MOTIVATION

BRAND AWARENESS

After analyzing some of the statements of Franzen and Bouwman (2001) and Kapferer (2004) regarding brand awareness, the author has identified that it is the strength of the brand’s presence in the consumer mind and the precondition for its existence. There are four different stages or levels of awareness:

1.Non-recognition of the brand 2. Brand recognition 3. Brand recall 4. Top of mind – the brand survives and presumes an instinctive nature.

BRAND ASSOCIATIONS

The vast majority of the authors (Khrisnan, 1996) (Keller, 2003), when approaching to provide a meaning of brand associations, agree that these are links between nodes in consumer’s minds and are like a mental network of connections that represent any information connected to a brand node that adds brand commitment. Brand associations are, therefore, connections between consumer’s minds and brand attributes, benefits and attitudes.

BRAND ATTRIBUTES

Drawing from existing research from Keller (2003) and Riesenbeck and Perrey (2007) defined brand attributes as features that describe the product and characteristics of these, whether these are tangible or not. However, this statement suggests that attributes are necessary but not enough in order to generate long-lasting consumer relationships. BRAND PERSONALITY

Brand personality will play an essential role throughout the present paper; thus, the author has analyzed several hypotheses of different authors that state its importance in branding. Brand personality is built through different human characteristics that are associated with the brand and are usually the most differentiating part of the brand and therefore, a way of interaction and engagement with the customer. (Aaker, 1997) It would be a synonym to answering what kind of person would the brand be if it were a person. Thus, it is a similar process to giving the brand human attributes such as humour, sincerity or intelligence. This process is usually more natural to achieve through brand endorsements with renown individuals to whom people will easier attribute those characteristics. (McCracken, 1986)

Nevertheless, the researcher has identified that several studies mention that brand personality is not the only way to differentiate the brand. On the contrary, a brand needs of its brand beliefs and emotions to generate an emotional and different interaction with their customers.

BRAND KNOWLEDGE

Most of the professionals arguing what brand knowledge is, agree on Keller’s (2003) theory that defines it as the personal meaning customers attribute to the brand through their memory. Brand knowledge therefore affects and has personal significance to the customer. Thus, it can be related entirely to brand beliefs. BRAND BELIEFS AND EMOTIONS

Several studies concur that successful brands currently communicate to their customers in an emotional and affectional level, which further on affects the final customer decision on purchasing the product or service. Thus, the researcher of the dissertation will be giving it greater importance than to other concepts. On the one hand, the author has spotted that brand beliefs usually differentiate the brand from its competitors as they are related to cognitive and personal aspects. Brand beliefs strengthen the brand as those are features or benefits the customer can relate and make unique for the brand. On the other hand, many debates have been opened since lots of authorities have been analyzing brand emotions for a long time. However, the researcher has seen that many of these studies recall to brand emotions as affection or appraisal for an object, person, service or event, whether it is positive or negative (Jun, Cho, and Kwon 2008). Moreover, these might affect further on to the perception of the brand as emotions play an essential role in memory processes and help people; therefore, customers, to remember and learn cognitive processes. (Plassmann et al., 2007) BRAND ATTITUDES

Individuals usually form attitudes towards new brands through changes in their beliefs. These attitudes are the result of the experience the customer has had with the brand and might appear as judgements and evaluations. (Keller, 2003) Nevertheless, these attitudes are carefully related to emotions, feelings and cognition.

BRAND BENEFITS

Brand benefits are the meanings customers associate to brand product attributes. There are three different categories for brand benefits: (Orth and De Marchi 2007)

1. Functional: intrinsic advantages of the product. 2. Experiential: what it feels to use the product and satisfy sensorial pleasure. 3. Symbolic: extrinsic advantages that are not related to the product but social and personal expression and approval.

So, by identifying the meaning of these different concepts, the author states as a conclu-

sion that branding is conceived as a total and summary of those mentioned above. Thus,

successful brands are those who manage to build a robust branding conception that in-

volves consumers as social and emotional individuals that profoundly interfere on how a

brand is perceived; whether they are evaluated as single individuals or a group of individ-

uals. Therefore, the author will be studying how consumers react when they are conceived

as individuals and hence their self-concept is enhanced.