Jean-Paul Berthon

Aesthetics and Ephemerality: Observing and Preserving the Luxury Brand

While luxury brands are one of the most profitable and fastest growing segments of the brand pantheon, they are the least understood. There is no established definition as to what a luxury brand is; no clear understanding of the value dimensionality of luxury brands; and no rigorous conceptualization of the different types of luxury brands. They are generally treated as homogenous. Little wonder that the management of these brands is shrouded in mystery. This article explores the value dimensionality of luxury brands, differentiates among luxury brands, and proposes a typology to help firms understand the managerial implications and challenges of each type. All luxury brands are not the same—they can mean different things to different people or even different things to the same people, which makes target marketing of luxury brands both difficult and important. This also means that they react differently to each other both in times of economic prosperity and in downturns. This article also explores strategies for migrating mass-market brands into luxury brand markets.

Going with the flow: Web sites and customer involvement

This paper investigates a structure of commercial Web sites, and then attempts to analyse various patterns that emerge which may be of future use as a guideline to businesses that intend establishing a Web presence. Key to the understanding of these patterns is a clearer grasp of the implications of human interaction with the new medium. The focus is on an experiential construct, namely flow, and how this might vary by Web site, and on using this to begin to unravel the secrets of good commercial Web site design and its implications for business.

The state of theory in three premier advertising journals: a research note

Despite its importance, little is known about the prevalence of theory in the literature on advertising research. Utilising a content analysis of the three premier advertising journals over an 11-year period, it is found that only 17% of articles have made explicit use of theory. Psychology is the discipline from which the greatest number of articles drew their theoretical frameworks, followed by sociology and economics – indeed, theories from marketing and advertising are in the minority. Limitations are noted and implications of the results are discussed.

Brand worlds: From articulation to integration

ABSTRACT In this paper, the authors reflect upon the last half-century of branding research, offering both integration and insight. They chart how the understanding of brands has evolved from mark-through mimesis, expression, and symptom to self-organizing phenomenon. Using Poppers Three Worlds hypothesis, they show how the various fragmented streams of branding research can be integrated so that they complement and supplement each other. The authors then provide a prognosis on the future evolutions of brands and branding research.

Brand Management and Strategic Performance

ABSTRACT This article reports on a study using a previously published checklist to assess the brand management practices of South African firms. Indications are that the perceptions of a sample of senior managers regarding how well their institutions manage their brands are reasonably positive, and that the management of brands has effects on a firms profitability, market share and growth compared to competitors. While the checklist used seems to possess the characteristic of reliability, further development needs to be done on aspects of its underlying structure. Implications for managers and further avenues for research are identified and discussed.

Psychometric properties of the brand personality scale : Evidence from a business school

The Brand Personality Scale has received considerable attention and has been frequently used and cited in the branding literature. This paper describes an investigation of the psychometric characteristics of the Brand Personality Scale in a business school context where umbrella branding is used. A sample (N = 262) of students attending the MBA program of a major business school in eastern USA completed the scale. Results indicate problems with the scales dimensionality, poor reliability, convergent and nomological validity of the Ruggedness dimension, and lack of support for discriminant validity. Managerial and research implications and limitations are noted.

Brand Management and Strategic Performance: Some Evidence from South Africa

ABSTRACT This article reports on a study using a previously published checklist to assess the brand management practices of South African firms. Indications are that the perceptions of a sample of senior managers regarding how well their institutions manage their brands are reasonably positive, and that the management of brands has effects on a firms profitability, market share and growth compared to competitors. While the checklist used seems to possess the characteristic of reliability, further development needs to be done on aspects of its underlying structure. Implications for managers and further avenues for research are identified and discussed.

The “ICON” archetype: Its influence on customer orientation and innovation in South African firms

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the relationship between a firms “ICON” archetype, turbulence in its operating environment and its performance.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire‐based survey of 258 marketing managers in South Africa used a modified ICON scale to identify archetypes, assess perceived turbulence, and measure performance with respect to profitability, market share and growth rate.Findings – The archetype to which a firm conforms depends to some extent on its perception of environmental turbulence, and has an influence on all aspects of its performance. “Isolate” firms tend to under‐perform on all measures; “shapers” exhibit significantly higher rates of growth.Research limitations/implications – The limitations are associated with mail surveys, single‐respondent bias, and subjective assessment of performance. The study nevertheless demonstrates the validity and usefulness of the ICON matrix and scale, and sets directions for further investigation.Practical implications –...