Determinants of the brand equity: A vertification approach in the mobile phone industry
Abstract
Branding and brand management have been well-recognized management priorities and strategic aims for companies for many years (Kapferer, 2008; Keller, 2008; Post, 2008). Brand equity is regarded as a very important concept in business practice as well as in academic research because marketers can gain competitive advantages through strong brands (Aaker, 1998; Keller, 1993, 2000). Positive customer-based brand equity,
in turn, can lead to greater revenue, lower costs, and higher profits; and it has direct implications for the firm’s ability to command higher prices, customers’ willingness to seek out new distribution channels, the effectiveness of marketing communications, and
the success of brand extensions and licensing opportunities (Keller, 2003). Although the literature identifies several dimensions of brand equity from other industries, existing research on brand equity in the mobile phone industry is still spare.
The purpose of this study is to test the relationship between brand equity and
its dimensions in the context of Nokia mobile phone Vietnam based on well-known conceptual brand equity models which was developed by Aaker (1991). This study set out to determine whether the results would concur in the case of mobile phone industry. It measured the way in which consumers’ perceptions of the dimensions of brand equity affected the overall brand equity evaluations. Data were collected from a sample of
International university students in Vietnam.
The study concludes that brand associations is the most influential dimension
of brand equity. Weak support is found for the brand awareness and perceived quality dimensions.