be seen as the bully of the playground. They’re big, possess large resource pools creating
power, and they’re hard to move from their territory. Quite often it is seen too that they like to play
rough, making it hard to enter their domain. They’re sheer size, dominating stature, and endless capital
creates entry barriers that even the challenger brands (brands that hold market share underneath
superbrands) have difficulty surpassing (Morgan 1999).
Although there are tools to let small organizations advertise alongside the big players, it is not the only
means to become a leader in the industry. As Aaker & Joachimsthaler (2000) state,
“A common misconception is that building brands is nothing more than advertising.”
To get recognized and play like a top brand other pieces must be found, which must be followed.
Product design dictates that a product must perform according to what it was intended. The distribution
of these products must also be efficient, where the logistics involved from resource allocation during
manufacturing, warehouse storage, to reaching the customer at point of sales must run smoothly. Aaker
& Joachimsthaler (2000) further state that an organization cannot randomly choose a channel of

24
awareness, advertise, and then expect results. Television is a common form of communication, but may
result in high expenditures. Print is another frequently used medium, but may not be an effective
medium if the audience isn’t properly targeted. The Internet with its pervasiveness and commonality
may not be an appropriate route if business clientele are the objective. So it can be seen that
organizations seeking awareness within the public eye must have a strategy that is beneficial for their
product. Good advertising takes research, and strong brands have succeeded in their research.
Alliances between Brands
To increase their position strategically some brands turn to their competitors and form alliances. This
would especially be true if an organization seeks a global presence on a scale that would be impossible to
achieve alone. In fact, some brands would have not become “top brands” in their segment if it weren’t
for the formation of their current alliances. By teaming together firms increase their value proposition
and avoid the pitfalls of expanding too much too fast. In essence, firms avoid overly certain judgments;
that is, assuming that certain potentialities are possible when in reality they are not. Firms that seek
world recognition also avoid limiting their potential by just focusing on one objective. Teaming together
increases their scope since the objective of their partners would also have to be taken into consideration
(Doz & Hamel 1998).
There is logic behind forging an alliance with competitors. For one an organization can build the needed
clientele by acquiring their partner’s customer base. This would lead towards encouraging and obtaining
the driving force brought on by consumerism. In addition, acquiring the proper customer foundation
would allow new knowledge of unknown markets to proliferate. It allows firms to enter markets easily
by avoiding competitive barriers placed by rivals. Top brands have gained their market dominance
through the acquisition of knowledge from their partners who are already in the targeted market. With
this, they have gained the position to be on the inside and create an advantage from the already known
information about their present market. The acquisition of this knowledge may be consumer
temperament for the region or knowledge about an entirely new field, like software production (Doz &
Hamel 1998).
One of the main advantages that top brands uptake when creating alliances is the creation of value.
Metaphorically speaking take two companies each specializing in a field. The two can be seen as needed
ingredients for baking a cake. If one ingredient is missing, the cake can be baked, but will taste bad. On
the other hand, when the cake is made with the goodness of the missing ingredients, it will taste good.
Therefore, the significance in having the two needed ingredients creates a better tasting cake, or rather a
better-valued organization.

25
In as much, introducing new products by forging an alliance also creates new opportunities in being a
pioneer. Many times this creates new market segments that can be taken reinforcing the pioneer status.
Doz & Hamel (1998) further state that endeavoring in alliances creates value and increases areas that are
vital for contending within the market. For one, new organizations from alliances increase
competitiveness within an organization’s segments by combining knowledge from both pools. This gives
the newly created partnership an edge against its rivals, and evidently increases the available resources to
support their objectives. The shared knowledge also increases internal competences that can be used to
create strategies against players within the field furthering their capabilities. Doz & Hamel (1998)
elaborate that organizations create unions,
“…to position themselves strategically and gain competitive capabilities through the co-option of rivals and
complementary firms, the need to combine their resources through cospecialization so as to access new markets and
create or pursue new opportunities they could not consider on their own, and the need to learn through alliances,
both to overcome skill deficits and to acquire new competencies.”
The logic of alliance is portrayed in Doz & Hamel’s (1998) hierarchal depiction below.
Figure 4: The Logics of Alliance Value Creation (Doz & Hamel 1998)
Brand Barriers
A top brand creates many difficulties for smaller or newer brands. Once the status of being the best is
achieved market dominance inherently transcends the competition. These brands are definitively the
alpha, beta, or gamma organizations in their markets, and are hard to move out since many barriers are
automatically erected to prohibit growth for smaller competitors.
Globalization
Building critical
mass
Gaining
competitive
strength through
co-option
Building nodal
positions in
coalitions
Reaching new
markets
Leveraging
cospecialized
resources
Creating new
opportunities
Plugging skill
gaps
Gaining
competence
through
internalized
learning
Building new
competencies

26
Several major sources of difficulty are given to competitors by these brands as elaborated by Porter
(1980) in his six principles.
 “Economies of scale”
 “Product differentiation”
 “Capital requirements”
 “Switching costs”
 “Access to distribution channels”
 “Cost disadvantage independent of scale”
Although his writings are a generalized look at competition from many industries, it must be noted that
top performing brands exhibit the same characteristics. Not only does this support Porter’s (1980)
observances, but demonstrates the reasons why top brands are dominant within their markets.
Brands that are established have “economies of scale” since they have several business areas to cover the
costs of production, distribution, and advertising. Many organizations that produce these brands already
offer a repertoire of other supporting brands, which expand market share. Their market dominances
gives the needed “capital requirements” to research and develop the brand, which inadvertently also
allows for efficient “distribution.” Furthermore, these brands are already established within their markets
and do not need a trial and error period for any regulatory agencies. This creates a “cost disadvantage”
for newer brands that have to pass regulatory commissions. Many loyal customers are also content with
the brand’s offerings, and therefore are reluctant to “switch” (Porter 1980).
Top brands are not just dominant due to the barriers they create or the reputation they hold. These
constituents are just part of the equation to success. Dominant brands that are successful have managing
teams that believe in the brand’s efforts. These teams exude innovation, creativity, camaraderie, along
with a full understanding of the brand and its implications toward the consumer. The harboring
organization understands the potentiality of growth and willingly allows its employees to grow
congruently. Being open to outside thinkers is also taken into consideration. The financial backing from
their established brand further fuels the brand’s endeavors. It is seen that once brands and their
organizations become market movers, a manifestation to grow the brand takes hold within the
organization (Wilkinson 2006).
Organizations that create top brands don’t rely on one brand alone, but rather on an array of brands to
succeed within their markets. Aaker & Joachimsthaler (2000) outline that many successful brands use
supporting brands to imply who they are. Having several brands implies strength, supports a positive
sentiment, and describes personality. Common goals that many organizations with top brands have are

27
to penetrate lower income markets, and to achieve higher market shares. Additionally, introducing sub-
brands allows the firm to ward off any would-be threats creating security. Offering lower priced
alternatives gives the impression of cheaper substitutes, but in essence continues revenue acquisition for
the organization. These generic brands usually are “introduced with little push or support” as Porter
(1980) states. Generics can also serve as a preemptive attempt to thwart any rivals, or be used as a
catalyst prior to a new brand release.
Brand Public Relations
The official meaning of public relations according the Public Relations Society of America (2010) is,
“Public relations help our complex, pluralistic society to reach decisions and function more effectively by
contributing to mutual understanding among groups and institutions. It serves to bring private and public policies
into harmony.”
Rules of public relations (PR) mandate that organizations and their brands must be abided to ensure
proper conveyance to the public. It is the buyer (consumer or business) that ultimately determines the
performance of the organization and its brands. Without appropriate conveyance of their intent, the
public will not properly receive the proposed brands resulting in failure. Codes of ethics from PR
institutions express the general belief that organizations should provide correct information, endorse
good communications with all parties, respect privacy issues, promote competitiveness, avoid conflicts,
and strengthen public sentiment towards issues of interest (Confédération Européenne des Relations
Publiques 2001).
Public relations in America and in Europe allow practitioners to advocate their respective organizations.
PR has come a long way from paper and speech campaigning. From its first renditions dating back to
ancient civilizations of the Middle East, PR has been a way to convey to society an ideology and create
awareness. Whether it was creating awareness of overseers or setting great armies on a pedestal in order
to gain public favor, today’s electronic frontier does the same. Instant information has pushed the
envelope of PR surpassing yesteryears capability (Bates 2006).
Brand managers in charge of PR seek to strongly communicate ideas that create positive opinions and
brand imagery in targeted markets. They instigate interactions and aid in product deployment through
their campaigns designs. In times of crises, where bad PR occurs, brand managers create counter
campaigns to control any negative repercussions that may arise. Today’s technology has allowed
practitioners to run campaigns that reach parts of the world previously thought impossible. With the
advent of social networking websites, really simple syndication (RSS), podcasts and the like, the

28
spreading of information has become easier. Having a limitless budget to support their marketing
endeavors, many PR campaigns are enormous (Breakenridge 2008).
Achieving such awareness would not have been possible if it weren’t for today’s methodologies of PR,
dubbed by Breakenridge (2008) as PR 2.0. In today’s internet connected world, the availability and
dissemination of information is cheap and easy, and would not have reached its current standing point.
“There are many strategies on the Internet that have worked for years and now, coupled with new social media
applications, the result is powerful and meaningful communication with consumers who demand information and
want to gather, organize, and share content within their online communities” (Breakenridge 2008).
Although the traditional tools of PR are still the basic necessities, the introduction of the internet created
a realization that more awareness was possible. First generations PR methodologies primarily expanded
the traditional set of tools and launched an awareness of the virtual world. Though not as widely
pervasive in the late 1990s to early 2000s, brand managers understood that change towards a cyber-based
world was on the horizon. With this knowledge came a new and cost effective way of spreading
awareness. The ease of information gathering began to take hold with many internet users during the
mid-2000s. Marketers began using more coercive advertisements, thus creating a willingness among
users to pass information readily in “viral-like” fashion.
It must be understood that the sole purpose of PR is to understand attitudes within audiences, and use
that information to better organizations and their brands. PR provides the public with up-to-date news
about the organization’s and their brands performance. Second generation PR tools allow this to be
generated on a daily basis and is accessible at any time. As such these PR tools have produced massive
success for top brands, since it has allowed them to target their specific market segments, and provide
the needed information to create positive awareness. New PR tools and their implications towards
generating awareness have led strong brands to receive feedback that allows them to become socially
acceptability. The so called dialogue that is created allows brand and consumer to learn about each other
(Breakenridge 2008).
Fox & Madden (2006) state that younger users of the Internet, ages 12-28 are incline to use instant
messaging, play games online, and use blogs. People between the ages of 28-69 are likely to use the
Internet for a utilitarian purpose such as buying tickets. To be successful at marketing, brand managers
need to be proficient in researching their targeted markets. The new generation of PR tools helps
capture these mindsets, and enable brand teams to listen and market appropriately with real-time data
that is compiled daily. Data mining as it is known, this allows brands and their organizations to

29
dynamically change to meet the needs of customers while averting any negative sentiments. Breakenridge
(2008) states,
“It is this professional’s responsibility to manage the research process and then share the information for the
purpose of integrating the results into new programs moving forward.”
It is one of the many reasons why top brands have become dominant. Today’s PR tools not only
allowed these brands to reach their populace effectively, it has also allowed them to coerce markets into
wanting more.
In summation, PR campaigning is a methodology that is used to implant an idea about a brand and
manage it accordingly. PR lies at the forefront of marketing, and utilizes many of the aforementioned
ideologies from creating awareness, to making connections with customers, and turning those customers
in loyal followers. Based on Breakenridge’s (2008) writings, leading brand teams have:
 “given directed information about their brands to buyers (business and consumers)”
 “given this information easily via the media tools from PR”
 “given the ability to inquire”
 “quickly responded to inquiries”
 “stated their positions clearly within their industry; where they stand on issues and what they are doing to rectify any
problems”
 “given their targeted markets to trust in their brand”
 “control their directed messages about their brands”
 “interaction with their markets on topics that surround their brands, which promotes them”
 “guided the populace into forming their own “positive” opinions about their brand”

30
Case of the Superbrand
With the exhaustive theory about brands behind, the previous questions asked still remain. At this point
it seems that perhaps some of the questions have been answered, but a further investigation must
commence to gain the answers thoroughly. Again these questions are,
1. “Is the word ‘superbrand’ just another name for a top-performing brand?”
2. “Are there any academic writings explaining what a superbrand is, and what are the professionals saying
about them?”
3. “Is there a template framework to become a superbrand in any industry, and what are the constituents for
such a framework?”
Investigation of Brand Literature
In the search of information for superbrands a great number of academic articles in databases and books
in libraries have been viewed. For the sake of simplicity and true academic research only books regarding
the topic of branding are mentioned. This allowed for an attempt to discover if any publications
currently exist specifically on superbrands. It must be noted that there resides within the halls of
academia a vast number of sources on branding. This obviously presented an obstacle for the work
needed; therefore, only a limited amount of sources can be presented. With many books being
published, a narrowed selection of twenty books were chosen and examined. These books were believed
to hold some kind of information on superbrands. The following is a listing of these sources in tabular
format.
Published Books on Branding
Year Author Title
1988 Charmasson The name is the game: how to name a company or
product
1992 Kapferer Strategic Brand Management: New Approaches to
Creating and Evaluating Brand Equity
1995 Hallberg All consumers are not created equal: the differential
strategy for brand loyalty and profits
1995 Upshaw Building Brand Identity
1996 Aaker Building Strong Brands

31
1999 Morgan Eating the Big Fish: How Challenger Brands Can
Compete Against Brand Leaders
2000 Randall Branding: A Practical Guide to Planning Your Strategy
2000 Buchholz &
Wördemann
What Makes Winning Brands Different? The Hidden
Method Behind the World’s Most Successful Brands
2000 Aaker Brand Leadership
2001 Gobé Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for
Connecting Brands to People
2002 Klein No Logo: Taking aim at the Brand Bullies
2003 Levine A Branded World: Adventure in Public Relations and
the Creation of Superbrands
2003 Duffy & Hooper Passion Branding: Harnessing the Power of Emotion to
Build Strong Brands
2004 Chevalier &
Mazzalovo
Pro Logo: Brands as a Factor of Progress
2005 Lindstrom Brand sense: How to build powerful brands through
touch, taste, smell, sight, & sound
2005 Lamons The Case for B2B Branding: Pulling Away from the
Business to Business Pack
2006 Foley & Kendrick Balanced Brand: How to Balance the Stakeholder
Forces That can Make or Break Your Business
2006 Kotler B2B Brand Management
2006 Passikoff Predicting Market Success: New Ways to Measure
Customer Loyalty and Engage Consumers With Your
Brand
2006 Grant The Brand Innovation Manifesto: How to Build Brands,
Redefine Markets and Defy Conventions
Table 1: Branding books examined
The books were listed by publication date to determine if any logical progression occurred through the
years. All books are specifically on the topic of branding. Although the majorities are aimed at consumer
branding, there are two business-to-business branding books that were believed to contain information
about superbrands. These books were also included in the list to demonstrate that a generalized
overview of branding within both B2B and B2C arenas was taken into account. All books were analyzed
by referencing their table of contents to see if there were any topics that surrounded the idea of
superbrands, along with the extraction of information to be used in this thesis. If any pertinent
information was found upon deeper inspection on superbrands they were noted. In addition, several
other marketing books were also referenced in order to grasp a deeper idea on the topic of branding and
their results.

32
However, the investigation did not stop at just books. Numerous articles in academic databases were
searched and also used for reference material. Various journal publications on branding and marketing
were researched. For the sake of straightforwardness those articles will not be referred to, although many
were used to supplement the theory found in the books. The sheer vastness of information currently
present within online databases also created another obstacle, since the time needed to peruse through
them posed a daunting challenge. With time constraints in place it was therefore thought that articles
were not relevant, even though some of the information they presented was used in this work.
Professional Point of View
Although it is good to have academic information to understand the topic of branding, it is always best
to have real world examples to support the theory. This obviously would allow for the testing of the
theory to see it were true or not. Asking people who know best about the topic of branding was
therefore a needed aspect and was undertaken. Several organizations that specialize in branding practices
were approached. At present there reside two firms who have become known as brands themselves that
were targeted. Interbrand Corporation and Superbrands Ltd were found to be the most predominant
and respected within the branding community. Both organizations gauge brands around the globe and
designate the most strongest and successful brands out of the plethora that reside within the many
industries around the world.
Interbrand Incorporated
From its inception in 1974 Interbrand Corporation has helped the world realize the importance of
brands. With regional headquarters in the Americas, Asia, and Europe this organization has become the
consultancy group that many businesses turn to for advice on becoming a strong recognizable brand. On
their website Interbrand (2010) states,
“We have changed the world’s view of branding and brand management by creating and managing brands as
valuable business assets.”
“We bring together a diverse range of insightful thinkers making our business both rigorously analytical and highly
creative.”
“We create and manage brand value by making the brand central to the business’s strategic aims. We’re not
interested in simply being the world’s biggest brand consultancy. We want to be the most valued.”
Under the Interbrand group resides sub-companies that specialize in areas of branding that are needed
for businesses to thrive and perpetuate. Their Interbrand Design Forum aids in the designing of brands.

33
More formally, this business segment helps in the creation, modification, and realization of brands.
InterbrandHealth specifically caters to branding in the healthcare industry, while their BrandWizard
segment offers brand management services that allows for more effective and efficient brands.
Interbrand is also responsible for various published books on the topic of branding in several languages,
as well as, running an online magazine called Brandchannel, which gives up-to-date news about branding
practices. The organization is also a respected leader in ranking brands and annually publishes its
findings of the best global brands in cooperation with Businessweek. Accordingly, Interbrand (2010) has
defined branding as,
“A brand is a mixture of attributes, tangible and intangible, symbolized by a trademark, which if managed properly,
creates value and influence. ‘Value’ has different interpretations: from a marketing or consumer perspective it is the
promise and delivery of an experience; from a business perspective it is the security of future earnings; from a legal
perspective it is a separate piece of intellectual property.”
“A brand is intended to secure future earnings by growing customer preference and loyalty. Brands simplify decision-
making, represent an assurance of quality, and offer a relevant and credible choice among competing offerings.”
Interbrand ranks their top performing brands through a systematic process, which looks mainly at the
financial performance acquired by the company in focus from their brands. This process is depicted
below and highlights the value of an organization’s brand.
Figure 5: Interbrand Methodology (Interbrand 2010)

34
From this financial performance measure, Interbrand has rated the most predominant brands of society.
According to their website these brands originate from multi-billion dollar corporations, and possess
brand value worth billions of dollars as can be seen from their listing below.
Figure 6: Best Global Consumer Brands 2010 (Interbrand 2010)
It must be noted that although top regional CEOs of Interbrand were approached for an interview,
many were inaccessible. All had no time to provide the sought after information in sent surveys. Of the
five approached regional managers one replied stating that all information needed could be found on the
official website.
Superbrands Limited
Another organization responsible for gauging global brands seemed particularly interesting. Superbrands
Ltd is an organization that holds the title that is the topic of this thesis. Undoubtedly this organization
had to be chosen since it was thought to be the source of the word “superbrand.” Founded in 1995
from a radio show aired in England that gave the public opinions about everyday brands, this
organization has since become a leader on assessing brands. Within 13 years from its inception, the
organization has become a respected judge among today’s brands. Superbrands Ltd is responsible for
publishing various books on the topic of branding, and is an award that enhances brand value. Currently
Superbrands Ltd works with 3000 brands and has created a network that strengthens brand positioning
through the aid of PR and media campaigns promoted by the organization. Superbrands Ltd focuses on

35
six segments which include consumer, business, sports, Internet, luxury, and child markets that are
respectively run by offshoot businesses: Superbrands, CoolBrands, Business Superbrands, Sport
Superbrands, e-Superbrands, Luxury Brands, and Kid Superbrands (Superbrands Ltd. 2010).
In catering to the seven markets of branding the targeted brands are put through a rigorous gamut to
determine their viability as a superbrand. First and foremost 3000 consumer brands that are in the
market are observed in a quantitative assessment, and categorized by awareness, strength, impression,
and market performance. These brands are then filtered down to 400 brands. The identified brands are
then assessed further by a council of professionals from specific industries that have a legitimate amount
of experience with brand management and marketing. These members are however not allowed to
decide on brands that reside within their own industry. Of the 400, 100 brands are removed out of the
selected, and the rest are labeled as superbrands. These brands are found to have the most
emotional/rational advantages with value adding characteristics. Additionally, the 300 remaining brands
are then subjugated to further testing against nine attributes: inheritance, trust, innovation, solidarity,
consideration, nostalgia, prestige, acceptance, and role models (Superbrands Ltd. 2010).
The aforementioned rigorous selection process is based on the analyses of three constituents: brand
analysis, industry specific market analysis, and marketing analysis. Brand analysis reviews a brand’s
strength/values from the public through surveys. Industry specific market analysis gauges trends exuded
by the brand’s residing market, which leads to the last constituent, marketing analysis. In marketing
analysis, a review of activity as a result of the brand is conducted. Campaign assessments, image/brand
language assessments, marketing/PR reviews, and ROI (return on investment) analyses are all taken into
consideration when grading brands (Superbrands Ltd. 2010).
For the business sector, 1700 brands are observed and also placed through the same testing procedures.
Succinctly, each brand is grouped according to industry: industrial, service, finance, publisher/journals,
and construction/property. Chosen respondents are then required to answer a survey, which rates the
brand.
The study, which is held every year, results in the top 100 strongest brands. The following table shows
the 10 best-rated consumer brands according to their website.

Master Thesis Final A4

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