High‐tech corporate branding: lessons for market research in the next decade

Abstract

Established corporate brand research has two significant weaknesses. The first is the lack of empirically based research behind the theory. The second is the “over‐quantification” of research methods to deal with marketing topics concerning consumers” beliefs, perceptions and values. Additionally, high‐tech corporate brands are rarely the basis of brand research. This study explores consumer reactions to technical brands to draw inferences and build more effective brand strategies. The mobile phone market is selected to represent a high‐tech consumer market. In‐depth interviews guided by the principal of personal construct theory and using the laddering technique (Kelly, G.A.,The Psychology of Personal Constructs, Norton, New York, NY, 1955) are used. Two polar groups of consumers are selected as respondents. The findings reveal three shared key dimensions of brand value that are relevant in this type of market. The nature and relative importance of these dimensions are outlined. The evidence indicates that perceptions of corporate “credibility” are based on emotional and experiential associations rather than on more obvious, rational ones.

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