Mary Lambkin

Pioneering new markets: A comparison of market share winners and losers

Abstract It is widely believed that to pioneer new markets is the most desirable strategy because of the research evidence which shows that, on average, pioneers tend to out-perform later market entrants. This study set out to question that assumption by examining the range of variation around the average value for a sample of pioneers from the PIMS data base. The results of this analysis indicate that not only is there considerable variation in the performance of pioneers but also that this variation is systematically associated with several dimensions of industry structure and competitive strategy. In particular, it emerges that pioneers which invest heavily from the outset in building large production scale, in securing wide distribution and in promoting their products achieve the strongest competitive position and earn the highest long-term returns.

Explaining attitudes towards the euro: Design of a cross-national study

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to provide essential background material relating to the accom-panying papers in this special issue. It presents a brief description of the ‘Psychology of theEuropean Monetary Union’ project. This involved a questionnaire study of attitudes towardsthe euro, which was fielded in each of the 15 member states of the European Union in thesummer of 1997. We describe the development of the common survey instrument, and outlinethe rationale and methods pursued in sampling particular conceptual domains. The paper alsodetails the sampling procedures used in each country, together with the response rates andsample sizes attained. Finally, it o•ers a brief cross-national comparison of overall attitudes tothe euro. O 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.PsycINFO classification: 2229; 3920JEL classification: D63; D84; E52; F33Keywords: Control; Currency; Euro; Expectations; Equity; European union; Economic andmonetary union; Money; National identity; Satisfaction; Values

Rebranding in the banking industry following mergers and acquisitions

Purpose – This paper aims to examine how international banking groups manage their branding in the context of successive mergers and acquisitions. It seeks to review of a number of case histories in order to show that banking companies tend to evolve a multi‐tiered system for absorbing and rebranding acquisitions and it also seeks to present a general framework to guide future research and practice.Design/methodology/approach – The banking industry has been undergoing major consolidation in recent years, with a number of global players emerging through successive mergers and acquisitions. These transactions vary in scale and location, from major mergers of large, equal‐sized international entities to acquisitions of smaller, local businesses in various countries all around the world. This paper brings together the literature on mergers and acquisitions, which mostly comes from economics and finance, with the marketing literature on branding and rebranding, to create a framework to help us to understand th...

Corporate Rebranding and the Implications for Brand Architecture Management: The Case of Guinness (Diageo) Ireland

The interaction between corporate and product brands – the vertical links in brand architecture – is explored through the case study of Guinness Ireland Group/Diageo Ireland. The change in the corporate name from Guinness to Diageo was one of the first high profile cases of rebranding and reflects a deliberate strategy of separating the corporate brand from its product brands. This case reveals the complex problem of protecting corporate heritage while managing product and corporate brands to keep them aligned with contemporary market requirements. A dynamic brand building model is presented which simultaneously addresses the different audiences for the products and the corporate brand. The paper concludes that a new concept of ‘business branding’, distinct from ‘consumer/product branding’, may allow corporations to reconcile the need for both corporate accountability and risk limitation while maintaining an effective brand management programme.

Branding in fictional and virtual environments

Purpose – This paper aims at establishing a new stream of academic study for virtual brands. It explains the concepts of protobrands and reverse product placement and explores some of the managerial and academic implications.Design/methodology/approach – Starting from the most recent definition of the brand construct, the paper establishes that the brand concept may now be detached from physical embodiment. The extension of application of the branding domain to the fictional and computer‐synthesized worlds is extensively illustrated by examples of virtual brands from books, films, video games and other multi‐user virtual environments.Findings – Evidence suggests that purely potential brands (protobrands) initiated in the virtual world may possess strong consumer‐based brand equity. The study shows that the equity of the protobrands may be leveraged in‐world (and can acquire legal protection) or through reverse product placement and the launch of the physical embodiment of the protobrand in the physical wo...

Corporate Social Responsibility And Marketing Performance: The Moderating Role Of Advertising Intensity

ABSTRACT The link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and company performance has been researched extensively, but the findings have been inconclusive or even conflicting. The link between CSR and marketing performance—one of the dimensions of company performance—has not been investigated so far, however. This study examines the relationship between CSR activities (in particular, corporate community and environmental activities) and marketing performance (measured by market share) and uncovers a positive relationship. The findings of this study demonstrate that the level of advertising intensity positively moderates the relationship between CSR and market share.

Stock exchange brands as an influence on investor behavior

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of stock exchange-related brand equity on intention to invest and the mediating role of perceived risk (PR) in this relationship in a comparative analysis between a developed and a developing market. Design/methodology/approach The study is carried out through an online survey among financially literate adults in two countries, Turkey and Ireland. Structural equation modeling is used to empirically test the relationships between brand equity dimensions and intention to invest, with a mediating role of PR. Findings The results indicate that the brand equity of a stock exchange is a relevant construct that significantly influences intention to invest. Also, the mediating role of PR is found to be strong in a developing market such as Turkey, but weak in a developed market like Ireland. Research limitations/implications One limitation of this paper is its inclusion of individual investors as the unit of analysis while leaving out institutional ones. The second limitation is the difficulty in generalizing the results to overall country populations. Practical implications This paper offers managerial implications regarding the need for emphasizing “stock exchange brand,” besides corporate brands traded, and customizing the management of brand-related influencers in investment decisions according to country context. Originality/value The impact of corporate brands in investment choices has been demonstrated before, but the influence of intermediaries – stock exchanges – through which investments are transacted, has not yet been investigated. This study addresses this gap, and further shows the differing extent of PR in this relationship between a developed and a developing country setting.

The changing consumer in Ireland

Abstract The decade of the 1980s was a difficult time for companies marketing goods and services in Ireland. The business environment was dominated by high unemployment and economic recession, due to a combination of internal and external factors, which dampened consumer confidence and restrained spending. Fortunately, the economy is recovering rapidly in the 1990s, with low interest rates leading to greater confidence which, in turn, is promoting both increased investment and consumer spending. The prospects for the remainder of the 1990s look favourable assuming stability in the business environment. This paper describes key features of the Irish economy, demography and society which determine the nature of the consumer market, and examines the variables that affect its performance. It also outlines the structure of the macromarketing environment and highlights important trends. It concludes with a discussion of the future outlook for the market and examines some of the implications for marketing management.

Cross-Border M&A: Implications for Marketing Capability: An Abstract

Firms from emerging countries have become significant players in cross-border mergers and acquisitions in recent years. The two main motivations of emerging country firms for acquiring firms from developed countries are strategic resource seeking and fast entry to foreign markets (Nicholson & Salaber, 2013; Deng & Yang, 2015). The paper investigates the impact of such acquisitions on the marketing capabilities as well as the overall firm performance of acquiring firms.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Marketing Performance: Role of Commitment to the Customer Relationship (An Extended Abstract)

The nexus between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm financial performance has been researched extensively, but the findings have been inconclusive or even conflicting. However, the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and marketing performance is unexplored. This study examines the relationship between CSR and marketing performance and uncovers a positive relationship. It also shows that the degree of commitment toward the customer relationship further enhances the positive relationship.