validity of the branding constellation technique
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Validity of the branding constellation technique. EMAC, 35 th , Athens, May 24, 18.25 – 18.45 Product and Brand Management. Presentation: sustainable marketing leadership by enhancing understanding of branding problems. Knowledge gap in branding research Branding constellation technique - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Validity of the branding constellation technique
EMAC, 35th, Athens, May 24, 18.25 – 18.45Product and Brand Management
Presentation: sustainable marketing leadership by enhancing understanding of branding problems
1. Knowledge gap in branding research
2. Branding constellation technique
3. Dissertation aim / EMAC paper aim
4. Findings
5. Discussion and implications
Focus on four in scientific knowledge ‘gaps’ in branding research
1. Systematic problem identification (Ackoff, 1978; Yadav & Karonkanda, 1985; Chapman, 1989; Butler, 1995; Gibson, 1998)
2. Soft, ill-structured problems (Chapman, 1989; Checkland & Scholes, 2005; Hackley, 1999; Zikmund, 2003; Zaltman)
3. Effects of decisions (Yadav & Karonkanda, 1985; Davis & Moe, 1997; Durgee, O’Connor & Veryzer, 1999; Desai, 2002)
4. Mind of the manager (Mintzberg et al., 1998; Zaltman, Blichfeldt, 2005; Jones, 2005, Nijssen & Agustin, 2005)
Branding constellation technique
Application of systems constellation technique
to identify branding problems
1. Roles: client, facilitator, observers (stand-ins/audience)
2. Main phases: interview, projection, modification, vision
Aim branding constellation research project
How useful (valid, reliable, and accurate)
do marketing experts (users and observers)
judge the application of systems constellations
to identify branding problems?
Research project methodology
Multiple case study design: 32 branding problems
Four settings: marketing expert (7), branders-only (9), marketing-lay (8), another facilitator (8)
Three open marketing expert conferences in 2002 (3), 2003 (2), 2004 (2): 25-35 experts
Questionnaires: directly after the constellation, by e-mail the day after, and spontaneously during project
Explorative EMAC 2006 paper aim
How valid
do marketing experts (2 users and 34 observers)
judge the two 2004 forum branding constellations
to identify branding problems?
Explorative EMAC paper 2006 questions
1. Do marketing experts (users and observers) think the constellations clarified branding problems?
2. Did users and observers generate good ideas on how to tackle the branding problems in each phase?
3. Do the users and observers think that branding constellations enhance brand systems thinking?
Findings (eq): problem clarification to audience in magazine and training company constellation
Problem clarification ClarifiedLimited clarified
Not clarified
Magazine (N=25) 92 % (23) 4 % (1) 4 % (1)
Training company (N=26) 62 % (16) 15 % (4) 23 % (6)
Findings (dq): audience ideas per phase on magazine and training company problem
Role Audience (N=25, N=26)
Phase/ Quality Good Limited No Idea No Answer
Interview 72 % (18) 69 % (18)
16 % (4) 23 % (6)
12 % (3)4 % (1)
- 4 % (1)
Projection 72 % (18) 50 % (13)
4 % (1) 4 % (1)
20 % (5) 38 % (10)
4 % (1) 8 % (2)
Modification 76 % (19) 85 % (22)
12 % (3) 4 % (1)
4 % (1) 8 % (2)
8 % (2) 4 % (1)
Vision 100 % (25) 92 % (24)
- -
- 8 % (2)
- -
Findings (dq): stand-in ideas per phase on magazine and training company problem
Roles Stand-ins (N=9)
Phase / Quality Good Limited No idea
Interview n. a. n. a. n. a.
Projection 78 % (7) 50 % (4)
- -
22 % (2) 50 % (4)
Modification 89 % (8) 75 % (6)
- 11 % (1) 25 % (2)
Vision 100 % (9) 100 % (8)
- -
- -
n. a. = not available as not asked
Findings (eq): observers’ dimension scores on enhanced brand systems thinking
Enhanced brand systems thinking
Mean (N=34) Standard dev.
1. Brand construct relationships 8.2 0.9
2. Brand knowledge awareness 8.2 1.1
3. Experiencing brand system 8.1 1.2
4. Brand reality awareness 7.7 1.3
5. Brand vision 7.3 1.4
6. Scenario thinking 6.8 2.1
Limitations
1. Facilitator’s ignorance of brand knowledge
2. Marketing experts ‘believed’ in subconscious knowledge processing.
Discussion on findings
1. Branding problems were clarified, ideas generated, and brand systems thinking enhanced
2. Both 2004 users applied spontaneously, one for the second time, and 22 of the 34 observers too
3. No differences between problem contents, and settings
4. First validation step (Shocker & Zaltman, 1977; Sykes, 1991)
5. Brand managers as spider (fly) in a web (Panigyrakis & Veloutsou, 2000; Bergstrom a. o. 2002; Mitchell, 2002)
Brand application logic
1. Use of metaphors (Arndt, 1985; Callingham & Baker, 2001; Morgan; Lakoff & Johnson; Zaltman; O’Malley & Patterson, 2005)
2. Anthropomorphic approach, brand-as-a-person (Seguela, 1982; Aaker J.; Tan Tsu Wee, 2004; Freling & Lukas, 2005 )
3. Brand positioning / mapping (Kotler, Aaker, Keller)
4. Brand systems thinking (Mintzberg, 1998; Keller, 2002; Aaker,
2004; Franzen & Van den Berg, 2003; Van der Vorst, 2004)
Implication: further research seems useful
1. Technique standardization, involving creative theorists, metaphor theorists, (Merleau-Ponty) phenomenologists, and sociometrists
2. Application with facilitator having brand knowledge
3. More conclusive, experimental design: versus brainstorming, lateral thinking, synectics, or ZMET
4. Application to brand teams and consumers
Training company directors’ projection drawing 1
Legend stand-ins for constructs:
B: Brand name
D: Director (brander)
H: High board
Training company director’s projection drawing 2
Legend stand-ins for constructs:
B: Brand name
D: Director (client)
H: High board
M1: Market group 1 (BU trainers)
M2: Market group 2 (BU project workers)
M3: Market group 3 (BU advisors)
Magazine editor’s projection drawing
Legend stand-ins for constructs:
C: Current readers
D: Directors
E: Editorial office (client)
M: 40 year-old existing Magazine
R: Reformed magazine
S: Science-oriented articles
P: Popular articles
Telephone company marketer drawing 1
Legend stand-ins for constructs:
C: 16 million customers
K: KPN Telecom
M: KPN Mobile (client)
Telephone company marketer’s drawing 2
Legend stand-ins for constructs:
C: 16 million customers
K: KPN Telecom
M: KPN Mobile (client)
Ben: Ben (competitor 1)
V: Vodafone (competitor 2)
D: Other competitors
Direct questionnaire
1. Differentiation between ‘users’ (branders) and ‘observers’ and ‘stand-ins’ (marketing experts)
2. Three clarification categories in content analysis on the level of branding problem clarification: Clarified, Limited Clarified, and Not Clarified
3. Four quality categories in ideation content analysis: Good Ideas (new, actionable, leverage), Limited Ideas (rather vague), No Ideas, and No Answer.
E-mail questionnaire
E.g. 6 dimensions on enhanced brand systems thinking:
1. More awareness of branding reality
2. New perspective on brand construct relationships
3. More awareness of implicit brand knowledge
4. Clearer brand vision
5. More profound experience of the brand as a system
6. Enhanced scenario thinking.