Brand origin and product haracteristics effects on corporate versus product brand equity in B2B markets

Abstract

Prior research on branding has emphasised the choices companies have between product and corporate branding and what drives these choices. B2B markets are expected to differ from individual consumers in the value they place on the corporate brand versus the product brand due to the complicated nature of organisational buying. Brand origin and product characteristics are said to have an effect on customers’ evaluations of brand equity. The study design was causal/experimental in nature and data from 189 B2B customers located in SA and Europe was collected via a survey. The unit of analysis was customers’ evaluations of brand equity and multivariate statistical techniques were employed in the data analysis. The study results suggest that brand origin has an effect on customers’ evaluations of brand equity and local customers place more value on the corporate brand than their international counterparts. B2B customers are well aware of the product brand they buy and that product brand awareness drives product brand equity. Commodity and differentiated customers do not differ in their evaluations of corporate versus product brand equity. The findings from this research can contribute to the body of knowledge in the domain of building brand equity in B2B customers with specific implications to brand managers and CEO’s. Copyright