Marketing Research Workshop
MARKETING WORKSHOP
Program:
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Topic: Positioning Multi-country Brands: The Impact of Variation in Cultural Values and Competitive Set
Speaker:
Professor Rajeev BATRA
(Sebastian S. Kresge Professor of Marketing, The University of Michigan)
Abstract:
Building on cultural values research, we identify specific image attributes on which
multi-country brands should position themselves consistently across markets. Leveraging prior research, we identify
three life values that are most equal in their cross-national importance (benevolence, universalism, and self-direction –
“BUS”) versus two that are not (power and hedonism – “PH”). We link specific brand image attributes (e.g., friendly,
social, elite style, arrogant) to these life values through empirical data and semantic analysis. Using an extensive field
dataset on consumer perceptions and preferences from 22 countries on over 1,700 brands, we then show that greater
global consistency of a brand’s image decreases overall brand attitudes if the specific image attribute is one of those
that is not equally desired worldwide. The attitudinal impact of a multi-country brand’s positioning consistency is also
affected by the similarity of the set of competitors the brand faces across its markets: competitive set homogeneity
increases the positive effect of cross-country standardization, more so for brands positioned consistently on BUS
values. Implications are discussed for global brand management theory and practice.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Topic: Community, Digital Marketing Strategy, and Firm Performance
Speaker:
Professor Eric (Er) FANG
(Professor of Marketing and James F. Towey Faculty Fellow, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Abstract:
I will present two studies. First, shopping communities, or subgroups that facilitate interactions among buyers and sellers, can enhance shopping experiences and personal interactions, especially in online marketplaces. This article evaluates six months of longitudinal data from new buyers and sellers as they form relationships in an online shopping community, revealing unique, dynamic drivers of unilateral relationships. In the second study, we explore the notion of group marketing, or the use of the underlying psychological mechanisms of groups to drive conforming behaviors in ways that benefit the firm. We show that group marketing effectiveness depends on 1) which underlying mechanism(s) are salient, and 2) the varying strength of these mechanisms over time. Using a longitudinal field study and a laboratory experiment the authors find that group cohesion has a strong and consistent impact on purchase behaviors above the effects of network influence and mere social presence.
