This thesis is about the perception of “fit” between two partner brands in a co-branding venture. Previous studies have already identified that a perceived fit between partner brands leads to a positive evaluation of the co-branded offering by consumers. Despite the great importance of fit between brands, it has not been investigated yet which factors (e.g. similar price level, target group, product category) lead to a perceived fit between partner brands by consumers.
For closing this research gap, a theoretical framework is developed in order to identify potential “fit factors” that have an influence on the perceived fit. Based on the categorization theory and different brand association classifications the following potential fit factors between two brands are identified: price fit, user fit, usage fit, quality fit, brand personality fit, and category fit.
To find out if these fit factors have an impact on the perceived overall (global) fit of two partner brands, an empirical study of 9 real co-brands is conducted. 180 students are asked in an online questionnaire to state their perception of the 9 co-brands, regarding the different fit factors.
Findings of the empirical study show that similarities in the price level (price fit), users (user fit), usage situation (usage fit), quality (quality fit) and brand personality (brand personality fit) seem to have a positive relationship to the overall (global) fit of two partner brands, whereas a category fit has no clear relationship to the global fit of two brands.
On the one hand, these findings help brand managers to select the right partner brand. On the other hand, it delivers first indications for academics why consumers perceive some co-brands as fitting together and others not.
The findings of this research, as well as the developed theoretical framework, can be used for future research in this area.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Research Purpose, Research Question and Managerial Relevance
- Delimitations
- Structure of this Master's Thesis
- Foundations of Co-Branding
- Brand, Co-Branding and Brand Leverage
- Brand
- Definition of Co-Branding
- Brand Leverage Strategies: Co-Branding, Brand and Line Extension
- Types and related types of Co-Branding
- Types of Co-Branding
- Related types of Co-Branding
- Benefits, Drawbacks and Success Factors of Co-Branding
- Benefits of Co-Branding
- Drawbacks of Co-Branding
- Success factors of a co-branded offering
- Literature Review of Co-Branding and Research Gap
- Brand, Co-Branding and Brand Leverage
- Theory
- Cognitive Theories
- Perception and Attitude
- Associative Network Memory Model
- Categorization Theory
- Fit Factors
- Brand Fit
- Category Fit
- Theoretical Framework
- Cognitive Theories
- Methodology & Research Design
- Type of data: Primary vs. Secondary data
- Type of research: Qualitative vs. Quantitative research
- Questionnaire Design
- Brand Selection
- Questionnaire structure and questions
- Number of questionnaires
- Sample and Sample Size
- Sample vs. Census
- Sample Type
- Sample Size
- Data Collection
- Method
- Time Horizon
- Techniques for increasing the Response Rate
- Validity, Reliability and Generalisability
- Validity
- Reliability
- Generalisability
- Data Analysis
- Method
- Method for Demographic (Classification) questions
- Method for Target questions
- General and demographic statistics of the survey
- Analysis of the Target questions
- Method
- Conclusions, Limitations and Future Research
- Conclusions
- Conclusions from the Data Analysis
- Answering the Research Question
- Managerial Implications
- Academic Implications
- Limitations and Future Research
- Conclusions
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis investigates the perception of "fit" between two partner brands in a co-branding venture. The study aims to identify factors that influence consumer perception of brand fit and their impact on the overall evaluation of co-branded offerings.- The role of brand fit in consumer perception of co-branded offerings.
- Identification of factors influencing perceived brand fit.
- Analysis of the relationship between specific fit factors and overall brand fit.
- Implications for brand managers in selecting suitable co-branding partners.
- Contribution to the academic understanding of consumer perception of co-branding.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the research purpose, research question, and managerial relevance of the study. It also outlines the delimitations and structure of the thesis.
- Foundations of Co-Branding: This chapter explores the concepts of brand, co-branding, and brand leverage. It discusses various types of co-branding, along with their benefits, drawbacks, and success factors. Finally, it reviews existing literature on co-branding and identifies the research gap that this study aims to address.
- Theory: This chapter delves into cognitive theories relevant to understanding brand perception and consumer behavior. It introduces the associative network memory model, categorization theory, and discusses the concept of brand fit and its potential factors.
- Methodology & Research Design: This chapter details the research methodology employed in the study. It describes the type of data used (primary vs. secondary), the research approach (qualitative vs. quantitative), and the design and implementation of the questionnaire. It also outlines the sample selection process, sample size, and data collection methods, including the techniques used to increase response rates. The chapter concludes by discussing the validity, reliability, and generalisability of the research design.
- Data Analysis: This chapter presents the methods used for analyzing the collected data, including the treatment of demographic and target questions. It provides a summary of the general and demographic statistics of the survey, followed by a detailed analysis of the target questions.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This research focuses on consumer perception of co-branding, with a particular emphasis on the concept of brand fit. The key themes explored include: brand perception, co-branding, brand leverage, consumer behavior, cognitive theories, categorization theory, fit factors, price fit, user fit, usage fit, quality fit, brand personality fit, category fit, and empirical research methods.- Arbeit zitieren
- B.Sc. Peter Zickermann (Autor:in), 2012, Co-Branding: Fit Factors between Partner Brands, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/264423
